Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7934290 | Door hinge device with fulcrum at variable position An hinge device with fulcrum at variable position for a door (2) of a structure (3) is provided with connecting members, first (4) and second (5), mutually connected and respectively fit to be fixed to the door (2) and to the struc... | 05/03/2011 |
| 7917995 | Furniture hinge Furniture hinge with alternative damping and/or braking device with respect to those existing and able to guarantee a better functional efficiency during closing and opening operation of the doors, or other parts of furniture, even after long periods of inactivity o... | 04/05/2011 |
| 7543356 | Snap hinge for supporting closure elements A snap hinge for supporting closure elements, comprising a first articulated quadrilateral and a second articulated quadrilateral, which share a first lever and a second lever and have, as their base element, respectively a plate for coupling to a component designed... | 06/09/2009 |
| 7350273 | Vehicle body hinge A hinge, such as a truck body door hinge, includes a first mounting member, a second mounting member, a first connecting member that is pivotably connected to the first and second mounting members, and a second connecting member that is also pivotably connected to t... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7337499 | Knuckle arm A knuckle arm interconnects a machine body and a top cover of a machine, and includes a base fixed on the machine body, and a pivot seat connected pivotally to the base and attached to the top cover. A biasing unit is disposed between the base and the pivot seat so ... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7334361 | Access system for a display panel assembly A system for accessing internal electrical components of an LED display panel assembly includes a case and a display panel having a plurality of LEDs on an outer surface and electrical components on an inner surface. A linkage assembly is coupled to an inner surface... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7328484 | Hinge The invention relates to a hinge comprising a moveable hinge section and a hinge section consisting of a fixed stop section, which are interconnected by at least one joint axis, and comprising a damping device mounted on one of the hinge sections whose translational... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7275284 | Damping device The invention relates to a damping device for parts of furniture which are joined together by means of hinges and which can be pivoted in relation to each other. The housing contains a damping fluid in the cavity thereof and a resistance element which can be displac... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7197790 | Hinge including a gas strut A hinge which includes a gas strut. The hinge in one embodiment further includes a first control arm and a second control arm which is coupled to the first control arm. The gas strut in this one embodiment is coupled to both first and second control arms. ... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7127778 | Hinge The invention relates to a hinge comprising a moveable hinge section and a hinge section consisting of a fixed stop section, which are interconnected by at least one joint axis, and comprising a damping device mounted on one of the hinge sections whose translational... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7096535 | Hinge device A hinge device includes a frame bracket adapted to be secured to a door frame, a door bracket adapted to be secured to a door panel, first and second links pivoted to the frame bracket and the door bracket, an urging member for urging the door panel to move from an ... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7093877 | Gutter mounted deck lid hinge A link assembly forming a 6 bar linkage is integrally combined with a spring having a laterally coiled strand to form a hinge that is particularly well adapted to be installed in a small footprint. Such a unit is well adapted for installation within a peripheral cha... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7065833 | Furniture hinge with automatic opening control mechanism The invention concerns a cabinet hinge with an automatic opening device, especially for cabinet doors with a hinge cup, which is connected with a hinge to a hinge arm, which is, being adjustable and lockable, connected to a base plate, which is connected to a cabine... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7059018 | Hinge with catch A pair of projection elements 42, 42 are formed on the opposite sides of an inner link 4. Each projection element 42 is formed with a cutout recess 42b. A fitting shaft part 72a, which is formed on each end of an abut... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7003851 | Hinge The movement of a hinge, preferably for furniture, comprising a hinge arm or a fixed-body hinge section and a pivotable hinge section flexibly connected thereto, is damped by a rotation damper at least damped over part of the closure path to the closed position. In ... | 02/28/2006 |
| 7000720 | Front hood assembly A front hood assembly has a front hood of a motor vehicle that is hinged to the chassis of the motor vehicle via a hinge, the front hood being lockable via at least one hood lock. The hinge is plastically deformed under the impact of a collision with a pedestrian. T... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6964316 | Front opening hood assembly A front hood system has a front hood of a vehicle coupled to the frame of the vehicle via at least one four-joint hinge. In addition, the front hood can be latched by means of at least one hood lock. An economically and technically feasible protection provided for p... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6938302 | Door closing mechanism A door closing mechanism, involving a shaft rod that moves in relation to, and is installed inside a tube unit. On the shaft rod is an open/close unit. ... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6928698 | Lift-up hinge device of multifunction peripheral A lift-up hinge for pivotally connecting a first portion and a second portion of an appliance includes a fixture member, a first movable member and a second movable member. The fixture member is secured on the first portion of the appliance. The first movable member... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6929279 | Hood support mechanism A support mechanism supports a hood in a raised position with respect to a vehicle to which the hood is pivotally coupled. The mechanism includes two pairs of arm members which are pivotally coupled to each other by a central pivot pin, and which are coupled between... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6910545 | Hinge assembly for utility vehicle hood A hinge assembly is provided for hinging a hood on a utility vehicle body so as to enable the hood to open upwardly and backwardly from the front end of the utility vehicle. A bracket made from steel is secured adhesively to an underside of the hood, which is made f... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6889404 | Height-adjustable hinge for a liquid crystal display A hinge includes a bracket, two fixing seats pivotally connected to the bracket, at least one base, at least one first arm pivotally connected between the at least one base and the at least one fixing seat and at least one second arm pivotally connected between the ... | 05/10/2005 |
| 6701574 | Decklid hinge for vehicle A decklid hinge is provided for a rear compartment of a vehicle. The decklid hinge includes a body side strap adapted to be connected to a vehicle body of the vehicle. The decklid hinge also includes a decklid side strap adapted to be connected to a deckl... | 03/09/2004 |
| 6647592 | Four bar hinge A hinge mechanism for mounting a vehicle door structure to a vehicle body having first, second, third and fourth hinge members and a plurality of pin members. The first and fourth hinge members are coupled to the vehicle body and the vehicle door, respect... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6618904 | Spring loaded vehicle hinge mechanism In a multi-link hinge assembly for a rear deck lid or front hood for an automobile, a torsional coil spring is mounted with its coil coaxial to or proximate to a pivotal connection of the hinge assembly with arms of the coil spring engaging members of the... | 09/16/2003 |
| 6499189 | Hinge apparatus and image forming device having a platen cover control apparatus A hinge apparatus employs a base, a second base, link arms, urging means and the characteristics of a parallelogram formed by the shape of said base, second base and paired link members to enable a body such as a platen cover to rotate up open and lower s... | 12/31/2002 |
| 6442799 | Hinge A hinge comprising a base and a plate rotataby coupled to the base about a turn axis fixed in the base. The hinge further includes a swing member rotably coupled to the plate about a pivot axis fixed relative to the plate and a spring coupled between the ... | 09/03/2002 |
| 6374459 | Snap hinge for supporting closure sheet-like elements A snap hinge for supporting closure sheet-like elements, comprising a first articulated quadrilateral and a second articulated quadrilateral which have a first lever and a second lever in common, at least two elastic springs in parallel being further prov... | 04/23/2002 |
| 6230364 | Hinged closures A hinge mechanism for assisting the lifting of a trunk lid of a vehicle comprises a V-shaped leaf spring (12) mounted on a first hinge part (2) attached to the vehicle body, and a roller element (32) mounted on a second hinge part (4) attached to the lid.... | 05/15/2001 |
| 6073673 | Wall or partition system for use in buildings to divide large spaces into smaller spaces, which wall or partition system has a hinge for connecting adjacent wall or partition elements Movable partition elements and a hinge to connect the partition elements to each other. The partition elements can be swung on the hinge toward one another until they are substantially parallel to each other. The hinge can have stacked or crossed connecti... | 06/13/2000 |
| 5497534 | Double arm hinge for a refrigerator door A refrigerator door hinge assembly including a refrigerator bracket and a door bracket, a first link pivotally connected to the refrigerator bracket and the door bracket, a second link pivotally connected to the refrigerator bracket and the door bracket, ... | 03/12/1996 |
| 5471709 | Built-in electrical appliances, refrigerators in particular A hinge (1) for a door (6) of an electrical appliance, (for example a refrigerator, for use in particular where the appliance is built in) to be covered with a facing panel (7) is provided with structure for adjusting the position of the panel on the door... | 12/05/1995 |
| 5444895 | Furniture hinge A hinge includes a stationary fitting base plate part, which fitting base plate part is connected with a pivotal fitting part. The hinge is able to be pivoted for lateral adjustment of a door or flap carried by the pivotal fitting part, in relation to the... | 08/29/1995 |
| 5410779 | Hinge The hinge (1), designed for suspension members (2 and 3), is provided with a flexible mechanism comprising a pair of joining components (4, 5), intended to be attached to corresponding suspension members (2 and 3) and connected to each other by means of t... | 05/02/1995 |
| 5373609 | Four-bar linkage hinge with improved opening mechanism A four-bar linkage hinge comprises two fastening elements (11, 12) with a first (14) and a second link (13) pivoted by their ends, respectively, to each fastening element (11, 12). The first link (14) has an extension (20) which rests on a free arm (25) o... | 12/20/1994 |
| 5103532 | Flat-mounted cabinet door hinge having low profile A flat-mounted cabinet door hinge, having a low cabinet-side profile, including a cabinet mounting plate and a door mounting plate interconnected by an elongated carrier plate, optionally containing a bend, attached to the cabinet and door mounting plates... | 04/14/1992 |
| 5058238 | Crosslink hinge with closing mechanism A crosslink hinge for hanging a door on a cabinet has two crosslink arms attached in the middle in a scissors-like manner. One end of one of the crosslink arms is coupled directly to the cabinet-related part of the hinge, which can be fastened on a mounti... | 10/22/1991 |
| 5035026 | Hinge for pieces of furniture The present invention provides a hinge consisting of two halves. Each half of the hinge comprises a base plate (5, 6), to be respectively fastened to a side (3) and a door (1) of a piece of furniture, a rocker arm (10, 14), and a link (7, 11). The interse... | 07/30/1991 |
| 5029362 | Furniture hinge A furniture hinge has a first hinge arm and a second hinge arm which are interconnected by inner and outer pivot levers. The inner pivot lever carries a control cam within the first hinge arm for cooperating with an internal coil spring so that the hinge ... | 07/09/1991 |
| 5022117 | Cabinet hinge with closing mechanism Cabinet hinge whose door-related part in the form of a cup set in a mortise is articulated to the carcase-related part configured as an elongated supporting arm of inverted U-shaped cross section by two hinge links whose ends are journaled in the cup at o... | 06/11/1991 |
