Quotables
"Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance. "
Ambose Bierce
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7779747 | Actuator and method for producing mechanical motion A system for producing mechanical motion is provided. The system includes an actuator having a first end, a second end, and a radially expandable bladder assembly extending therebetween, and a source of pressurized fluid external to said actuator. The bladder assemb... | 08/24/2010 |
| 7707925 | Fluid operated pump A pumping system comprising a pump (21) for conveying a pumped fluid using an actuating fluid. The pump comprising a rigid outer casing (25) defining an interior space (26), a tube structure (27) accommodated in the interior space (26 | 05/04/2010 |
| 7353747 | Electroactive polymer-based pump Methods and devices for pumping fluid are disclosed herein. In one exemplary embodiment, a pump is provided having a first member with a passageway formed therethrough, and a plurality of electrically expandable actuators in communication with the first member and a... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7350548 | Swing arm assembly with replaceable insert for use with a debarker apparatus Apparatuses, systems, and methods for debarking logs are shown and described. The disclosed embodiments can be used for quickly and conveniently replacing contact surfaces, such as leading edges, of swing arm assemblies. Some disclosed embodiments include a swing ar... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7331273 | Pneumatic actuator A pneumatic actuator having a flexible plate, the flexible plate being made of a rigid flexible material. The pneumatic actuator further includes at least two elongate, flexible but poorly extensible pneumatic pressure ducts that are disposed side by side and are in... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7320599 | Blood pressure simulation apparatus with tactile interface The blood pressure level in humans is a vital health parameter, yet the vast majority of people do not have a physical feeling for what normal and abnormal blood pressure levels mean in relation to the forces exerted on the heart and blood vessels. A blood pressure ... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7302959 | Low-power wireless inflatable bladder damper for forced air heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems A low-power, wireless, inflatable bladder damper device for controlling the flow of air through an airflow channel, and a method of operation for the same. Rather than requiring power supply and/or control wiring for operation of a wireless damper device, a low-powe... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7299741 | Hydraulic pressure actuator and continuous manual athletic device using the same A hydraulic pressure actuator having an inner tube and a mesh sleeve covering the outer periphery of the inner tube and longitudinally extendable by pressure fluid fed into the inner tube, wherein a low friction body formed in an elastic cylindrical body by knitting... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7258379 | Laminated-type multi-joint portion drive mechanism and manufacturing method therefor, grasping hand and robot arm provided with the same A laminated-type multi-joint portion drive mechanism includes a bone member having at least two elastic deformation portions, a laminated-type pneumatic tube member having at least twoline-tubes which are stacked on the bone member and which are connected to a pneum... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7213503 | Compressible fluid pressure actuator An inner space connected to a power source and an inner space connected by way of a pressure loss part with respect to the flow of compressible fluid are provided, thereby obtaining effects similar to when the volume occupied by the compressible fluid with respect t... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7201097 | Diaphragm pump The invention relates to a diaphragm pump for pumping aggressive and/or abrasive media, such as slurries, comprising a diaphragm housing mounted in a substantially vertically disposed pipe system, which substantially vertically disposed pipe system comprises at leas... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7185580 | Fluid-actuated contraction drive and associated contraction tube A fluid power contractile drive comprising a contractile hose (2), which on fluid actuation of an actuation space (7) delimited by it undergoes longitudinal contraction and which at its two terminal regions (5 and 6) is adapted to be, or ... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7121304 | Low permeation hydraulic accumulator A hydraulic accumulator includes a rigid tank containing a flexible but non-elastic bladder formed of a metal foil and separating the interior of the tank into a gas space and a liquid space. The gas and liquid spaces respectively communicate with exterior sources o... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7108231 | Adjustment mechanism for a variable-shape wing Adjustment mechanism for adjustment area of variable-shape flow surface with two opposite skin surfaces includes plurality of whirl chambers swivelably arranged next to one another so that the whirl chambers are swivelable relative to one another, and the whirl cham... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7100491 | Fluid-powered mechanical actuator and method for controlling A fluid-powered mechanical actuator having a proximal end and a distal end and having a plurality of hollow tubular elements hingedly connected in end-to-end linked relationship to form a variable angle therebetween, each such link having one degree of freedom; prov... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7086322 | Fluidic device In a fluidic drive for disposition between two components which are movable relative to each other comprising a hollow body with a duct for supplying fluid to, and discharging it from, the hollow body wherein the hollow body consists at least partially of a bellows ... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7055782 | Cellular actuator device and methods of making and using same A cellular actuator device suitable for a control surface of an aircraft or space craft has a number of elementary cells which are combined to a common arrangement and are formed by pressure-tight chambers. The elementary cells can be acted upon by a pressure medium... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7044245 | Toroidal propulsion and steering system An apparatus comprises a body having a torus skin with inner and outer layers, and a drive system configured to propel the apparatus by moving the inner layer relative to the outer layer. The active skin propulsion system allows movement and steering of a device. A ... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7028600 | Hydraulic radial piston engine A hydraulic radial piston engine has a lifting ring fixed to the casting, a rotor mounted opposite the lifting ring such that it is rotatable about an axis of rotation, multiple piston seats aligned radially in the rotor relative to the axis of rotation, and multipl... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7021195 | Priming pump The invention relates to a priming pump comprising an enclosure having an elastically deformable central zone connected to two coupling zones, the enclosure being comprising an outer layer of elastomer material and an inner layer of barrier-forming material against ... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7017468 | Pneumatic pivoting device A pneumatic device for pivoting a pivotal component is articulated to a structural element by means of a joint. Hoses produced from a material of low ductility, to which compressed air can be admitted, are inserted between the pivotal component and the structural el... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7001322 | Multiple processing chamber set and use thereof A multiple sample processing apparatus for a continuous flow centrifuge, including a plurality of axially aligned processing chambers and expressor chambers, each chamber comprising an axial opening, in a fixed arrangement, and a plurality of central hubs disposed i... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6929249 | Pneumatic lift device A pneumatic lift device that has a lift unit and an activatable air supply connected to the lift unit with the lift unit having a substantially rectangular base with four sides and a substantially rectangular lift platform connected to the base by a hinge mechanism ... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6916049 | Corrugated pipe coupling having six degrees of freedom A pipe coupling for joining two sections of pipe provides six degrees of freedom where the pipe coupling includes an inlet portion, an outlet portion disposed opposite the inlet portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between the inlet and outlet portions for ... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6907817 | Linear actuator A linear actuator having a low profile and a long stroke is provided. The actuator includes a housing integrally connected to a telescoping piston. The piston may be extended by a fluid such as inflation gas provided by an inflation gas generator in fluid communicat... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6868773 | Fluidic actuator A fluidic actuator includes a central elastic tube with an interior bore and a surrounding sheath formed of braided fibers. End fittings are attached to the tube and sheath at first and second ends thereof and include a cap with a hollow cavity into which an end sec... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6860189 | Rotary actuator with cartridge and chain or cable An actuator which comprises a pair of elongated elastomer tubes (6,16), sealed by respective members (18, 20, 22, 24) at each end, the members at the one end (18, 20) being fixed and the members at the opposite end (22, 24) sliding in gui... | 03/01/2005 |
| 6840152 | Actuating means A fluid power operable actuating device, which possesses a flexible contractible tube extending between two spaced head pieces, such flexible contractible tube being caused to expand radially when its inner space is subjected to fluid pressure and transmitting simul... | 01/11/2005 |
| 6830019 | Valve actuation in combustion engines with artificial muscles The invention relates to a valve device for controlling the valve tappet of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. In this case, the movement of the valve tappet is generated by contraction/expansion or flexion or stretching of at least one artificial mus... | 12/14/2004 |
| 6811168 | Wheel suspension of a motor vehicle In a suspension of a vehicle wheel on a vehicle body, including a spring element for accommodating the compressive forces acting between the vehicle wheel and vehicle body and with a linear actuator for adjusting the kinematics and the distance between the vehicle w... | 11/02/2004 |
| 6807894 | Contraction unit with position sensor device A contraction unit with a contraction tube that extends between two spaced head pieces and that contracts in length when pressure builds upon the inside proposed, which is provided with a position sensor device for detecting the distance between the head pieces base... | 10/26/2004 |
| 6805606 | Inflatable expanding doll An inflatable doll action figure having a telescopically extendable endoskeleton surrounded by an inflatable skin, associated with a manually operated air pump and release valve for selectively expanding and contracting individual air chambers, which form the doll's... | 10/19/2004 |
| 6796918 | Pneumatic displacement system The invention concerns a pneumatic system for displacing a cable (1) stretched in a loop between at least two pulleys (2, 3). Said system comprises at least an artificial muscle (5) inserted over a portion of the loop, the length of said artific... | 09/28/2004 |
| 6772673 | Flexible actuator A flexible actuator 2 according to the invention includes a movable part 6, an actuator body 8, a reservoir 10, and a pump 12 that moves a liquid between the reservoir 10 and a main liquid chamber 4. The movable part ... | 08/10/2004 |
| 6684754 | Pneumatic muscle analogs for exoskeletal robotic limbs and associated control mechanisms Artificial muscle analog 1000 is located within hollow exoskeletal bone 10. Muscle 1000 comprises inflatable bladder 120, cable 130, roller 140, anchor point 150, and connection means 160 whereby said bladder may be inflated and deflated. Bladder 120 is a... | 02/03/2004 |
| 6513418 | Air actuator An air actuator adapted to be located between a pair of spaced members for moving said members with respect to each other includes a hollow body formed of an expandable non-reinforced polyurethane. The body has an ellipsoidal shape and terminates in a pai... | 02/04/2003 |
| 6487959 | Fluid actuating drive for smooth adjusting movements A fluid actuating drive for relative translational movement of first and second structural parts has a housing filled with a pressurizing medium, which in its longitudinal direction, runs along a gap that separates the structural parts, and is connected t... | 12/03/2002 |
| 6453545 | Compact inflatable device for applying localized pressure to turbine generator armature bars Radial pressure is applied to a turbine generator armature bar using a simple hand held device that can be readily manipulated by a single human operator. A retainer platform has two wedge shaped portions with handles, and by the operator sliding the wedg... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6431052 | Power generating apparatus using compressed air Provided is a power generating apparatus for obtaining a desired power source from elastic movement of an elastic tube into which compressed air is injected. The elastic pressure receptacle having compressed air is rotatably supported and pistons engaged ... | 08/13/2002 |
| 6360648 | Fluid operated rotary drive A fluid power rotary drive having two head pieces, between which a hose body and a force transmitting structure extend. The head pieces bear against each other via supporting means permitting relative rotatability thereof in Abstract of the Disclosure suc... | 03/26/2002 |
