Other

Simplehuman, LLC

The Grote Manufacturing Co.

Athletic Training Equipment Company, Inc.

Circular Motion Products

Hudd Enterprises

Top Off Corp.

Ian J Fettes

Frank J Yang

Thomas M Jones

John W Bull

Eugene J Grant

Frederik L deRonde

Todd R Trapp

Ranjiv Goonetilleke

Gary F Jervis

Harry Purcell

Cesar Fernandez

A thin-ply roll holder, for example, a paper towel holder facilitates tearing of paper towels from a continuous roll supported on the holder, and prevents excessive unraveling of the roll. A pressure bar pivots at a hinge on the base, and is spring biased towards the pole that supports the roll, such that leverage of the bias about a hinge increases as the pressure bar pivots towards the pole, but the bias decreases at a lower rate than the increase in the leverage. At the distal free end of the pole, a retaining tab is pivoted to flip from a first orientation in which the hollow core of the paper towel is permitted to be received by the pole, to a second orientation in which the paper towel is not permitted to be removed from the pole. The pole is structured as a frame structure comprising rod-shaped segments.

Holder for thin-ply rolls which facilitates tearing of sections

A residue collector is adapted for coupling to a prep-board. The collection perimeter encompasses a reservoir and has support members for laterally and perpendicularly supporting the prep-board. The support members are inboard of the collection perimeter.

Preparation surface with residue receptacle

A mechanism for converting between rotational and linear movement includes a rotatable hub structure and a striker element having an inboard end and an outboard end. In one form of the mechanism, a pivot/spring structure is positioned to engage a pivot location on the striker element between the inboard and outboard ends of the striker element. The pivot/spring structure provides a deflectable pivot fulcrum which can be deflected from a pivot rest position in response to a deflecting force exerted on the striker element. The hub structure can be engaged with the inboard end of the striker element so that a rotational movement of the hub structure provides a force on the striker element tending to cause the inboard end to pivot about the pivot structure, deflecting the pivot fulcrum such that the outboard end of the striker element moves in a generally axial direction. The mechanism can be used in a latch.

Cam-type latch with lock

Apparatus for aiding removal and replacement of a spa cover. The apparatus includes at least one lifting assembly secured relative to the spa tub, each having a lifting arm mounted for rotation relative to the spa tub and including a cover-engaging end coupled to the spa cover and a pivot end mounted for pivotal movement about a pivot axis. The lifting arm is rotatable through a range of motion about the pivot axis between a covering position and an uncovering position. A lifting system is provided for exerting a lifting force on the arm tending to lift the arm as the arm moves from the covering position toward the uncovering position, and for exerting a resistance force on the arm tending to resist movement of the arm from the uncovering position toward the covering position. The lifting system includes a link lever having a pivot end pivotally mounted to the lift arm at a link pivot location disposed between the arm pivot end and the cover-engaging end. A slider end of the link lever is constrained for sliding movement along a slider path of travel. A spring structure is connected to the link lever at a spring pivot location between the link lever pivot end and the slider end. The spring structure is also connected to the lift arm at a spring connection point, and is under compression when the lift arm is at the covering location.

Spa cover lift system

A device is provided for aiding in the removal and replacement of a spa cover atop a spa tub. A pair of lifting assemblies are located on opposite sides of the spa tub. Each of the lifting assemblies includes a spring having an anchored end secured relative to the spa tub and a moveable end. Each lifting assembly employs a lifting arm mounted for rotation relative to the spa tub and including a cover-engaging end attached to the spa cover, a spring-engaging end attached to the moveable end of the spring, and a fulcrum located between the lifting arm ends. The lifting arm is rotatable between extreme covering and uncovering positions in which the spring-engaging end of the lifting arm lies on opposite sides of a straight line extending between the lifting arm axis of rotation and the anchored end of the spring. The lifting arm is rotatable through an intermediate position in which the spring-engaging end of the lifting arm passes between the fulcrum and the anchored end of the spring. At this intermediate position the spring force is at a minimum. The lifting device thereby tends to balance the gravitational moment exerted by the cover on the lifting arms more closely than is achieved with conventional devices. In an alternative arrangement the fulcrum of the lifting arm is located at one end thereof and the moveable end of the spring is joined to the lifting arm at an intermediate spring coupling. A clamping mechanism is employed to lock the lifting arm to prevent accidental closure of the cover.

Device for aiding removal and replacement of a spa cover

A ball pitching machine which uniquely embodies a single, specially configured ball engaging wheel which is rotatably mounted within a wheel housing that, along with a ball receiving barrel, is easily rotatable through an angle of 270 degrees. With this novel construction, the device can be used to accurately pitch a variety of fast balls, curve balls and sliders. The ball engaging wheel of the pitching head is of a novel vaned construction so that as the wheel is rotated within its housing a negative pressure will be generated within the housing and within the ball receiving barrel which is associated therewith so that the ball will be sucked into the barrel and into positive driving engagement with the periphery of the rotating wheel.

Ball pitching machine

A motion picture film reel is constructed so as to be readily disassembled into its component parts to permit film to be removed therefrom without breaking the component parts of the reel. Furthermore, the component parts of the film reel can be rapidly reassembled for repeated reuse. Moreover, the structure is completely plastic so that it may be melted down and is totally recyclable. The film reel is comprised of a pair of side retainers that are releasably engaged with a disk-shaped hub. Each of the side retainers has a pair of posts with catches on the ends thereof which may be inserted through post receiving apertures in a transverse web in the hub. The posts are also provided with cam surfaces which interact with each other to hold the catches engaged with the web. A latching mechanism immobilizes the side retainers relative to each other and relative to the hub until or unless released.

Latching recyclable motion picture reel

Vehicle lamp

An aerobic conditioning apparatus for use by a trainee in simultaneously exercising the upper and lower body in a smooth shock-free manner substantially simulating movement of the arms and legs during swimming. The apparatus includes a supporting frame, first and second foot supporting assemblies mounted on the supporting frame for controlling the movement of the right and left feet of the user respectively to an oscillatory motion along first and second paths between first forward positions and a second rearward position, first and second hand engaging assemblies mounted on the supporting frame for controlling the movement of the right and left hands of the user respectively to an oscillatory motion along paths between a first upraised position and a second lowered position, and synchronizing mechanisms mounted on the supporting frame for causing synchronous movement of the foot engaging assemblies and the hand engaging assemblies.

Aerobic conditioning apparatus

An electric motor or gasoline engine driven pruner by which to facilitate the cutting of generally inaccessible or hard to reach trees and shrubs. The pruner includes a rotatable drive shaft, an elongated tubular drive shaft housing surrounding the drive shaft, an electric motor or gasoline engine affixed to one end of the drive shaft housing to rotate the drive shaft, and a cutting head affixed to the outer end of the drive shaft housing to efficiently cut trees and shrubs. A unique arrangement of telescoping, concentrically aligned housing sections surrounds an arrangement of telescoping, concentrically aligned drive shaft sections to permit the pruner to be extended to reach high, and otherwise inaccessible branches and limbs or collapsed to form a compact assembly for easy transport and/or storage.

Prunner with collapsible drive shaft and housing

A novel apparatus and method for the conversion of the hardtop vehicles to removable top vehicles is disclosed. The conversion includes the severing of a portion of the hardtop and the attachment of a roof cap member to the removable top. The cap includes a cantilevered forward section adapted to seal and conceal the juncture of the top leading edge and vehicle header. A roof stiffener secures the leading edge of the severed roof top to the roof cap. Novel transition seal pairs and an elongated header seal are provided to seal the juncture of the vehicle header and the leading edge of the removable roof. Mating upper and lower caps are secured to the rear severed edges of the vehicle and hardtop. Latches are provided to secure the hardtop in position and are adapted to include positioning adjustments to properly fit the hardtop to the vehicles. Other features and improvements are disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Newport Beach, CA, United States of America

Ian J Fettes