Other

Ourpet's Company

Hewlett-packard Company

Tyco Electronics Corporation

Zippo Manufacturing Company

Innovation Direct LLC

The Whitaker Corporation

Michael M O'Toole

Bradley S Levin

Joseph John Vandenberg

Phillip J Edwards

Thomas H Blair

Siegfried B Fleischer

Oliver W Northrup

John Richard Nottingham

Steven Tsengas

Brett Matthew Zaborsky

Michael S Lebby

John Wilford Spirk

Jeffrey M Kalman

Marc Louis Vitantonio

Robert Soreo

Lee Xu

Diana Ching Chen

Philip J Edwards

Craig M Saunders

Charles Peter Althoff

David J Boll

John Spirk

John William Nottingham

Douglas Edward Whitner

Gary Robert Stephan

Brian Vincent Sokol

Ronald J Meister

Joseph Markham

Michael Wayne Johnson

Michael Schiavoni

Brian Catlett

En-Den D Liu

Mark S Chang

Oliver W Northup

Andrew Ratcliff

Joseph L Vandenberg

Lee L Xu

An interactive apparatus includes a frame that defines an interior region. A swing is secured to the frame and moves into and out of the interior region. At least one fluid delivery system is secured to the frame for directing a plane of fluid into the interior region of the frame. The fluid delivery system includes a plurality of flow regulating elements for selectively controlling the cross-section of the fluid plane.

Interactive water plane apparatus

A steam mop that includes a handle, an extension member, a base mount, a steam generator, and a mop head. The steam generator includes a body that at least partially contains a fluid tank, fluid pump and a heating element used to at least partially vaporize fluid. The body of the steam generator is designed to be releasably connected to the base mount such that the steam generator can be used as a steam producing device for the steam mop or can be disconnected from the base mount and be used as a stand alone steam producing device.

Steam mop

An automatic pet training pad having a training pad area, an absorbent pad bin and a waste collection bin. A roll of absorbent pad material extends from the absorbent pad bin, across the training pad area and into the waste collection bin. After a pet uses the training pad, a sensor activates a disposal cycle. The used absorbent pad material is withdrawn into the waste collection bin, rolled into a disposable waste pouch, and severed off from the clean absorbent pad material. The absorbent pad comprises an upper, fluid-absorbent layer and a lower, fluid-impervious layer bonded together in a continuous sheet. The absorbent pad material is further impregnated with an odor suppressing substance to control pet waste odor.

Waste disposal system for canines

An improved automated litter box comprises a motorized comb or rake drive mechanism for removing clumps, a means for cycling the drive mechanism, and a cat proximity sensor for sensing the relative position of a cat about or within said litter chamber. The cat proximity sensor is capable of identifying the location of a cat outside the litter box or litter box or litter chamber. The cat proximity sensor comprises a passive or inductive transmitter for identification for modulating and demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal; and an antenna for receiving and transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal.

Device for actuating automated litterbox

A lighter includes a butane fuel reservoir, a valve, a mixer with a choke, a movable combustion space and movable top door over the combustion space which interact to allow a wheel and flint igniter to initiate a post mix flame above the top of the combustion space followed by the opening of the top and migration of the flame into the combustion space to create a strong torch-like premixed flame thereafter.

Flint ignited premixed lighter

An automated cat litter box comprising self-scooping mechanisms on a scooping carriage assembly at one end of a litter pan. The scooping carriage contains therein a waste drawer having a removable tray covered in lining. The tray travels with the carriage to the opposing end of the litter so that a grate can flip backwards to shovel collected waste into the waste drawer.

Self scooping cat litter box

An optoelectric module adapted to cooperate with a multi-fiber array by displacing a plurality of OEDs from the fiber array at least along the z,y-axes or a combination thereof while maintaining their alignment along either the x-axis of the fiber array, the module comprising: (a) a connector interface adapted to interconnect with a multi-fiber assembly having an x,y array of fibers; (b) a plurality of OEDs for converting between optical and electrical signals; and (c) optical paths wherein each optical path has a first end adapted for optically coupling with a corresponding fiber in an x,y array of fibers and a second end for optically coupling with a corresponding OED, wherein the distance between the second ends of at least two optical paths is greater than the distance between their corresponding first ends and wherein the distance across the second ends along the x-axis is no greater than the distance across the first ends along the x-axis.

Optoelectric module for multi-fiber arrays

An electro-optic module with an optical coupling efficiency, the module comprising a receptacle assembly, wherein an end of the receptacle assembly is capable of receiving a light guiding element and wherein an opposite end of the receptacle assembly is capable of receiving an optical lens assembly positioned therein the receptacle assembly. An optoelectric package which includes an optoelectronic device is capable of being affixed to the opposite end of the receptacle assembly wherein an optical axis extends from the end to the opposite end of the receptacle assembly such that the light guiding element and the optoelectric device are in communication through a lens included in the optical lens assembly. The optical lens assembly is held fixedly in place against an inward periphery of the receptacle assembly such that a distance between the lens and the optoelectronic device can be adjusted to adjust the optical coupling efficiency.

Optical/electrical module

A testable optical subassembly comprising a unitary structure of an optically-clear moldable material having at least the following features: (a) an optical path for transmitting optical signals between a fiber and an optoelectric device (OED); (b) a ferrule-receiving bore for receiving a ferrule and aligning a fiber held therein to the optical path; and (c) an OED-receiving cavity for receiving a lead frame and aligning an OED mounted thereon to the optical path along one or more axes.

Transceiver for LC connector

Light source monitoring apparatus includes a light source having drive electronics for supplying drive current to the light source. A monitor diode is connected to the drive electronics for controlling the amount of drive current supplied to the light source. A lens system is positioned to receive the beam of light from the light source and transmit substantially all of the beam of light along an optical axis to a light terminal. The lens system includes a first lens element positioned along the optical axis and adjacent the light source and a second lens element positioned along the optical axis and adjacent the light terminal. A light reflecting surface in the lens system is positioned along the optical axis to reflect a portion of the beam of light at an angle to the optical axis onto the monitor diode.

Light source monitoring apparatus

An optoelectric module includes a cylindrical ferrule defining an optical axis and having a first end constructed to receive an optical fiber aligned along the optical axis. A TO-can is positioned within the ferrule and has a first end with an optical element therein for conducting light therethrough. A base is affixed to the second end of the TO-can and to the second end of the ferrule. A laser is mounted within the TO-can so that light generated by the laser is directed through the optical element along the optical axis. A laser driver is mounted on the base and electrically connected to the laser. External connections to the laser driver are completed by either electrical traces on a surface of the base, vias through the base, or flexible leads mounted on the base.

Optoelectric module

An optoelectric module includes a cylindrical ferrule defining an optical axis and having a first end constructed to receive an optical fiber aligned along the optical axis. An optical element, including a lens, is engaged in the ferrule between the first and second ends and positioned to convey light along the optical axis. The second end of the ferrule is closed by a base. An optical component is mounted on the base so that light is directed through the lens from the optical component to the optical fiber or from the optical fiber to the optical component. Either a laser driver or an amplifier is mounted on the base and electrically connected to the optical component and external connections are made to the laser driver or the amplifier by electrical traces on a surface of the base, vias through the base, or flex leads mounted on the base.

Optical alignment apparatus includes a first element mounting a first lens and a light source and a second element mounting a second lens and a light receiving structure. The first lens is placed a first distance from the light source and is constructed to collimate light received from the light source. The first and second elements are mounted relative to each other to position the second lens a third distance from the first lens and to receive the collimated light from the first lens. The second lens is positioned a second distance from the light receiving structure to focus the collimated light on the light receiving structure. The first and second lens are constructed so that the first and second distances are dependent upon each other and the third distance is independent of the first and second distances.

Optoelectric alignment apparatus

The optoelectric alignment apparatus and lens system includes a glass ball positioned to receive light from a light source along an optical axis. A second lens is positioned to receive light from the glass ball and to supply the received light to a light receiving structure. The glass ball provides most of the optical power of the lens system so that the second lens provides only minor optical correction. The lens system is mounted by means of a molded plastic body that extends axially along the optical axis with the second lens molded into the body. The body includes a light inlet end and a light outlet in a surface lateral to the optical axis and defines a glass ball receiving cavity adjacent the light inlet end fixedly gripping the glass ball.

Lens system and optoelectric alignment apparatus

An improved photoetch technique is presented of the multilayer resist type wherein a thin top layer of resist and a thick planarizing layer are deposited on a substrate and the thin layer is exposed and developed to produce a patterned resist layer. The improvement involves dissolving a suitable dye in a layer between the thin top layer and the substrate. The dye is preferably selected to absorb light of the wavelengths used to expose the top layer but does not interfere with processing of the other layers.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Michael M O'Toole