The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 10, 2006
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2001
Larry L. Howell, Orem, UT (US);
Scott Thomson, Provo, UT (US);
Jason Alan Briscoe, Provo, UT (US);
John J. Parise, Lauderhill, FL (US);
Shae Lorenc, Idaho Falls, ID (US);
John B. Larsen, Provo, UT (US);
Curtis R. Huffmire, Provo, UT (US);
Nathan Burnside, Provo, UT (US);
Troy A. Gomm, Provo, UT (US);
Larry L. Howell, Orem, UT (US);
Scott Thomson, Provo, UT (US);
Jason Alan Briscoe, Provo, UT (US);
John J. Parise, Lauderhill, FL (US);
Shae Lorenc, Idaho Falls, ID (US);
John B. Larsen, Provo, UT (US);
Curtis R. Huffmire, Provo, UT (US);
Nathan Burnside, Provo, UT (US);
Troy A. Gomm, Provo, UT (US);
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT (US);
Abstract
An ortho-planar spring has a platform movably coupled to a base and being movable linearly with respect to the base along at least a portion of an axial direction perpendicular to both a base surface and a platform surface. A resilient and flexible connecting structure is connected to and between the base and platform. The connecting structure is bendable to develop (i) an axial force along the axial direction to bias the platform in a stable position with respect to the base, and (ii) non-axial forces which substantially sum to zero to preserve the orientation of the platform with respect to the base. Thus, the spring is very compact and does not have rotation between the deflecting ends. The spring may be associated with a valve opening, and a button for restricting flow through the valve opening, to bias the button at a position with respect to the valve opening.