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:
Sep. 29, 2009
Filed:
Mar. 03, 2006
Cyril Silberman, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Barton L. Riberich, Brooklyn Park, MN (US);
Lennart Nielsen, Edina, MN (US);
Michael Becker, New Hope, MN (US);
Alan Wilcox, Rogers, MN (US);
Timothy J. Kline, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Neil Tolin, Buffalo, MN (US);
Mark Silvera, Crystal, MN (US);
Randy Grems, Fairbault, MN (US);
Cyril Silberman, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Barton L. Riberich, Brooklyn Park, MN (US);
Lennart Nielsen, Edina, MN (US);
Michael Becker, New Hope, MN (US);
Alan Wilcox, Rogers, MN (US);
Timothy J. Kline, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Neil Tolin, Buffalo, MN (US);
Mark Silvera, Crystal, MN (US);
Randy Grems, Fairbault, MN (US);
Uni-Systems, LLC, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A movable roof member includes a transport mechanism that is constructed and arranged to permit the roof member to move in a predetermined path with respect to the underlying structure of the supporting edifice. The transport mechanism includes structure for supporting both ends of the roof member, which bridges an otherwise open area of the edifice. In order to permit some flexure and movement of the roof member with respect to the underlying edifice, as will inevitably occur as a result of natural forces such as winds, a lateral release system is provided for maintaining the transport mechanism in a predetermined orientation while simultaneously permitting a limited amount of movement of the roof member in a direction that is nonparallel to the predetermined path of movement. The lateral release system has been found to be most effective when it is provided at but one end of the roof member. The lateral release system preferably includes a linear slide bearing that in the preferred embodiment has a longitudinal axis that is oriented so as to be substantially perpendicular to the predetermined path of travel of the roof member.