ar Method for the phase modulation of a carrier signal transmitted from a transmitter to a contactless transponder, and device for implementing same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for phase modulation of a carrier signal from a transmitter to a contactless transponder in which data is coded as consecutive symbols, each corresponding to a predefined number of carrier cycles, and in which a symbol time is at least two cycles of the carrier signal includes, at the transmitter, spreading a phase jump of a symbol in relation to a preceding symbol over a first part of the symbol time. The establishment of the phase jump is completed in the first part of the symbol time. The periods of the cycles are constant during a second part of the symbol time. Full Article
ar Circuit breaker with parallel rated current paths By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST A circuit breaker is provided which can be filled with a quenching gas and which has two contact arrangements, which can be moved relative to one another and along a longitudinal axis of the circuit breaker. The contact arrangements form a arcing contact system and a rated current contact system connected electrically in parallel with it. One of the contact arrangements includes inner rated current contacts and outer rated current contacts of the rated current contact system, where the inner rated current contacts overhang the outer rated current contacts in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and the outer rated current contacts coaxially surround the inner rated current contacts. The circuit breaker has a high current carrying capability as well as a reliable switching-on and -off behavior, such as during and after the occurrence of a short-circuit current in the circuit breaker. Full Article
ar Electric current switching apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST To provide an electric current switching apparatus having a fixed-side electrode unit and a movable-side electrode unit that are arranged to align central axes thereof with each other and to face each other, in which a movable contact provided in the movable-side electrode unit reciprocates on the central axis to contact or separate from a fixed-side contact provided in the fixed-side electrode unit, thereby switching electric current flowing through these electrode units, the electric current switching apparatus including a plurality of permanent magnets that are provided in at least one of the fixed-side electrode unit and the movable-side electrode unit, that have bodies arranged on the central axis to align magnetizing directions thereof with the central axis, and that are arranged to cause same poles of adjacent ones of the permanent magnets to face each other as if butting with each other. Full Article
ar Arc chute assembly and method of manufacturing same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST An arc chute assembly includes a housing having a first wall, a second wall, and a pair of side walls coupled to the first wall. The walls configured to form an arc area. The housing further having a divider wall coupled to the first wall between the side walls. The divider wall configured to form a first sub-arc area, a second sub-arc area, and an arc plate area. The first sub-arc area and the second sub-arc area are configured to be in flow communication with the arc plate area. The arc chute assembly further comprises a support coupled to the first wall and the side walls, and an arc plate coupled to the support. The arc plate having a body extending between the side walls and over the divider wall. Full Article
ar Switchgear spout design By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST A spout assembly is provided. The spout assembly includes a spout and a spout base. The spout base has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a spout sized to enclose an electrical switching apparatus electrical coupling. That is, the spout base includes a CT support surface with a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the spout cross-sectional area. Current transformers are disposed upon the spout base CT support surface. Full Article
ar Switchgear By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST Disclosed is a switchgear including: a vacuum chamber; a fixed electrode having a fixed contact at an end thereof, the fixed contact being disposed within the vacuum chamber; a movable electrode having a movable contact at an end thereof, the movable contact being disposed within the vacuum chamber; a linkage assembly electrically connecting or disconnecting the movable electrode and the fixed electrode; an engaging coil spring; and a disengaging coil spring. The engaging coil spring and the disengaging coil spring are provided such that centers of the diametric directions thereof are substantially coaxial and at least a part of the engaging coil spring and a part of the disengaging coil spring overlap each other. Full Article
ar Switch unit with arc-extinguishing units By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST A switch suitable for DC applications includes: two fixed conductive contacts with first contact areas; a movable conductive bridge with two second contact areas for being connected to the two first contact areas in the on-status and for being disconnected from the two the first contact areas in the off-status; and two arc-extinguishing units configured to extinguish electric arcs occurring between the first and second contact areas after disconnecting the second contact areas from the first contact areas. First conductive arc-guiding elements extend from each first contact area into the corresponding arc-extinguishing unit and at least one second conductive arc-guiding element extends into the arc-extinguishing units suitably shaped to guide the electric arcs from each of the second contact areas of the movable bridge into the arc-extinguishing units. Full Article
ar Passive arc management system with a flue chamber By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST In an electrical distribution cabinet a mechanism providing quick, reliable, passive arc blast control has a flue chamber surrounding the likely arc site such as an electrical connection point. The flue chamber provides a flue channel which lengthens the arc and attenuates the current and temperature until the arc is extinguished. Preferably, the flue chamber and channel are formed of opposable open-faced polyhedral structures, one fitting inside the other. The mechanism is particularly suited for draw-out circuit breaker connections in a switch gear cabinet. Full Article
ar Driver for switch in gas insulated switchgear and gas insulated switchgear having the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 08:00:00 EST A driver for a switch in a GIS (Gas Insulation Switchgear) includes a motor, a shaft connected with a moving contact of the switch, a gear connected with one terminal of the shaft and configured to transfer power of the motor to cause the shaft to reciprocate the moving contact through the shaft, a cam spline combined with the shaft and spaced apart from the gear, and a micro-switch connected with the cam spline and configured to control an operation of the motor. Full Article
ar Crowbar disconnect switch By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 08:00:00 EST A three-phase disconnect switch for a power distribution system that supplies three-phase power from a source through a main circuit breaker to multiple three-phase feeder circuits, includes three pairs of contacts adapted for connection to the three phase lines of a selected one of the feeder circuits for opening and closing each of the phase lines, and a movable actuator associated with the three pairs of contacts and responsive to a signal indicating the occurrence of an arcing fault in the selected feeder circuit for initially creating a short circuit across the three phase lines of the feeder circuit and then opening the contacts. Full Article
ar Medium-voltage switchgear assembly By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 08:00:00 EST The invention relates to a medium voltage switchgear assembly which comprises at least one disconnector and whose drive unit is disposed inside or outside a gas chamber according to the generic part of claim 1. In order to further develop a switchgear assembly of the generic type so as to render the same more compact and more functional, the disconnector is embodied as a three-position vacuum chamber switch. Full Article
ar Switching apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 08:00:00 EST A switching apparatus includes: a vacuum valve which houses a fixed side electrode fixed to a fixed current-carrying shaft and a movable side electrode fixed to a movable current-carrying shaft coaxially arranged with the fixed current-carrying shaft in face-to-face relation to the fixed side electrode; and a buffering mechanism which is coaxially disposed with the fixed current-carrying shaft on the fixed side of the vacuum valve and reduces a collision load at the time when the movable side electrode is close contact with the fixed side electrode. Full Article
ar Switchgear By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST The switchgear includes a vacuum circuit breaker that is disposed in a circuit breaker chamber compartmented by a grounded metal plate, a busbar that is disposed in a busbar chamber and connected to the vacuum circuit breaker through a conductor, a cable that is disposed in a cable chamber and connected at one end to a load side, and a grounding device that is operated by a grounding device actuator disposed in a grounding device actuator chamber, connected to the vacuum circuit breaker through a conductor, and connected to the other end of the cable. The busbar is formed by a solid-insulated busbar. The conductor connecting the vacuum circuit breaker to the busbar and the conductor connecting the vacuum circuit breaker to the grounding device are both formed by a solid-insulated conductor. The circuit breaker chamber and the grounding device have a sealed structure. Full Article
ar Arc runner assembly and circuit interrupter By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST An arc runner assembly for use in a circuit interrupter provides a pair of arc runners that are situated at opposite sides of a stationary contact of the circuit interrupter. If used in a DC application, the arc runner assembly is configured to communicate a positive DC arc along one of the arc runners in a first direction away from the stationary contact and is further configured to communicate a negative DC arc along the other arc runner in another direction away from the stationary contact. The arc runner assembly additionally includes a support that is electrically engaged with a conductor of the circuit interrupter on a surface opposite that on which the stationary contact is disposed. The improved arc runner assembly advantageously facilitates extinction of electrical arc and extinguishes both positive and negative DC arcs in a DC application. Full Article
ar Arc resistant electrical enclosure By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST Electrical enclosures are provided that include arc resistant features designed to add structural strength for arc containment, to inhibit arc propagation, and/or to direct the release of pressure within and/or from the enclosure in order to provide arc resistant electrical enclosures. In general, the arc resistant features may be designed to provide enclosures where in the event of an arc fault, the doors and covers remain closed, parts are not ejected from the enclosure, holes are not produced in the enclosure, indicators located in close proximity to the enclosure do not ignite, and/or grounding connections remain effective. Further, the foregoing features may be designed to provide electrical enclosures that comply with industry guides and standards for arc resistant ratings. Full Article
ar Circuit interrupter employing a linear transducer to monitor contact erosion By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST A circuit interrupter includes, a first contact and a second contact, the second contact being moveable relative to the first contact, a drive assembly structured to move the second contact relative to the first contact, and an erosion monitoring device including a linear transducer coupled to a portion of the drive assembly. The liner transducer is structured to generate an output signal representative of an amount of linear displacement of the portion of the drive assembly, wherein the erosion monitoring device is structured to monitor a degree of erosion of at least one of the first contact and the second contact based on the output signal. Full Article
ar Switch unit and switchgear By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT A switch unit includes a plurality of switches, which are linearly disposed. The movable electrode in one switch and the fixed electrode in another switch are electrically connected to each other. Full Article
ar Arc chamber for a circuit breaker and circuit breaker having an arc chamber By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT An arc chamber for a circuit breaker has first and second mounting bodies. The mounting bodies are disposed at the ends of an electrically insulating insulation section of the arc chamber. The insulation section is formed of at least two shell-shaped partial sections. The partial sections are curved concavely relative to a longitudinal axis of the arc chamber. A gap is formed between the edges of the bodies of the partial sections. Full Article
ar Arc mitigation assembly and method of assembly to avoid ground strike By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT A circuit protection device is provided for use with a circuit that includes at least one pair of conductors. The protection device is configured to generate an arc. The protection device includes at least a pair of electrode assemblies electrically coupled to the at least one pair of conductors and a conductor base to support the pair of electrode assemblies. The protection device includes a cover coupled to the conductor base and defining at least one isolation chamber, wherein the electrode assemblies are disposed within the isolation chamber. The protection device includes a containment shield moveably coupled to the cover. The containment shield defines a containment chamber configured to contain charged particles produced by the arc. The containment shield is operative to move relative to the cover in response to a change in pressure produced by the arc within the containment chamber. An isolation assembly is coupled to at least one of the cover and the containment shield and configured to prevent the cover from contacting the containment shield. Full Article
ar Sector gear and gas-insulated switchgear having the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 31 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT Provided is a sector gear including: a drive gear having a drive part that forms a part of a circle and has a plurality of teeth and a non-drive part that forms a remaining part of the circle and provides a non-contact angle of at least approximately 90 degrees; first and second movers forming a disconnector and a grounded breaking switch, respectively; and first and second driven gears engaged with the drive gear and respectively engaged with the first and second movers and configured to make the first mover or the second mover operate in conjunction with the drive part of the drive gear according to a direction of rotation of the drive gear, wherein an intermediate angle between the first and second movers is between approximately 90-135 degrees. The present invention can reduce the size of the gas-insulated switchgear having the sector gear. Full Article
ar Variable venting and damping arc mitigation assemblies and methods of assembly By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 31 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT Equipment protection systems, arc containment devices, and methods of assembling arc containment devices are disclosed. In one example, an electrical isolation structure includes a conductor base, a cover coupled to the conductor base and defining an isolation chamber, a containment shield disposed on the conductor base within the isolation chamber, and a biasing assembly positioned between the cover and the containment shield. The containment shield defines a containment chamber configured to enclose the plurality of electrode assemblies. The containment shield is configured to at least partially contain the arc products within the containment chamber. The biasing assembly is configured to permit the containment shield to move away from the conductor base to thereby define a gap between the conductor base and the containment shield to enable at least some of the arc gases to vent from the containment chamber. Full Article
ar Arc chamber for bi-directional DC By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A circuit breaker including a pair of separable contacts and an arc chamber is provided. The separable contacts include a fixed contact having an upper surface. The arc chamber includes magnetic members disposed on either side of the separable contacts. The magnetic members have a lower surface below the fixed contact upper surface. Full Article
ar Gas insulated switchgear By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A gas insulated switchgear includes an enclosure, a first fixed conductor, one side of the first fixed conductor being bent at a right angle and another side of the first fixed conductor being fixed on one side of the enclosure, a second fixed conductor configured to be spaced apart from the first fixed conductor and configured to be fixed on another side of the enclosure, a screw configured to form an axis on inner of the enclosure and being spaced apart from the first and second fixed conductors and a movable conductor configured to move along the axis through a rotation of the screw, one side of the movable conductor being in contact with the second fixed conductor. Full Article
ar Gas-insulated circuit breaker with nominal contact shielding arrangement By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A gas-insulated type circuit breaker including a housing defining a gas volume for a dielectric insulation gas; a first arcing contact member and a second arcing contact member, wherein the first arcing contact member and the second arcing contact member are movable relative to each other along an axis; a first nominal contact member and a second nominal contact member, wherein the first nominal contact member and the second nominal contact member are movable relative to each other along the axis; and a first nominal contact shielding arrangement including an inner shield member and an outer shield member, wherein the inner shield member and the outer shield member are arranged coaxially about the axis. The first nominal contact member is arranged co-axially between the inner shield member and the outer shield member, and is movable relative to the inner shield member and to the outer shield member. Full Article
ar Arc runners suitable for DC molded case circuit breakers and related methods By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Circuit breakers include an arc chamber and an arc chute comprising a plurality of arc plates in the arc chamber. The circuit breakers also include a line conductor assembly with at least one arc runner attached to a line conductor in the arc chamber. The arc runner can extend below but adjacent to a bottom arc plate to thereby guide a respective arc into the arc chute. Full Article
ar Arc extinguishing apparatus for ring main unit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An arc extinguishing apparatus for a ring main unit includes: a housing; a plurality of fixed contactor assemblies fixed to be protruded toward the center in the housing and formed by inserting a permanent magnet for arc extinguishing by a magnetic force between a pair of main circuit fixed contacts; a plurality of earthing fixed contactors fixed to be protruded toward the center in the housing and installed to be spaced apart from the fixed contactor assemblies at a predetermined angle; a 3-phases common rotational shaft installed to be rotatable at the center of the housing; and a rotatable movable contactor assembly having a plurality of puffer guide plate sections having openings with a narrow opening width to accelerate the velocity of flow of insulating gas to extinguish arc by blowing it, and rotatable to a circuit closing position, an earthing position, and a circuit opening position. Full Article
ar Profiled arc splitter plate By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A profiled arc splitter plate for a switch having a fixed contact and a movable contact is provided to increase electromagnetic attractive forces on the arc generated during contact separation. The plate (300) comprises a body (306) defining an operatively inverted substantially V-shaped recess having a center notch (302) provided at the vertex of the recess and at least one protrusion (304) defined on either side of the center notch (302) along the inclined side walls of the recess, the movable contact of the switch displaceable through the recess without contacting the inclined side walls, in a spaced apart manner from the protrusions (304) and the center notch (302). Chamfers 308 are provided at an end of the plate (300) proximal to the vertex of the recess to provide an exit for hot gases towards the vent of the arc chamber. Full Article
ar Free standing dispenser apparatus for rolled sheet material By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An apparatus is provided for dispensing a roll of sheet material in severable portions therefrom. The apparatus comprises a housing having a rim portion longitudinally offset from a base portion by a sidewall portion extending therebetween. The base and sidewall portions define a compartment for holding the roll of sheet material, and the sidewall portion includes a longitudinally extended dispensing slot formed therethrough communicating with the compartment. The sidewall portion forms about the dispensing slot at least one tapered edge. A lid is detachably coupled to the rim portion of the housing to enclose the compartment, and includes a bottom surface portion. A pivot structure is formed on at least one of the base and bottom surface portions to pivotally engage an axial end of the roll of sheet material for angular displacement thereon. Full Article
ar Assembly for the preparation of a medical device having a coating comprising hydrogen peroxide By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention provides an assembly for the preparation of a medical device having a porous coating comprising hydrogen peroxide. Particularly interesting medical devices are catheters (such as urinary catheters), endoscopes, laryngoscopes, tubes for feeding, tubes for drainage, guide wires, condoms, urisheaths, barrier coatings e.g. for gloves, stents and other implants, extra corporeal blood conduits, membranes e.g. for dialysis, blood filters, devices for circulatory assistance, dressings for wound care, and ostomy bags. The coating is in particular a hydrophilic coating formed from cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone. In one embodiment, the assembly holds a dry catheter element in one compartment of a package and an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution in another compartment. The solution may also comprise stabilizers, e.g. chelators, and osmolality increasing agents. The catheter for insertion in the urethra is useful for the treatment, alleviation or prophylaxis of microbial infections such as urinary tract infections (UTI). Full Article
ar Styrene resin composition, and molded article thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An electronic component packaging sheet formed of a styrene resin composition includes: (A) 29-65 mass parts of a styrene-conjugated diene block copolymer; (B) 51-15 mass parts of a polystyrene resin; and (C) 20-9 mass parts of an impact resistant polystyrene resin. Components (A)-(C) each have a weight average molecular weight (Mw) within a specified range. Full Article
ar Packet of cigarettes, and method of producing a packet of cigarettes By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A packet (1) of cigarettes having: an inner package (2) defined by a group (30) of cigarettes wrapped in a sheet (29) of wrapping material having at least one tear line (32) defining a tear-off top portion (31); an inner container (4) housing the inner package (2) and having an extraction opening (10) for access to the tear-off top portion (31); an outer container (5) housing the inner container (4) in sliding manner, to allow the inner container (4) to slide, with respect to the outer container (5), between a closed position, in which the inner container (4) is inserted inside the outer container (5), and an open position, in which the inner container (4) is extracted partly from the outer container (5); and a tear-off lid (45) connected to the inner container (4) by at least one tear line (48), and covering at least part of the extraction opening (10). Full Article
ar Ergonomic garment carrier By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An ergonomic garment carrier which accommodates garments such as suit shirts, jackets, pants and skirts as well as other items a traveler would typically transport or store. Full Article
ar Credit-card-sized carrier of both standard and micro form-factor flash-memory cards By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier is about the same size as a thick credit card and fits into a wallet. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier has bays that accept flash-memory cards. Larger bays on one side receive SD cards and a Memory Stick Duo card, while micro bays on another side of the carrier receive microSD cards and Memory Stick Micro cards. A carrier spine sandwiched between top and bottom covers has openings forming the bays. Spring-clip tabs on spring-clip fingers fit into notches on the side of the flash-memory cards to secure the flash-memory cards into the multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier to prevent loss. The spring-clip fingers are movable parts of the carrier spine that are deformed during insertion of the flash-memory cards. Both micro and standard flash-memory cards can be carried in the same multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier that can be placed in plastic sleeves for credit cards in a person's wallet. Full Article
ar Postal mailer for stress-sensitive articles By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Protective mailer capable of being processed by postal processing equipment without causing damage to the article held by the mailer. The pocket holding the article inside the mailer is offset relative to one edge, when folded, by a distance sufficient to prevent damage when the mailer is oriented and processed. The mailer may include a resizing flap that, when unfolded and deployed, changes the dimensions of the mailer so that the mailer is processed by the postal processing equipment as a non-letter or flat mailpiece. Full Article
ar Pharmacy bottle system and method By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A pharmacy bottle system includes a bottle and a ring. The bottle is formed as a single piece of molded plastic material and includes a body and a neck. The body defines an interior cavity. The interior cavity extends from a first end to a second end of the interior cavity. The body includes a spine portion covering the first end of the interior cavity. The spine portion defines a spine width measured from a front to a back of spine portion. The neck extends from the second end of the interior cavity and has an opening therethrough providing access to the interior cavity. The ring is secured about the neck of the bottle. The ring defines a ring width measured between a front and a back of the ring. The ring width is larger than the spine width. The neck extends above a top surface of the ring. Full Article
ar Carton with handle By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A carton for containing a plurality of articles. The carton comprises panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton. The panels comprise a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. The carton has a reinforced handle for grasping and carrying the carton. Full Article
ar Bottled beverage comprising cap containing dietary supplement and bottle filled with dispersion medium for dietary supplement By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A bottled drink includes a cap and a bottle where a granular supplement containing multiple constituents in a stable manner is stored in the cap and a solution suitable for dispersing the granules is filled in the bottle. Granules which contains mutually incompatible multiple chemical agents or nutritional constituents and whose surface is coated with polyglyceryl fatty acid ester are stored in the cap of the bottle and the bottle is filled with a solution whose viscosity at a shear deformation speed of 0.01 s−1 is 10 to 300 Pa·s. Full Article
ar Reversible folio for tablet computer with reversible connection for keyboard and reading configuration By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A reversible folio for a tablet computer has a tablet shell with a cavity removably receiving the tablet computer. A keyboard is pivotally and removably coupled to the tablet shell. A channel is pivotally coupled to an edge of the keyboard. An interior of the channel removably receives the proximal edge of the tablet shell, and has a profile mating with a profile of the tablet shell. The channel and proximal edge have first and second symmetrical magnet arrays, respectively. The proximal edge of the tablet shell physically mates with the channel of the keyboard, and the second magnet array of the tablet shell magnetically mates with the first magnet array of the channel, in both a first orientation and an opposite second orientation. Full Article
ar Device and method for sanitary can packaging By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method for sanitary beverage can packaging incorporates a plastic sanitation sheet between the tops of the beverage cans and a plastic can retainer. The sanitation sheet covers the tops of the cans, protecting them from dust and overhead spills. Some embodiments use a watertight or airtight seal of the sanitation sheet around the can rim. Some embodiments include visible indicators of seal breakage or direct contamination, using moisture or oxygen detection. Some indicators create a hole in the sanitation sheet. Other indicators provide visible warning text or symbols. The sheet and indicators provide both actual contaminant protection and visible indication of contamination. Embodiments include the plastic sanitation sheet, integration with beverage cans, and a method for use in providing assured sanitary cans to consumers. Full Article
ar Wearable cleaning articles and container By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A container has a base and walls connected to the base to define an interior space. The walls have upper edges that terminate in a plane and define an opening for access to the interior space. Wetted donnable articles are stacked within the container, each article in a flat configuration at least partially perpendicular to the opening permitting withdrawal of any one of the donnable articles through the opening in a flat configuration. Walls on opposing sides of the base of the container diverge from each other with increasing distance from the base, such that the interior space widens gradually toward the opening. Walls on other opposing sides of the base have lower portions connected to the base and upper portions connected to the lower portions by steps that lengthen the interior space abruptly. Full Article
ar Portable golf club carrier By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A golf caddie device is disclosed that is designed for carrying golf equipment. The golf caddie device comprises a support rod having a spike and an ergonomically shaped handle. The golf caddie device also comprises a ball holder, a first cylinder comprising up to five openings for retaining golf clubs, and a second cylinder comprising up to five openings for retaining golf club shafts. Golf clubs are inserted into the golf caddie device by inserting the shaft part of the golf club through one of the first cylinder openings and into one of the openings of the second cylinder, thus, retaining the golf clubs within the golf caddie device. Full Article
ar Container having transparent optical element By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A container (10) for consumer goods comprises a first panel (16) having a pattern (22) applied to an area (20) of the external surface thereof; and a second panel (26) comprising a transparent optical element. The first panel (16) and the second panel (26) are moveable relative to each other between a first position, in which the transparent optical element in the second panel (26) does not overlie the pattern (22) on the first panel (16), and a second position, in which the transparent optical element in the second panel (26) at least partially overlies the pattern (22) on the first panel (16), whereby an altered image of the pattern is visible through the transparent optical element. Full Article
ar Multi-compartmented sandwich storage device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A multi-compartmented food storage device having a top hermetic storage compartment, a bottom hermetic storage compartment and a central hermetic storage compartment that is interposed there between. Each of the top and bottom compartments being hingedly secured to the central compartment along an upper and lower end. Full Article
ar Storage case for pharmaceutical syringe unit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 25 Aug 2015 08:00:00 EDT A storage case (100) for storing a pharmaceutical syringe unit (4) that is mounted to a pharmaceutical administering device (8) comprises a base body (1) that is open at its upper face, and a cover (2) for covering the opening in the base body (1). The base body (1) has in its interior a concave portion (5) that holds the cylindrical pharmaceutical syringe unit (4). The concave portion (5) has holders (6) that hold two ends of the pharmaceutical syringe unit (4), and a center concave portion (7) for attaching and removing the pharmaceutical syringe unit (4) and being provided in a position that corresponds to the main body portion of a stored pharmaceutical syringe unit (4). The center concave portion (7) further has a bottom part positioned lower than the holders (6), and is formed such that the pharmaceutical administering device (8) can be disposed in an upright position. Full Article
ar Reusable notecard and methods of use thereof By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 31 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST Embodiments of the invention are directed to reusable notecard. In one embodiment, the reusable notecard is comprised of a trifold panel having a left panel, a center panel and a right panel and a reclosable closing mechanism, connected to the trifold panel, to releasably secure the left panel to the right panel when folded over one another. In one embodiment, the adjustable left panel is comprised of a plurality of left panel fold lines and the right panel is comprised of a plurality of right panel fold lines, the plurality of left panel fold lines and the plurality of right panel fold lines for adapting to dimensions of contents inside the notecard. In one embodiment, the trifold panel is made of a material allowing for non-permanent markings. Full Article
ar Convertible transport apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Jan 2014 08:00:00 EST An apparatus (10) for transporting items includes a base (12), a handle element (16) extending from the base (12), a pair of rollers or wheels (20) mounted to the base (12) and a platform (14) mounted to the base (12) and adapted for movement between a stored condition and an operative position. The platform (14) includes first and second leg elements (24) and a platform support (26) connected to the first and second leg elements (24) and extending therebetween. The platform (14) is dimensioned and adapted to carry an object when in the operative position. The platform support (26) may comprise a flexible material such as a fabric material. Full Article
ar Communications device including radio frequency (RF) signal blocking layer for near-field communication (NFC) device and related methods By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Feb 2014 08:00:00 EST A communications device may include a near-field communication (NFC) circuit device, and a radio frequency (RF) signal blocking member adhesively coupled with the NFC device. The RF signal blocking member may be configured to block RF signal communication by the NFC device while coupled therewith. The RF signal blocking member may comprise an electrical conductor. In accordance with an example, the RF signal blocking member may comprise a frangible layer. In another example, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer may be included for adhesively securing the RF signal blocking member with the NFC device. Full Article
ar Motion greeting cards By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 15 Apr 2014 08:00:00 EDT The present invention and related disclosure describes greeting cards with moving elements or devices which are operable to create motion in connection with some portion of the greeting card. The greeting card may include a multi-panel greeting card body or a three-dimensional foam greeting card body. At least one movable object is contained upon or within the greeting card body. A sound module having at least one pre-recorded digital audio file saved therein and a motor module are contained and concealed within the greeting card body. One or more switches may be used to activate the sound and motor modules, causing the pre-recorded audio file to play and causing movement of the movable or mobile object. This movement may be up-and-down or “bouncing” motion, spinning or rotational motion, side-to-side motion or any other reciprocating motion. Full Article
ar Searchable binder By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 06 May 2014 08:00:00 EDT A binder management system having a cabinet with shelves for removable storage of searchable binders. Each binder has a body with front and rear covers and a spine. Inside the body is a binder mechanism for removably retaining sheet media. Each binder has externally extending upper and tower ohmic contact members which ohmically engage conductive members mounted on the shelf surfaces near the front. Each binder has a binder identification circuit coupled to an LED mounted on the binder spine in a location visible when the binder rests on a shelf. When a binder identification signal from a host computer is presented to the shelf conductive members it is transferred by the binder contact members to the binder identification circuit. If the signal matches, the LED is activated to aid the user in finding the binder. An LED and an optional audible indicator are mounted on the shelves to further aid the user in finding the sought binder. Full Article
ar Method and apparatus for superposed application of shipping labels over packing slips By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 08:00:00 EDT The invention provides a method and apparatus for applying shipping labels over both folded or non-folded packing slips, or the like, at a single print-and-apply station, either through use of a label configured for application to a substrate and also in a superposed registered manner to another label of identical construction previously attached to the substrate, or by using a shipping label having a non-aggressive adhesive applied to a removable center section of the shipping label for attachment of the packing list, or the like, to the shipping label prior to application of the shipping label to the substrate. Full Article