Recently Issued Patents

2.4.22

Patent Protection & Registration

Patents grant property rights on new and useful inventions, allowing the patent holder to prevent others from using, making, or selling that invention without permission for a limited time. U.S. patents are permitted by the U.S. Constitution and are designed to promote scientific progress and invention. By allowing inventors to profit from licensing or selling their patent rights, inventors can recoup their research and development costs and benefit financially from their inventing efforts. There are three main types of patents utility, plant, and design. Utility and plant patents can last up to 20 years, while design patents can last up to 14 years. When a patent expires, the patented material enters the public domain, making it free to use by anyone without a license. U.S. patents are issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

U.S. Patent No. 11,234,352 entitled “Blade Tip and Tool Combination Having a Blade Tip” issued February 1, 2022 to Betek Gmbh & Co. KG of Aichhalden, Germany. Invented by Wolfgang Essig of Rosenfeld, Germany; Ulrich Kraemer of Wolfach, Germany; Florian Smeets of Dossenheim, Germany; Fabian Seifried of Herrenzimmern, Germany; and Ruth Huber of Schramberg, Germany. Abstract: A blade tip, and a tool combination having a blade tip, for an agricultural soil cultivation machine. The blade tip has a base part including a cutter, a cutter carrier, a guiding element and a receptacle for fastening the blade tip to a tine of the agricultural soil cultivation machine. The base part has a receptacle covered by covering portion. The guiding element has a plug attachment held in the receptacle, and a form-fitting connection preventing movement of the guiding element out of the receptacle, provided between the blade tip and the guiding element.

U.S. Patent No. 11,235,628 entitled “Valve Stem Hole Tire Seating Device” issued February 1, 2022 to Hennessy Industries, Inc. of LaVergne, Tennessee. Invented by Steven Davis of Woodbury, Tennessee. Abstract: Briefly, the present invention relates, in one embodiment, to an air channeling apparatus for sealing a tubeless tire on a corresponding wheel rim. The air channeling apparatus may have a supply end and an insertion end opposite the supply end. The supply end may be directly or indirectly connected to an air supply that supplies pressurized air. The air channeling apparatus I s further sized to be inserted through the valve stem hole of a wheel rim. An inner surface of the air channeling apparatus includes threads that can thread onto a valve stem of the wheel. At least one opening in the air channeling apparatus may blast pressurized air into the space between the wheel rim and the tubeless tire.

U.S. Patent No. 11,236,611 entitled “Milling Machine and Method for Operating a Milling Machine” issued February 1, 2022 to Wirtgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Christian Berning of Zulpich, Germany; Thomas Lehnert of Oberraden, Germany; and Philip Verhaelen of Cologne, Germany. Abstract: The invention relates to a milling machine having a replaceable milling drum, different types of milling drums being capable of being associated with the milling machine; and having a control unit for controlling the milling machine, machine parameters of the milling machine being settable by way of the control unit. Provision is made that the milling machine has associated with it at least one means that is designed to detect at least one characteristic feature of the milling drum; that the at least one means is connected to the control unit; and that the control unit is designed to specify for at least one machine parameter, indirectly or directly from the characteristic feature, a value to be set, and/or a setting range. The invention further relates to a corresponding milling drum and to a corresponding method. The milling machine, milling drum, and method allow the selection of machine parameters for operation of the milling machine to be simplified.

U.S. Patent No. 11,240,584 entitled “Earphone Systems” issued February 1, 2022 to Binatone Electronics International Ltd., Hong Kong, China. Invented by Dino Lalvani of Hong Kong, China. Abstract: An earphone system (10) includes a first ear bud (12) having wireless communications circuitry, a second ear bud (14) having wireless communications circuitry and first electric cabling (16) having a first end provided with a first electrical connector element (18) releasably connectable with the first ear bud, a second end provided with a second electrical connector element (20) releasably connectable with the second ear bud and a third electrical connector element (22) disposed intermediate the first and second ends. The earphone system (10) has second electric cabling (24) having a first end provided with a fourth electrical connector element (26) releasably connectable with the third electrical connector element and a second end provided with a fifth electrical connector element (28) connectable an output connector element of an electronic device to receive an audio signal from the electronic device.

U.S. Patent No. 11,236,472 entitled “Method for Coupling a Machine Frame of an Earth Working Machine to a Working Device, Earth Working Machine, and Connecting Apparatus for the Method” issued February 1, 2022 to Wirtgen GmbH of Windhagen, Germany. Invented by Thomas Mannebach of Langenfeld, Germany; Cyrus Barimani of Konigswinter, Germany; Christoph Menzenbach of Neustadt, Germany. Abstract: A method for coupling a machine frame (12) of an earth working machine (10) to a working device (28) between the machine frame (12) and a substrate (U) encompasses the following steps: arranging the machine frame (12) and the working device (28) between the machine frame (12) and the substrate (U); aligning the receiving portion (42) and working device (28) relative to one another in such a way that fastening formations (56, 60) of the working device (28) are lined up, along a spacing direction, with fastening counter-formations (58, 62) of the machine frame (12); bringing the fastening formations (56, 60) and fastening counter-formations (58, 62) closer to one another; and operably fastening the working device (28) onto the receiving portion (42). According to the present invention the aligning step encompasses the following sub-steps: connecting the machine frame (12) and the working device (28) to one another by means of a connecting apparatus (76), in such a way that the working device (28) is movable in response to its weight, parallel to the effective direction of gravity (g) and orthogonally thereto, relative to the machine frame (12); then allowing the working device (28) to hang on the machine frame (12); and then supporting the working device (28).