Recently Issued Patents

A stringed musical instrument has a neck having a truss rod embedded therein and a tensioning mechanism to adjust the tension of the truss bar. A truss rod is typically seated at the peghead and extends within the neck to the body of the stringed instrument. A tension adjustment mechanism may incorporate a slide assembly having a ramp that engages with an actuating screw that is accessible from the front surface of the stringed instrument. Adjustment of the screw changes the tension of the truss bar. A tension adjustment mechanism may incorporate a cam that interfaces with an actuating screw, wherein the cam interfaces with the truss bar to adjust tension.

A tremolo bridge mechanism enables pitch adjustment of strings with both ends of the string rigidly attached to the stringed instrument. A pitch adjustment feature incorporates a deflection arm that is coupled with an actuating rod that pivots about a rotational axis as controlled by the tremolo lever. The pitch adjustment features can be configured to enable normal tremolo pitch adjustment or an opposite pitch change for a given motion of the tremolo lever. In a first embodiment, linkages between the actuating rod and deflection arm can be modified to provide variation in the pitch affect. In another embodiment, a spring array can be oriented in two different directions to provide variation in pitch effect for each individual string. In addition, a pitch adjustment feature may be removed, or a string can be routed around the deflection arm, to prevent pitch change with tremolo lever action.

A load sharing bone plate has a plurality of directional apertures configured to effectively support and share the load with a fractured bone to promote healing. A load sharing bone plate may have a body portion that is thinner and be configured to be secured with smaller fasteners than conventional bone plates. A load sharing bone plate has a plurality of directional apertures, configured to direct a fastener is a specific orientation, such as in an oblique angle to the length and/or in an oblique angle to the width of the bone plate. A load sharing bone plate may be configured with a load sharing extension on at least one end that is configured to reduce stress concentration at the end of the bone plate. A load sharing extension may have a tapered thickness and/or width from the body portion to the extended end.

A portable environment control system is configured to condition the air within an enclosure, such as by heating, cooling, humidifying or dehumidifying. The portable environmental control system has a conduit that is attached at one end to an environment control device and attached at the opposing outlet end to a partition coupling. The partition coupling is configured over an opening in a partition, such as an exterior wall of a recreation vehicle. Airflow from the environment control device is configured to flow through the conduit and through the partition coupling to an enclosure. The portable environment control system is quick and easy to install and allows for closure of an opening in a partition with a flange cover. The portable environment control system may have an inlet and outlet conduit to provide air flow to and draw air flow from an enclosure, respectively

A velocity-compensated frequency sweeping interferometer has a single measurement light producing device that produces a coherent light source consisting of a single light beam. The light producing device produces a scanning wavelength light beam. A primary beam splitter produces a first reference beam and a first measurement beam from said single light beam. The first reference beam travels a fixed path length to a primary reference reflector and the first measurement beam travels to and from a moveable reflective target over an unknown path length. A distance measurement interferometer is created by interfering the first reference beam with the first measurement beam. A return frequency measurement interferometer provides a measure of frequency of the return beam from the target which, when compared with the frequency of the outgoing beam, allows for velocity compensation of the target.

A portable floor light emits light along a surface of the floor and at a shallow emitted angle to provide lighting during dark conditions. The housing of the portable floor light has a curved light emitting edge with a light emitting gap to project light across a wide area of the floor. The light emitting edge may be an arc that extends 60 degrees or more, such as 90 degrees or 180 degrees for example. The portable floor light has a motion sensor and ambient light sensor that provide input to a controller. The light will be activated when motion is detected and the ambient light is below a threshold value, or in darker conditions. The light emitted may have a wavelength no less than about 570 nm to avoid disrupting the circadian rhythms of people when they get up in the night, for example.

A position adjustable support assembly provides a support extension that is detachably attachable to a support member. The support extension is attached by an extension attachment that has a support coupler that extends along the length of the support member and has a gap opening to allow the support coupler to be snapped onto the support member. The support coupler may be cylindrical in shape and snap over the rod-shaped support member in a concentric coupling arrangement. The support member has a fin slot for retaining a plurality of fins that extend up from the outside surface of the support member. The fins are slid into a retaining slot along the inside surface of the support coupler to retain the support coupler and support extension in a rotational position with respect to the support member. The support extension can be slid along the length of the support member.

A crutch handle is positionably adjustable to a crutch at an offset angle to provide an ergonomic position of a user’s hand. The crutch handle has a curved adjustment adapter on both a first and second end of a handle-grip portion of the crutch handle. A fastener slot extends through the first and second adjustment adapters to allow a fastener to extend though and secure the handle to the crutch at an offset angle. The handle-grip has a fastener opening on at least one of the first or second ends to allow the fastener to be positioned along the handle-grip portion of the handle. A conventional crutch may be adapted with this angle adjustable crutch handle with the fasteners being in apertures that are aligned across the crutch support.

An integrated battery control system for energy storage incorporates a power control system to reliably provide power to a load and protects lithium ion batteries from over-charging and over-discharging. One or more power sources, such as renewable power sources, such as solar or wind power generators, or a generator, may be coupled with the integrated battery control system to provide power for charging the battery pack and/or for supplying power to said load. A portion of the power from a power source may be used to charge the battery pack and a portion may be provided to a load. A control circuit and one or more microprocessors may control the components of the system to provide power in an efficient manner. Power to and from the battery may run through an inverter and a control system may open and close switches to control flow of power in the system

A work-station utilizes sound absorbing, translucent enclosure panels that allows light from outside of the work-station to enter. The translucent enclosure panels have an outside panel, and intermediate panel and an inside panel of a translucent plastic sheet material that form cells for dampening sound transmission through the enclosure panels. The inside panel has a plurality of apertures to allow sound to enter and be dissipated within the internal cells. A sound masking device is configured within the work-station and projects a dampening sound into the work-station, such as along the opening to work-station to produce a masking sound curtain for sound entering the work-station.