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Patently Speaking highlights the technological achievements of Fort Wayne area residents.
•U.S. Patent No. 7,572,975
•Inventor: Robert E. Ruihley, Bryan, Ohio
•Assignee: Allied Moulded Products Inc., Bryan, Ohio
Electrical boxes have been around for what seems like forever. What could ever be different or new about them?
Someone with a little thought and innovation can put new life into things like electrical boxes which have been made the same way year after year.
A conventional electrical box is a simple hinged plastic or metal box that holds components such as circuit breakers and electrical switches. They are installed inside buildings and homes, or outside on walls and poles.
The problem is that depending on what the box will be attached to, a second box has to be purchased. Attaching an electrical box to a pole requires a different attachment as opposed to attaching it to building joists. Each box has its own mounting bracket designed for the particular attachment configuration.
This patent rethinks that age-old design by providing a modular-type mounting system for a single box. So instead of buying two boxes, one box can be used regardless where it is mounted.
Different tab configurations can be selectively attached to the box depending on how it will be mounted. Some tabs can be attached to extend from the sides of the box. Other tabs are attached to extend from the top. Accordingly, if that structure is a wall joist that dictates the box be attached at the side, the side tabs are used. Conversely, if the box is to be attached to a pole, mounting tabs attached to the top and bottom of the box can be used.
•U.S. Patent No. 7,569,233
•Invented by Prasanna Malaviya, Fort Wayne; Janine M. Orban, Warsaw; Philip J. Jenks, Warsaw; and Terrence D. Whalen, Leesburg
•Assigned to DePuy Products Inc., Warsaw
One truly amazing feature of the body is its ability to heal itself. Whether it’s a slight bruise, a deep cut or even internal damage, the body’s innate ability to regenerate and rebind tissue is nothing short of amazing.
The science of healing has known that certain parts of the body include tissue that is particularly adept at regenerating. Submucosa in the small intestine, as well as the stomach, bladder and liver, for example, can be taken and placed on other parts of the body to promote tissue repair and regeneration.
While these submucosas have great tissue regenerating properties, their application on the body can be limiting because some areas of repair are subjected to too many high forces. These high forces or loads may damage regeneration material before it has the opportunity to do its job. Areas such as damaged hips, rotator cuff tears or spinal ligaments are difficult to fix because of the wear and tear those joints experience under normal conditions.
This patent addresses that problem by creating a composite of regenerating material combined with high strength bioabsorbable synthetic material to help withstand these stresses. By using higher strength bioabsorbable fiber layers made from polylactic acid, for example, the regenerating material is supported in those high load areas. And because the supporting material is bioabsorbable, over time it will harmlessly absorb into the body.
The preceding are lay descriptions of patents obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s public records and are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing contained herein is a legal description of any claimed invention, identification of novelty, offer of legal advice or analysis. Because issued patents are based on applications often filed years earlier, the subject matter of some patents may have been available on the market for some time prior to the issuance of the patent. Additional information on these patents is available at www.uspto.gov.
