Patently Speaking highlights the technological achievements of Fort Wayne area residents.
Rotationally adjustable electrical connector assembly
•U.S. Patent No. 7,922,511
•Invented by: Troy Wesley Schweitzer, Fort Wayne, and John Richard Taller, Huntertown
•Assigned to Excellon Technologies Inc., Fort Wayne
Electrical connectors have been around for a long time. Inserting a plug into a power outlet to turn on a light, stereo, computer or charge a phone, for example, is nothing new.
This patent, however, addresses a problem that exists with specialized power connectors in vehicles – in particular military vehicles. Power connectors are rigidly attached to the walls of these vehicles to supply power to various devices. Typically, in a harsher environment these connectors are subject to stresses that twist attached electrical wires in one direction. This can damage the wires.
One way to remedy the problem is to twist the wires in the opposite direction from which they will twist when attached to the connector. The wires then unwind when attached to the connector. This is still a problem because the wires can only unwind so much and if the connector is ever adjusted, which happens from time to time, the wires just twist back again.
This patent describes a new electrical connector made to rotate. It includes an adjustment collar that rotates the connector while keeping it attached to the vehicle. This results in a connector that can rotate and reposition itself without twisting and damaging the wires.
Orthopaedic cutting instrument and method
•U.S. Patent No. 7,922,720
Invented by Charles D. Persons, Columbia City; Justin J. May, Warsaw; and Robert D. Krebs, Warsaw
•Assigned to Zimmer Technology Inc., Warsaw
Over the years we have examined several surgical cutting tools and guides to better assist surgeons.
This new cutting tool is designed to bore inside of bone and cut hard tissue while not cutting soft tissue.
A blade tip rotates about an axis in a way that creates a particular rotational amplitude. Lineal displacement of the blade tip becomes equal to twice the product of this rotational amplitude. According to the patent, different body tissues respond differently to different cutter head movements and blade configurations.
This patent describes how different tissues tolerate different levels of lineal displacement before they begin to tear.
When the lineal displacement is less than the displacement soft tissue can tolerate, it is not cut. At the same time, the displacement is more than the hard tissue can tolerate, so that tissue is cut.
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, or offer of legal advice.
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.
