US Fed News Service, Including US State News back issues from Tuesday, July 31:
German Inventor Develops Communication Device Handling Arrangement
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Andreas Peiker of Friedrichsdorf, Germany, has developed an arrangement for handling a communication device. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An arrangement is proposed for handling a communication device, which arrangement comprises an ...
Japanese Inventor Develops Magnetic Sensing Device
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Shigeru Shoji of Tokyo has developed a magnetic sensing device forming method. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The present invention provides a magnetic sensing device capable of stably sensing a signal magnetic field with high ...
German Inventors Develop Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Measurement Probe Head
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Frank Volke of St. Ingbert, Germany, and Martin Benecke of Homberg, Germany, have developed a probe head for Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A probe head for NMR measurements as well as a ...
Michigan Inventor Develops Vehicle Trailing Device Attaching System
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Matthew M. Exline of Attica, Mich., has developed a vehicle trailing device attachment system. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A system for attaching a trailing device to a vehicle includes a bumper assembly having a back structure which ...
Michigan Inventors Develop Vehicle Grille Guarding Assembly
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Paul B. Cobble of Oxford, Mich., Chi-Mou Ni of Washington, Mich., Eric B. Washington of Southfield, Mich., Matthew J Noone of Birmingham, Mich., and Michael J. Pevovar of Plymouth, Mich., have developed a vehicle grille guarding assembly. According to the U.S ....
British Inventors Develop Seal with Head, Strap
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Daniel Graves and Chris Benning, both of Kent, Great Britain, have developed a seal which comprises a head and a strap. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A seal has a head and a strap, the head having a chamber with an aperture through ...
German Inventors Develop Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Apparatus
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Martin Hofmann of Rheinstetten, Germany, and Manfred Spraul of Ettlingenweier, Germany, have developed a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) apparatus. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The invention concerns an NMR apparatus comprising an NMR ...
Oregon, California Inventors Develop Sliding Door Latch
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Vernon L. Balsbaugh of Dallas, Ore., and Philip D. Grover of Modesto, Calif., have developed sliding door latches for use by handicapped people. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to an "improved sliding door latch ...
Taiwanese Inventor Develops Carpet Installation Tool Cushion Pad
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Yuan-Ching Cheng of Taichung, Taiwan, has developed a cushion pad for a carpet installation tool. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The cushion pad structure of the carpet installation tool comprises a rubber covering layer, a rubber foam ...
Japanese Inventors Develop Optically Active Substance Concentration Measurement Device
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Tadahiro Fukuda, Takakazu Yano and Kenji Matsumoto, all from Tokyo, have developed an apparatus for measuring concentration of optically active substance. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An optical rotation angle of linearly polarized ...
New York Inventor Develops Container Lock
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Roger S. Kitzis of Woodbury, N.Y., has developed a lock for locking a lid of a container. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A lock for locking a lid to a receptacle has a bolt extending into aligned holes in overlapping parts thereof. A ...
Japanese Inventors Develop Vehicle Bumper Beam Structure
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Kojiro Okabe and Nobuyuki Tsuichihara, both of Utsunomiya, Japan, and Noboru Hayashi and Katsuhiko Shiotsuki, both of Kawachi-gun, Japan, have developed a vehicle bumper beam structure. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A bumper beam ...
British Inventors Develop Magnetic Resonance Imaging Apparatus
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Ian Leitch McDougall of Oxon, Great Britain, and Peter Hanley of Gloucestershire, Great Britain, have developed an apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging ...
California Inventors Develop Fail Safe Electric Door Lock
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Arthur Geringer of Oak Park, Calif., David Geringer of Camarillo, Calif., and Richard Geringer of Moorpark, Calif., have developed an fail safe electric door lock. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An electric door lock interchangeable ...
Delaware Inventors Develop Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Detection System
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Charles Wilker of Wilmington, Del., and Robby L. Alvarez of Newark, Del., have developed a nuclear quadrupole resonance detection system. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The decoupling of an array of two or more closely spaced high ...
Ohio Inventors Develop Gas Turbine Engine with Counter-Rotatable Fans
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Rollin George Giffin III of Cincinnati, and James Edward Johnson of Hamilton, Ohio, have developed a fan on blade (FLADE) gas turbine engine. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An exemplary embodiment of a FLADE counter-rotating fan aircraft ...
Cherry's Industrial Equipment Wins $52,500 Contract
Jul 31, 2007 ... NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa., July 31 -- The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency has awarded a $52,500 contract to Cherry's Industrial Equipment, Elk Grove Village, Ill., for stationary pallet inverters. The contract was awarded by the agency's Defense Distribution Center, New Cumberland, Pa. Work ...
German Inventors Develop Vehicle Occupant Restraining System Airbag Module
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Achim Hofmann of Tuessling, Germany, Harald Lutz of Buchbach, Germany, Joachim Lutz of Schechingen, Germany, and Oskar Sponfeldner of Muehldorf, Germany, have developed an airbag module for restraining a occupant of a vehicle. An abstract of the invention, ...
Canadian Inventors Develop Hitch Locking Module
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Daniel Bussiere of Herouxville, Canada, and Pierre-Andre Vallee of Lac a la Tortue, Canada, have developed a cover to lock a tow bar onto a hitch ball. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to a "hitch locking module ...
Oregon Inventors Develop Window, Door Sliding System
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Kevin Campbell of Klamath Falls, Ore., and Richard Ward Hetherington of Bend, Ore., have developed methods and systems for sliding windows and doors. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An adjustable mechanism for sliding panels, such as ...
Washington Inventor Develops Snowboard Binding Engagement Mechanism
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- John D. Martin of Vashon, Wash., has developed bindings for sports equipment such as bindings for snowboards. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A snowboard binding is disclosed having a base plate with a highback pivotally attached. A ...
Swedish Inventor Develops Vehicle Wheel Suspension
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Stefan Preijert of Goteborg, Sweden, has developed a wheel suspension for vehicles. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to a "wheel suspension for vehicles that includes leaf spring assemblies mounted in pairs on each ...
German Inventors Develop Vehicle Steering Wheel Airbag
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Thomas Marotzke and Gerhard Lutter, both of Bergfelde, Germany, Gu Zahle and Detlef Crohn, both of Berlin, and Sven Ortmann of Fredersdorf, Germany, have developed an airbag that is used with the steering wheel of a vehicle. An abstract of the invention, ...
Swiss Inventor Develops Vacuum Cleaning Device Cleaning Tool
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Peter Worwag of Staad, Switzerland, has developed a cleaning tool with rotatably driven working tool. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaning device has a housing having a bottom plate with a working slot. A ...
Minnesota Inventors Develop Ornamental Design for Air Pulsating Generator
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Lonnie J. Helgeson and Michael W. Larson, both of New Prague, Minn., have developed an ornamental design for an air pulsating generator, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office announced. The inventors were issued U.S. Patent No. D547,718 on July ...
Japanese Inventors Develop Ornamental Design for Photoelectric Conversion Connector
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Tomokazu Harano and Shunsuke Hashimoto, both of Tsu, Japan, and Mitsuru Iida of Yokohama, Japan, have developed an ornamental design for a connector for photoelectric conversion, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office announced. The inventors were issued U.S ....
Japanese Inventors Develop Ornamental Design for Capacitor Cell
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Hisashi Katoh, Norifumi Yasuda and Koichi Yamamoto, all from Wako, Japan, Shinichi Kaneda of Yokohama, Japan, and Mitsuyoshi Saito of Tokyo, have developed an ornamental design for a capacitor cell, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office announced. The ...
California Inventors Develop Multimedia File Sequential Playback Enforcement Method
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Ephriam Feig and Shu-Chun Jeane Chen, both of San Diego, have developed a method for enforcing restricted access of a media file. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A method is disclosed for enforcing the sequential playback of a multimedia ...
Japanese Inventors Develop Zipper Packaging Method
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Tatsushi Takatori of Shiki, Japan, Yoshio Ohya of Sano, Japan, and Naoki Hatakeyama of Hiratsuka, Japan, have developed a packaging bag interlocking device. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention aims to "provide a interlocking ...
California Inventors Develop Motor/Encoder Assembly for Tape Drives
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Ashok B. Nayak of Glendora, Calif., and Robert R. Heinze of San Clemente, Calif., have developed a motor/encoder assembly for tape drives. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A magnetic/encoder assembly has a compact design and combines the ...
Michigan Inventor Develops Vehicle's Motorized Seat Belt System
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- James Gregory Stanley of Novi, Mich., has developed a motorized seat belt system that is used in a vehicle. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A motorized seatbelt system for a vehicle includes a communications bus, a first motorized seat ...
Austrian Inventor Develops Vehicle Electromechanical Drive Control System
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Gregor Svobodnik of Wien Austria, Austria, has developed a control system to monitor an electromechanical drive in a vehicle. An abstract of the invention, released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, said: "A control system for an electromechanical ...
Japanese Inventors Develop Ornamental Design for Automobile Tire
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Kenji Yamane and Koji Watanabe, both of Kanagawa, Japan, and Izumi Kuramochi and Hiroshi Tokizaki, both of Tokyo, have developed an ornamental design for an automobile tire, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office announced. The inventors were issued U.S ....
Michigan Inventors Develop Vehicle Exhaust Systems Pipe Lap Joint
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Brian T Ignaczak of Rochester, Mich., and Alan M Polaski of Waterford, Mich., have developed a pipe lap joint that is adapted for use in vehicle exhaust systems. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to a "pipe lap joint ...
Canadian Inventor Develops Erosion-Indicating Pipe Safety Fitting System
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Marcel Menard of Grande Prairie, Canada, has developed an erosion-indicating pipe fitting. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to an "erosion-indicating safety fitting having a fluid passage formed within for connection ...
Swiss Inventor Develops Vacuum Cleaning Tool
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Peter Worwag of Staad, Switzerland, has developed a cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaning device. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A vacuum cleaning tool has a housing having a turbine chamber and a bottom plate. A working tool is rotatably ...
New Jersey Inventor Develops Ultrasonic Processing Method
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- J. Michael Goodson of Skillman, N.J., has developed an ultrasonic processing method. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Ultrasonic processing apparatus and methods are disclosed, which includes multiple transducers of at least two different ...
Ohio Inventors Develop Business Form with Message Bearing Stock
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- David F. Laurash of Dayton, Ohio, and Jeffrey D. Kimble of Fairfield, Ohio, have developed a message bearing stock for a bussiness form. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A business form according to the present invention including a ply ...
Japanese Inventors Develop Suspension System Vibration Damping Device
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Akira Katagiri of Kasugai, Japan, Shiro Nakajima of Itami, Japan, and Yasuhiro Kubota of Kobe, Japan, have developed a vibration damping device for an automotive vehicle suspension system. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A vibration ...
Japanese Inventor Develops Vehicle Occupant Protection Device
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Hiroshi Jomura of Echi-gun, Japan, has developed a device for protecting an occupant of a vehicle. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A protecting device for an occupant of a vehicle includes: an airbag positioned to inflate along an ...
Taiwanese Inventor Develops Ornamental Design for Metallic Stand
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Steven Su of Taoyuan, Taiwan, has developed an ornamental design for a metallic stand, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office announced. The inventor was issued U.S. Patent No. D547,719 on July 31. The patent has been assigned to Enermax Technology ...
Japanese Inventor Develops Wheelchair with Adjustable Width
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Hisayoshi Sato of Nagoya, Japan, has developed a wheelchair that has an adjustable width. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A wheelchair has a width that can be adjusted. The wheelchair has a pair of side frames connected to each other by ...
Vermont Inventor Develops Slidingly Engagable Fastener
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Leonard Arnold Duffy of Hinesburg, Vt., has developed a slidingly engageable fastening device. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Improved Fasteners of the Slidingly Engagable type are provided in uni-directional and multi-directional ...
Japanese Inventors Develop Piezoelectric Vibrator
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Norikazu Sashida, Humihisa Itoh, Shigeo Ishii and Yoshiyuki Watanabe, all from Haruna-Machi, Japan, have developed a piezoelectric vibrator. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A piezoelectric vibrator having excellent shock resistance and ...
Mississippi Inventor Develops Manually-Powered Floor Sweeper with Vacuum Port
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Paul Moshenrose of Ocean Springs, Miss., has developed a manually-powered floor sweeper. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A manually-powered floor sweeper is provided according to the invention. In one embodiment, the manually-powered ...
Utah Inventors Develop Electronically Controlled Electric Motor
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- James L. Bailey of Draper, Utah, and Kyle J. Bunch of Salt Lake City, have developed an electronically controlled electric motor. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A system for controlling an electric motor comprises, in one embodiment, an ...
Utah Inventor Develops Cross-Country Type Ski Binding
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Harold E. Ayliffe of Park City, Utah, has developed sporting goods used in skiing. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to a "ski binding of the cross-country type in which a ski boot's heel may be elevated with respect ...
British Inventor Develops Temper Evident Holographic Label Forming Method
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Philip Hudson of Andover, Great Britain, has developed a method for making tamper evident security label such as a holographic label. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The invention provides for a label such as a temper evident holographic ...
Japanese Inventors Develop Dynamo-Electric Machine with Cooling Medium
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Kengo Iwashige, Hiroyuki Sato, Futoshi Hiyama, Takashi Karino, Takahiko Sano and Kenichi Toorisawa, all from Chiyoda-ku, Japan, have developed a dynamo-electric machine. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The invention prevents a temperature ...
North Carolina Inventors Develop Closed Loop Power Converter Circuit
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Frederick Tassitino Jr., Hans Pfitzer and Rennie Bobb, all from Wake Forest, N.C., John G. Tracy and Julius Rice, both of Raleigh, N.C., have developed a power conversion apparatus. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A closed loop power ...
American Defense Components Wins $100,000 Contract
Jul 31, 2007 ... RICHMOND, Va., July 31 -- The Defense Logistics Agency has awarded a contract valued at up to $100,000 to American Defense Components, Magnolia, Ark., for fiber optics materials, components, assemblies and accessories. The contract was awarded by the agency's Defense Supply Center, ...
Spares Wins $100,000 Contract
Jul 31, 2007 ... RICHMOND, Va., July 31 -- The Defense Logistics Agency has awarded a contract valued at up to $100,000 to Spares Inc., Florence, Ore., for hardware and abrasives. The contract was awarded by the agency's Defense Supply Center, Richmond, Va. For more ...
New Jersey Inventor Develops Portable Alternating Current Power System
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Geraldine Dowdle of Medford Lakes, N.J., has developed an electrical service extension device. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to a "portable alternating current power system for providing cordless remote electrical ...
Japanese Inventors Develop Baby Carriage Folding Mechanism with Casing
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Kojiro Yamazaki, Yuichi Arai and Mikiya Tanaka, all from Urawa, Japan, have developed a mechanism for folding a baby carriage. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A casing included in a baby carriage folding mechanism is mounted on a ...
Oregon Inventor Develops Computer Virus Detection System
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Daniel Joseph Melchione of Beaverton, Ore., has developed a computer virus detection system. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A system, method and computer program product are provided for efficient on-access computer virus scanning of ...
South Korean Inventors Develop Semiconductor Device with Two Thin Film Transistors
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Jae-Bon Koo and Min-Chul Suh, both of Suwon-si, South Korea, have developed a Semiconductor device with two thin film transistors. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to a "semiconductor device having two thin film ...
California Inventors Develop Ornamental Design for Automotive Grille
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Daniel Shea Marchese and Jennifer Lynn Marchese, both of Lake Forest, Calif., have developed an ornamental design for an automotive grille, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office announced. The inventors were issued U.S. Patent No. D547,705 on July ...
Japanese Inventor Develops Vehicle Occupant Head-Protecting Airbag Device
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Toshinori Tanase of Aichi-ken, Japan, has developed a head-protecting airbag device for a vehicle. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A head-protecting airbag device according to the present invention includes an airbag, a roof rail garnish ...
Rhode Island Inventors Develop Ornamental Design for Motorcycle Components Cover
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- John Leone of Providence, R.I., and Michael Esposito of North Providence, R.I., have developed an ornamental design for a cover for motorcycle components, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office announced. The inventors were issued U.S. Patent No. D547,704 on ...
German Inventors Develop Vehicle Steering Wheel Gas Bag Module
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Christian Lorenz of Leidersbach, Germany, and Matthias Helmstetter of Aschaffenburg, Germany, have developed a gas bag module for steering wheel of a vehicle. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A gas bag module for a motor vehicle steering ...
Japanese Inventor Develops High-Purity Molybdenum Oxide Electronic Device
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Takashi Katoda of Kochi, Japan, has developed electronic device with high-purity molybdenum oxide. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The present invention is directed to electronic devices comprising high-purity molybdenum oxide in at least ...
Hong Kong Inventor Develops Ornamental Design for Retractable Fixture
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Chen Kuo Hsiung of Laguna, Hong Kong, has developed an ornamental design for a retractable fixture, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office announced. The inventor was issued U.S. Patent No. D547,714 on July 31. The patent has been assigned to Silicon ...
Japanese Inventor Develops Radiation Image Recording Method
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Satoshi Arakawa of Kaisei-machi, Japan, has developed a radiation image recording and reading method. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "One surface of a stimulable phosphor sheet supported at a position for image recording is exposed to ...
German Inventors Develop Electrically Conductive Material Layer Thickness Determination Method
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Hansjoerg Hachtel of Weissach, Germany, and Stefan Meyer of Schwieberdingen, Germany, have developed a method for the contactless determination of thickness of a electrically-conductive material layer. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "With ...
Japanese Inventor Develops Ornamental Design for Automobile Tire Tread Portion
Jul 31, 2007 ... ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 31 -- Naoya Ochi of Chuo-ku, Japan, has developed an ornamental design for a tread portion of an automobile tire, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office announced. The inventor was issued U.S. Patent No. D547,716 on July 31. The patent has been assigned to ...