Patents
US 9500222 B2: Passive suction base
- Granted
- 2016-11-22
- Filed
- 2012-12-20 application 13722908
- Type
- Utility · 14 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
Novel tools and techniques are described for a passive suction base. In one aspect, a passive suction base can be provided on a bottom of an item for adhering the item to a flat surface. The passive suction base might comprise a central portion affixed to the bottom of the item and a perimeter portion that is not affixed to the item. A force opposing the flat surface when applied to the item causes the central portion to move away from the flat surface, while the perimeter portion remains in contact with the flat surface, thereby causing the passive suction base to adhere to the flat surface. In some aspects, when resting on the flat surface, the perimeter portion of the suction base can be substantially flat with respect to the flat surface (and not visible), so that the passive suction base may be easily moved along the flat surface.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg161122.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qwest Communications International Inc. 105 patents | US company or organization | Denver, CO | QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL INC SEC filer EXACT medium confidence: identical full name, one of each nationally | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Switky | Menlo Park, CA | 10 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Adam Vollmer | San Francisco, CA | 8 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| F16B | Devices for fastening or securing constructional elements or machine parts together, e.g. nails, bolts, circlips, clamps, clips or wedges; joints or jointing | F16B47/00 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| G06F | Electric digital data processing | G06F1/1632 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| H01R | Electrically-conductive connections; structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements; coupling devices; current collectors | H01R13/6205 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| H02J | Electric power networks; circuit arrangements or systems for supplying or distributing electric power; systems for storing electric energy | H02J7/731 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| H01M | Processes or means, e.g. batteries, for the direct conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy | H01M50/247 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| H05K | Printed circuits; casings or constructional details of electric apparatus; manufacture of assemblages of electrical components | H05K1/00 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| Y02E | Reduction of greenhouse gas [ghg] emissions, related to energy generation, transmission or distribution | Y02E60/10 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| Y10T | Technical subjects covered by former us classification | Y10T29/49826 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-15 | Security interest Security interest Security interest (first lien) | QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. signed 2026-04-14 | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT CHARLOTTE, NC | 75406/26 | PASDL, file of 2026-09-27 |
| 2026-04-15 | Release of security interest Release (reel 066874 / frame 0793) | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. signed 2026-04-14 | QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. DENVER, CO | 75405/877 | PASDL, file of 2026-09-27 |
| 2024-03-25 | Release of security interest Release of security interest | COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A, AS SUCCESSOR TO WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT signed 2024-03-22 | QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. MONROE, LA | 66885/917 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2024-03-22 | Security interest Security interest Security agreement (first lien) | QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. signed 2024-03-22 | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT CHARLOTTE, NC | 66874/793 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2020-01-24 | Security interest Security interest Notes security agreement | QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. signed 2020-01-24 | WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION NEW YORK, NY | 51692/646 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2017-11-01 | Security interest Security interest Security interest | QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. signed 2017-11-01 | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT CHARLOTTE, NC | 44652/829 | PASDL, file of 2026-10-15 |
| 2013-03-18 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | SWITKY, ANDREW signed 2013-01-16 VOLLMER, ADAM signed 2013-01-21 | QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL INC. DENVER, CO | 30035/796 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.