Patents Issued the Week of April 20-24

4.23.26

Patent Protection & Registration

Patents grant property rights on new and useful inventions, allowing the patent holder to prevent others from using, making, or selling that invention without permission for a limited time. U.S. patents are permitted by the U.S. Constitution and are designed to promote scientific progress and invention. By allowing inventors to profit from licensing or selling their patent rights, inventors can recoup their research and development costs and benefit financially from their inventing efforts. There are three main types of patents utility, plant, and design. Utility and plant patents can last up to 20 years, while design patents can last up to 15 years. When a patent expires, the patented material enters the public domain, making it free to use by anyone without a license. U.S. patents are issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

U.S. Patent No. 12,605,742 entitled “Screen Tensioner for Tensioning a Screen Lining” issued April 21, 2026 to Kleemann GmbH of Göppingen, Germany. Invented by Florian Nägele of Hüttisheim, Germany, Emil Scheurer of Wangen, Germany and Angelos Morfoyannis also of Göppingen, Germany. Abstract: A screen tensioner for tensioning a screen lining in a screening machine includes a bar-like tensioning section including two longitudinal end portions with a fastening section defined on each of the longitudinal end portions, the tensioning section including first and second oppositely facing tensioning edges defined on the tensioning section and extending between the two fastening sections, the first tensioning edge forming a first tensioning contour and the second tensioning edge forming a second tensioning contour, the first and second tensioning contours having different geometries from each other.

U.S. Patent No. 12,604,908 entitled “Duplex Sheet Registration” issued April 21, 2026 to Xeroc Corporation of Norwalk, Connecticut.

Invented by Joannes N.M. deJong of Hopewell Junction, New York and Lloyd A. Williams of Mahopac, New York. Abstract: Sheet registration method and system includes transporting a sheet including a leading edge and a trailing edge between a first and second sensor. The first and second sensors each have a linear sensing area with a longitudinal axis aligned at a non-zero angle to each other. The first and second sensors are adapted to identify positions of the leading edge and the trailing edge. An alignment of the sheet is adjusted responsive to a sheet length determined using the output from the first and second sensors.

U.S. Patent No. D1,122,821 entitled “Three Ball Hitch” issued April 21, 2026 to Tractor Supply Co. of Texas, LP of Brentwood, Tennessee. Invented by Christian D. Fogg of Columbia, Tennessee, Jace A. McDill of Nashville, Tennessee and Ty O. Rager of Hendersonville, Tennessee. Claims: The ornamental design for the there ball hitch as shown and described.