Patents Issued the Week of April 27-May 1

U.S. Patent No. 12,611,019 entitled “Curling Iron and Method for Curling Hair” issued April 28, 2026 to Mia Kaminski of Franklin, Tennessee. Also invented by Mia Kaminski. Abstract: Disclosed herein is a hair curling iron. The hair curling iron of the present invention includes an iron body. The iron body has a heating body having a tapered triangular shape with a triangular cross-section, and a handle which is coupled to an end of the heating body. In the current invention, the triangular heating body provides new types of hair curls as a result of the tapered triangular shape.

U.S. Patent No. 12,611,142 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Intraoperative Nerve Visualization using Polarized Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy and Applications of Same” issued April 28, 2026 to Vanderbilt University of Nashville, Tennessee. Invented by Justin Baba of Knoxville, Tennessee, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen and Graham Throckmorton both also of Nashville, Tennessee. Abstract: An apparatus for intraoperative nerve identification and/or visualization of a target of interest of a living subject comprises a light source; an imaging head configured to acquire a polarized diffuse reflectance spectral image from the illuminated target of interest; and a controller configured to control the imaging head and to process the acquired polarized diffuse reflectance spectral image.

U.S. Patent No. 12,613,327 entitled “Systems and Methods for Prioritizing Detected Objects in a Vehicular Radar System” issued April 28, 2026 to Deere & Company of Moline, Illinois. Invented by William John Rudnisky of Harbor City, California, Ali Mohamoud Gaildon of Cypress, California, McKinley Souder of Santa Monica, California and Gurmukh Khabrani of Irvine, California. Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a vehicular radar system by prioritizing objects detected by the radar system. The radar system can prioritize objects in the environment around the vehicle based on several factors such as the time to closest point of approach, the distance to closest point of approach, the grounded velocity of the object and the radial velocity of the object. The radar system can generate a score for each object that is associated with that object’s threat priority. Based on the object’s threat priority score, a determination can be made as to whether the collection of additional information about the detected object is desirable. If additional information about the detected object is to be collected, either a different radar scan pattern having different waveforms can be generated or a different resolution of processing may be applied to the object.

U.S. Patent No. D1,124,260 entitled “Control Valve Enclosure” issued April 28, 2026 to Hydrocowl, Inc. d/b/a Safe-T-Cover of Nashville, Tennessee. Invented by Cary Eugene Wiley of Marietta, Georgia, Ronnie McKay of Lebanon, Tennessee and Chris Ryckman of Nashville, Tennessee. Claims: The ornamental design for a control valve enclosure as shown and described.

U.S. Patent No. D1,123,737 entitled “Two Ball Hitch” issued April 28, 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 a two ball hitch as shown and described.

U.S. Patent No. D1,123,738 entitled “Adjustable Hitch Carrier” issued April 28, 2026 to Hydrocowl, Inc. d/b/a Safe-T-Cover of Nashville, Tennessee. Invented by Cary Eugene Wiley of Marietta, Georgia, Ronnie McKay of Lebanon, Tennessee and Chris Ryckman of Nashville, Tennessee. Claims: The ornamental design for a adjustable hitch carrier as shown and described.