Nail for healing fractures OK'd

• Adjustable universal operating lever extension. Dennis Hancock, Mountain Green, Morgan County; Jeffrey D. Hancock, Uintah, Weber County. Assigned to Stearns Inc., Sauk Rapids, Minn. Filed March 5, 2003. Patent No. 7,000,498.

• Hydraulic piston made from rolled sheet metal, method for its manufacture and intermediate product of the method. Scott Woodward Bennett, Hyde Park, Cache County; Vladimir Grigorievich Geller and Elkin Nikolai Michailovich, both of St. Petersburg, Russia. Assigned to Lucas Automotive, Germany. Filed Jan. 29, 2004, a continuation of international patent Application No. PCT/EP02/08887, filed Aug. 8, 2002, which claims priority to Russian patent Application No. 2001-122026, filed Aug. 8, 2001. Patent No. 7,000,526.

• Method and apparatus for removing trip hazards in concrete sidewalks. M. Ballard Gardner, Orem. Assigned to Precision Concrete Cutting Inc., Provo. Filed Oct. 28, 2004, a continuation of Patent No. 6,827,074, filed May 24, 2002. Patent No. 7,000,606.

• Foldable tabletop easel. Denver C. Snuffer and Antonio Antonelli, both of Sandy. Filed Dec. 4, 2003. Patent No. 7,000,882.

• Blow molded basketball backboard frame. Barry D. Mower, Layton; Robert Astle, Farmington; Carl R. Stanford, Clinton; Stephen F. Nye, Syracuse. Assigned to Lifetime Products Inc., Clearfield. Filed Jan. 29, 2003, claiming priority to provisional patent Application No. 60/357,404, filed Feb. 15, 2002. Patent No. 7,001,290.

• Safety shield for medical needles. F. Mark Ferguson, Salt Lake City; Daniel K. Smith, Woods Cross. Assigned to F. Mark Ferguson, Salt Lake City; Daniel K. Smith, Woods Cross. Filed Nov. 26, 2002, claiming priority to provisional patent Application No. 60/370,590, filed April 5, 2002. Patent No. 7,001,363.

• Intramedullary nail for long bone fractures. Gary Sohngen, San Pedro, Calif.; Barry Hubbard, Sandy. Assigned to Advanced Orthopaedic Solutions Inc., San Pedro, Calif. Filed July 21, 2003, claiming priority to provisional patent Application No. 60/398,294, filed July 23, 2002. Patent No. 7,001,386.

• Laser-based metal deposition of implant structures. Daniel F. Justin, Logan; Brent E. Stucker, River Heights, Cache County. Assigned to Medicine Lodge Inc., Logan.. Filed March 26, 2004, claiming priority to provisional patent Application No. 60/527,118, filed Dec. 3, 2003. Patent No. 7,001,672.