Patents Represented by Attorney Butzel Long
  • Patent number: 8341810
    Abstract: A fastening or mounting apparatus for releasably joining two objects is disclosed. The apparatus has a first component and a second component. The first component may include a plate, two side walls and two flanges extending from the side walls. The second component may include a plate, a first lip and a second lip. The first lip has a cavity holding a resilient element. The second lip may have a convex portion and at least partially define a detent. One of the flanges engages with the resilient element in the cavity while the two components are non-parallel. The first flange compresses the resilient element while the second flange contacts the convex portion. The resilient element biases the second flange against the detent once the two components are parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: RayoMar Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard C. Rayos
  • Patent number: 8336541
    Abstract: An endotracheal intubation device 10 is disclosed. The endotracheal intubation device 10 includes a stylet 100, an elongate rod 300 mounted within the stylet 100 and adapted to deform/curve the stylet 100 as well as an endotracheal tube 400 mounted thereto by contacting an inner wall of the endotracheal tube 400 via a slot 130 through which the rod 300 bows outwardly, and a handle 200 mounted to the stylet 100 and adapted to actuate the elongate rod 300 to deform/curve the stylet 100. The endotracheal intubation device 10 can be used on a patient by a medical professional to access the patient's trachea by inserting the endotracheal tube 400 into the patient. Upon insertion, the handle 200 is actuated to deform the stylet 100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: AI Medical Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: John Schwartz, Richard Schwartz, Christopher L. Hogg
  • Patent number: 8322773
    Abstract: A recliner mechanism (100) configured for selectively adjusting a seat back in a second row of a vehicle (10), such as a sedan, includes a close out device (200) in the form of an adjustable package shelf (210) of the vehicle (10) to cover a gap between the seat back (20) and the vehicle structure (11) as the seat back (20) is moved from the fully reclined position. This package shelf recliner mechanism (100) further includes a track system (110) mounted relative to the vehicle structure (11), a cross plate (130) coupled to the track system (110) and configured for translational movement relative thereto, a latch system (150) for releasably securing the cross plate (130) and an actuator, such as a handle or lever, for the user to selectively actuate the recliner mechanism (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Yednesh A. Parnaik, Keith R. Ziegler, Michael C. Nazione, Mihai Butas, Kurt A. Seibold
  • Patent number: 8307942
    Abstract: A flat earplug and flat earplug package assembly is provided and a method of forming a flat earplug. The flat earplug includes a flat, rectangular foam sheet having a first surface and second surface, and adapted to be rolled up upon itself to form a coiled earplug for insertion into a user's ear. An inner coil is compressed to form a rigid coil when rolled up upon itself and an outer coil expands after the coiled earplug is inserted into the user's ear. The flat earplug package assembly includes a tray container for retaining the foam sheet therein and a wrapping for enclosing the flat earplug and tray container therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: McKeon Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Devin Benner
  • Patent number: 8297697
    Abstract: The invention relates to vehicle seat comprising a seat part and to a restraint device and a corresponding method of manufacture. The vehicle seat comprises an anti-submarining restraint device for preventing an occupant from slipping through on the vehicle seat when decelerated due to a crash, said restraint device being settable to an extended inactive position and said restraint device being settable to an extended active position. The seat part, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, has a padding defining a seat area, and a padding support below said padding. The restraint device is arranged between the padding support and the padding and spaced apart from the lateral parts by means of a locking element (e.g. detent recesses (28) or the like) provided for locking the restraint device in the active position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Gross, Harald Mund
  • Patent number: 8292369
    Abstract: An adjusting device for a vehicle seat includes a brake housing that is centered about an actuating rotational axis. The brake housing is formed in a radial direction of the actuating rotational axis and includes a housing element that is generally circular and has a outer side wall, and upper wall and an inner side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Haida, Andreas Dannheisig, Bernd Engels
  • Patent number: 8286777
    Abstract: An adjustment fitting (10) for a motor vehicle component, particularly a vehicle seat, is proposed, the adjustment fitting having a first fitting part (1) and a second fitting part (2) that is rotatably adjustable about a rotary axis (30) relative to the first fitting part by means of a gear drive, the gear drive (3) comprising a first gearing (31) on the first fitting part (1) and the gear drive (3) comprising a second gearing (32) arranged eccentrically to the first gearing (31). Two wedge segments (33, 34) are provided for securing the eccentric arrangement of the first gearing (31) relative to the second gearing (32), the wedge segments being mounted radially outward in a sliding bushing (43) having bushing gear teeth (42). The adjustment fitting (10) has a braking element (40), the braking element (40) in a release position being arranged inside the radius of the sliding bushing (43), and the braking element (40) engaging the bushing gear teeth (42) in a locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventor: Reginold Albert Kirubaharan
  • Patent number: 8281586
    Abstract: A method to operate an electronically controlled internal combustion engine having an electronic central unit with memory a turbocharger and exhaust gas recirculation valve to determine performance characteristics of said variable geometric turbocharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventors: Jason T. Barton, Daniel W. Potter, Andrew M. Mitchell, Stephen E. Kramer, Kevin K. Luther, Marie A. Racette
  • Patent number: 8281571
    Abstract: A method to regenerate a diesel particulate filter in an exhaust system with a fuel doser for normal and transient vehicle travel. The vehicle may be equipped with an electronically controlled compression ignition engine with an electronic control unit having memory and capable of receiving data signals from remote senor indicative of vehicle operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey M. Girbach
  • Patent number: 8272687
    Abstract: The invention relates to vehicle seat comprising a seat part and to a restraint device and a corresponding method of manufacture. The vehicle seat comprises an anti-submarining restraint device for preventing an occupant from slipping through on the vehicle seat when decelerated due to a crash, said restraint device being settable to a retracted inactive position and said restraint device being settable to an extended active position. The seat part, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, has lateral seat parts on both sides of the seat, a padding defining a seat area and a padding support (34) below said padding. The restraint device also comprises a tilting element (24) between the padding support and the padding and spaced apart from the lateral parts, said tilting element having at least one deformable element (24) as an energy dissipation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Gross, Harald Mund
  • Patent number: 8240756
    Abstract: A backrest (3), in particular for a motor-vehicle seat (1), has a headrest (4), of which at least one part can be displaced from at least one use position towards the head of the occupant into a safety position. Here, an actuating device (11) is provided which is arranged in the backrest and is operatively connected to a drive device (8) by means of a mechanical transmission means (9) for the displacement of at least one part of the headrest. According to the invention, the transmission means (9) has a first segment (12) which is assigned to the actuating device (11) and a second segment (12?) which is assigned to the drive device (8), which segments can be operatively connected to one another by means of a coupling device (13). Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle seat which is equipped with said backrest and to an assembly method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventor: Silvio Hartlaub
  • Patent number: 8240768
    Abstract: An adjustment device for a vehicle component, in particular for the back rest of a vehicle seat, is proposed having a first fitting and a second fitting, wherein the relative position of the two fittings to one another can be changed by means of eccentric means, wherein a rotation of the eccentric means by means of a drive element is provided, wherein the adjustment device has a central element which is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the first fitting, wherein the drive element is provided mounted in an overlapping region by means of the central element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Kienke, Juergen Otto, Mario Budweg, Albert Reginold Kirubaharan, Bruce A. Hiemstra, Michael Kapusky, Michael Bittner
  • Patent number: 8235084
    Abstract: A device for truing and regulating the tension of spoked running wheels includes a support device for stationarily clamping the hub of the running wheel, a measuring device for determining the lateral and top eccentricity of the rim, a device for fixing a motor-driven nipple wrench to the spoke nipple, a device for manually adjusting spoke tension. The hub of the running wheel is clamped for measuring symmetrical to the axial radial plane; both lateral and top eccentricity and rim anomalies on the same radial rim segment can be read out directly and electronically with or without the tires fitted. A wrench can be installed in existing devices; and is suitable for manual and motor-driven applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Inventor: Christoph Rugel
  • Patent number: 8205946
    Abstract: The present application relates to an actuating device (1) having a drive part (2) moving an output part (5) from an initial position into a final position, wherein the output part (5), or the drive part (2), has a first region (9) and a second region (10), and the drive part (2), or the output part (5), interacts with the two regions (9, 10) such that the position of the output part (5) is changed during an interaction with the first region (9), and an interaction with the second region (10) prevents a return movement of the output part (5) into the initial position. The present invention further relates to a vehicle seat comprising the actuating device (1) according to the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Ludger Mühlenbrock, Jörg Seibt
  • Patent number: 8201331
    Abstract: A method of making a catalytic converter includes providing a catalyst substrate having a substrate periphery and a mat support disposed thereon. The method also includes providing a metal shell having a shell wall having a shell periphery and a bore that is configured to receive the catalyst substrate and mat support. It further includes inserting the catalyst substrate and mat support into the bore of the metal shell in slidable engagement therewith. Still further it includes reducing the shell periphery while applying an axial force sufficient to cause translation of the catalyst substrate and mat support relative to the bore until the force reaches a predetermined retention force threshold, whereupon the reducing of the shell periphery and translation of the catalyst substrate is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Katcon Global S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventor: John C. Boehnke
  • Patent number: 8201639
    Abstract: A cutting attachment for rotary edgers having a planar base and a plurality of cutting fins or evacuating blades that extend outward from an outboard side of the base. A plurality of teeth are formed along a peripheral edge of the base and are defined in part by leading edges which face a direction of rotation. The cutting fins extend outwardly from the base at an acute angle so that distal ends thereof are angled in a direction opposite of the direction of rotation. The cutting fins are also spaced apart from the leading edges of the teeth of the base. The cutting fins are further attached along bases thereof at acute angles with respect to the leading edges of the teeth of the base so that radially outermost ends of the bases of the cutting fins are spaced further from the leading edges of the teeth than inner most ends of the bases of the cutting fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Inventor: John Szurpicki
  • Patent number: 8177275
    Abstract: A partition for separating the cabin compartment from the cargo area in HHR-style vehicles where the cabin compartment is characterized by a deck having a front wall and recesses. The partition comprises a frame including a panel. The frame is securable to a front wall of the vehicle deck, and includes at least one support, each of the at least one supports receivable in one of the recesses of the deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Adrian Steel Company
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Willis, Robert H. Sautter, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8176586
    Abstract: An ergonomic, arm-positioning pillow includes an ornamental design including an upper portion having a top surface for supporting the head of a sleeper and a bottom portion having a lower surface for supporting the arm-positioning pillow and having a first space extending at an oblique angle from a first space located along the lower surface for receiving an arm therein and supporting the sleeper to position the arm for managing the amount of pressure applied to the arm, and a second space located in the lower surface for receiving a second arm or for receiving the second arm to provide for ambidextrous use of the arm-positioning pillow and to obtain improved sleep performance in the form of reduced snoring and sleep apnea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph J. Berke, Jason Berke
  • Patent number: 8177298
    Abstract: A loading flap is pivotally mounted on the backrest of a vehicle seat and can be locked with the backrest. The locking operation can be carried out using positive and/or non-positive means, e.g. a bolt that moves in a translatory and rotative manner during locking and unlocking. The loading flap includes a housing that may be moved in a translatory manner parallel thereto during opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Lindner, Markus Lindgens, Stefan Stamm
  • Patent number: 8171906
    Abstract: A valve lifter guide mountable in the engine block of an internal combustion engine, the valve lifter guide comprising at least one elongated socket defining a longitudinal axis, the at least one socket dimensioned to receive a valve lifter therein, and at least one tab projecting away from the valve lifter guide along an axis which is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the at least one socket. The at least one tab includes a projection thereon which is dimensioned to be received in an opening provided in the engine block. The tab further defines a surface, oriented in a plane generally perpendicular to the orientation of the projection, which is capturable between the engine block and cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: APQ Development, LLC
    Inventors: Rex Blakeman, Jim McLean