Patents Represented by Attorney Charles R. White

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  • Steering column with adjustable tilt head and steering wheel assembly
    Patent number: 4470322
    Abstract: Steering column with tilt head having tilt locking and release dog controlled by manual lever operable in camming slot therein and normally biased by spring to an over-tilt center position for positive locking of the tilt head in selected tilt position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Howard D. Beauch
  • Energy absorbing bumper assembly for vehicles
    Patent number: 4466646
    Abstract: This bumper assembly forms a streamlined end of a vehicle and incorporates a channeled inner spring bumper which supports a cellular energy absorber unit and displaceable lamp assemblies. The lamp assemblies are displaced to a protected position within the inner bumper as the energy absorber unit and the inner spring bumper operate to dissipate impact energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Delmastro, Paul D. Van Duyn
  • Power steering gear and open center rotary valve therefor
    Patent number: 4454801
    Abstract: This power steering valve has new routing for return oil by elongating predetermined slots in the valve body to axially circumvent end ring elements interposed between the valve spool and valve body. With the provision of axial return paths, radially drilled return holes in the valve spool and spool shaft are eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Chris R. Spann
  • Energy absorbing steering column and capsule mounting therefore
    Patent number: 4452096
    Abstract: Mounting for telescopic energy absorbing steering column for vehicles in which a guide bracket carries column release capsules on opposite sides of the column and has vertically oriented tongue and groove slide connection with column mounted capsule bracket for optimized column mounting stiffness and improved column guidance on release.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Michael J. Workman
  • Single tube strut shock absorber
    Patent number: 4452436
    Abstract: Single tube vehicle suspension strut with built-in shock absorber in which the piston rod is formed from tubing that provides a reservoir for shock absorber fluids and further featuring this type piston valving with the deflecting spring discs and cooperating metering pin construction which can readily reduce high pressure build-up and which can be adjusted to provide ride and level control. This unit can be used to provide a leveling feature with the gas spring in the piston tube operatively connected to suitable controls for pressurized gas and exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Loren R. Gute
  • Energy absorbing steering column for vehicles
    Patent number: 4445708
    Abstract: A collapsible steering column for automobiles including an energy absorber having rollable deformer balls with the balls being active throughout all loading conditions of the column to effectively absorb energy for all load conditions from light load to maximum load for the full column stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Edmond G. Oakes, Frederick P. Arndt, Leonard F. Grandel
  • Hybrid mechanical and electrical drive and engine cooling fan arrangement
    Patent number: 4441462
    Abstract: A hybrid fan drive system for cooling an internal combustion engine which incorporates (1) an electric motor drive which drives the fan at a predetermined speed independent of engine speed, and (2) an engine driven variable speed drive operatively interconnecting the vehicle engine to the fan for engine drive of the fan at speeds in accordance with engine speed above a predetermined output speed to optimize cooling of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Budinski
  • Three-track motorcycle with cambering main frame
    Patent number: 4437535
    Abstract: Three-wheel motorcycle with cambering main frame supporting a front steering column and front wheel. The cambering frame is pivotally mounted on a centralized non-cambering rear support including the engine that carries the rear suspension and laterally spaced drive wheels. Operator footrests are mounted on rear support and automatically tilt with the cambering frame to improve operator balance of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Winchell, Klaus O. Winkelmann
  • Rack and pinion steering gear
    Patent number: 4428450
    Abstract: Rack and pinion steering gear incorporating a rack guide providing a takeoff for steering linkage actuation, the rack guide has shock absorbers formed at the opposite ends thereof for the cushioned engagement with stop shoulders in the steering gear housing at opposite ends of the rack guide track, the rack guide has spring finger runners integrally formed at opposite sides of the guide engaging the track for lash reduction and for the low friction sliding of the guide in the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Craig A. Stenstrom, Alan D. Holzhausen, Thomas R. Stepp, Jr.
  • Wheeled vehicle with cambering front module
    Patent number: 4423795
    Abstract: A three-wheeled cambering vehicle having a rear noncambering module which has a forwardly extending tongue which rotatably supports a main and front cambering module. The cambering module carries the vehicle operator who steers the vehicle by rotating a single front wheel about a substantially vertical axis and additionally leans in response to vehicle turn and his own will, the two modules are rotatable in relation to each other about an inclined camber axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle. The cambering module has cambering controls at a forward portion thereof to allow the operator to physically engage the controls with his feet for cambering the front module relative to the ground and rear modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Winchell, Jerry K. Williams, C. Clark Irwin
  • Engine cooling fan with shearable drive to eliminate fan overspeed
    Patent number: 4414925
    Abstract: An engine cooling fan driven through a viscous clutch and having a mechanically shearable drive element into the powered input of the viscous clutch which shears at a predetermined low torque level to prevent fan damage due to viscous clutch lockup and limits fan speeds to a relatively low torque level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1983
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Robert C. Mellin
  • Hydraulic power steering and cooling fan drive system for vehicles
    Patent number: 4414809
    Abstract: Power steering pump is employed to provide power for engine cooling fan drive. Bypass oil or bypass oil in addition to return oil is routed from the power steering gear through the fan drive motor for improved fan drive operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1983
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Darryl L. Burris
  • Hardbar energy absorbing bumper system for vehicles
    Patent number: 4413856
    Abstract: A substantially rigid bumper is mounted to vehicle frame by special spring brackets which allow bumper movement relative to frame on impact. Cellular energy absorbing media housed within the brackets absorb impact energy and cooperate with bracket for improved bumper support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: David R. McMahan, Gary P. Zeller, Ronald W. Slaughter, Martin D. Skirha, Dean M. Bayer
  • Vehicle pneumatic suspension system with dead band adjustment
    Patent number: 4398704
    Abstract: Pneumatic suspension system for automotive application in which sprung and unsprung masses are supported by variable volume air spring units and incorporating compressor and exhaust valve devices for supplying an exhausting pressurized air from the units to adjust the height between the masses. A Hall effect device effective across a pressure boundary senses the position of a magnet movable within one of the air spring units and reflects relative movement of the sprung and unsprung masses to effect control of the supply and exhaust of air from the units. By axial movement of the Hall device, dead band width can be established to accommodate normal ride motions between sprung and unsprung components. By rotating the Hall device at any axial position, the vehicle bumper height can be selectively increased or decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Harry C. Buchanan, Jr., Donald E. Graham, Keith R. Cook, George T. Claude
  • Air cooled machine and cooling fan
    Patent number: 4399379
    Abstract: A fan assembly has a sealing ring which rotatably fits with a similar feature on a machine casting when the fan is assembled to the machine to provide a labyrinth type seal which is maintained over a wide variation and axial gap to inhibit the flow of air bypassing the normal flow through the machine so that the fan pumps greater quantities of air through the machine for improved cooling of all elements therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen W. Marks, Gary D. Wooten, Ronald N. Gray
  • Energy absorbing steering wheel assembly
    Patent number: 4390193
    Abstract: A steering wheel assembly for vehicles which incorporates an energy absorbing coupling which mounts the steering wheel for tilting movement with respect to a column to an optimum impact position when the wheel receives inertia load and which provides for subsequent energy management by deformation of a plurality of metallic legs which collapse at controlled rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Strahan, Philip W. Hopf, Phillip G. Williams
  • Cellular energy absorbing bumper and lamp assembly mounted thereto
    Patent number: 4387920
    Abstract: A lamp assembly is yieldably supported to the cellular energy absorbing media of resilient plastic material of a vehicle bumper by live hinges which permit lamp displacement on bumper impact to reduce or eliminate lamp assembly damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1983
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald W. Slaughter, David L. Carpenter
  • Shock absorber with deflector for high pressure rebound oil
    Patent number: 4360085
    Abstract: A shock absorber for a vehicle suspension and the like in which an oil deflector is mounted between the piston rod guide and a single lip low pressure seal to divert streams of high pressure oil from impingement on the seal to thereby prevent the escape of oil from the shock absorber on rebound stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1982
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph P. Pendergast
  • Viscous damping of steering shaft
    Patent number: 4352304
    Abstract: Viscous damper for steering gear assembly between the steering shaft and gear incorporating a fixed outer cylinder having a plurality of concentric walls which are interposed between concentric walls of a rotatable inner cylinder. The spaces between the relatively rotatable walls are filled with a viscous fluid which is sheared to control any free steering gear oscillatory motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1982
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Laurence A. Warner
  • Power assist rack and pinion steering gear
    Patent number: 4351228
    Abstract: Rack and pinion power steering gear in which an internal seal having a diameter smaller than that of the power cylinder is press fitted into a reduced diameter portion of the cylinder using the rack and piston as an installation tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1982
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond J. Schultz, Michael E. Marr