Patents Examined by Charles Poon
  • Patent number: 8573368
    Abstract: A parking brake actuator system for an outdoor power equipment unit, such as a riding lawn mower, comprises a reversible electric motor that drives a gear reduction assembly. The gear reduction assembly rotates an output shaft at a speed slower than the speed of rotation of the motor. The output shaft has opposite ends that are linked by a pair of actuating rods to a pair of parking brakes. As the motor is rotated in reverse rotary directions, the connecting portions of the rods that are coupled to the parking brakes are moved in opposite, straight line directions to move the parking brakes between brake disengaged and brake engaged positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: The Toro Company
    Inventors: Dale A. Stover, Karl D. Heal, Steven R. Porter
  • Patent number: 8567571
    Abstract: A friction rail skate comprising a base having a guide portion for supporting and steering along a rail and a tongue where the base is detachably connected to the tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: L&M Pattern Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Edward Neff, Jerry L. Lockridge, Wendell M. Scott
  • Patent number: 8567572
    Abstract: The invention relates to a controlled-friction device comprising first and second elements mounted to move relative to each other in a sliding direction, wherein the device of the invention includes first and second friction members arranged symmetrically between the two elements in order to rub selectively against the second element, each of the friction members being urged towards a wedging position by a presser member, the first friction member being arranged, in a first direction of relative movement between the two elements along the travel direction, to tend to prevent relative movement between the two elements, and in a second direction to exert on the two elements an opposing friction force that depends on a stress applied against the first wedge member by the presser member; while the second friction member is arranged in the second direction to tend to prevent relative movement of the two elements, and in the first direction to exert on the two elements an opposing friction force that depends on a s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
    Inventors: Arnaud Lafitte, Sabien Verlyck
  • Patent number: 8424976
    Abstract: A brake system includes a main brake cylinder and a pedal decoupling unit provided with a holding piston, the first ring surface thereof together with a first primary brake cylinder piston defining a first hydraulic chamber that is hydraulically pressurized with an electrically controllable pressure supply device. In order to improve the pedal characteristics of the brake system, in particular in a brake-by-wire brake system, the holding piston is embodied as a differential piston, the second ring surface thereof defining a second, blockable hydraulic chamber, and a piston effect in the second chamber corresponds to a force that acts counter to the direction of actuation on the holding piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co OHG
    Inventors: Dieter Dinkel, Hans-Jörg Feigel