Patents Examined by Conan D Duda
  • Patent number: 11951052
    Abstract: A patient transfer apparatus configured to traverse stairs includes a seat assembly, a rear leg pivotably coupled to the seat assembly, a track integrated with the rear leg, and a wheel coupled to a distal end portion of the rear leg. The seat assembly includes a frame with a seat portion. The rear leg is pivotable relative to the seat portion between a transport position and a stair traversing position. In the transport position the wheel is configured to contact a floor, and in the stair traversing position the track is configured to contact the stairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Ross Lucas, Chris Gentile, Bjorn Gunderson, Daniel Brosnan
  • Patent number: 11602987
    Abstract: A support system is provided for a vehicle. The support system can include one or more bracket assemblies in which each includes a coupling member and a curved member in which the coupling member is affixed to a structure of the vehicle. A housing can be supported by the one or more bracket assemblies in which the housing encloses a container that stores a material such that the housing protects the container and the material. The support system provides movement between a length of the container so as to reduce deterioration of the support system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES INC.
    Inventors: James B. Rike, Steven J. Tiede, Michael A. Pintz
  • Patent number: 11597429
    Abstract: A combined motor and gearbox assembly for an electric power steering system comprising an electric motor, a gearbox which includes a gearset that is connected on an input part to a rotor of the motor and in use is connected on an output part at least indirectly to a steering column shaft to transfer torque from the motor rotor to the steering column shaft, a motor drive circuit, a gearbox housing which in use accommodates the gearset of the gearbox, the electric motor including a motor housing, and a baseplate which connects an end face of the gearbox housing to an end face of the gearbox housing and which supports the drive circuit. At least one bolt having a stem passes through a central hole in a tubular rivet that secures the motor housing to the baseplate, the bolt securing the baseplate to the gearbox housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Inventors: Russell Wilson-Jones, Nigel Smith, Timothy Buttery, Andrew Reynolds, Thomas Haines
  • Patent number: 11589679
    Abstract: A retractable storage device for an armrest of a chair, including a vertically extending arm assembly including a first distal end and a second distal end, a horizontally extending arm assembly including a first distal end and a second distal end, a middle connector, and a storage container. The second distal end of the vertically extending arm assembly is pivotally secured to the middle connector, and the first distal end of the horizontally extending arm assembly is pivotally secured to the middle connector. The retractable storage device is moveable between a stowed position and a raised position. The storage container is coupled to the second distal end of the horizontally extending arm assembly, where the storage container is stowed beneath the armrest when the retractable storage device is moved to the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff E. Dusek, Adrian F. G. Botran, Alison A. Palmer, Sabrina Tamames, Colleen L. Casey, Riley F. Keen, David G. Walter
  • Patent number: 11590839
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle has a tailgate. The tailgate has a framework to secure CNG tanks. A cover overlays the frame work to provide an aesthetic appearance to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: The Heil Company
    Inventor: Bobby Ray McKinney
  • Patent number: 11547619
    Abstract: A mobility cart system includes a first platform with a plurality of wheels extending therefrom and configured to engage with a ground surface; a first control console with a first support attached to and extending from the first platform; a first seat attached to and extending from the first platform; and a power source to provide traversing movement of the first platform via the plurality of wheels; the first platform is to support a first user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Inventors: James Edward Alexander, Scott Wofford, Sam Hunt
  • Patent number: 11535321
    Abstract: A trailer system for providing transportability for a cavity cleaning and coating system may include a frame, a bed that is attached to the frame, a pair of ground engaging elements that are attached to the frame, and a lifting and reclining assembly that is attached to the frame that is configured to raise and lower the cavity cleaning system into position over a cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: Russell R. Gohl
  • Patent number: 11535331
    Abstract: A bicycle mounting mechanism and battery box assembly installed in a bicycle frame of a bicycle is provided to include a battery box and a mounting mechanism. The battery box includes an abutment recess and an opening. The mounting mechanism includes a grip and a locating component unit being connected to the bicycle frame and defining therein an accommodation chamber for accommodating the battery box. The grip is pivotally connected to the locating component unit and includes an abutment end portion and a push end portion. The abutment end portion is capable of inserting into the accommodation chamber and in engagement with the opening with a rotating of the grip. The push end portion is capable of inserting into the accommodation chamber and abuts against the abutment recess with a further rotating of the grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: DONGGUAN HONG LIN INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD
    Inventors: Ming-Hsien Lee, Yao-Chin Yang, Wen-Hua Xiong
  • Patent number: 11490559
    Abstract: Steering and roll control systems to counteract yaw and/or roll forces during operation of a vehicle having first and second wheeled members coupled together by an articulating joint mechanism that is configured to pivot in a yaw direction and/or a roll direction. The steering assistance systems include a biasing unit configured to apply a counteracting force to bias the first and second wheeled members toward a straight-line arrangement thereof. The roll control systems include an additional biasing unit configured to apply a counteracting force to bias the first and second wheeled members toward a level alignment arrangement of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Perma-Green Supreme, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas F. Jessen
  • Patent number: 11471344
    Abstract: A handle grip specially adapted for installation and use upon the main push handles of a wheelchair. The handle grip is adapted to facilitate the reliable, yet temporary, attachment to the wheelchair push handles of the strap(s) and/or the oxygen tube(s) associated with an oxygen tank or generator source for supplying therapeutic oxygen gas to a patient seated in the wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Inventor: Cody Turnbow
  • Patent number: 11389351
    Abstract: A footrest assembly for wheelchair of the type having a structure expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded position comprises a beam assembly having a structural member having a first end and a second end. A first joint one or more rotational degrees of freedom is adapted to interface the first end of the structural member to a first side of a frame of the wheelchair. A linkage assembly is connected to the structural member by a central joint with one or more rotational degrees of freedom and a lockable translational degree of freedom joint. A second joint with one or more rotational degrees of freedom is adapted to interface the linkage assembly to a second side of the frame of the wheelchair. A connector interface releasably engages the beam assembly to the linkage assembly and/or to the second joint when the wheelchair is deployed for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: MOTION COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Pierre-Andre Couture, Maxime Lamarre, Gabriel Feron, Michael Archambault
  • Patent number: 11376173
    Abstract: A kit of parts which when assembled will provide a wheeled chair and include a central frame member to which all other elements are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventors: Jay Foonberg, Allen Herbert Rosoff
  • Patent number: 11370486
    Abstract: A noise reduction apparatus for an electric power steering system may include a worm wheel rotatably and integrally coupled to a steering shaft connected to a steering wheel; a worm gear shaft to be rotatably operated by rotational force of an electric motor and formed with a worm gear to be meshed with the worm wheel; a tilt bearing provided between the worm gear shaft and the electric motor to rotatably support one end of the worm gear shaft; a support bearing for rotatably supporting the other end of the worm gear shaft; a plurality of pressing pins for pressing the support bearing; and a plurality of elastic members for elastically supporting the plurality of pressing pins respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Do-Hyun Kong
  • Patent number: 11364755
    Abstract: A vehicle front-end assembly having a vehicle frame, a first tow hook and a skid plate. The vehicle frame has a first front side member with a front-end portion. The first tow hook has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The rearward portion of the first tow hook is attached the front-end portion of the first front side member by a first mechanical fastener. The skid plate has a main section, a first attachment flange extending from a first lateral side of the main section, the first attachment flange being fixed to the first front side member by the first mechanical fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Alan Greggs
  • Patent number: 11357170
    Abstract: A steering lever pivot assembly may have a two-axis polymer housing pivotally coupled to a terrain working vehicle at opposing bosses and comprising a pair of reciprocal housing portions, a steering lever pivotally coupled to the two-axis polymer housing, the steering lever having a connecting portion for coupling to a first system of the terrain working vehicle, a clasp coupled to the steering lever and the two-axis polymer housing and having a mounting portion for coupling to a first system of the terrain working vehicle, and a pair of bushings that receive one of the opposing bosses therein. In some aspects, the two-axis polymer housing provides a first axis of rotation at the pivotal coupling between the steering lever and the two-axis polymer housing and a second axis of rotation through the opposing bushings, which may be axially aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: EXCEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Brian R. Funk, James A. Wright, Tyler A. Yost
  • Patent number: 11351821
    Abstract: A trailer includes a trailer bed, a draw bar assembly, and a convertible hitch assembly. The trailer bed includes a platform and one or more sets of two or more wheels. The draw bar assembly is coupled to the trailer bed. The convertible hitch assembly includes a hitch converter coupled to the draw bar assembly. The convertible hitch assembly includes an over-axle hitch coupler insertable into the hitch converter, wherein the over-axle hitch coupler is mated to an over-axle hitch component coupled to a first vehicle. The convertible hitch assembly includes a behind-axle hitch coupler insertable into the hitch converter, wherein the behind-axle hitch coupler is mated to a behind-axle hitch component coupled to at least one of the first vehicle or an additional vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: International Automated System, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Jaskot, William D. Britz
  • Patent number: 11338844
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes a high-frequency compensation unit that outputs a high-frequency compensation signal obtained by filtering the high-frequency components of an assist torque command signal and multiplying the filtered high-frequency components by a gain; a corrected steering torque signal obtained by negatively or positively feeding back the high-frequency compensation signal to a steering torque signal is inputted to an assist torque command calculation unit; the assist torque command calculation unit outputs the assist torque command signal in accordance with the corrected steering torque signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Cornoration
    Inventors: Isao Kezobo, Kenta Tanaka, Masaharu Tanaka, Akiyoshi Takashima
  • Patent number: 11312192
    Abstract: A convertible hitch apparatus may be removably mountable on a hitch receiver tube and include a mount tube assembly being at least partially insertable into the receiver tube for mounting on the hitch receiver tube, with the mount tube assembly defining a retraction channel and an upper hitch aperture. The apparatus may also include a lower mount support movably mounted on the retraction channel of the mount tube assembly to move between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the mount tube assembly. The lower mount support may define a lower hitch aperture which may be below and in substantially vertical alignment with the upper hitch aperture when the lower mount support is in the retracted position. The lower hitch aperture may be moved out of vertical alignment with the upper hitch aperture when the lower mount support is in the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventor: Danny Wipf
  • Patent number: 11312435
    Abstract: A motorized apparatus includes an articulated body assembly, a plurality of wheels coupled to the articulated body assembly, and at least one maintenance device coupled to the articulated body assembly. The articulated body assembly includes a first body and a second body. The articulated body assembly includes a joint coupling the first body to the second body. The first body is pivotable relative to the second body about a pivot axis extending through the joint. At least one wheel is transitionable between a first position and a second position. The motorized apparatus also includes a motor drivingly coupled to the plurality of wheels and configured to move the articulated body assembly relative to a surface. The motorized apparatus further includes at least one magnet coupled to the at least one wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Todd William Danko
  • Patent number: 11267403
    Abstract: A mobile vessel for refueling an engine or tank of a vehicle at a remote refueling site. A refueling station is mounted to the mobile vessel and includes a movable platform mounted to a generally horizontal deck. The platform is movable between a deployed position and a stowed position. In the deployed position the platform extends away from the deck to provide a floor for the worker to stand on to connect the fuel dispenser to the engine or tank. In the stowed position the movable platform is folded from the deployed position towards the generally horizontal deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: BNJ Leasing Inc
    Inventor: Mark William Beard