Patents Examined by David M. Fenstermacher
  • Patent number: 11598139
    Abstract: A drive device for moving a movable part of a piece of piece of furniture between a closed position and an open position includes a motor pivotably connectable to a body of the piece of furniture via a support assembly, a first threaded element rotatably drivable by the motor, and a second threaded element engaged with said first threaded element. The second threaded element is translationally displaced along the first threaded element upon rotation of the first threaded element. An actuating element having a first stop and a second stop is included and is arranged displaceably relative to the first threaded element along an axis of motion. The second threaded element is arranged axially displaceably relative to the actuating element between the first stop and the second stop of the actuating element. Also, a fitting element pivotally connected to the actuating element and connectable to the movable furniture part is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Flap Competence Center Kft
    Inventor: Andras Bendefy
  • Patent number: 11598416
    Abstract: An interlocking device for a transmission is provided, where the transmission includes a pivotable first shift fork for selectively engaging a first gear and a slidable second shift fork for selectively engaging a second gear. The interlocking device includes a pivot arm pivotable between a first position and a second position, and having a first end and a second end. The first end includes a first interacting portion that interacts with a first locking member of the first shift fork. The second end includes a second interacting portion that interacts with a second locking member of the second shift fork. In the first position, pivoting movement of the first shift fork is prevented and relative sliding movement of the second shift fork is allowed, and in the second position, relative pivoting movement of the first shift fork is allowed and relative sliding movement of the second shift fork may be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Marcus Persson, Klas Bergström, Niklas Dyverfors
  • Patent number: 11591192
    Abstract: According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a piston mounted on and fixedly fastened to a ball screw nut, the nut threaded onto a ball screw. By mechanically rotating the piston and preventing the ball screw from rotating, the balls screw nut rotates, thereby raising or lowering the ball screw, thereby raising or lowering the piston, thereby raising or lowering a casing, for example a bollard, mounted on the piston. The casing may be raised or lowered by attaching a handle to the piston and rotating the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Inventors: Uri Eshel, David Hever
  • Patent number: 11590895
    Abstract: The invention relates to an actuator mechanism (1) for adjusting the orientation of a mirror element in an exterior mirror unit of a vehicle. The mechanism comprises an electric motor (9, 10) with a driving shaft (11, 12), a drive train (13, 14), and a movable mirror adjusting element (5, 6) coupled via the drive train to the driving shaft of the electric motor. Also, the actuator mechanism comprises an actuator frame (2) which carries the electric motor, the drive train and the mirror adjusting element. The driving shaft of the electric motor is bearing mounted in the actuator frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: MCi (Mirror Controls International) Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Fritz Brouwer, Bastiaan Huijzers
  • Patent number: 11592019
    Abstract: A pump jack controller is provided that can harness the potential energy generated during the operation of one pump jack amongst a plurality of pump jacks located at a well site and convert that potential energy into electrical energy that can be used to provide electrical power generated by the pump jack to power the other pump jacks located at the well site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Lifting Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Lesanko, Stephen Hanchurak
  • Patent number: 11590856
    Abstract: An attachment module constructed to enable a vehicle charging robot to attach to a vehicle and to thereafter insert its charging connector into the vehicle's charging socket. Once the vehicle is charged and the charging connector is disconnected from the charging socket, the attachment module is further constructed to enable the robot to detach from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Inventor: Wesley Zhou
  • Patent number: 11592055
    Abstract: An adjustable stroke mechanism has a housing with a central axis and a wall defining a cavity. At least one counterweight is movably disposed, at least partially, within the cavity. A mounting assembly is disposed, at least partially, within the cavity. The mounting assembly has a workpiece attachment mechanism. A stroke adjustor couples the at least one counterweight with the mounting assembly. The stroke adjustor enables the counterweight and mounting assembly to move with respect to one another such that a distance between the counterweight and the mounting assembly may be variably adjusted which, in turn, variably adjusts a stroke radius of the workpiece attachment mechanism with respect to the central axis of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Lake Country Tool, LLC
    Inventor: Scott S. McLain
  • Patent number: 11585416
    Abstract: A fine pitch adjuster that includes a housing, a wheel gear positioned within the housing and coupled to a ball stud, wherein rotation of the wheel gear provides inward and outward longitudinal translation of the ball stud relative to the housing, and a clutching worm input drive including, an inner drive sleeve having a shaft portion and a head portion, the shaft portion including a plurality of sleeve slots formed therein and a plurality of engagement ribs, and an outer worm gear sleeve having worm gear threads, the worm gear threads coupled at least indirectly to the wheel gear, and an inner chamber, the outer worm gear sleeve including a plurality of grooves extending longitudinally along the inner chamber for mating engagement with the plurality of engagement ribs, wherein rotation of the inner drive sleeve provides clutchable engagement with the outer worm gear sleeve to rotate the wheel gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Asyst Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Scott T. Fladhammer
  • Patent number: 11578524
    Abstract: A spindle drive assembly for opening and/or closing a vehicle flap including a spindle drive assembly housing extending along a spindle drive axis and, between its axial ends, a stop section acting axially on both sides. A motor gear unit is arranged on a first side of the stop section and a spindle unit is arranged on a second side of the stop section. Furthermore, a vehicle flap with such a spindle drive assembly. In addition, a method of assembling a spindle drive assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: U-SHIN DEUTSCHLAND ZUGANGSSYSTEME GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Kummer, Eric Bittner, Nicolas Lejeune
  • Patent number: 11571073
    Abstract: An electric motor adjustable support device for supporting padding of seating and/or lounging furniture. In particular, padding of seating and/or lounging furniture, such as the mattress of a bed. The support device has a base part and a support part that is connected to the base part, so as to be swivelable about a first swivel axis. In the region of the first swivel axis, at least one first wedge-like lifting guide element is situated at the base part. Further, at least one second wedge-like lifting guide element, opposite from the first wedge-like lifting guide element, is situated at the support part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: de Werth Group AG
    Inventor: Eckhart Dewert
  • Patent number: 11572935
    Abstract: A linear drive system has an actuator (10), which can be moved in a translatory manner by an electric drive (12) and which is coupled to a mechanical energy storage (16) in the form of a spring (32). In the event of a loss of energy at the electric drive (12) or in an emergency operation, the actuator (10) travels to a predeterminable position and in so doing exerts an actuating force. One free end of the spring (32) is supported at the free end of the spindle housing (20), and the other free end of the spring (32) is supported at a closing part (36) of the actuator (10) or at the actuator (10) itself and is tensioned in every travel position of the actuator (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: HYDAC INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Florian Benjamin Krämer, Felix Anton Schwarz
  • Patent number: 11572730
    Abstract: A spindle drive, a spindle nut for the spindle drive, and a louvre window or louvre shutter having a spindle drive for moving louvre elements. The spindle nut is constructed in multiple parts including a screw nut part, having an internal thread to engage on an external thread of the threaded spindle, and a bearing part in which the screw nut part is mounted. The screw nut part includes a driver structure for transmitting a drive force applied by the threaded spindle to the spindle nut onto an element to be driven. Furthermore, the screw nut part is rotatably mounted in the bearing part in such a way that the screw nut part executes a relative movement in relation to the bearing part, and a directional component of the movement is transverse to a thread longitudinal axis of the internal thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Inventor: Ralf Hagemann
  • Patent number: 11566705
    Abstract: A shift mechanism having a biasing member that operatively connects a detent linkage to a linkage. The biasing member permits an actuator shaft of an actuator and the detent linkage to rotate about an actuator axis with respect to the linkage when a shift collar is inhibited from moving along the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Supreeth Chandrashekar, David Zueski
  • Patent number: 11566692
    Abstract: An actuator assembly for a solar tracking system. The actuator assembly includes a gearbox housing and a gearbox cover, a motor, and a lead screw. The gearbox housing and gearbox cover cooperate to define an internal chamber for receiving a gear assembly. The motor is mounted to the gearbox housing and is operatively connected to the gear assembly. The lead screw is operatively attached to the gear assembly and mounted inside an inner tube. A thrust bearing assembly is disposed between the gear assembly and the lead screw, with a portion of a thrust bearing nut being positioned within the thrust bearing assembly. A castle nut engages the thrust bearing nut, with the locking washer being frictionally engaged with the castle nut in an interlocking manner. An inner tube is mounted with in an outer tube for linear movement with respect to the outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Gamechange Solar Corp.
    Inventor: Andrew Barron Worden
  • Patent number: 11547506
    Abstract: Techniques for active and semi-active damping include a system including a base, a first linkage, a second linkage, and a processor. A proximal end of the first linkage is coupled to the base. The first linkage is configured to support a first instrument. The first linkage includes a first link, a second link, and a first damper coupling the second link to the first link. A proximal end of the second linkage is coupled to the base. The second linkage is configured to support a second instrument. The second linkage incudes a third link, a fourth link, and a second damper coupling the fourth link to the third link. The processor is configured to detect a movement or vibration of the first linkage caused by motion of the second linkage and control the second linkage to mitigate the detected movement or vibration of the first linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Roman L. Devengenzo, Bruce M. Schena, David W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 11543017
    Abstract: A sound reduction assembly includes a housing and a component supported via the housing. The component is movable relative to the housing. The sound reduction assembly includes a ring coupled to the component and the housing. The ring is configured to attenuate sound inducing vibrations in response to operation of the component. The ring includes a flange fixed relative to the housing to maintain a position of the ring relative to the component which maximizes attenuation of the sound in response to operation of the component. A method of utilizing a ring to attenuate sound inducing vibrations in response to operation of a component inside of a housing. A torque is selected to be applied to the ring. A stiffness of the ring is determined based on a stiffness-torque curve utilizing the selected torque to maximize attenuation of the sound. The ring is manufactured to meet the determined stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sen J. Zhou, John Miller, Martin G. Foulkes, Jeffrey D. Curtis, Jack M. Gayney
  • Patent number: 11536354
    Abstract: Embodiments of an actuator assembly for a power tailgate system are disclosed. The actuator assembly includes an actuator having a housing, a guide with a first end extending from the housing and a second end opposite the first end, and a slide coupled to the guide so as to be movable with respect to the guide second end. The actuator assembly also includes a bellows having a first end attached to the guide first end, a second end opposite the first end and attached to an end of the slide, and a body extending between the first and second ends. At least one hole is formed in the bellows proximate the bellows second end and enables fluid communication between an interior of the bellows and an exterior of the bellows. The bellows may expel moisture collected therein during operation of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Ozog, Ryan Heins, Takashi Nishio
  • Patent number: 11530735
    Abstract: Link for a rigid chain, comprising at least one flange, of rectangular overall shape, with a substantially constant thickness perpendicularly to its main plane. The flange comprises a first part and a second part. Each of the parts comprises a heel designed to bear against a corresponding heel of a similar flange of an adjacent link of the rigid chain, and a base designed to form a bearing about a rotary pin with respect to said adjacent link. The heel and the base each extend on either side of the main plane and parallel to said main plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: SERAPID - FRANCE
    Inventors: Ivan Seigneur, Philippe Novick
  • Patent number: 11529892
    Abstract: A vehicle seat adjustment mechanism may include a gearbox, a first gear, a second gear, and a spindle screw. The first gear is received in the gearbox and is rotatable relative to the gearbox about a first axis. The second gear is received in the gearbox and is rotatable relative to the gearbox about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. The first and second gears are meshingly engaged with each other. The spindle screw is meshingly engaged with the second gear and extends through the second gear along the second axis. The spindle screw may have trapezoidal threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Fisher & Company, Incorporated
    Inventors: Mircea Napau, Doina Napau, Ileana Dacia Napau, Ioan Napau
  • Patent number: 11519493
    Abstract: A shift control system for an automatic transmission is provided, which is mounted on a vehicle configured to be started by an ignition switch being turned on, where an automatic transmission mode or a manual transmission mode is selectively set. The system includes a shift switch through which a manual transmission command for arbitrarily changing a gear stage of the automatic transmission can be inputted in the manual transmission mode, and a controller. The manual transmission mode includes a first manual mode in which the gear stage is changed and maintained by inputting the manual transmission command using the shift switch, and a second manual mode in which the automatic transmission mode is resumed by satisfying a resuming condition after the gear stage is changed. When the ignition switch is turned on, the controller selects in advance the second mode to be set to the automatic transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Shirasago, Tomohiro Okubo, Shoji Abe, Hideyuki Nishi, Hajime Oyama, Kiminori Higo