Patents Examined by Eric E. Pico
  • Patent number: 7413092
    Abstract: A construction machine includes a vertical separating/connecting device interposed between a lower traveling body and a swing bearing that supports an upper rotating body. The device includes an externally toothed ring member fixed to the swing bearing with a first attaching unit, a rotating unit that rotates the externally toothed ring member, an internally toothed ring member fixed to the lower traveling body with a second attaching unit positioned on an attachment pitch circle having the same diameter and center as an attachment pitch circle of the first attaching unit, and a fixing unit that fixes the externally toothed ring member or the internally toothed ring member. Internal teeth of the internally toothed ring member and external teeth of the externally toothed ring member are positioned so as to allow the movement of the external teeth or to engage with each other when the externally toothed ring member is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Hanamoto
  • Patent number: 7353912
    Abstract: The invention relates to an elevator system with at least one shaft, in which at least two cars can be made to travel along a common traveling path, and also with a shaft information system for determining the positions and speeds of the cars, which is connected to an electrical safety device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG
    Inventors: Guenter Reuter, Wolfgang Meissner, Helmut Schlecker, Walter Nuebling, Gerhard Thumm
  • Patent number: 7350627
    Abstract: The invention relates to a safety device arrangement for an elevator door opening, said safety device arrangement comprising at least a toe guard (3) placed substantially at the lower edge of the elevator car and a safety circuit (21) connected to the elevator system. The safety device arrangement comprises a safety circuit switch (16) placed on the toe guard (3) and a bypass switch (17) connected to the safety circuit (21), said bypass switch being fitted to bypass the safety circuit switch (16) at least when the elevator is at or close to the lowest landing floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Ari Ketonen, Seppo Ketoviita, Veli-Matti Vainio
  • Patent number: 7350623
    Abstract: An elevator door apparatus includes an engaging device which engages car doors with hall doors. The engaging device uses a spring unit to urge a movable vane provided in each of the car doors. While the doors are moving, engaging rollers supported by the hall doors are sandwiched between the movable vane and a fixed vane. Thus, the driving forces of the car doors are transmitted to the hall doors. When the hall doors reach a door stop position, the movable vane is moved away from the fixed vane. Thus, the car doors are disengaged from the hall doors. At this time, a direction in which the elastic force of the spring mechanism acts is switched. Consequently, the car doors and the hall doors are stably held so that the car doors remain disengaged from the hall doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tooru Kinoshita, Seiichi Someya, Satoshi Takasawa, Shin Murakami, Yoshinobu Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7341420
    Abstract: An equipment storage lift system for efficiently storing a plurality of equipment. The equipment storage lift system includes a base, a platform, a plurality of legs extending between the platform and the base, a front structure extending from the base and a winch attached to the front structure. The legs support the platform in a substantially level position in both the raised position and the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventor: Gene M. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7334664
    Abstract: A device for storing goods, in particular vehicles, the goods being stored on at least one platform and the platform being guided on guides over a traverse path and a guide for traverse being provided. By the cooperation of the safety device arranged on the guide or device and the platform the platform is protected against undesired movement. The safety device is indicated by at least one locking unit and at least one locking element. The locking unit is rotatable and supported in such a way that the center of gravity of the locking unit is arranged off-center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Klaus Auto-Parksysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Norbert Fäβler
  • Patent number: 7331425
    Abstract: A lift machine comprises a base, a support for supporting a load above the base, a lift actuator operatively connected between the base and the support for raising and lowering the support relative to the base, and a support stabilization mechanism operatively connected between the base and the support for stabilizing the support relative to the base during raising and lowering of the support by the lift actuator. The support stabilization mechanism comprises a pair of opposed linkages, with each of the pair of opposed linkages having a lower torque tube link and an upper torque tube link. The lower torque tube link has a torque tube operatively pivoted to the base. The upper torque tube link has a torque tube operatively pivoted to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., KUKA Flexible Production Systems, Corp.
    Inventors: Larry Bukowski, Andrew Griesser, Vincent Sisti, Detlev Ziesel
  • Patent number: 7328774
    Abstract: A lift drive comprising: a spiral drive element having an axis of rotation, a rack having teeth sized and shaped to be engaged by the spiral drive element, the rack having a longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of rotation, and a motor to rotate the spiral drive element, wherein upon the spiral drive element-rotating, one of the spiral drive element and the rack moves relative to the other along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Rutherford Independence Limited
    Inventors: Gordon Molnar, Peter Shaw
  • Patent number: 7296661
    Abstract: Elevators are maintained in level condition by four fixed ropes or cables passing diagonally across an elevator in angularly related opposite directions. The ropes extend from opposite corners of the elevator to fixed upper and lower ends. Moving the elevator causes equal and opposite changes in lengths of the portions of the ropes extending upward and downward from the pulleys on the elevator, keeping the elevator level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Inventor: Davor Petricio Yaksic
  • Patent number: 7290640
    Abstract: A functional compartment is provided in a building, a sliding frame is mounted in this compartment, connected with jack mechanisms; with the help of these mechanisms the sliding frame can slide beyond the outer limits of the building and back. Smooth and safe sliding of the frame is ensured by its supporting wheels sliding in guiding rails mounted in the surfaces of the functional compartment. The sliding frame is equipped in its front part, with a receiving panel with the right and left “pocket” guiders on it. The attachable section of the H-shaped rail is equipped with a mounting panel, with the similar square structure as of the receiving panel. The thickness of the mounting panel is less than a clearance between the “pocket” guiders and the outer surface of the receiving panel. The receiving panel is supplied with beveled guiding sides, and the mounting panel—with lower rounded corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Inventors: Pavel V. Korchagin, Marina E. Korchagina, Svetlana E. Tirskaya, Vladimir A. Bararushkin, Valeriy I. Nikitin
  • Patent number: 7273133
    Abstract: An elevator hoisting machine includes a first rotary part having a sheave, a brake-side end plate, and a brake disk integrally formed together, a second rotary part having a rotor with a permanent magnet and a motor-side end plate integrally formed together, wherein the second rotary part is coaxially coupled to the first rotary part with the sheave abutting on the rotor. A sheave casing serves to cover the first rotary part and support the inner periphery of the brake-side end plate, and includes a brake main body which makes contact with the brake disk body to provide braking. A frame serves to covers the second rotary part and support the inner periphery of the motor-side end plate, and includes a stator arranged to face the permanent magnet. The sheave casing and frame are coupled together to form an external enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Meidensha
    Inventor: Yukimasa Hisamitsu
  • Patent number: 7249656
    Abstract: A buffer supports an elevator car and/or a counterweight for the elevator car, wherein the elevator car and the counterweight are each movable along a respective path in an elevator shaft. The buffer partly projects into the path of the elevator car and the path of the counterweight to produce a mechanical contact with the elevator car when the elevator car moves below a first spacing with respect to a floor of the shaft. The buffer additionally produces a mechanical contact with the counterweight when the counterweight falls below a second spacing with respect to the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Marcel Huber, Johannes Kocher
  • Patent number: 7219771
    Abstract: An elevator counterweight comprises a counterweight frame constructed from several vertical beams and at least three horizontal crossbars wherein the vertical beams penetrate the horizontal crossbars and form therewith several grid fields in which weight elements are arranged and fixed. The two outermost grid fields disposed above the lowermost horizontal crossbar are open towards the side and can each receive a counterweight guide shoe and a safety brake device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Dario Augugliaro
  • Patent number: 7207419
    Abstract: A lift having a safety lock system includes a mast that may be supported by a base, and a frame that can be lifted or lowered along the mast. The safety lock system includes a first support beam that is located adjacent to the mast and a second support beam that is located opposite the first support beam relative to the mast. The safety lock system also includes a first lock and a second lock. Each of the first lock and the second lock are operable between a plurality of locked positions and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the first lock is engaged with the first support beam to lock the lift frame to the first support beam, and the second lock is engaged with the second support beam to lock the lift frame to the second support beam. Each of the first lock and the second lock can be placed in the unlocked position, wherein the lift frame can be freely lifted or lowered relative to the mast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Heftee Industries, LLC Ltd
    Inventors: Scott E. Fore, Brian Beyer
  • Patent number: 7195105
    Abstract: A lift truck includes a guide member secured to a mast of the lift truck and a guided member secured to a carriage vertically movable along the mast. The guided member engages with the guide member to resist twisting moments acting on the carriage and enable the carriage to move smoothly along the mast. A clamping apparatus for use with the lift truck is engageable with the forks of the lift truck so that the weight of the clamping apparatus can be supported by the forks. A bracket mounted on the lift truck can be detachably connected to the clamping apparatus to prevent movement of the clamping apparatus in the fore-and-aft direction of the lift truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Tygard Machine & Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Edward Tygard
  • Patent number: 7195104
    Abstract: A lifting device (10) includes a base frame (12), the base frame having associated drive means: a lifting arm (44) connected at a first end thereof to a frame (42), the lifting arm being pivotally movable with respect to the frame and being movable between a withdrawn condition and an extended lifting condition; and a lifting cradle being movable between open and engaged positions. The device is suitable for use in the movement of hospital beds and trolleys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Austech and Design Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Adam Thomas Lear
  • Patent number: 7191873
    Abstract: For fire fighting and emergency rescue in high-rise buildings the building can be equipped with rails on the outside of the building. The rails have elevators, which travel on the rails on the outside face of the building. Two elevators traveling in unison and supporting a platform extending therebetween can provide a corridor and or a scaffold for reaching anyplace on the face of a building. Other elevators or elevators with cranes can be used on the rails in combination with the elevators with the platform to fight fires, rescue people from the upper floors of buildings or perform maintenance or construction tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventors: Pavel V. Korchagin, Marina E. Korchagina, Igor I. Goldstein, IIya G. Gordeev, Ekaterina A. Vinogradova
  • Patent number: 7188709
    Abstract: An extractable mast structure for a fork-lift truck, including an outer mast fixed to the carriage, the spaced columns being interconnected via upper and lower traverses, an extractable inner mast guided by said outer mast on which a load-carrying means is guided to be movable up and down and the columns of which are interconnected via upper or lower traverses or a cross-beam, one mast lift cylinder for each column of said inner mast supported on said outer mast, piston rods of which are adapted to be connected to said cross-beam, and setting means between said piston rods and cross-beam for an equalization of the lift, wherein a male-threaded setting component is attached to the upper end of said piston rod of one of said two mast lift cylinders and a female-threaded bushing is screwed onto the male thread of said setting component and has supporting surfaces for said cross-beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Jungheinrich Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Alexander Hofmann
  • Patent number: 7178638
    Abstract: A car door apparatus of an elevator includes a pair of door panels, a door drive device, and a door-opening mechanism. The pair of door panels open and close a doorway of the car of the elevator. The door drive device drives the door panels to open and close the doorway using electric power. When the car is stopped in an emergency in which a power source for driving the elevator is shut off, the door-opening mechanism starts up the door drive device using a secondary battery to move the door panels in the opening direction by a predetermined distance respectively to make a predetermined clearance between the door panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fujita, Kenzo Tonoki, Norihito Togashi
  • Patent number: 7178636
    Abstract: A hoisting machine is interposed between a wall of a hoistway and a car when viewed in a horizontally-projected perspective, and a drive sheave is located opposite the wall of the hoistway. Vibration prevention members are located between the hoisting machine and a mount member attached to fixing members in the hoistway. The vibration prevention members are located at surfaces of upper and lower portions of the mount member facing the hoisting machine, supporting the hoisting machine on the mount member from underside. As a result, vibration control of the hoisting machine can be readily achieved, and the torque acting on the hoisting machine is supported by horizontal rigidity of the vibration prevention member. Consequently, the hoisting machine can be attached to the mount member without failure. Vibration and noise, which would arise during operation of an elevator in a hoistway of a building, is reduced, thereby making the environment of the elevator silent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Kato, Kazuhiro Yoshikawa