Patents Examined by Gregory Strimbu
  • Patent number: 9347253
    Abstract: A vehicle door opening/closing device, which enhances the operation feeling during opening and closing of a vehicle door, includes: an outside door handle provided to a power sliding door for opening and closing a door opening, the outside door handle being supported to move between an initial position and a maximum movement position relative to the power sliding door, and being operated to open and close the power sliding door; a spring unit urging the outside door handle to move from the maximum movement position to the initial position; an opening/closing operation detection unit for detecting movement of the outside door handle from the maximum movement position to the initial position; a door drive mechanism for driving the opening and closing of the power sliding door; and a control unit for actuating the door drive mechanism on the basis of a detection signal outputted from the opening/closing operation detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Shibayama, Takeshi Nishikibe, Toshio Machida
  • Patent number: 9341061
    Abstract: A method of opening a mine door leaf installed in a mine passageway having a high pressure zone and a low pressure zone. The method includes the steps of operating a variable-throw crank mechanism in a first configuration having a first crank length to apply a first force to the mine door leaf to move at a first speed, operating the variable-throw crank mechanism in a second configuration having a second crank length less than the first crank length to apply a second force greater than the first force to the mine door leaf to move at a second speed slower than the first speed, and using a resistance pressure associated with the high and low pressure zones in the mine passageway to convert the variable-throw crank mechanism from the first configuration to the second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Jack Kennedy Metal Products and Buildings, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Kennedy, John M. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 9340275
    Abstract: A system and method for installing a window panel onto an aircraft including providing a retaining device having an outside edge that is sealed against an inboard surface of the aircraft. A biasing member mounted to an inside edge of the retaining device includes spring clips that press against the window panel. The spring clips push the window panel outward against the outside edge of the retaining device to maintain a seal around the edge of the window panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Jonathan Lyon, Joe Garland Skerbetz
  • Patent number: 9334108
    Abstract: A manway hatch is used with a tank defining a chamber in which fluid is stored and/or transported. The manway hatch comprises a base and a cover. The base is configured to be fixed to the tank and defines an opening configured to communicate with the tank chamber. The cover is movably positioned in a covering relationship with the opening and presents an inner cover surface facing the tank chamber. The inner surface is formed at least substantially of a synthetic resin or other non-corrosive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Clay and Bailey Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Donald R. David, Bradford E. Holmes
  • Patent number: 9328551
    Abstract: A safety gate is composed of a U-shaped frame and a door spanning the interior of the frame. One side of the door is pivotally connected to one side of the frame to permit pivotal movement of the door with respect to the frame. The frame's width is adjusted by a ratchet mechanism composed of a spring-loaded pawl having a sloping side and a vertical side so that the width of the frame can be adjusted in one direction only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Summer Infant (USA), Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Henderson, Mark J. Sousa
  • Patent number: 9328546
    Abstract: A hinge stile gap blocking apparatus to prevent hand and finger injuries resulting from inadvertent door closings. The apparatus includes a hinge gap cover for use with an existing door and door jamb and configured to continuously occlude a gap between the door jamb and the outer facing edge of a hinge stile of the door. The hinge stile gap blocking apparatus has a curved portion that is shaped such that the door edge tracks the curve when the door is pivoted between an open and a closed position and from the closed to the open position. A method of installing the hinge stile gap blocking apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Inventor: Raymond E Davis
  • Patent number: 9316044
    Abstract: A structure attached to a tailgate of a loading bed of a vehicle includes a first planar portion that positions substantially over a gap created between the tailgate and the loading bed, in a horizontally laid position of the tailgate, to prevent debris from falling into the gap. A second portion of the structure includes a first surface attached to a lower portion of the tailgate, and a second curved surface adapted to face the loading bed in the horizontal position of the tailgate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Joshua Hemphill
  • Patent number: 9309712
    Abstract: A drive apparatus for a rotor of a revolving door, wherein the drive apparatus includes a drive device, which is motion-coupled to the rotor via a drive belt. The drive apparatus further includes a tensioning device for tensioning and deflecting the drive belt, wherein the drive belt connects the drive device, the tensioning device and the rotor. The tensioning device and/or the drive device are mounted with a variable distance between one another, so that an extension of the drive belt caused by acceleration or deceleration of the rotor is compensated by varying the distance between the tensioning device and the drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: AGTATEC AG
    Inventors: Heinz-Peter Aeppli, Kari Oila
  • Patent number: 9302362
    Abstract: A door mechanism of a machining center includes a wide door panel, narrow door panels, a pair of upper and lower slide rails into which the wide door panel and the narrow door panels are fitted, and a plurality of motors that serve as drive units for independently driving the wide door panel and the narrow door panels. The wide door panel and the narrow door panels are arranged in line extending across an opening of the machining center to close the opening of the machining center and are slidable in a direction parallel to a width of the opening to open a portion of the opening having a width approximately twice a width of a one of the narrow door panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventors: Tomofumi Tsuchida, Makoto Tomita
  • Patent number: 9290971
    Abstract: A door device for a vehicle includes a cable for connecting a handle device and a lock unit. A cable holding member mounted to the handle device is displaced between an engagement position in which the cable holding member engages with the cable and a non-engagement position in which the cable holding member does not engage with the cable. A contact portion of a door panel is configured such that when the handle device is being mounted to the door panel, the contact portion contacts the cable holding member in the non-engagement position and interferes with the assembly of the handle device to the door panel and the contact portion does not contact the cable holding member in the engagement position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toyohisa Amagai, Kinji Hoshikawa, Hiromu Inoue
  • Patent number: 9243435
    Abstract: A fall arrestor for use with a vertical lift door includes a pair of latching dogs selectively pivoted into and out of contact with a vertical rail by cam members and a compression mechanism actuated by a change in tension between a lift cable and the vertical lift door. The fall arrestor further includes a ground locking system for locking the door when the vertical lift door is completely closed. The fall arrestor is capable of preventing of free fall of the vertical lift door in a catastrophic failure of a lift mechanism or the lift cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Inventor: John Kaounas
  • Patent number: 9238932
    Abstract: A slide member for use in an automotive vehicle. The slide apparatus includes a first slide member having a slidably contacting surface. Additionally, a second slide member is provided having a slidably contacting surface which is in slidable contact with the slidably contacting surface of the first slide member. In this slide apparatus, at least one of the slidably contacting surfaces of the first and second slide members is formed of a transferable water repellent material having a water repellency and a sufficient transferability to form a transferred film of the transferable water repellent material on at least the other slidably contacting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignees: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., KUBOKO PAINT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihisa Hori, Hirosuke Kamae, Kazuhiko Tokutomi, Mitsuo Oka, Daisuke Mukoyama
  • Patent number: 9227485
    Abstract: A mechanism for raising and lowering a windowpane achieves a satisfactory mounting of a guide rail to a drum housing to allow visual checking of the mounted state of the guide rail to the drum housing. Relative movement between the guide rail and the drum housing is restricted in the vehicle widthwise direction after completion of the mounting. An engaging projection formed at the end of the drum housing projects toward the guide rail. An engaging portion of the guide rail restricts relative movement between the guide rail and the drum housing in the vehicle widthwise direction by being engaged with the engaging projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SHIROKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masanao Baba
  • Patent number: 9222297
    Abstract: An openable roof window includes: a window panel configured to be slidable along a guide rail to selectively open and close an opening in a roof and tiltable relative to a base frame; a slider having a pin and driven by a drive device to slide along the guide rail; an engagement structure that selectively engages the slider with the window panel such that they are unmovable relative to each other in a direction along the guide rail; and the engagement structure includes a stay fixedly secured to the window panel and having a cam groove formed therein, the cam groove engaging the pin of the slider and having a shape defined such that, when the engagement structure does not engage the slider with the window panel, the window panel is caused to tilt as the slider moves relative to the stay as a result of sliding of the slider along the guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Uehara, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Patent number: 9222295
    Abstract: A window regulator includes: a guide rail including a rail main body part, an insert-through part provided at one end of the rail main body part and inserted into a housing, and a locking tab provided at the rail main body part. The housing includes a housing part housing the insert-through part, an engaging part engaging with a tip of the locking tab, and a guide part configured to guide the tip of the locking tab to the engaging part when the tip of the locking tab is brought into contact with the guide part. The engagement of the locking tab and the engaging part restricts movement of the housing in a longitudinal direction of the rail main body part toward the one end of the rail main body part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: HI-LEX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Taiji Umemura
  • Patent number: 9217271
    Abstract: A method of motorized movement of a vehicle door, wherein the vehicle door can be moved from an open position to a closed position as part of a closing process with a door drive mechanism associated with the vehicle door and a control system. In a first section of the closing process the vehicle door is moved by the door drive mechanism from the open position to a comfortable open position that lies between the open position and the closed position. In a second section of the closing process, the vehicle door is further moved from the comfortable open position in the closing direction, preferably to the closed position, manually by the user and largely free of the door drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Horst Heissler
  • Patent number: 9216630
    Abstract: A water shield for a door of a vehicle. The water shield includes a sheet of a water impervious material configured to be attached to an inboard panel of the door and extend over an access opening in the inboard panel. A cover of expanded foam is directly attached to the sheet to fit over the access opening in the door. A perimeter portion of the cover circumscribes the access opening. The cover is secured, around the access opening, to the inboard panel, resulting in sealing of the access opening and mass dampening of the inboard panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris P. Sheehy, Scott B. Smith, Paxton S. Williams
  • Patent number: 9217283
    Abstract: An apparatus having a base portion configured to be secured to a mounting surface and a sensor connected to the base portion that is configured to interface with an elongate member and measure one or more characteristics of the elongate member as the elongate member moves from being wound up on or paid out from a rotatable drive of a movable barrier operator. The one or more characteristics can include, for example, position, velocity, and direction of movement of the elongate member. By measuring the one or more characteristics of the elongate member, corresponding properties of a movable barrier connected to the elongate member can be accurately determined. The apparatus may be also used to supplement an estimate of the properties of the movable barrier obtained from measurement of the rotatable drive and provide a more accurate estimate of the movable barrier properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert J. Olmsted
  • Patent number: 9206642
    Abstract: A turnstile personnel access-control device (1) has one or more blocking arms (2, 3) connected to a drive element (5) mounted on a carrier (4) such that the blocking arms are rotatable about a main axis or shaft (11). The blocking arms (2, 3) assume a blocking position and at least one free position in dependence upon the rotation of the drive element (5). Each blocking arm (2, 3) includes a flat component (6, 7) that is mounted to rotate about a longitudinal axis (8, 9) thereof in dependence upon the rotation of the drive element (5). In the blocking position of the blocking arms (2, 3), one such flat component assumes a pre-defined angular position with respect to the vertical, whereas in the free position, this flat component (6, 7) is rotated such that passage of a person is allowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: SKIDATA AG
    Inventors: Guido Harucksteiner, Markus Leitner, Reinhard Surkau
  • Patent number: 9207616
    Abstract: An automatic original cover operator of a copying machine, includes a hinge part and a driving part. The hinge part includes a mounting member attached to the main body of the copying machine, a supporting member rotatably mounted on the mounting member via a main shaft, a lifting member rotatably mounted on side plates of the supporting member via a drive shaft, a part for controlling rotation of the hinge part, the part for controlling rotation serving to urge the supporting member in an opening direction of the original cover and the lifting member to overlap the supporting member, and a rotation controlling mechanism for the lifting member. The driving part includes a drive case, a drive motor mounted in the drive case, and a reduction mechanism mounted in the drive case for transmitting a rotation drive force from the drive motor to the main shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: KEM HONGKONG LIMITED
    Inventor: Keizo Kumazawa