Patents Examined by Jerry Redman
  • Patent number: 10017937
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flood vent panel includes a plurality of insulation pieces coupled together to form at least a portion of the flood vent panel. The flood vent panel further includes one or more insulation piece connectors coupled to the plurality of insulation pieces, and configured to couple the plurality of insulation pieces together. The flood vent panel is configured to be coupled, at least indirectly, to a structure, so as to at least partially block a fluid passageway through an opening in the structure. The one or more insulation piece connectors are further configured to uncouple one or more of the plurality of insulation pieces from the panel when at least a predetermined amount of pressure is applied to a portion of the flood vent panel by one or more of a fluid or an object carried by the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: SMART VENT PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Winfield Scott Anderson, Jr., Tom Little, Michael J. Graham
  • Patent number: 9919867
    Abstract: An automatic bin lid opener system is an apparatus used for opening and closing the top hatch of a storage bin from a control box at ground level to allow the user to avoid climbing ladders to the top of the storage bin. The control box may be operated manually or may be programmed to operate automatically as preferred by the user. The programmable control box may also be operated remotely at great distances via a cell phone using a cell phone application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Shawn Poncsak
  • Patent number: 9903147
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door includes a door body and first and second windows carried on that door body. A window drive system independently displaces the first and second windows between closed and opened positions. A related method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Victor Daniel Rojas, Donald P. Iacovoni, Paul L. Heirtzler, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9889729
    Abstract: A hybrid door for an automobile, which can reduce the weight of an automobile while maintaining high strength and dent includes an outside panel configured to have a sandwich structure in which a resin layer is integrated between at least one pair of thin steel plates and disposed outside an automobile interior, and an inside panel bonded to the outside panel and disposed within the automobile interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Se Jin Ko, Young Hyun Oh
  • Patent number: 9890575
    Abstract: The invention relates to a movable barrier operator with a removable power supply module for supplying power to the operator from a remote location. The power supply module may be decoupled from a barrier operator frame or housing, and installed in a remote location; the operator may therefore be observed and diagnosed remotely via a user interface that includes status indicators. In an exemplary embodiment, the user interface comprises one or more LED indicators to provide a user with information pertaining to the power supply of the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: VIKING ACCESS SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: Ali Tehranchi
  • Patent number: 9883741
    Abstract: A foldable step system includes a cabinet that has a door. A step unit is hingedly coupled to the door. The step unit is positioned in a deployed position when the door is positioned in an open position. Thus, the step unit may support a user thereby facilitating the user to reach an elevated object. The step unit is positioned in a stored position such that the door may be positioned in a closed position. A drive is movably coupled to the step unit such that the drive selectively positions the step unit in the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Inventor: Vincent Demasi, III
  • Patent number: 9884541
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicular door structure that can enhance the effect of noise insulation for a noise gaining entrance from an end portion of a weather strip while ensuring the drainability by the weather strip. The vehicular door structure is provided with a weather strip body that is arranged along a lower edge portion of a door body, that has a hollow interior, that has communication holes communicating with a drainage hole at the lower edge portion of the door body, and that serves as a drainage channel. This weather strip body is provided with partition walls that partition the hollow interior, at a plurality of locations from an end portion of the weather strip body to the communication holes. The partition walls are provided with drainage portions that penetrate the partition walls to enable drainage, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toyoka Ide
  • Patent number: 9885207
    Abstract: An automatic open-close device for use with a fitting, the device may include a rack secured to the fitting; a pinion structured to mesh with the rack; a turn-driving mechanism structured to drive the pinion to turn; and a holding member structured to rotatably hold the pinion. The holding member may be movable between a meshing position in which the rack and the pinion are engaged and a disengaging position in which the rack and the pinion are disengaged. The rack and the pinion may be configured such that, when the holding member is in the meshing position and the driving mechanism drives the pinion to turn, the fitting opens and closes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaaki Ando, Shinichi Yoshikawa, Goro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9879481
    Abstract: A base extending mechanism is provided for a ladder in the form of pivotable lower leg sections which can be independently rotated outwards to provide a wider ladder base. This extension of the ladder base is complementary to and supported by a compatible ladder levelling mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Patrick Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 9879461
    Abstract: A partition door system includes a partition door, a stile, and a closing mechanism coupling the partition door to the stile, such that the closing mechanism provides a force for closing the door relative to the stile. A first magnet is at the partition door proximate the stile, and a second magnet is at the stile proximate the door. A partition door including a magnet, a stile including a magnet and a method of operating the same are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: BOBRICK WASHROOM EQUIPMENT, INC.
    Inventor: William Conway
  • Patent number: 9879463
    Abstract: The technology relates to assisting in the closing of a vehicle door by automatically pulling a door closed. One or more computing devices having one or more processors may receive, from one or more sensors, information indicating that a door on the vehicle is not closed. In response to the received information indicating that the door is not closed, the one or more computing devices may determine to send a triggering signal to close the door. The one or more computing devices may send the triggering signal to the actuator and the actuator may receive the triggering signal. In response to receiving the triggering signal the actuator may be activated to close the door of the vehicle without user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Peter Craig Lombrozo, Andrew Paul Warburton, Robert John Ellis
  • Patent number: 9879465
    Abstract: A power assist device is provided herein. A motor is operatively coupled to a door of a vehicle. A controller controls a mechanical resistance applied by the motor to the door to resist door swing. The mechanical resistance applied to the door is a function of an angular position of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Dean Elie, Timothy J. Potter, Robert F. Novak, John Wayne Jaranson, Jeff A. Wallace, Michael M. Azzouz
  • Patent number: 9874050
    Abstract: A sliding door module or pivoting sliding door module for a rail vehicle includes a door leaf and a support, which is aligned longitudinally in the sliding direction of the door leaf and is mounted such that the support can be displaced in the horizontal direction in particular transversely to the longitudinal extent thereof. The sliding door module or pivoting sliding door module also has a linear guide for mounting the door leaf, which is fastened to or integrated in the support. The door leaves are moved with the aid of a rack-and-pinion drive. The rack-and-pinion drive has a rack which is coupled only in the first end region thereof to the door leaf, and the floating end of which is engaged with a gearwheel that is mounted rotatably in the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG
    Inventors: Andreas Mair, Heinz Zarl, Andreas Schunke
  • Patent number: 9863178
    Abstract: A two-way soft closing device is mounted in a sliding door and has a sliding door track, two soft closing activation triggers, two roller carriers and a soft closing device. The sliding door track is an elongated member. The soft closing activation triggers are mounted movably in two ends of the sliding door track respectively. The roller carriers are mounted slidably in the sliding door track and are spaced apart at an interval. The soft closing device is mounted in the sliding door track, is located between the roller carriers and is mounted firmly in one of the roller carriers. Therefore, the soft closing device absorbs a collision between a sliding door plate and a doorframe when the sliding door is opened or is closed. Meanwhile, the two-way soft closing device eliminates noise coming from the collision and prevents an elder or a little child from being hit by the sliding door plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Weider Metal Inc.
    Inventors: Grace Show-Yin Wang, Jennifer Wu, Andy Wu, Jacqueline Wu
  • Patent number: 9856684
    Abstract: A sliding door guide system for replacing a traditional floor track for sliding doors includes a first sliding door that is suspended from a support. A second sliding door is suspended from a support. The second sliding door is aligned with the first sliding door. A guide is coupled to the first sliding door. The guide slidably engages the second sliding door. Thus, the second sliding door is retained at a position relative to the first sliding door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventor: William Edward Sidwell
  • Patent number: 9855829
    Abstract: To provide an automobile beltline portion sound insulating structure capable of improving a sound insulation state of an automobile interior at a door glass closed time to a high level and an automobile door glass. An automobile beltline portion sound insulating structure including a door panel having two panel boards facing each other having seal members along the beltline respectively, and a door glass provided between the two panel boards having a main body and a first viscoelastic member having a Young's modulus lower than that of the seal member, in a lower portion of one main surface of the main body, the seal member positioned on the side of the one main surface having two or more lip portions, wherein the first viscoelastic member is positioned between the two lip portions while abutting on at least a part of the seal member at the door glass closed time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamada, Atsushi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9856691
    Abstract: A sliding window assembly (35) including a window frame and at least two glass panes (38, 39). At least one of the glass panes (38, 39) slides within the frame between an open position and a closed position, wherein one of the edges of each pane overlaps to form overlapping edges (42, 43). First and second rails (44, 45) are connected to the overlapping edges (42, 43) and cooperate to form a seal between them in the closed position. Each rail (44, 45) is formed from a metal component (46) and a plastic component (51) that are formed separate from each other and are assembled in nesting connection. The seal in the overlap between the overlapping edges (42, 43) in the closed position of the panes (38, 39) is formed between the plastic components (51) of the first and second rails (44, 45). The metal components (51) of the first and second rails (44, 45) are spaced from contact with each other and extend to overlie outwardly facing surfaces of the first and second panes (38, 39).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: JELD-WEN, Inc.
    Inventors: Lars Søgaard Nielsen, Richard James Mckenna
  • Patent number: 9849758
    Abstract: A component arrangement includes a first sheet metal profile part and a second sheet metal profile, each first and second profile parts having respective flanges and being arranged relative to each other so that the respective flanges overlap, wherein the first and second profile parts are connected to each at the respective flanges via a laser welding connection, which extends over a welding seam length, wherein the laser welding connection is formed by at least two welding seams which extend parallel and at a distance to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Gaull, Gundolf Kreis
  • Patent number: 9849759
    Abstract: A door system is provided for a motor vehicle. That door system includes (a) a first independently operable first, door, (b) an independently operable second door, (c) an articulating door interface carried on the first door and (d) a guide on the motor vehicle body. The guide displaces the articulating door interface between a door sealing position when the first door is closed and a door opening position when the first door is opened. A related method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lorne Joseph Lovelace, Henry W. Hausler
  • Patent number: 9849757
    Abstract: A connecting device for coupling first and second members includes a body having a first leg and a second leg integrally connected to the first leg. The first leg and the second leg are oriented at an angle with respect to each other. A rigid material core extends through both the first leg and the second leg, the core including a first core member integrally connected to a second core member. The first core member is angularly oriented with respect to the second core member such that the core defines a geometric shape. A resilient material sleeve commonly covers the core of both the first leg and the second leg. The first leg is frictionally received in a first member and the second leg is frictionally received in a second member to couple the first member to the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: DURA Operating LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Brion Stachewicz, Alex Mark Langreet