Patents Examined by Mary Ann Battista
  • Patent number: 6105458
    Abstract: This terminal can be attached to an open cavity (27) of a dividing wall (60) by fixing one sheath end (26) of a control cable formed of a sheathed steel cable (7). The terminal includes a fixing body (1), a terminal body (6) and a retaining body (3) which can be attached to each other coaxially. In order to fix the terminal to the open cavity (27) the terminal further includes a stem (44), a spring (49) and a retaining pin (52) which can be moved by the user and has two working positions: a first position in which the stem (44) can slide in both directions in a fixing cavity (34); and a second position in which the stem (44) is immobilized once its free end (48) is fitted in a fixing orifice (61) of the dividing wall (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Fico Cables, S.A.
    Inventors: Jordi Casas Gomila, Ramon Morera Milan
  • Patent number: 6101895
    Abstract: A rotatable handgrip for a twist-grip shift control device includes a rotatable member and a flexible grip disposed over the rotatable member. One or more spaces are defined between an inner peripheral surface of the grip and an outer peripheral surface of the rotatable member so that the grip bends radially inwardly in response to pressure from a hand part (palm, finger, thumb, etc.) so as to generally conform to the hand part. The space may be formed by a recess formed on the inner peripheral surface of the grip, on the outer peripheral surface of the rotatable member, a combination of recesses on the grip and the rotatable member, or through some other structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Takuro Yamane
  • Patent number: 6101894
    Abstract: A safety device for supporting a pedal in a motor vehicle and which includes a bearing support for supporting a pedal shaft of the pedal and arranged between a wall portion of a front wall of the motor vehicle, which is noticeably deformed inward into a passenger compartment during a frontal collision of the motor vehicle, and a cross-member which is located in the passenger compartment in a spaced relationship with respect to the front wall, is secured to a motor vehicle body, and does not substantially change a spacial position thereof during the frontal collision, the bearing support including radially open bearing slot in which the pedal shaft is supported, and an element for lifting the pedal shaft of the bearing slot of the bearing support in case of the frontal collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: ED. Scharwachter GmbH
    Inventors: Burkhard Tiemann, Christoph Meese
  • Patent number: 6098488
    Abstract: A brake lever for a cycle includes a brake handle having a crank beam pivotally coupled to a lever bracket at a pivot shaft, an adjuster nut rotatably received in the brake handle and extended outward of the brake handle so as to be rotated by the user. A bar has one end pivotally coupled to the crank beam at a pivot pin and has a cable link pivotally coupled to the other end. A bolt is threaded through the adjuster nut and has one end pivotally coupled to the bar for rotating the bar about the pivot pin and for adjusting the brake lever to different brake leverages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Muchachos International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gavin Michael Vos
  • Patent number: 6099427
    Abstract: A self-cleaning pulley device includes a cylindrical member including a body portion having an outer surface; a series of spaced apart recesses formed from the outer surface into the body portion, each recess of the series of recesses having a root portion, and the series of recesses defining a series of spaced apart ridges projecting above root portions for engaging corresponding recesses of a belt mounted on the body portion for movement over the cylindrical member. Importantly, the self-cleaning pulley device includes a series of dirt apertures formed at least one within each root portion of each recess for collecting any dirt particles and contamination entering into an area between the body portion of the cylindrical member and a belt mounted thereon, thereby self-cleaning the pulley device, eliminating noise and preventing functional inefficiencies in a belt and pulley assembly using the pulley device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: George B. Brown
  • Patent number: 6098756
    Abstract: In each of oil-retaining sheets, an end edge and side edges of a recess are separated from each other. The side edges are formed into tongue portions covered by first anti-wear meshes which prevent loosing of the side edges, and these tongue portions are maintained in sliding contact with their corresponding side walls of a guide portion of a guide rail. The end edge is covered by a second anti-wear mesh which prevents loosing of the end edge, and the second anti-wear mesh is maintained in sliding contact with an end wall of the guide portion. A gap is also formed to maintain the tongue portions and the second anti-wear mesh out of contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignees: Hitachi Building Systems Co., Ltd., Nanshin Kiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobumichi Shigetomi, Masaki Nakano, Tomoharu Onishi, Tokiji Tamaru, Shigeyuki Sato, Atsushi Hotta
  • Patent number: 6098754
    Abstract: The pneumatic greasing system for the fifth wheel of a semitrailer uses compressed air tanks to power a pneumatic grease pump delivering grease from a reservoir mounted behind the cab of the tractor to the fifth wheel. The pump is actuated by an electronic switch mounted on the gear shift lever controlled by the operator of the tractor-trailer rig, the switch energizing a solenoid mounted at the pump and reservoir. The grease is delivered to a grease manifold mounted at the anterior portion of the lower plate of the fifth wheel, from which it is distributed to multiple compartments constituting a grease pan installed on the bottom of the lower plate. Air pressure forces the grease from the compartments of the grease pan through a plurality of countersunk orifices in the lower plate. Longitudinal and rotational movement of the bearing surfaces of the upper and lower plates ensure a uniform distribution of grease in the fifth wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Inventor: Mark E. Toner
  • Patent number: 6099424
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission, and particularly a control arrangement thereof and a method for recovering belt slippage in the transmission, are disclosed. A source of hydraulic pressure is operatively connected for driving each of the hydraulically operated actuators for axially movable sheaves of primary and secondary pulleys of the transmission. A hydraulic pressure control loop controls the hydraulic pressure applied to the actuator of the secondary pulley as a function of the load of the device being driven on the transmission and the pitch radius of the secondary pulley. An output speed control loop controls the output speed of the transmission driving the device to be driven during normal operation of the transmission. Preferably, the output speed control loop may be set to control the output speed at a constant value for driving an aircraft electric generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Shan-Chin Tsai, William G. Durtschi
  • Patent number: 6098494
    Abstract: A device for mounting an integrally formed steering wheel on the steering shaft of a vehicle. The device includes a boss to couple the steering wheel to the steering shaft on which is rotatably mounted a fastener that is rotated by a drive gear arrangement. The drive gear is on shaft that is rotatably mounted in a housing connected to the boss so that the drive gear that meshes with a complementary drive gear on the fastener to rotate and fasten the steering wheel to the steering shaft. Retainers are used to support the gear shaft to opposing sidewalls of the housing, and include bushings located between the retainer and the gear shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Darrell A. Kellogg, Jr., Norinari Nagata, Joseph Mannino, Peter L. Vigeant
  • Patent number: 6098487
    Abstract: A hand brake includes a mounting frame mounted on a handlebar grip of a wheeled walker and defining a working space with an open side and a closed end wall. A cable pull block is disposed inside the working space, and has an upper part pivoted to the mounting frame by a first pivot, and a lower part serving as a force bearing part and connected to a transmission cable under tension. A control lever has a pivot part extending into the working space via the open side thereof, and an operating part extending outwardly of the working space. The pivot part has an upper portion that is provided with an upwardly opening accommodating space. The accommodating space has a base wall. The cable pull block extends downwardly into the accommodating space such that the lower part confronts the base wall. The lower part of the control lever is pivoted to the cable pull block by a second pivot parallel to and disposed below the first pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Frank Fang
    Inventor: Shang-Lien Chien
  • Patent number: 6095013
    Abstract: A cam follower apparatus includes at least a roller and a supporting shaft for supporting the roller freely rotatably. Unevenness is formed equally on the surface of at least one of the roller and supporting shaft by corrosion by manganese phosphate salt and the manganese phosphate salt film is formed on the corroded surface. Good-quality oil film can be formed stably without interruption thereof under even a strict working condition with a small amount of lubricant due to the unevenness formed on the film. Therefore, direct contact between metals is prevented, thereby improving lubricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozo Hashimoto, Toshiyasu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6095937
    Abstract: A torque-responsive clutch has an output shaft and an output pulley mounted with respect to the shaft. The output pulley includes a first sheave fixed with respect to the shaft and a second sheave axially movable with respect to the shaft. A helix is mounted with respect to the shaft. In the improvement, a roller container is mounted for driven engagement with the shaft and such container has an interior surface with a plurality of helix-contacting devices, e.g., rollers, mounted adjacent thereto. The helix extends into the container and contacts the devices. In other aspects of the improved clutch, the roller container and the second sheave define a chamber and the helix-contacting devices are confined in such chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Aaen Performance Parts, Inc.
    Inventor: Olav Aaen
  • Patent number: 6092437
    Abstract: A winch bar is adapted at each end for use with ratcheting winches on truck trailer beds to respectively wind and tighten tie straps for securing cargo on the truck bed. The winch bar is provided with a hooked end member and a handle portion at one end to assist in the rapid winding of a strap secured to the ratcheting winch member. At the other end, the winch bar is provided with an angled end member which may be tapered so as to securely engage the winch member for tightening the strap. The handle portion may be used to provide leverage when tightening the strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Inventor: David E. Sumner
  • Patent number: 6092436
    Abstract: A motion-transmitting assembly has a cable movable within a tubular sheath anchored on a panel. The panel has a keyhole-shaped aperture therein including a relatively large access opening portion which communicates with a relatively narrower slot portion. An anchor mounted on the sheath has a base wall adapted to engage against the face of the panel and a foot suspended from the base wall by a shank. The foot is smaller than the access opening portion of the aperture to permit insertion of the foot through the access opening portion. The shank is smaller than the slot portion to permit sliding movement of the anchor along the keyhole-shaped aperture so that the foot becomes engaged with the underface of the panel. The anchor also has an integral spring finger projecting from the base wall in a direction parallel with the direction of the sliding movement of the anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Alan Wirsing, Mark A. Steffe
  • Patent number: 6092434
    Abstract: A ball screw device of a ball-circulating-part embedded type includes: a screw shaft having a helical thread groove on an outer peripheral surface thereof; a ball nut having a thread groove provided on an inner peripheral surface thereof in correspondence with the thread groove of the screw shaft, the screw shaft being loosely fitted in the inner peripheral surface of the ball nut; and a multiplicity of balls rotatably fitted between the two thread grooves and adapted to circulate while being guided by a ball-circulating part fitted in the ball nutwherein the ball nut has a retaining recess on an outer peripheral surface thereof, wherein at least a portion of a fitted outward surface of the ball-circulating part is substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the ball nut in a vicinity of the fitted outward surface of the ball-circulating part, and wherein there is provided a circulating-part holding member for fixing the ball-circulating part to the ball nut by being fitted over the outer periphe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Matsumoto, Shigeharu Kobayashi, Kazuo Miyaguchi
  • Patent number: 6090000
    Abstract: An emergency hydraulic control is provided for a transmission-dependent change of the hydraulic fluid pressures in a first and second hydraulic conical disk axial displacement of a continuously variable transmission, wherein a pump supplies at least the piston chamber of a second axial displacement, and a downstream-connected remote-controlled differential pressure regulator and at least one electro-magnetically actuable pressure relief valve limits the fluid pressure there, and feed from this supply the piston chamber of a first axial displacement, as well as a remote control having an opening function leading to the valve via the remote-control line, via a continuous way valve, whose opening movement into the flow-through position is controlled with the aid of the pressure present upstream of the valve, wherein at least the individual driving states such as forward running, reverse running and idling, can be selected by means of appropriate switching positions of an manual switching valve; and in case of an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Senger
  • Patent number: 6089122
    Abstract: A connecting structure between a bicycle pedal and a cleat, comprising hooks pivotably supported by a pedal body for engaging and releasing the cleat, and an urging device for urging the hooks toward engaging positions. The object is to allow the cleat to be released with increased reliability when, for example, the cyclist falls over with his shoe becoming obliquely inclined relative to the pedal. A first cam mechanism is provided between each of the hooks and the cleat for causing the hook to pivot in a releasing direction when the cleat is inclined about a first imaginary axis extending substantially along a direction of pivotal movement of the hooks. The first cam mechanism includes a first pressed edge defined on one of the hooks and opposed to the cleat, and a first pressing edge defined on the cleat and opposed to one of the hooks for slidable contact with the first pressed edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Masashi Nagano
  • Patent number: 6089120
    Abstract: In a motor vehicle operating pedal unit with a pedal lever pivotally mounted in a pedal housing and a return spring connected to the pedal lever which is pivotally supported by a bearing sleeve inserted into a bearing bore of the pedal housing, a pedal position sensor unit including a sensor housing having integrally formed therewith a slide cylinder is mounted onto the pedal housing such that the slide cylinder is received within the bearing sleeve. The slide cylinder includes a sensor shaft having an end extending into the sensor housing for cooperation with sensor components determining the angular position of the sensor shaft which is interconnected with the pedal lever for movement together with the pedal lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Manfred Lochle, Dieter Papenhagen
  • Patent number: 6085610
    Abstract: This adjusting device is applicable to terminals (2) which include a main body (11) provided with a linkage (19), and has on the main body (11), a housing (12) in which are set a regulating rod (22) provided with a threaded retaining portion (42), a thrust spring (23), two retaining bodies (20) provided with respective threaded retaining portions (26) which coincide with that of the rod (22), two retaining springs (21) and two fixing extensions (48, 61) of a fixing body (24). The fixing body (24) can take up two positions, one exterior position in which the retaining bodies (20) and the rod (22) are out of mesh, and an interior or control cable (3) length-adjustment position in which the bodies (20) and rod (22) are in mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Fico Cables, S.A.
    Inventors: Carlos Gabas, Rafael Navo
  • Patent number: 6085615
    Abstract: A bracket for connecting a solenoid to a vehicle transmission includes a solenoid of the type that activates a valve for transmission fluid, and the solenoid includes an alignment member. The bracket includes a centerplate on which the solenoid can be mounted. The centerplate has alignment surfaces for receiving the alignment member of the solenoid to align the solenoid with respect to the bracket. An attachment appendage is detachably secured to the bracket, where the attachment appendage has an attachment opening to accommodate a fastener to secure the bracket to the transmission. The attachment appendage can be removed from the centerplate to allow the bracket to fit any one of a group of several vehicle transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Rostra Precision Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: W. Scott Kirkendall