Patents Examined by Matthieu Setliff
  • Patent number: 9028163
    Abstract: A connector assembly that includes a first connector, a lever, a second connector and a link. The lever is pivotally mounted to the first connector for movement about a pivot axis between a first lever position and a second lever position. The second connector has a lug. The link is pivotally coupled to the lever at a location that is spaced apart from the pivot axis. The link has a coupling member with a slotted interior aperture and an engagement tab. The lug is received into the slotted interior aperture when the lever is in the first lever position. The engagement tab engages the lug to inhibit relative movement of the second connector away from the coupling member when the lever is moved from the first lever position to the second lever position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Inventor: Alexander J. Advey
  • Patent number: 9022684
    Abstract: A turbine engine shaft includes a first sub-shaft, a second sub-shaft and a tie shaft. A first bearing surface of the first sub-shaft axially engages a second bearing surface of the second sub-shaft. The tie shaft includes an intermediate tie shaft segment connected axially between a first tie shaft segment and a second tie shaft segment. The first tie shaft segment includes a first threaded tie shaft surface that is mated with a first threaded shaft surface of the first sub-shaft. The second tie shaft segment includes a second threaded tie shaft surface that is mated with a second threaded shaft surface of the second sub-shaft. The tie shaft also includes a sub-shaft bumper stop extending radially from the intermediate tie shaft segment to a bumper stop distal end, which has a radius that is greater than a radius the first and/or second threaded shaft surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James B. Coffin
  • Patent number: 9011255
    Abstract: A coupling for connecting a rotating tube cleaning shaft to a tube cleaning machine where high pressure fluid is pumped through the coupling, where the coupling is sealed to contain the high pressure fluid, and where a machine driven rotary flexible shaft passes through the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Crossford International, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph J Franzino, George M Cruz
  • Patent number: 9004457
    Abstract: A portable, universal, hand rail apparatus that can be easily and quickly attached or detached to any dock that has cracks between adjacent dock boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Inventor: Cloyde Lynn Carl
  • Patent number: 9005043
    Abstract: A wheel supporting device includes: a hub unit that has a rotary ring having a first spline on its axially inner end face; and a joint that has an outer ring having a second spline, meshing with the first spline, on its axially outer end face. At least one projection included in a plurality of projections of the first spline projects in the axial direction by a larger amount than the remaining projections of the first spline. When a crest of the at least one projection contacts a crest of one of projections of the second spline, a play is caused between the rotary ring and the outer ring due to the at least one projection that works as a fulcrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Hajime Watanabe, Toshihiro Hakata, Shinichi Mizuta
  • Patent number: 9005042
    Abstract: A combined CV joint boot and inner seal includes a boot portion having a first end and a second end and having a shaft sealing portion at the first end for sealing with a first shaft of the CV joint. A front can sealing portion is positioned at the second end of the boot portion. An inner seal portion extends generally inwardly towards the CV joint longitudinal axis to block lubricant from migrating into the interior of the boot portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Salflex Polymers Limited
    Inventors: Duc Dao, Jamie White, Max Gibbs, Michael R. Harrison, Mike Hopson
  • Patent number: 8992113
    Abstract: An assembly for releasably connecting an end effector in the form of a robotic tool or component to a robotic arm is disclosed. The connection is manually operated and formed of a first and second joint member including a cylindrical body, a locking collar, and a locking wall extending from the cylindrical body. The locking collar is coaxially aligned with and rotatably connected to the first joint member. The second joint member has a cylindrical mating body and a coupler, and engages the first joint member. The coupler also includes key pins, the pins being engageable in keyed relationship with the locking wall, the coupler and locking collar further includes intervening circumferentially spaced teeth, wherein the collar is rotatable to releasably engage the first joint member with the second joint member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: RE2, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank F. Campagna, Nabil Michael Rizk, Keith M. Gunnett
  • Patent number: 8992335
    Abstract: A constant velocity joint including an outer race having inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface including a plurality of outer bail tracks. The constant velocity joint also includes an inner race having a plurality of inner ball tracks which correspond to the outer ball tracks, a ball cage disposed between the outer race and the inner race, a plurality of balls arranged within the ball cage and contacting the outer ball tracks and the inner ball tracks. A damping assembly is connected to the outer race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: GKN Driveline North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Cassell
  • Patent number: 8979416
    Abstract: In a panel joint structure, a first joint portion and first load transfer portions are formed on an end portion of a first panel, and a second joint portion and second load transfer portions are formed on an end portion of a second panel. A first joint surface of the first joint portion and a second joint surface of the second joint portion are welded and adhered to each other, and first load transfer surfaces of the first load transfer portions and second load transfer surfaces of the second load transfer portions are adhered to each other. The first load transfer surfaces are contained in the range of the plate thickness of a first panel body portion, and the second load transfer surfaces are contained in the range of the plate thickness of a second panel body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Itoh
  • Patent number: 8968107
    Abstract: A flexible shaft drive transmission for transmitting rotational power between a drive motor and a gear train of a power operated tool. The flexible shaft drive transmission includes an elongated drive shaft assembly including a rotatable drive transmitting shaft assembly extending through an outer casing. The shaft drive transmission includes a motor end coupling affixed to one end the outer casing and adapted to be releasably connected to a mating coupling of the drive motor. The motor end coupling includes a coupling body having an outer surface tapered region tapering from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter at a distal end of the tapered region to facilitate insertion and proper alignment with the drive motor coupling. The drive transmitting shaft assembly includes a driven fitting having a plurality of drive faces surrounding an axially extending locating member for engagement with a mating drive fitting of the drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Bettcher Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey D. Rapp, Scott M. Muniga, Marinel Rosu, Jeffrey A. Whited, Nicholas A. Mascari
  • Patent number: 8950967
    Abstract: The present invention is related to an articulated joint usable in e.g. robotics and rehabilitation, consisting of a first and second body, rotatably connected to each other, and comprising a third body, equally rotatable around a rotation axis, wherein the third body acts as a lever arm. This lever arm is connected via a spring to a pre-tension mechanism, which may be mounted on the second body, while the rotation of the lever arm with respect to the first body is controlled by an actuator. This construction leads to a joint wherein the position can be controlled independently from the compliance of the joint, thereby yielding a mechanism with improved characteristics compared to existing designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventor: Ronald Van Ham
  • Patent number: 8932142
    Abstract: A damper device including an input element to which power from a motor is transmitted; a first elastic body to which power is transmitted from the input element; a first intermediate element to which power is transmitted from the first elastic body; a second elastic body to which power is transmitted from the first intermediate element; a second intermediate element to which power is transmitted from the second elastic body; a third elastic body to which power is transmitted from the second intermediate element; and an output element to which power is transmitted from the third elastic body. The first and second elastic bodies are coil springs, and the third elastic body is an arc spring that is arranged radially inward of the first and second elastic bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Takikawa, Yoichi Oi
  • Patent number: 8926439
    Abstract: A suction tube arrangement includes a suction tube having a suction tube opening and an actuating shaft which is received in the suction tube. The actuating shaft has a base body made of a first material and an actuating shaft body made of a second material and at least partially applied on the base body. The base body or the actuating shaft body forms at least one cover element to open or close the suction tube opening as a function of a rotation of the actuating shaft. An actuating element is at least partially enclosed by the actuating shaft body for actuating the actuating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Rene Daschner
  • Patent number: 8900060
    Abstract: In the case of a shaft arrangement having a shaft (7) which extends within a casing (1) filled with a fluid and which can be actuated by means of a drive (8) from outwith the casing (1), the shaft (7) having on its outer peripheral surface a surface structure which conveys the fluid in a flow direction (30) in the longitudinal direction of the shaft during rotation, a sleeve (19) is provided according to the invention, which can rotate with the shaft and has at least one conveying element (20) for conveying the fluid in a counterflow direction opposite to the flow direction. As a result, a bubble-free conveyance of the fluid along the shaft (7) is facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: ECP Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Reiner Liebing
  • Patent number: 8894496
    Abstract: A coupling yoke for a double cardan joint includes: a pair of mutually facing flange portions each of which has a bearing hole for allowing a shaft portion, which is one of two shaft portions of each spider, to be rotatably installed and that protrude from each of both axial ends of a base portion in the axial direction. The base portion has a thick wall portion that couples the bearing holes of the diagonally arranged flange portions and that has an X shape when viewed in a direction along an axis of the shaft portion, which is the other one of the shaft portions of each spider and trimmed portions between adjacent thick portions of the X-shaped thick wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Kajikawa
  • Patent number: 8876614
    Abstract: An FRP drive shaft is formed by joining metal end-joints to each end of an FRP cylinder, wherein each of the metal end-joints includes a press-fitting joint having a serrated portion which is press-fitted into the FRP cylinder, and a cylindrical outer collar which is fixed to an outer periphery of the FRP cylinder, and non-circular engaging portions which are engaged with each other to transfer rotation are formed on the press-fitting joint and the cylindrical outer collar, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Fujikura Rubber Ltd.
    Inventors: Takato Nakamura, Naoki Kimoto
  • Patent number: 8858344
    Abstract: A damper includes an outer cover having a front cover and a rear cover. The covers are joined to form a lubricant oil accommodation chamber for accommodating liquid. A damper device, a limiter mechanism, a first plate including a first collar portion located toward the front of the limiter mechanism, and a second plate including a second collar portion located toward the rear of the limiter mechanism are arranged in the outer cover. The limiter mechanism includes a first limiter plate, which is an input side on the torque transmission path, a second limiter plate, which is an output side on the torque transmission path, and a limiter disc spring, which presses the limiter plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin AW Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshito Takeshita, Fumiaki Doseki, Masahiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8852005
    Abstract: An angled offset ball type constant velocity joint for a vehicle, which can enhance the strength of the joint by compensating for a contact surface pressure between an outer race groove and a ball while maintaining an outer diameter of the outer race by making rotation centers of the outer race and the inner race positioned to be symmetrical with respect to each other by an offset angle. The angled offset ball type constant velocity joint includes an inner race connected to an end of a shaft, an outer race installed outside the inner race, a plurality of balls for transmitting a torque of the inner race to the outer race, and a cage having windows for supporting the respective balls, wherein a rotation center of an outer race ball track is symmetrical with a rotation center of an inner race ball track by an offset angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Wia Corporation
    Inventor: Pil Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 8840481
    Abstract: A power transmitting part for transmitting power has an annular main body section and a transmitting section. The transmitting section has a first protruding section extending outward in a radial direction from the main body section and a second protruding section extending toward a first side in an axial direction from a circumferential-direction-facing edge portion of the first protruding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: EXEDY Corporation
    Inventors: Kozo Yamamoto, Keisuke Fujioka, Tomoki Hada, Kazuhiko Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8827586
    Abstract: A mechanical linkage includes first and second end members and a pair of generally parallel arcuate beams, interconnecting the end members and defining a lateral space therebetween. A plurality of alternating fingers extend from each beam into the lateral space, and a damping member is attached between each adjacent pair of fingers within the lateral space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Edward V. White