Patents Examined by Richard W L Ridley
  • Patent number: 7628093
    Abstract: A robotic joint configured as a 3-axis joint configured with a shoulder or other human joint form factor. The joint includes a first link made up of a block attaching to a torso and a stationary electric actuator assembly mounted to the block. A second link is connected to the first link to rotate about a first axis and be driven by the actuator assembly. A third link is attached to the second link to rotate about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis when the third link is driven by the actuator assembly. A fourth link is connected to the third link to rotate about a third axis orthogonal to the second axis when the fourth link is driven by the actuator assembly. The actuator assembly includes three electric motors with threaded drive capstans driving pulleys in the links while being spaced apart from the rotating links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Akhil J. Madhani, Bryan S. Tye
  • Patent number: 7621196
    Abstract: A shift lever device has resin pieces, and a resin outer tube which is formed at an outer side of a shift lever main body. The resin pieces and the resin outer tube can be molded separately. Therefore, the resin pieces independently can be molded with high precision. Even in a structure in which interposed portions of the resin pieces are interposed between a detent pin and inner walls of long holes of the shift lever main body, the interposed portions do not project-out unnecessarily at an inner side of the shift lever main body. Resin can be interposed between the detent pin and the long holes of the shift lever main body, without carrying out precise inspection or repair work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Shiro Esaki, Junya Nishio, Yutaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7621200
    Abstract: A steering wheel adapter comprises a base having an opening, a plate with a plug formed, and a ring capable of sliding and rotating along the outer face of the base. In the steering wheel adapter, a guide hole penetrating the side face of the base from the outer face into the opening is disposed, a locking member capable of protruding into the opening is provided in the guide hole, and a cam face is provided facing the guide hole on the inner face of the ring. When the ring is slid and rotated in a state where the plate is mounted on the base to insert the plug into the opening, the cam face pushes and protrudes the locking member into the opening, and the locking member is pressed to contact the outer surface of the plug. Consequently, both easy attachment/detachment and prevention of rattle can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Works Bell Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuaki Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 7614318
    Abstract: A recirculating ball screw and nut drive including a spindle, a spindle nut guided on the spindle, balls guided between the spindle and the spindle nut, in a working passage defined by grooves of the spindle and spindle nut, and deflection pieces arranged on both ends of the spindle nut to divert the balls out of the working passage into a return passage accommodated in the spindle nut, and to divert the balls out of the return passage into the working passage accommodated in the spindle nut, where the ball deflection pieces are annular and composed of at least two circular-ring sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Eichenberger Gewinde AG
    Inventor: Kurt Husistein
  • Patent number: 7607369
    Abstract: A conduit guide clip is provided which includes a receiver and a single arm extending therefrom is provided for mounting to a tubular support such as the handlebar of a walk-behind lawn mower. The guide clip further includes a mounting post, which is inserted into a hole in the tubular support. The arm is curved to wrap around and clamp an arcuate inner surface of the receiver against the tubular support after installation. The mounting post is positioned to extend from the arcuate inner surface, and the arm includes a rearwardly swept remote edge and located whereby no portion of the arm is positioned to intersect the longitudinal axis of the mounting post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Wescon Products Company
    Inventors: Marvin Cox, Anthony F. Beugelsdyk
  • Patent number: 7607365
    Abstract: A drive mechanism having a first and second side plate opposite each other that rotatably hold an engagement shaft and a gear shaft. A rack passes between the gear shaft and engagement shaft. The first and second side plates are allowed to float vertically in a frame. The gear is maintained in constant contact with the rack when the rack is moved vertically within the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Liftco, Inc.
    Inventor: Duane O. Courser
  • Patent number: 7607835
    Abstract: A linear guide device has a guide rail system with at least one guide rail, a guide carriage guided on the guide rail system in a guidance direction and including a base unit and legs which partially enclose the guide rail system, the guide carriage being provided with at least one preload-adjustment device via which a preload of the legs of guide carriage against the guide rail system is adjustable, the preload-adjustment device including at least one rod having one end hingedly mounted on one of the legs of the guide carriage and the other end displaceable in a displacement direction, and a displacement device for displacing the other end of the preload adjustment, device in the displacement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Keller, Roland Hoherz
  • Patent number: 7600446
    Abstract: A gearshift position detector, for a transmission component of a powertrain unit including an engine and a transmission, includes first and second actuator arms for cooperatively interacting with neutral and reverse indicator switches. The neutral and reverse indicator switches are mounted to a crankcase or a crankcase cover of the engine. The acutator arms are selectively operable to trip the respective switches, and thereby, to generate signals for alerting a vehicle operator that the transmission is in neutral or reverse. The actuator arms are operatively attached to a shift drum skip-turn-prevention plate which, in turn, is secured to an axial end surface of a shift drum. The indicator switches are, respectively, capable of being energized upon interaction between the corresponding actuator arm and the switch. In this configuration, the main components of the detector are housed within the crankcase, thereby saving space in the vicinity of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Shinichiro Keyaki
  • Patent number: 7600922
    Abstract: The present invention provides a ball roller rolling member which can take crossing arrangement, conveyance including alignment and separation can be easily automated, lateral both sides of a rolling curved portion can be easily discriminated and the rolling curved portion thereof can be precisely ground. Such ball roller rolling member comprises a rolling curved portion having a circular-arc outer periphery and end spherical portions provided on both sides of the rolling curved portion so as to be spherically swelled outward, respectively, the rolling curved portion having a radius of the circular-arc portion larger than a radius of curvature of each of the end spherical portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Inventor: Hiroshi Teramachi
  • Patent number: 7597027
    Abstract: A motion transmitting remote control assembly (20) of the type for transmitting motion in a curved path by a flexible core element (22) in a conduit (24) is secured to a support structure (76) having a U-shaped slot. A coupling body (36) surrounds the core element (22) and is surrounded by a support body (66) for attachment to the support structure (76). A flange (42) extends radially about the coupling body (36) and is disposed axially between a first and second ends (38, 40) of the coupling body (36). First and second isolators (52, 54) surround the coupling body (36) on opposite sides of the flange (42) and include first and second ribs (63, 64) projecting radially from first and second head portions (61, 62) of the isolators (52, 54). The first and second ribs (63, 64) contact an inner radial surface (122) of the support body (66) thereby spacing the first and second head portions (61, 62) from the support body (66).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Inventor: Young Dae Kwon
  • Patent number: 7597022
    Abstract: A shifter lever assembly includes a base, a shifter lever movable relative to the base along a shift path, and at least one gate defining a gear position along the shift path. A release mechanism includes a gate pin movable along a linear path between a locked position wherein the gate pin cooperates with the at least one gate to secure the shifter lever in the gear position and an unlocked position wherein the shifter lever is movable from the gear position along the shift path, an actuator operatively coupled to the gate pin to selectively move the gate pin from the locked position to the unlocked position, and at least one rotatable roller located between the gate pin and the at least one gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yong Qiang Wang
  • Patent number: 7597024
    Abstract: A gear-shifting device for a manual transmission, in which the operational force applied at the change-lever L in the shift operation is transmitted selectively to actuate a synchro-sleeve for a gear shift, comprises a shift arm 53, which is rotatable in correspondence to the shift operation of the change-lever L, and a 1st-2nd speed shift piece 41, which is in contact with the shift arm 53 and is capable of shifting in response to the rotation of the shift arm 53. In the gear-shifting device, the shift arm 53 has heteromorphous cams at its contacting part, which is in contact with the 1st-2nd speed shift piece 41, and the heteromorphous cams are designed in a compound arc figure, which comprises a plurality of combined arcs having different curvature radii.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7597026
    Abstract: A cable assembly having a condensation drain provided for the conduit thereof, wherein moisture is enabled to escape the conduit through a drainage opening of the condensation drain, yet the operative interaction between the cable and the conduit of the cable assembly is unaffected by the presence of the condensation drain. The condensation drain may be provided with a drip initiator which assists removal of the moisture from the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Smith, Jeffrey L. Konchan, Joseph P. Fannon, Darren M. Van Houzen
  • Patent number: 7594451
    Abstract: A transmission selector mechanism for controlling a gearbox which provides forward/reverse direction and high/low ratios using two coupling members (6?, 53:7?, 54) each axially slideable in both directions either side of the a respective neutral position to couple a selected one of a pair of gears (10, 12:11, 13) to an associated shaft (4, 5). The mechanism includes a driver operated forward/reverse selector member (50) and a driver operated high/low ratio selector member (52). The forward/reverse selector member (50) moves a first selector formation (64, 64b) which is engageable with a first coupling formation means (66) on a first cam (61) which moves one of the coupling members (7?, 54). The high/low selector member (52) moving a second selector formation (63, 63b, 63c) which is engageable with a second coupling formation means (65) on a second cam (58) which moves the other coupling member (6?, 53).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: AGCO Ltd
    Inventor: Jonathan Seed
  • Patent number: 7591206
    Abstract: A mechanical stopper offers a relative rotation range exceeding 360°, scarcely generating abrasion powder and the like and having a simple structure. The stopper apparatus has a rotation axis section in which relative rotation is carried out between two members around one rotation axis, for restricting the rotation angle of one of the members with respect to the other member. The stopper apparatus has a contact piece provided on the member and two support members and are provided standing on the other member with a clearance therebetween. A band-shaped elastic member is layered across between the above-mentioned two support members, and the contact piece contacts the elastic member to stop the rotation of the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Hideo Yamamoto, Hiroshi Asano
  • Patent number: 7587959
    Abstract: A steering column assembly for a vehicle includes a longitudinal lock mechanism having a locked position for preventing longitudinal movement and an unlocked position for permitting longitudinal movement, and a tilt lock mechanism having an engaged position for preventing tilting movement and a disengaged position for permitting tilting movement. A lock select mechanism is coupled to the tilt lock mechanism and the longitudinal lock mechanism to engage the tilt lock mechanism and simultaneously unlock the longitudinal lock mechanism. Similarly, the lock select mechanism disengages the tilt lock mechanism and simultaneously locks the longitudinal lock mechanism. The steering column assembly further includes a drive mechanism operatively connected to the lock select mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason R. Ridgway, Philip L. Wasalaski
  • Patent number: 7584677
    Abstract: A kit is described that modifies a standard screw jack for a trailer hitch, by introducing a safety lock mechanism. The modified screw jack will be inoperative until the safety lock mechanism is opened. In the inoperative position, the screw jack cannot be turned to lift or lower the trailer hitch. The crank for turning the screw jack will be freewheeling or frozen. Turning a key in a lock keyway will release the safety lock mechanism, thus putting the crank into rotational engagement with the screw jack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Inventors: Glenn Johnson, John Pallay, Kevin Mak
  • Patent number: 7578619
    Abstract: A linear guide has an under seal which is arranged on an under surface of a slider main body along an axial direction, has an axial end portion held by an end cap, comes in slide contact with a guide rail, and seals the under surface of the slider main body. In the linear guide, the under seal has an elastic lip portion, in a portion of the under seal coming in contact with the slider main body, which has a length approximately equal to an axial length of the slider main body and elastically comes in contact with the slider main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignees: NSK Ltd., NSK Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takumi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7575528
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission having an input cone pulley pair and an output cone pulley pair linked by and an encircling mechanism. One pulley of each pair is axially fixed and one pulley is axially displaceable to control the transmission ratio of the transmission. A recoil spring engages between the input moveable pulley and an axially fixed contact surface only when the transmission is in the low transmission ratio range for exerting a force to displace the input moveable cone pulley to a high transmission ratio to avoid damage to the transmission or starting clutch during towing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Detlef Plath, Uwe Firzlaff
  • Patent number: 7572059
    Abstract: A bearing includes a hub to drive recording media; a sleeve to rotatably support the hub to define a hydrodynamic pressure generating space between the hub and the sleeve, the sleeve being formed with a fluid outlet through which the fluid passes at the predetermined position; a plurality of recesses to generate hydrodynamic pressure, the recesses being formed on at least one of the hub and the sleeve to be opened toward the hydrodynamic pressure generating space; and a fluid circulating member to circulate the fluid out-flowing from the fluid outlet to the hydrodynamic pressure generating space, the member being fixedly combined with the hub to slidably support the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Hyeong Lim