Patents Examined by Scott Haugland
  • Patent number: 8590824
    Abstract: A torsion bar is mounted inside a take-up drum with its one end fixed thereto for disabling its relative rotation with respect to the take-up drum. A slit is formed in parallel to rotational axis of the take-up drum and allows one end of the webbing to pass through. At one end of the webbing, there is provided a slip-off prevention member. Length consisting of the slip-off prevention member's diameter and thickness of the webbing surrounding the slip-off prevention member is longer than distance between outer-diameter-side surface of the slit at the take-up drum and outer diameter surface of the torsion bar inside the take-up drum so as to prevent escape of the slip-off prevention member therefrom. The slip-off prevention member's load to depress the take-up drum in fully-pulled-out state of webbing is received by both the torsion bar and the take-up drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takatoshi Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 8579223
    Abstract: A self-locking belt retractor for motor vehicles with a vehicle-sensitive and a belt-webbing-sensitive control system for the blocking arrangement of the belt retractor, is characterized in that for the formation of its inertia, an inertial mass is swivellably mounted on a control disk, wherein the inertial mass can be deflected into a blocking position for the control disc. Additionally, a locking lever mounted on the control disc is provided for the cutoff of a vehicle sensor, and by way of a switching process in its cutoff position, the locking lever cuts off the vehicle sensor and secures the inertial mass in a disabling position, the disabling position being different than the blocking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Guillem Aranda
  • Patent number: 8528848
    Abstract: A webbing take-up device provided with a clutch disposed between a take-up shaft and a motor, the clutch coupling and releasing coupling of the take-up shaft to the motor. When a gear wheel of the clutch is rotated in a take-up direction by the motor, a friction spring mounted to a spring housing portion of the clutch housing moves a pawl with a first protrusion of the friction spring, causing the pawl to mesh with a ratchet wheel. Relative rotation of the gear wheel with respect to the ratchet wheel (spool) in the take-up direction is thereby restricted, and the spool rotates with the gear wheel in the take-up direction. Since the pawl is directly moved by the friction spring mounted on the clutch housing, the configuration for moving the pawl can be simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakucho
    Inventors: Kimihiro Ouchi, Shigeru Kotama
  • Patent number: 8523034
    Abstract: In a device for supplying a printing substrate web to an internal transport path of the printing substrate web of a printing device, a device accepts the printing substrate web from the printing substrate web source. A drive unit is provided at an output of the device and draws the printing substrate web from the device. A buffer device having a buffer reservoir is provided at an output of the drive unit. The buffer reservoir has a negative pressure device that generates a negative pressure in a buffer reservoir. The negative pressure acts on the printing substrate web to pull the printing substrate web drawn by the drive unit into the buffer reservoir and thereby tensions the printing substrate web before it is supplied to the internal transport path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Fuchs, Christian Kürmeier
  • Patent number: 8523097
    Abstract: A vehicular seat belt device including: a belt reel on which a webbing that restrains an occupant is wound; an actuator that generates instantaneous rotational drive force by gas that is generated during an emergency; a flywheel that rotates by the rotational drive force of the actuator; a speed increasing mechanism that is housed inside the flywheel and that increases the rotational speed of the actuator and transmits it to the flywheel; and a connecting and disconnecting unit that connects a low-speed rotation side of the speed increasing mechanism and the belt reel during rotation of the flywheel, wherein the belt reel rotates to the webbing winding-up direction by the rotational drive force of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuki Motozawa
  • Patent number: 8474675
    Abstract: A device for automatically controlling the edges of a web of sheeting has a first deflecting roller and a second deflecting roller, which are arranged parallel to each other, and also a drive for shifting the deflecting rollers in opposite axial directions. A sensor detects the position of the sheeting. The drive shifts the deflecting rollers in opposite axial directions and the ratio between the friction of the sheeting on the first deflecting roller and the friction of the sheeting on the second deflecting roller is changed on the basis of the position of the sheeting detected by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bernd Haehnel, Werner Goetz, Roland Benz
  • Patent number: 8413921
    Abstract: A supporting mechanism is provided that prevents swings and deflections of a long piece of material, as well as eliminates any scratches of it that may arise when it is being processed. The supporting mechanism includes a group of spherical bodies C, four pieces of movable supporting members 1, and coil springs 2. The group of spherical bodies C comprises a first group of spherical bodies C1. The movable supporting members 1 are provided around the second group of spherical bodies C2, contacting the periphery of the group. The coil springs 2 are a biasing device that pushes the movable supporting members 1 toward the central axis of the long piece of material W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sintokogio, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitugi Umemura
  • Patent number: 8403252
    Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining uniform tension across a width of a web including a frame, a roller, a shaft about which the roller rotates, a first arm rigidly connected to a first end of the shaft, a second arm pivotally connected to a second end of the shaft, and a third arm rigidly connected to the second end of the shaft. The first arm is pivotally connected to the frame by a first joint. The second arm is pivotally connected to the shaft by a second joint and to the frame by a third joint. The third arm is coupled to the frame through a fourth joint. The first, third, and fourth joints are offset from the axis of the shaft by substantially the same distance. The first and third joints are offset in the same direction. The fourth joint is offset in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Christopher M. Muir
  • Patent number: 8398063
    Abstract: A ribbon transport apparatus for a printing press is provided. The ribbon transport apparatus includes a vacuum conveyor belt transporting a ribbon and a manifold supporting the vacuum conveyor belt. The vacuum conveyor belt and the manifold are arranged to draw the ribbon towards the vacuum conveyor belt via a suction. A method of transporting a ribbon in a printing press is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Gross International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Dieter Theodor Ebert, Barry Mark Jackson, Dave John Gagnon
  • Patent number: 8376202
    Abstract: An apparatus for recovering hose, particularly coupled fire hose, comprises a lifting frame assembly, a lifting arm attached to the lifting frame assembly, a plurality of guide rollers, a motor mounted on the lifting frame assembly, an electric switch, a powered rotational drive roller, a plurality of lower rollers, and a detachable support assembly. A biasing means biases the lifting frame assembly to a plurality of guide roller mounts to allow lifting and lowering of the lifting frame assembly to and from at first and second position to allow passage of hose fitted with hose couplings. When using the relatively simple apparatus, a single operator can efficiently collect infinite quantities of hose fitted with hose couplings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Inventor: Clinton D. Baker
  • Patent number: 8308037
    Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining uniform tension across a width of a web includes a roller, a first arm and a second arm, a plurality of devices, and a plurality of links. The roller includes a shaft, about which the roller rotates, that defines an axis of rotation. The first arm and the second arm are coupled to opposite sides of the shaft of the roller and to a corresponding one of the plurality of devices such that each device is allowed two degrees of rotational freedom about the arm to which it is coupled. Each of the devices is pivotably coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of links such that the roller is allowed to pivot about a first axis. Each link is pivotably coupled to a stationary frame such that the roller is allowed to pivot about a second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Christopher M. Muir, Randy E. Armbruster, Ruth H. Parker, Nathan J. Turner
  • Patent number: 8308099
    Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes an acceleration sensor. The acceleration sensor includes a sensor case having a supporting surface which is maintained horizontal. A self-standing inertia body whose bottom surface is placed on the supporting surface is installed inside the sensor case in a self-standing condition, and which tilts when a horizontal acceleration is exerted. An actuating member which, in accordance with a tilting movement of the self-standing inertia body, activates a lock mechanism to lock the extraction of the seat belt. An outer contour of a contact area where the supporting surface of the sensor case and the bottom surface of the self-standing inertia body are in surface contact is configured such that a distance from a center axis of the self-standing inertia body to the outer contour differ, in a horizontal plane, in a first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Junya Ono
  • Patent number: 8308036
    Abstract: A main roll and a sub-roll of a sheet material feeding apparatus interpose therebetween a sheet material to intermittently feed the same to a press apparatus. A roll clearance is adjusted according to a sheet thickness by displacing the main roll up and down. A release device that temporarily releases a sheet material having been interposed by the both rolls just before the sheet material is subjected to press working by the press apparatus includes a sub-roll guide that can move up and down together with the sub-roll, a rectilinear cam, and cam followers for engagement with a cam surface of the rectilinear cam, and the release device moves the rectilinear cam axially of the sub-roll in synchronism with the operation of the press apparatus to thereby displace the sub-roll up and down through the cam followers and the sub-roll guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sankyo Seisakusho Co.
    Inventor: Heizaburo Kato
  • Patent number: 8262011
    Abstract: A winder for winding a web to produce a rolled product is provided. The winder includes a web transport apparatus that is used for conveying the web. Also included in one exemplary embodiment is a plurality of independent winding modules. The winding modules are independently positioned to independently engage the web as the web is conveyed by the web transport apparatus. The winding modules may be configured to wind the web to form a rolled product by center winding, surface winding, and combinations of center and surface winding. The winding modules are structurally and operationally independent of one another where if one module is disabled, another may still operate to produce the rolled product without shutting down the winder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven James Wojcik, Dennis Marvin Jobs, Kenneth Allen Pigsley, James Leo Baggot
  • Patent number: 8251304
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved reel assembly for use in conjunction with an occupant restraint system. The assembly employs a dual locking arrangement whereby an occupant can be restrained during both major and minor incidents. After a major incident, the reel assembly remains locked until the occupant disengages the reel via a push button. After a minor incident, the reel assembly can be conveniently unlocked, without the need for accessing the push button, by applying counter tension to the webbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Conax Florida Corporation
    Inventors: John Boyer, Daniel Meggs, Alan Lane
  • Patent number: 8231073
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor incorporating a force limiter to permit the restricted paying out of a seat belt webbing and a control mechanism for controlling the force limiting functions of the retractor. The arrangement includes a two part spindle within a retractor. On a first part of the spindle the safety belt is wound. A second part of the spindle is configured to be locked by a retractor locking device. The two spindle parts are interconnected by a belt load limiting torsion bar. The torsion bar has two sections of different torsional stiffness. The junction between the two torsion bar sections is releasably connected to part of the spindle. When the connection is present one energy absorbing level is provided and when the connection is controlled there is another energy absorbing level. The connection is broken in response to a relative movement between the two spindle parts caused by an initial belt force in excess of a predetermined force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Anders Lenning
  • Patent number: 8225977
    Abstract: A wire feeder for an electric arc welder comprising feed rolls driven by an electric motor for moving a welding wire toward a workpiece for an arc welding process. The motor is rotated at a speed determined by a WFS signal from a controller when energized by actuation of a start switch, a switch network has a first condition allowing the motor to operate at the speed determined by the WFS signal and a second override condition forcing the motor to rotate at a fixed lower speed, a toggle circuit with a first position to shift the switch network into the second condition upon actuation of the motor start switch and a second position to shift the switch network to the first condition upon receipt of a toggle signal, and a device to create the toggle signal when the load current to the motor exceeds a given value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Andreu P. Meckler
  • Patent number: 8210462
    Abstract: A winder for winding a web to produce a rolled product is provided. The winder includes a web transport apparatus that is used for conveying the web. Also included in one exemplary embodiment is a plurality of independent winding modules. The winding modules are independently positioned to independently engage the web as the web is conveyed by the web transport apparatus. The winding modules may be configured to wind the web to form a rolled product by center winding, surface winding, and combinations of center and surface winding. The winding modules are structurally and operationally independent of one another where if one module is disabled, another may still operate to produce the rolled product without shutting down the winder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven James Wojcik, Dennis Marvin Jobs, Kenneth Allen Pigsley, James Leo Baggot
  • Patent number: 8210460
    Abstract: The disclosed seat belt tensioner for a seat belt system may comprise a seat belt spindle, a gearwheel connected to the seat belt spindle, and a latching pawl for locking the seat belt spindle in the tensioned position by engaging in the teeth of the gearwheel. The latching pawl may be configured to be brought into a first pawl position for blocking the gearwheel in the seat belt unrolling direction and into a second pawl position for blocking the gearwheel in the seat belt-tensioning direction of rotation. The latching pawl may also be configured to perform a first pivot-over operation from the first pawl position into the second pawl position and to perform a second pivot-over operation from the second pawl position into the first pawl position when the gearwheel exerts a force on the latching pawl that exceeds a predetermined force required for the respective pivoting-over operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Walter Scherzinger, Roland Schnabl, Thomas Schwer
  • Patent number: 8191813
    Abstract: A laying reel for coiling wire has a generally spiral laying tube generally centered on and rotatable about an axis and having offset from the axis a tangentially directed output end. The wire to be coiled extends through the tube and exits the output end thereof. A brake shoe at the output end is engageable with the wire extending therefrom. An actuator urges the brake shoe against the wire and thereby brakes the wire as it exits the output end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: SMS Meer GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Haak