Patents Examined by Stephen T. Gordon
  • Patent number: 10906560
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a mandrel assembly, an anchor, a strap, a winch, a first pedal, an advancer. The mandrel assembly is positioned on a first side of a tire of a vehicle and to couple to a track assembly of rail car. The anchor is positioned on a second side of the tire and to couple to the track assembly. The strap assembly is coupled to the mandrel assembly and the anchor and wraps around the tire. The winch is coupled to the mandrel assembly. The winch includes a first sprocket. The advancer is coupled to the first pedal and engages the first sprocket such that, when the first pedal is pushed towards the winch, the advancer pushes the winch such that the winch and the mandrel assembly rotate in a first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: TRINITY RAIL GROUP, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Huck
  • Patent number: 10894498
    Abstract: A container has an anti-vibration property so that the container does not shake in vibration. The container includes a bottom part, a ceiling part facing the bottom part, a sidewall part connecting the bottom part to the ceiling part, and a rack installed to be fixed in an inner space that is surrounded by the bottom part, the ceiling part, and the sidewall part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Inventors: Hyun Min Lee, Ji Young Choi, Tae Yeop Kim, Suk Chul Kim, Ji Won Lee
  • Patent number: 10882439
    Abstract: A compact bendable cargo securement device for stabilizing unrestrained items in the bed or cargo area of a pick-up truck or storage area in a motorhome or recreational trailer is disclosed. It may also be used as a stabilizer doing woodwork and other jobs that require stability of the work platform. The device will conform to any surface and has the ability to wrap around objects—both regular and irregular shaped—and will hold them and keep them from shifting. As disclosed, the bendable cargo securement device is composed of a flexible tube loaded with filler material when used and deployed for securing objects. The flexible tube is preferably fabricated from rubber or any material allowing sufficient flexibility for the cargo securement device to wrap around items while having suitable strength to avoid puncture/destruction from deployment. Each end of the device requires a closure to contain the filler material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Inventor: Tom Enyeart
  • Patent number: 10882434
    Abstract: Described herein are illustrative payload carrying machines and dump body linkage. An example vehicle can include a frame and a dump body movable relative to the frame. In the example vehicle, an articulation mechanism can be connected to both the dump body and the frame. The articulation mechanism can be a four-link system including a first pair of links can be coupled to the frame and dump body and a second pair of links can be coupled to the frame and dump body. The second pair of links can be longer than the first pair of links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining LLC
    Inventors: Christopher C. Cusack, Kris E. Seitz, Daniel R. Hettinger
  • Patent number: 10875442
    Abstract: A mounting system for mounting a bicycle to the tailgate of a truck bed. The mounting system includes at least a frame pad and a fork pad. The frame pad is directly attached to the bicycle's down tube and includes a handlebar strap that captures the handlebar in a positioning that renders the bicycle unridable. A fork pad for direct attachment to the bicycle's fork. The frame pad and fork pad include multiple layers of textile materials and multiple layers of cushioning materials. The multilayer frame pad and multilayer fork pad provide durability and protection for both the bicycle and the truck. The mounting system allows for easy attachment and detachment directly to the bicycle. By attaching to the bicycle rather than the truck itself, the mounting system avoids damage to the truck's parts and paint. The mounting system's direct attachment to the bicycle rather than to the truck also provides for a much greater ease of use, as compared to the mounting systems of the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventors: James Broadus Combs, Jr., James Broadus Combs
  • Patent number: 10875463
    Abstract: A tailgate includes a first panel, a second panel connected to the first panel at a first side and a second side opposite to the first side as well as a cavity defined by the first panel and the second panel. An opening defined by the first panel between the first side and the second side, provides access to the cavity. A storage compartment is positioned in the cavity. A latching mechanism, located within the cavity and outside of the storage compartment, includes a latch, a first latch actuator, and an actuator rod connecting the latch and the latch actuator, which is affixed to the first side of the tailgate. A compartment door, connected to the tailgate and movable between a first and second position, covers the storage compartment in a first position. The compartment door includes a striker, which is engage-able by the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Mark Pulleyblank, Dusan Colovic, James M. Townson
  • Patent number: 10870532
    Abstract: A movable equipment loading and unloading structure for movably mounting equipment within a container includes a loading and unloading assembly and a guide assembly. The loading and unloading assembly includes a loading and unloading rail mounted to a ceiling of the container and a loading and unloading wheel assembly movably coupled to the loading and unloading rail. The loading and unloading wheel assembly is mounted to a side of the equipment. The guide assembly includes a guide rail mounted to a floor of the container and at least one guide wheel rollably coupled to the guide rail. The guide wheel is mounted to another side of the equipment opposite to the side mounted to the loading and unloading wheel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: HONGFUJIN PRECISION ELECTRONICS (TIANJIN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Hung Chang, Yen-Chun Fu, Tze-Chern Mao, Chao-Ke Wei
  • Patent number: 10871148
    Abstract: A modular system for transporting wind turbine blades in at least two different spatial arrangements comprising two or more root end transport frames having a height H for supporting the root end, wherein H<D (D=bolt circle diameter), and two or more first tip end transport frames having a height H1 for supporting the blade towards the tip end, each first tip end transport frame has a base frame and a support bracket provided on top of the base frame, wherein each first tip end transport frame is stackable on top of a root end transport frame and vice versa, so the system is operable to stack successive blades in an alternating root end to tip end arrangement. The first tip end transport frame is replaceable with a second end transport frame that increase the inter-blade spacing, or with a tip end or a root end distance piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDING A/S
    Inventor: Jacobus J Van Der Zee
  • Patent number: 10870384
    Abstract: A system includes a coil contacting base. The coil contacting base includes a radially curved outer surface with a radius of curvature less than or equal to a coil radius of curvature of an interior channel of a coil of spoolable pipe, and the coil contacting base includes a length greater than or equal to an axial dimension of the coil. The system also includes a side wall coupled to an inner surface of the coil contacting base. The side wall is configured to block circumferential movement of a coil restraint. The system also includes a passage disposed between the coil contacting base and the side wall. The coil restraint is configured to be disposed in the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Trinity Bay Equipment Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Max Reedy, Brett Hamner, Alexander Lee Winn, Matthew Allen Hegler, Sanjay Bhatia
  • Patent number: 10864839
    Abstract: A rail is strapped to a tailgate and allows utility attachments to be quick-connected to the rail without the need for tools to connect and disconnect the utility attachments. The rail length can be configured for small, mid and full-size truck tailgates. Thus, a one package-fits-all design is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: RAILIAS HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Casey M. Chambers, W. Scott Mclamb
  • Patent number: 10864841
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for tying down an object that employs one or more tie downs. Each tie down includes a flexible connector having first and second end portions and a floating cleat. When the object is properly tied down, the flexible connector and the floating cleat are suspended between the object and an anchor point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventor: Myron Cross
  • Patent number: 10857930
    Abstract: A retractable strap load tie-down device includes a housing containing a tubular spool with a flat helical spring in its interior and a flexible tie-down strap wrapped on its exterior. The housing also includes a frame journaling a tensioning shaft for rotation where the tensioning shaft includes a slot through which the strap passes. Keyed to the end portions of the shaft are ratchet wheels and associate with the ratchet wheels are pawls that engage and disengage from the teeth of the ratchet wheels by action of a handle mounted, squeezable release bar that selectively displaces slide rods leading to the pawls. The handle will selectively rotate the tensioning shaft depending on the engagement of the pawls with the ratchet wheels. Swinging of the handle through an arc will tension the strap when the free end of the strap is anchored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: Avraham Y. Levi
  • Patent number: 10857945
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a cargo drawer for a pickup truck. The drawer which rolls outward from the rear end of the truck on a pair of rails in much the same manner as a desk drawer, and is designed to be sturdy and reliable, for use in any challenging environment. The drawer may be locked in place at any position along the rails. One or more handles are provided near the rear edge of the drawer, with a lever which may be pressed to release the lock. The drawer further provides a pair of folding or telescoping legs at the rear corners, to support the drawer in a fully extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: Joseph Garrett
  • Patent number: 10857931
    Abstract: A bracket for securing a container or an array of co-planarly adjacent containers, such as cylindrical barrels or oil drums to a transport vehicle. Each bracket can include a generally ring-shaped circular, planar body having a diameter sized to substantially match the outer diameter of the circular end of the barrel. Six couplings extend radially outwardly from the peripheral sidewall of the bracket body at angularly evenly spaced apart locations. The axial positions of the couplings can be reciprocatingly staggered so that couplings extending from adjacent brackets can overlap and interconnect to one another, thereby conjoining the brackets across the array. Hooked cables can secure the vehicle to the couplings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: Roger J. Malcolm
  • Patent number: 10850844
    Abstract: The mobile platform cabin (20) disclosed herein comprises a passenger portion (22), a first cargo portion (24) disposed aft of the passenger portion (22), a partition (36) separating the passenger portion (22) from the first cargo portion (24), a second cargo portion (26) disposed aft of the first cargo portion (24) and a barrier net (38) separating the first cargo portion (24) from the second cargo portion (26). The first cargo portion (24) comprises a cargo-receiving zone (40) and a stay-out zone (44) in which cargo is not permitted. The barrier net (38) is configured to distend into the first cargo portion (24) when restraining forward movement of cargo (48) in the second cargo portion due to the cargo (48) in the second cargo portion being subjected to an acceleration relative to the cabin. At least part of the distension of the barrier net (38) is accommodated by the stay-out zone (44) of the first cargo portion (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: DE HAVILLAND AIRCRAFT OF CANADA LIMITED
    Inventors: Kent Corbett, Stephen Mabee
  • Patent number: 10850658
    Abstract: A tie down strap system is provided. The system includes a first flexible strap, a first hook disposed on the first flexible strap, a pair of adjusters disposed on the first flexible strap on each side of the first hook, a first connector attached to a first end of the first flexible strap, and a second connector attached to a second end of the first flexible strap. The system may be used to secure an item, such as a two-wheeled vehicle, to an object, such as a bed of a tow vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Inventor: Josh Carmo
  • Patent number: 10836300
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fastening device (1) for fastening an object, such as a wheelchair, thereto. The fastening device is to be mounted on a vehicle floor. The fastening device (1) comprises an automatic locking retractor (ALR) and a manually operable lever (11) biased by a biasing member (12) to a neutral intermediate position when no manual force is applied thereto. The lever (11) being manually rotatable from the intermediate position in a first direction (A) to a tightening position and being manually rotatable from the intermediate position in a second direction (B) opposite the first direction to a release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: HOLMBERGS SAFETY SYSTEM HOLDING AB
    Inventor: Jan-Erik Persson
  • Patent number: 10836295
    Abstract: A rotatable tailgate assembly is provided for installation on a dump bed. The tailgate assembly has support members attachable to the side of the dump bed. Each support member has at least one bearing adjacent at a free end extending rearwardly of the dump bed's rear opening. A tailgate has a cylindrical tailgate shaft with a first end rotatably received within the bearing of a first support member and a second end rotatably received within a bearing of a second support member. The tailgate has a closure portion extending radially away from the tailgate shaft. The closure portion engages the rear edges of the dump bed floor and sides to close off the dump bed opening when the tailgate assembly is in a closed rotational position. The tailgate assembly also comprises a rotation actuator operatively connected to the tailgate shaft for selective rotation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: The North American Coal Corporation
    Inventors: David P. Liffrig, Ernie B. Mills, David Vaughn
  • Patent number: 10829025
    Abstract: A dump body apparatus including a dump body having an exterior wall defining a compartment for carrying a load. The exterior wall includes a front wall and first and second sidewalls. A first corner wall extends between the front wall and the first sidewall. The first corner wall is oriented at an obtuse angle relative to one or both of the front wall and the first sidewall. An opening is defined in the first corner wall and is in communication with the compartment. A door selectively closes off access to the compartment and a step may be provided below the door. An angled second corner wall may be provided between the front wall and the second sidewall. The angles of the first and second corner walls provide relatively unobstructed lines of sight for a driver seated in a cab of a vehicle that includes the dump body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Mac Trailer Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Conny
  • Patent number: 10829030
    Abstract: A tie-down assembly includes a hollow elongated member, a cable, and a cover. The cable is threaded through the hollow elongated member and threaded through an eyelet in the cover. From the eyelet, the cable is threaded back through the hollow elongated member to form a loop. Once threaded, the ends of the cable are joined with a stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Inventor: Chad Nolan McDermott