Patents Examined by Tamara L. Finlay
  • Patent number: 5215332
    Abstract: A seat belt anchor for detachably mounting a seat belt on a bolt has a shank extending axially from a vehicle body panel and a bolt head projecting in a radial direction from the shank. The seat belt anchor has an anchor plate with a keyhole shaped slot including an access portion for receiving the bolt head and a retaining portion which is narrower than the bolt head and further from the seat belt than the access portion for receiving the shank of the belt. The anchor plate is mounted on the bolt when the retaining portion of the keyhole shaped slot is registered with the bolt head. An axially yieldable spring carried by the anchor plate axially engages the bolt head to urge the anchor plate into engagement with the bolt head. A spring and a pair of detent bosses carried by the anchor plate engage with the bolt head to retain the anchor plate radially holding the bolt in the retaining portion of the key hole slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard G. De Sloovere
  • Patent number: 5180087
    Abstract: An improved golf cart mainly comprises a pair of grips, a grip-supporting-rod, a fixing seat for grip supporting rod, an upper-fixing-member for golf bag, a collapsible frame, a pair of wheels and a set of wheel supporting means. The grip can receive a golf ball and a plurality of golf tees. The upper-fixing-member for holding a golf bag can receive a plurality of golf balls. The inclination of the grip-supporting-rod is adjustable. The central components of the collapsible frame are disposed in a hollow supporting rod both to prevent the user from being hurt and to increase the component's durability. The wheels and its supporting means are simplified as well as easy for operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: Sun Son Aluminum Factory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ching C. Lee
  • Patent number: 5163699
    Abstract: A device for adjusting at least one alignment characteristic of an automotive vehicle wheel that is adjustable through an adjusting bolt and nut, the device including a cam member having an eccentrically disposed aperture that receives the bolt. The cam member includes a mechanism for detachably attaching the cam member to the nut or to the head of the bolt such that the cam member is rotatable by engagement of the nut or the head of the bolt. When the cam member is rotated, the member works against a cam member bearing surface such that the bolt is moved sideways thereby adjusting camber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Shim-A-Line, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald A. Specktor
  • Patent number: 5154446
    Abstract: A clip for use with three-point seat belt systems to permit adjustment of the diagonal or shoulder belt component to accommodate relatively short passengers. The clip is substantially S-shaped in transverse cross section including a forward face, a rearward face, and an intermediate web section interconnected therebetween. Between the forward face and the web section is a shoulder belt receiving section and between the rearward face and the web section is a lap belt receiving section. In use, portions of the lap belt and shoulder belt are received within the respective belt receiving sections of the clip. By movement of the clip relative to the belts, the lower attachment point of the shoulder belt is selectively adjustable by the passenger to permit limited adjustment of the shouldeer belt to a more comfortable and effective position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Inventor: Darlene Blake
  • Patent number: 5125682
    Abstract: An impact protection device for an occupant of a motor vehicle having an air bag. The air bag is arranged folded up in a receptacle fixed to the vehicle and can be inflated by a filler gas. An air bag surface facing a vehicle occupant being limited in its movement towards the vehicle occupant in the center region by a restraining device. The restraining device is formed by a cover plate over the receptacle which is connected to the vehicle by short limiting straps, so that on unfolding the air bag extends around the periphery and in the direction of the vehicle occupant in front of the cover plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hensler, Manfred Muller, Egon Katz, Guido Wetzel, Luigi Brambilla
  • Patent number: 5119901
    Abstract: A vehicle air bag passenger protection system that includes switches in the vehicle bumpers. Control signals are generated by the switches to produce rapid inflation of air bags in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. As a further protective feature, a distance measuring system is provided for generating an alarm signal when the vehicle is moving at a significant speed, and another vehicle is so close as to present the possibility of a collision situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Inventor: Dewayne T. Buie
  • Patent number: 5114175
    Abstract: In a suspension device for a vehicle wheel in a vehicle having a carrier for supporting the vehicle wheel, an upper arm pivotably connected with an upper portion of the carrier at an outboard end thereof and connected with a body of the vehicle at an inboard end thereof to be pivotable about a substantially horizontal and longitudinal first axis of revolution, and a lower arm pivotably connected with a lower portion of the carrier at an outboard end thereof and with the body of the vehicle at an inboard end thereof, the forward and rearward movement of the outboard end of the lower arm is restricted by a quadrilateral link mechanism formed of the lower arm, a first strut member pivotably connected with an outboard portion of the lower arm at a rear end thereof and with the body of the vehicle at a front end thereof, a second strut member pivotably connected with an outboard portion of the lower arm at a rear end thereof and with the body of the vehicle at a front end thereof, and the vehicle body, wherein a f
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideki Sakai
  • Patent number: 5108126
    Abstract: In an independent wheel suspension assembly using a parallelogrammic linkage between the vehicle infrastructure and the wheel mounting member, a damper or shock absorber is mounted in a substantially horizontal position between an anchor point on the vehicle infrastructure and a levering bracket extending from the upper or lower arm of the parallelogrammic linkage. The horizontal placement of the damper lowers the overall profile of the vehicle and provides a convenient way for adjusting its elevation in relation to the wheels without affecting the damping characteristics of the suspension. The invention is particularly applicable to remotely controlled model racing cars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Inventor: Robert J. Banse
  • Patent number: 5108127
    Abstract: A vehicle controllable and smooth ride system with sprung weight comparable to or less than the unsprung weight is provided by a cantilevered connection between the front and rear unsprung weight and near horizontal arrangement of suspension devices in the sprung weight of the vehicle so verticle motion of the front and rear unsprung weight is transmitted to the sprung weight while the entire sprung weight is applied to each front and rear unsprung weight motions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Inventor: Robert B. Chandler
  • Patent number: 5106120
    Abstract: An antiroll suspension for a vehicle, the suspension having a bar which is mounted transversely of the vehicle, the bar being coupled to a fixed strut and an extensible strut. The suspension includes control elements to control the extension and retraction of the extensible strut in proportion to laterally directed centrifugal forces acting on the vehicle during cornering so as to counter the effects of vehicle body roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Inventor: Philip Di Maria
  • Patent number: 5104141
    Abstract: Camber adjustment assembly for adjustably and securely positioning a wheel within a vehicular suspension system utilizing a generally vertically arranged support strut with the lower end of the strut being provided with a generally "U"-shaped bracket secured fast thereupon. The bracket is typically provided with two vertically spaced apart bore pairs for receiving through-bolts therethrough, and for retaining the knuckle assembly therewithin. The camber adjustment assembly includes an eccentric bolt having an eccentric segment between the head portion and the distal portion, with the eccentric segment being designed to be retained within either the upper or lower series of bores formed in the knuckle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Northstar Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Clinton E. Grove, Robert D. Grove, James R. Ryshavy, Thomas G. Spears
  • Patent number: 5102160
    Abstract: A connector assembly for attaching an end of a rotatable stabilizer bar to a control arm includes a cap member and a nut member. The cap member includes a barrel portion for receiving a stabilizer bar and a central stem. An annular, resilient base surrounds the stem and yieldably supports the cap member on a first surface of a control arm. A threaded bolt extends from the stem. The nut member includes a stem having a complementary sleeve for receiving the bolt and an annular, resilient base for supporting the nut member on a second surface of the control arm. Preferably, both the cap and nut members are molded from a resilient material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Keith A. Stowe
  • Patent number: 5102161
    Abstract: A suspension system for a vehicle comprises at least one adjustable wheel corner, each adjustable corner including a linear actuator operatively connected between a sprung mass and an unsprung mass of the vehicle. The linear actuator is actively movable in at least one direction in response to applied fluid pressure. The system further includes a first electrically controlled servo valve having a quiescent pilot fluid flow. An accumulator is connected to its associated actuator through a second electrically controlled servo valve also having a quiescent pilot fluid flow. The quiescent pilot flows from the first and second servo valves are connected to the accumulator for pressurizing the accumulator. A pump is operatively connected to the servo valve for providing pilot pressure, the pump being connectable to the actuator upon operation of the first servo valve. A sensor is provided for sensing force inputs to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel E. Williams
  • Patent number: 5102159
    Abstract: A double-wishbone type suspension system includes a hub carrier for supporting an automobile wheel, upper and lower link devices for rotatably connecting upper and lower ends of the hub carrier to a vehicle body, respectively, and a wind-up link element for connecting a middle portion of the hub carrier between the upper and lower ends to the lower link device. The wind-up link element is arranged diagonally with reference to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and rotatably connected to the hub carrier at a connecting point where the hub carrier is permitted to rotate in a direction of toe angle variation. This connecting point is used as a kingpin axis setting point whose location can be relatively freely determined to satisfy requirements imposed on the suspension system, due to a relatively high degree of freedom in designing the configuration of the hub carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Sato, Naoto Fukushima
  • Patent number: 5099946
    Abstract: A final drive suspension system for a motor vehicle. The final drive has a drive shaft integral with a bevel pinion meshing with a bevel wheel for turning the drive from a cardan shaft around through 90.degree. and transmitting the drive to an axle shaft having driving wheels secured thereon. The drive shaft has an axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle and the axle shaft has an axis extending transversely of the vehicle. The final drive is subject to a rolling action due to reaction torques around the drive shaft axis and to a pitching action due to reaction torques around the axle shaft axis during vehicle running. The final drive suspension system elastically flexibly suspends the final drive at least three suspension points with respect to the vehicle. The rigidities at the respective suspension points are determined in relation to the positions of the respective suspension points to cancel the rolling and pitching actions on the drive shaft axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Hirano
  • Patent number: 5100167
    Abstract: A suspension system for an automotive vehicle has a cylinder interposed between a sprang weight and an unsprung weight for each of wheels so as to control the supply or discharge of operating liquid to the cylinder independently and separately, thereby controlling the posture of the vehicle body. This suspension system allows a slow control over the posture of the vehicle body, for example, by lowering a control gain for the posture control when the vehicle body is jacked up in order to exchange tires, inspection of the vehicle body, etc., to a greater degree than when the vehicle is running at ordinary conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Shoichi Kamimura
  • Patent number: 5098120
    Abstract: A shock absorber according to the present invention for use in a vehicle for cushioning a vibration generating between a vehicle body and an axle, in which a suspension spring is disposed between one member which may serve as a mass below the spring and the other member which may serve as a mass above the spring, has an apparatus for adjusting the height of vehicle permits its mounting length to be adjusted without changing an initially set load of the suspension spring while being relatively displaced with respect to the one member so that a stroke of the shock absorber may be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Showa Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Hayashi, Shigenobu Abe
  • Patent number: 5097922
    Abstract: An extensible motor bicycle is equipped with a body virtually in the form of a suitcase. The body houses within itself, at least partially, several mechanical members necessary for motion and an actuating device operatively connected to the members and capable of automatically controlling coming out and return within the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Inventor: Marco Stagi
  • Patent number: 5096221
    Abstract: An interior trim product has an opening therein formed to overlie an air bag restraint assembly including a canister for generating gas for inflating an air bag for deployment into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The opening is closed by a door having a vinyl outer covering matching the aesthetic appearance of the outer surface of the interior trim product and including a soft foam backing formed by reaction injection molding foam between the vinyl skin and a first substrate having construction holes therein; a second substrate is connected to the first substrate to cover the holes and to reinforce the door to prevent foam and vinyl damage during air bag deployment and wherein the second substrate is adapted to define a hinged connection between the door and a releasable connection at the opposite end of the door for holding it in place within the opening against separation therefrom until an air bag is inflated and deployed into the passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Combs, Scott Rafferty
  • Patent number: 5094313
    Abstract: A small, three wheeled utility vehicle has a front steering wheel and two rear drive wheels driven by an automotive engine and transaxle unit. The vehicle has a frame composed of tubular steel parts welded together to provide a complete cage around the passenger compartment and an engine and cargo area behind the passenger compartment. The body of the vehicle is composed of body panels mounted within the tubular frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Inventor: Laurence J. Mauws