Patents Examined by Vinh Luong
  • Patent number: 11958355
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal system includes a pedal lever, a lock mechanism, an actuator, and an ECU. The pedal lever operates according to a step-on operation. The lock mechanism can restrict an operation of the pedal lever. The actuator switches between a locked state in which the operation of the pedal lever is restricted by the lock mechanism and an unlocked state in which the operation of the pedal lever is not restricted. The ECU includes a lock operation determination unit and an actuator control unit. The lock operation determination unit unlocks the pedal lever when an approaching object from behind is detected during a travel of a vehicle in the locked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichi Kinouchi, Yuusuke Yoshida, Takuto Kita, Hideyuki Mori, Shinji Komatsu
  • Patent number: 11957951
    Abstract: A pedal for a bicycle is disclosed. The pedal for a bicycle comprises a case which can rotate about a spindle; a top plate which is connected to the case by a pivot shaft and can rotate about the pivot shaft; a displacement generating assembly which is disposed in the case and is connected to the case and the top plate so as to generate displacement according to the rotation of the top plate; and a sensing unit which is connected to the displacement generating assembly so as to sense the displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: CARDIOHEALTHKOREA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hee-Jae Park
  • Patent number: 11953929
    Abstract: When an operation knob 10 formed of silicone rubber is pushed laterally, a stem 7 tilts with a contact portion (i) as a fulcrum, a push button portion 6b is pushed, and a contact point in a switch mechanism portion 6a operates to turn on a switch circuit. Even if, by a large operating force F3 being applied, the operation knob 10 is extended and the inner surface portion 15, which is a ceiling surface of an internal space 13 of the operation knob 10, rides on an upper end portion 7c, a reinforcing surface 19 provided on the inner surface portion 15 slides on the upper end portion 7c, and the operation knob 10 returns to the initial shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD., OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeto Gorai, Tetsu Numata, Akihiro Kusaka, Shunsuke Kimura, Reiji Koyama
  • Patent number: 11945544
    Abstract: A control device includes a housing having a base portion and an extension portion. The base portion of the housing has an inward facing side and an outward facing side. The control device includes a lever coupled to and pivotable relative to the housing, and a master cylinder portion supported by the housing. The master cylinder portion has a hollow fluid cylinder. The control device also includes a piston assembly supported by the housing. The piston assembly is movable relative to the master cylinder portion. At least part of the piston assembly is disposed within the master cylinder portion. The master cylinder portion is angled relative to the outward facing side of the base portion of the housing, such that the first end of the fluid cylinder is closer to the outward facing side than the second end of the fluid cylinder is relative to the outward facing side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Gruse, Rebecca Greetis, Nathan Luman, Douglas Mahoney, Walter May, Neil Swanson
  • Patent number: 11939027
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal is provided with a pedal shaft, and a body part and an end cap. The pedal shaft has a center axis. The body part is rotatably supported by the pedal shaft around the center axis. The body part has a pedal shaft receiving bore with a first opening and a second opening. The first opening receives the pedal shaft along the center axis. The end cap is adjustably attached to the body part at the second opening to adjust a position of the pedal shaft within the pedal shaft receiving bore in an axial direction with respect to the center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Inoue, Tatsuya Watanabe, Atsuhiro Emura
  • Patent number: 11938995
    Abstract: A steering wheel includes a boss connected to the steering shaft and steering portions arranged around the boss, and the steering portion has a non-circular portion including a corner portion or an end portion, where the non-circular portion is covered with one or more cover pieces. Preferably, the one or more cover pieces cover the front surfaces facing the occupant in the non-circular portion, the rear surfaces positioned on the opposite side of the occupant, and the upper surfaces positioned between the front surface and the rear surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Shoutarou Hada, Shunichiro Shinmen, Masaji Hasegawa, Adonis Egdane
  • Patent number: 11938815
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal system includes a pedal lever configured to perform an operation in accordance with a step-on operation, a lock mechanism configured to restrict the operation of the pedal lever, and an actuator configured to switch between a locked state in which the operation of the pedal lever is restricted by the lock mechanism and an unlocked state in which the operation of the pedal lever is free from restriction by the lock mechanism. In the accelerator pedal system, a controller configured to change an energization amount to the actuator when a disturbance is detected during a vehicle traveling in the locked state. Thus, the lock state can be suitably controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichi Kinouchi, Yuusuke Yoshida, Takuto Kita, Hideyuki Mori, Shinji Komatsu
  • Patent number: 11938755
    Abstract: A split-type hard front axle includes an axle housing; an axle tube connected to the axle housing; an inner-C-forging located at an end of the axle tube for connecting with a kingpin knuckle; and a connection structure cooperated with the inner-C-forgoing, for detachably fixing the inner-C-forging on the axle tube. The axle tube is provided with a first angle adjustment structure. The inner-C-forging is provided with a second angle adjustment structure. The inner-C-forging is sleeved on the axle tube, and the connection structure is inserted into the axle tube, to fix the inner-C-forging on the axle tube. The first angle adjustment structure is capable of cooperating with different portions of the second angle adjustment structure to make the inner-C-forging have different installation angles on the axle tube, and a caster to pinion angle is different at inner-C-forging's different installation angles. A vehicle is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SHANGHAI LINGHUO TRADING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dehui Du, Jia Fu
  • Patent number: 11932301
    Abstract: A hygienic cover that covers a contact part with which a human body is in contact, the hygienic cover includes a base cover directly in contact with the contact part; and a plurality of cover sheets stacked on top of one another, wherein the bottom one of the stacked cover sheets is attached onto the base cover, each of the cover sheets including: a hygienic layer, and an adhesive layer fixed to the bottom the hygienic layer, wherein the adhesive layer is detachable from the top of the hygienic layer of another cover sheet, wherein each of the cover sheets includes a non-adhesive portion formed on an edge thereof, wherein each of the cover sheets placed on top is removed from the remaining of the cover sheets by pulling the non-adhesive portion off when the cover sheet become contaminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventors: Young Suk Woo, Chang Deuk Woo
  • Patent number: 11919596
    Abstract: A pedal for bicycles comprising a pedal-pin, which extends along a reference axis, and a pedal-body, which is coupled to the pedal-pin in a rotary free manner. An internal chamber is obtained in the pedal-pin and has an internal surface, which extends along the reference axis approximately coaxial to the latter. The pedal further comprises strain gauges, which are configured to detect electrical parameters indicative of the mechanical deformation of the pedal-pin, and an electronic circuit, which is configured to determine, based on the electrical parameters, the mechanical deformation of the pedal-pin. The strain gauges are rigidly fixed on the internal surface of the internal chamber by a thin fixing layer of adhesive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: FAVERO ELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Gino Favero
  • Patent number: 11919386
    Abstract: A powertrain and a vehicle including the powertrain are provided. The powertrain includes: an electric motor; a transmission mounted to the electric motor and defining, together with the electric motor, an angled space for helping a half shaft of the transmission to extend along an axial direction of the transmission; a controller mounted to at least one of the electric motor and the transmission and electrically connected to the electric motor, where the controller, the transmission, and the electric motor are integrated together, at least one part of the controller being located in the angled space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Guangquan Chen, Chunlei Liu, Bing Li, Xin Wen
  • Patent number: 11912372
    Abstract: A control device for a hydraulic brake for a bicycle includes a reservoir for hydraulic fluid. The reservoir has a variable volume. The control device also includes a reservoir cover at least partially defining the reservoir, and a support that is attachable to a handlebar of the bicycle via an inner annular surface of the support. A handlebar proximity zone is radially outer relative to the inner annular surface of the support and is within two centimeters of the inner annular surface of the support. At least part of the reservoir cover is within the handlebar proximity zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Charles Dunlap, Brian Jordan, Braden Snead
  • Patent number: 11897573
    Abstract: An operating device for a human-powered vehicle comprises a base member, an operating member, a first substrate, and a second substrate. The operating member is movably coupled to the base member. The first substrate is provided to one of the base member and the operating member. The second substrate is provided to the one of the base member and the operating member. The second substrate is separate from the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Ayako Takahashi, Takuma Sakai, Yasuyuki Komada, Yusuke Nishikawa, Kentaro Kosaka, Takaya Masuda, Katsuhiro Tachibana, Shun Kakehashi, Yuichiro Hidaka, Fumihide Numata
  • Patent number: 11897575
    Abstract: A brake control device includes a housing, a brake lever, a hydraulic seat and a piston. The housing is formed of a plastic and includes a handlebar mounting portion at an end thereof that is mounted to a bicycle handlebar. The brake lever is pivotably connected to the housing at a pivot of the housing. The hydraulic seat is disposed within the housing and is distal from the handlebar mounting portion. The hydraulic seat is formed of a metal and defines a piston chamber and a hydraulic reservoir therein that are in fluid communication with each other. The piston is movably mounted to the piston chamber in the hydraulic seat, and is operably connected to the brake lever. The plastic of the housing is adhered to the hydraulic seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Chihui Su, Yen-Pang Liu
  • Patent number: 11867251
    Abstract: A pulley decoupler for an accessory drive comprises input and output parts. The output part and the input part are rotatable about a common axis of rotation and are rotatable to a limited extent relative to one another. A centrifugal pendulum device is provided for damping torsional vibrations with a centrifugal pendulum flange that can be rotated about the axis of rotation and has at least one pendulum mass displaceable under centrifugal force relative to the centrifugal pendulum flange. The at least one pendulum mass is acted on by a friction force generated by a first friction device having a first spring and at least one first friction element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Philipp Rasch, Jean Sieffert, Daniel Heinrich, Hartmut Mende, Andreas Stuffer
  • Patent number: 11866123
    Abstract: A lever system using a linkage assembly creates linear movement from a rotational movement of a lever. The lever system may be arranged as a grip assembly to activate a braking system of a vehicle. The linkage assembly may include a slide linkage, a bearing linkage, and a pivot linkage such that the lever may cause an end of the bearing linkage and an end of the pivot linkage to move toward the slide linkage, which causes the slide linkage to move in a linear direction. The grip assembly may have a lever that is pivotally connected with a housing of the grip assembly at a predetermined distance and with a contact region to prevent rotational movement in one direction while allowing rotational movement in the opposite direction. Further, the grip assembly may include a bearing linkage that is pivotally connected to the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Dextera Brakes, LLC
    Inventors: Todd Vorhies, John Doane Nichols, III, Nathaniel Bartholomew Egging, Scott Miller Padiak
  • Patent number: 11858587
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal is provided with a pedal shaft and a pedal body. The pedal shaft has a first end portion configured to attach to a bicycle crank, a second end portion on an opposite side of the first end portion in an axial direction with respect to a rotational center axis of the pedal shaft, and a contact portion between the first end portion and the second end portion. The pedal body has a body part rotatably supported by the pedal shaft and a load receiving part at a position corresponding to the contact portion of the pedal shaft. The load receiving part receives a load from the contact portion of the pedal shaft. The load receiving part is at least partly spaced from the contact portion under a no load condition and contacts the contact portion upon a load applied to the pedal body from a rider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Inoue, Tatsuya Watanabe, Atsuhiro Emura
  • Patent number: 11840313
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle includes a crank axle, a first rotational body, a wheel, a second rotational body, a transmission body that transmits a driving force between the first rotational body and the second rotational body, a derailleur configured to operate the transmission body to change a transmission ratio, an electric actuator configured to actuate the derailleur, and a motor configured to drive the transmission body. A control device has an electronic controller configured to control the motor and drive the transmission body upon determining the derailleur has been actuated with the electric actuator to change the transmission ratio and a predetermined condition related to pedaling is satisfied. The electronic controller is configured to control the electric actuator so as not to change the transmission ratio until a first condition related to shifting is satisfied in a case where the derailleur is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Hayato Shimazu, Mitsuhiko Kawasaki, Atsuhiro Emura
  • Patent number: 11840312
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle includes a crank axle, a first rotational body, a wheel, a second rotational body, a transmission body that transmits a driving force between the first rotational body and the second rotational body, a derailleur configured to operate the transmission body to change a transmission ratio, a motor configured to drive the transmission body and an electric actuator configured to operate the derailleur. A control device has an electronic controller configured to control electric actuator and the motor. The electronic controller is configured to control the electric actuator and drive the transmission body with the motor so that the transmission ratio is changed in a predetermined shifting range in upon determining the derailleur has been actuated to change the transmission ratio and a predetermined condition related to pedaling is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Hayato Shimazu, Mitsuhiko Kawasaki, Atsuhiro Emura
  • Patent number: 11834129
    Abstract: A pedal comprising: (a) a housing; (b) a magnet have a portion located within the housing and a portion extending outside of the housing; and (c) a hall effect sensor connected to or located within the housing and configured to measurement movement, rate of movement, or both of the pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventor: Ravindran Meadows