Patents Examined by Vu Q. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8418821
    Abstract: Piston-cylinder unit includes a piston rod guided with freedom of axial movement in a cylinder, where at least part of the piston rod is enclosed by a piston rod protector, which is designed with at least limited axial elasticity. At least one retaining surface of the piston rod protector enters into a positive connection with at least one stop surface on the cylinder side, and an auxiliary assembly bevel allows the piston rod protector to buckle over a certain stroke range of the piston rod during the installation of the protector, so that the retaining surface snap-locks onto the stop surface on the cylinder side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Robert Henneberg, Frank Partosch, Simon Strack, Andreas Zietsch
  • Patent number: 8353501
    Abstract: A foam spring for use in pillows, cushions, mattresses or the like, the foam spring having a tubular resilient body (2) made of foam and forming an outer wall, with holes (3) extending inwardly from an outside surface (4) to an inside surface (5), those holes (3) being arranged in a staggered symmetry and mainly being diamond shaped, characterized in that the tubular body (2) displays said holes (3) only over a limited part (16) of its surface (4), and that this limited part (16) is regularly alternating with a limited part (18) of the surface (4) that is not provided with said holes (3) and which forms longitudinal reinforcement ribs (7) in the wall of the tubular body (2) of the spring (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Inventor: Willy Poppe
  • Patent number: 8353392
    Abstract: A vented brake disk has improved heat dissipation by cooling channels that extend from an inner circumference to an outer circumference and the channel walls of which are formed with flow obstructions in the form of a female thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: SGL Carbon SE
    Inventors: Kevin Boike, Ryan L. Colburn
  • Patent number: 8286765
    Abstract: A mechanical device including an elongated structural element provided for absorbing, at least in part, certain shocks by deformation. The structural element or piece has a selected right sectional profile, the profile being provided with localized alterations, shapes, and with selected respective positions for approximately satisfying a given law of deformation under the combined effort of compression in an axis of the piece and of the moment of the axis perpendicular to a plane passing through the axis. The law includes an energy absorption phase followed by a retraction of the piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Vallourec Composants Automobiles Vitry
    Inventors: Cyril Canot, Arnaud Cocu, Jean-Louis Colmont
  • Patent number: 8286766
    Abstract: A slider 24 is supported on a holder 19 of a steering wheel 11 via a coil spring 25 so as to be movable in a direction of an axis while an air bag module 20 is supported on a slider 24 via a damper spring 26 so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis. Since the coil spring 25 does not affect vibration of the air bag module 20 in the direction perpendicular to the axis, it is possible to set a spring constant of the coil spring 25 at a value appropriate for the operation of a horn switch 37, and to set a spring constant of the damper spring 26 at a value appropriate for the operation of the dynamic damper. As a result, it is possible to effectively reduce the vibration of the steering wheel 11 in the direction perpendicular to the axis with the dynamic damper without affecting the operability of the horn switch 37.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Nihon Plast Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Terada, Takashi Kondou, Takahiro Uesaka, Yukihiro Kunitake, Morimasa Asai, Hideaki Saitou
  • Patent number: 8267227
    Abstract: The present invention is predicated upon improved vehicle brake assemblies, parking brake assemblies, parking brake actuating mechanisms, or combinations thereof, having simplified attachment features and for assembling a brake cable within the parking assembly with substantially limited or no visual access therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Akebono Brake Corporation
    Inventor: Lakshmi Narayanan V.
  • Patent number: 8262522
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ribbed power transmission belt exhibiting a toothing made of elastomer based on ethylene/?-olefin elastomer, characterized in that at least the sides of the toothing are coated with a film made of at least partially crosslinked thermoplastic comprising at least 30% of at least one low-density polyethylene having a molecular weight of between 50 000 and 200 000 g/mol. The invention also relates to a manufacturing process which makes use of the application of a said thermoplastic film in the noncrosslinked or at least partially crosslinked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Hutchinson
    Inventors: Marie Dieudonne, Philippe Sonntag, Hervé Varin
  • Patent number: 8240436
    Abstract: An actuating assembly, including a rotatable core and an electric drive for driving the rotatablecore are disclosed. The rotatable core is arranged for engagement with a cable disposed within a pair of conduit sections and the cable can connect with a pair of actuatable devices. The rotatable core is arranged to be operable to pull the cable on each side of the core upon rotation thereof in a first direction, and to extend the cable on each side of the core upon rotation thereof in a second direction. The assembly further includes a pair of reaction abutments disposed on opposite sides of the rotatable core and to which a respective end of each conduit section can be connected. The assembly is arranged to be fixedly mounted and the reaction abutments are mounted for movement relative to the rotatable core for equalization of cable load transmitted through the conduit sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: PBR Austrailia Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Nui Wang
  • Patent number: 8220602
    Abstract: Damping movement device of pieces of furniture which are movable relative to stationary parts. The device has a cylinder with a piston movable in a longitudinal direction, forming a modifiable working chamber filled with liquid medium. The liquid medium is transferred in a throttled manner. A piston rod is sealingly guided and connected to one side of the piston. The movement of the parts of furniture which is to be damped is transmitted to the piston via the outer end of the piston rod facing away from the piston. A volume compensating mechanism is provided. The piston rod is coupled to the piston with overflow ports. The non-return disk with overflow port is moved into sealing contact with the facing piston face. A spring biasing the facing faces of the non-return disk and the piston into the spaced-apart position is arranged between the non-return disk and the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Alfit AG
    Inventor: Guenter Grabher
  • Patent number: 8210507
    Abstract: The invention relates to spring elements and bearings which contain these spring elements, the spring stiffness of the bearings and spring elements being individually adjustable by deformable elastomer bodies or elastomer layers by prestressing. The deformation of the elastomer layers and hence of the spring elements is achieved by an appropriately designed hydraulic device. The leak-tightness of the spring elements and bearing elements according to the invention is achieved through special hydraulically prestressed sealing elements, use of a pressure membrane and special structural features of the elastomer elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: FM Energie GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Franz Mitsch
  • Patent number: 8177307
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a braking system for a positioner in a medical imaging apparatus comprises a brake coil coupled to a power supply, a first control circuit coupled to a top side of the brake coil, a second control circuit coupled to a bottom side of the brake coil, and a current sensor coupled to at least one of the first control circuit and the second control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Rajagopal Narayanasamy
  • Patent number: 8157060
    Abstract: An elevator installation has an elevator car that moves in a vertical direction along guide tracks and is braked or held at standstill by a braking equipment. The braking equipment includes at least two brake units, at least one of the brake units, but preferably each of the brake units, is provided with a wear-compensating device which, when the brake unit is opened or released, sets a clearance distance between a brake lining and an associated brake surface, which clearance arises on opening of the brake unit, in correspondence with a substantially constant value. Thereby, use may be made of customary and thus economic brake materials which may wear during braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Nicolas Gremaud, Hans Kocher, Josef A. Muff
  • Patent number: 8151945
    Abstract: A brake apparatus for a bicycle includes a finger member; a first am comprising a cable adjuster with a brake cable securely passing through, and a first brake pad; a first pivot for pivotably securing the first arm and one end of the finger member to a frame of the bicycle; a pivot member pivotably secured to the other end of the finger member and comprising a second brake pad and a bifurcation; a second arm having an extension proximate to one end and the other end secured to one end of the brake cable; a second pivot for pivotably securing the bifurcation and one end of the second arm and together; a spring depressible cam lever pivotably mounted in the bifurcation, the cam lever being pressed by the extending end of the second arm and comprising an actuation projection; and a fastener adjacent the cam lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Tektro Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Szu-Fang Tsai
  • Patent number: 8136638
    Abstract: A safety braking system mounted to a bike, motorcycle or any other two-wheel linear type of vehicle adapted with a right and a left brake lever to respectively control applying a brake to a front wheel and a rear wheel of the vehicle to control a rear wheel brake to brake a rear wheel first before applying a brake to a front wheel when either brake lever is pulled on any side or simultaneously on both sides of the vehicle to prevent it from easily turning over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventor: Ton-Rong Tseng
  • Patent number: 8137222
    Abstract: An accessory drive tensioner system may include a bracket, a coupling mechanism, and a biasing member. The bracket may have an aperture therethrough and a tensioner hub coupled thereto. The coupling mechanism may extend through the aperture to rotatably couple the bracket to a mounting member that is fixed relative to an engine. The biasing member may be engaged with the coupling mechanism and the bracket to bias the bracket axially along the coupling mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventor: Daniel D. Cottrell, V.
  • Patent number: 8136639
    Abstract: A Self-energizing disk brake having an electric actuator for applying an actuating force is described. The brake has a self-energizing device for boosting the electric actuator, arranged between the actuator and the brake lining, and a brake application unit for applying at least one brake lining to one side of a brake disk. The application movement of the brake lining to the brake disk is resolvable into at least one parallel movement component and at least one movement component extending one of tangentially and perpendicularly relative to the brake disk rotational axis. The brake also includes at least one electric motor drive for actuating the brake application unit, which has a crank with a crank pin extending parallel to the brake disk axis and serving to move the brake lining unit tangentially with respect to the brake disk, parallel to the friction face of the brake disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Baumgartner, Steffen Geissler, Robert Trimpe
  • Patent number: 8100236
    Abstract: A shock absorber, in which external gas is sucked by movement of a piston rod to obtain compressed gas, which is used for inhibiting the “lag” phenomenon. A piston valve is connected to one end of a piston rod received in an inner shell and moved between rebound and compression strokes, an inner space of the inner shell being divided into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber by the piston valve. A reservoir chamber is provided in an outer shell outside of the inner shell to supply oil to the compression chamber in the rebound stroke and to recover oil in the compression stroke. The shock absorber has a high pressure tank with a high pressure chamber installed outside of the outer shell, and a self pumping unit for sucking gas and pumping it into the high pressure chamber using energy generated by movement of the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventors: Woo Jin Jung, Myung Hwa Hyun
  • Patent number: 8069949
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modular approach to a lubrication package. Certain components such as the filter and cooler are directly connected to a block that has connections to accept them and internal porting to establish the proper flow paths for circulation, cooling and filtration of the circulating lubricant. The block can accept one or more coolers and one or more filters. The isolation valving for redundant equipment can also be integrated into the block. Many connections that had been used in past designs for the piping network are integrated into the block. The block can also be close mounted to the reservoir while a submersible pump further saves space and piping connections. Indeed, having the ability to maintain mechanical equipment (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Edward S. Czechowski, Robert M. Kolodziej, Michael Nuchereno
  • Patent number: 8056682
    Abstract: A bicycle brake device includes a holder arm having a pivot shaft for attaching to a rear fork, two brake caliper having middle portions pivotally attached to the end portions of the holder arm, and having brake shoes attached to the lower portions, and a brake cable for selectively forcing the lower portions of the brake calipers and the brake shoes toward each other, the brake calipers may be balanced for effectively forcing the brake shoes to solidly clamp the wheel rim, and a spring biasing device may bias the brake shoes away from each other when the brake cable is released. A coupling device may couple the middle portions of the brake calipers together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Inventor: Chang Hui Lin
  • Patent number: 8056685
    Abstract: A mechanical device including an elongated structural element provided for absorbing, at least in part, certain shocks by deformation. The structural element or piece has a selected right sectional profile, the profile being provided with localized alterations, shapes, and with selected respective positions for approximately satisfying a given law of deformation under the combined effort of compression in an axis of the piece and of the moment of the axis perpendicular to a plane passing through the axis. The law includes an energy absorption phase followed by a retraction of the piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Vallourec Composants Automobiles Vitry
    Inventors: Cyril Canot, Arnaud Cocu, Jean-Louis Colmont