Patents Examined by Wesley Potter
  • Patent number: 8235158
    Abstract: A wheel includes a main body, a tire, a movable fixing pin, an electromagnet, and an elastic member. The tire is sleeved on the main body and defines a fixing hole. The tire is operable to rotate around the main body. The fixing pin is operable to be inserted into the fixing hole to fix the tire to the main body. The electromagnet is operable to attract the fixing pin to separate the fixing pin from the tire when the electromagnet is powered on. The elastic member is disposed between the electromagnet and the fixing ping, and pushes the fixing pin into the fixing hole when the electromagnet is powered off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xiao-Guang Su
  • Patent number: 8235409
    Abstract: A bicycle frame assembly having a number of rotatable members configured to absorb shocks and impacts associated with operation of the bicycle. The assembly includes a frame constructed to support a rider and a chain stay having a rearward end that extends toward a wheel hub and a forward end that is pivotably connected to the frame. An absorber is pivotably connected to the forward end of the chain stay and extends to a rocker arm that is pivotably connected to the frame. A seat stay is pivotably connected to a rearward end of the rocker arm and extends to the rearward end of the chain stay. The rearward ends of the seat stay and the chain stay are pivotably connected to rotate about a common axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Trek Bicycle Corporation
    Inventors: James Colegrove, Dylan Howes, Jose Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 8235163
    Abstract: A hydraulic steering assistance system for vehicles, including a power steering pump and a variable-ratio gear, particularly a booster drive for the power-steering pump wherein the power steering pump hydraulically powers both the hydraulic steering assistance system and the variable-ratio gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: LuK Fahrzeug-Hydraulik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dirk Webert, Doan Van Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8235160
    Abstract: A power unit for a small type vehicle wherein a speed change mechanism is disposed on a lateral side of a crankcase on the side of one end of a crankshaft. A valve operation controller for controlling the operations of valve operation mode change mechanisms and a speed change controller for controlling a speed change operation of a speed change mechanism are attached to an engine body, to lay out the valve operation controller and the speed change controller in good balance of center of gravity so as to prevent the center of gravity of the power unit from being deviated to one side. The valve operation controller and the speed change controller being attached to the engine body on the opposite side of the clutch device with respect to a vehicle body center line in a direction along the axis of the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogasawara, Hayato Maehara, Toshiyuki Sato, Yasushi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8235408
    Abstract: A bicycle shift control device comprises a traveling state detecting circuit that detects a traveling state of the bicycle and a manually operated switch that outputs a switch signal. A shift control circuit provides a control signal, in response to the switch signal provided by the operation of the switch, for setting the speed stage of a bicycle transmission to correspond to the range of traveling states that contains the detected traveling state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Etsuyoshi Watarai
  • Patent number: 8215654
    Abstract: A drive system for a bicycle includes first and second drive sprockets, with respective one-way clutches. The drive sprockets are mounted on opposite ends of the bike's drive shaft. First and second idler pulleys are mounted on an upper pulley shaft. The upper pulley shaft mounts on the bike's frame above the rotary drive shaft and at a right angle thereto. A chain is mounted on the drive sprockets and the idler pulleys. A first pedal is attached to the chain between the first drive sprocket and the first idler pulley. A second pedal is attached to the chain between the second linear drive sprocket and the first linear driven idler pulley. First and second linear chain guides are mounted on opposite sides of the frame and disposed next to the chain for guiding portions of the chain and the pedals as they are moved up and down on the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: Walter P. Leser
  • Patent number: 8201657
    Abstract: A cam follower includes an oval rotational body which is rotationally supported on a fixed pin, and in which an outer circumferential shape thereof is an oval, a long axis of the oval is longer than a width of the cam groove, and a short axis of the oval is shorter than the width of the cam groove, the oval rotational body being biased and being rotated by a biasing spring in one direction about the fixed pin. As a consequence, when a steering wheel is in a neutral position, the outer circumferential surface of the cam follower comes into contact with both side surfaces of the cam groove in the width direction of the cam groove and gaps therebetween can be eliminated. As a result, neutral stability of the steering wheel and steering feeling during straightforward traveling are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonari Yamakawa, Hajime Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8201658
    Abstract: An electric power steering system includes a steering wheel, a rack-and-pinion type steering gear box connected to the steering wheel, a steering torque sensor, a pinion shaft, and a steering actuator mounted on the pinion shaft to assist a steering operation conducted by a driver. An overload preventing control is conducted so that a sum of a torque conversion value of an assist current and a steering torque detected by the steering torque sensor equal a predetermined threshold value. When the steering gear box has reached a stroke end, and the assist current or the steering torque is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the overload preventing control is conducted using a threshold value that is less than the predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8196698
    Abstract: The invention provides a motor-driven power steering apparatus provided with a fault diagnosing apparatus diagnosing a fault of a board temperature detecting apparatus on the basis of an armature current Im detected by a motor current detecting apparatus and a board temperature Tb of the control board detected by the board temperature detecting apparatus, and a target current suppressing apparatus suppressing a target current Iq at a time when the fault diagnosing apparatus diagnoses that the board temperature detecting apparatus is out of order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Tamaki
  • Patent number: 8200395
    Abstract: The vehicle collision decision apparatus has first acceleration detectors and a second acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction, and third acceleration detectors for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle in a transverse direction thereof. When the vehicle is involved in an offset collision, the front airbags of the vehicle are activated based on accelerations detected by the first acceleration detectors and the second acceleration detector. Thereafter, the curtain airbags of the vehicle are reliably activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Keihin Corporation, Honda Motor Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Masatoshi Hayasaka, Fang Yuan, Fumitoshi Kase, Toshiyuki Kuze, Yoshihisa Sugamata, Teruaki Aizawa, Kazuhiro Daido, Hiroyuki Ito
  • Patent number: 8191964
    Abstract: An adjustment device for bicycle seat includes a connection portion located close to a top of the seat post and at least one through hole is defined through a wall of the connection portion. An adjustment device is located between the seat connector and the seat post so as to adjust the seat post relative to the seat tube. The adjustment device includes an adjustment path which can communicate with the at least one through hole or be sealed from the at least one through hole. A balance unit is connected to the connection portion and includes a cylinder and a piston ring is movably received in the cylinder to define an inner space of the cylinder into a liquid space and an air space. The cylinder includes a supply path which communicates with the liquid space and the at least one through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventor: Jung Yu Hsu
  • Patent number: 8177018
    Abstract: A bi-directional over-speed energizing brake system which implements automatically in the event an electric power steering system is in an over-speed condition. For rotational speeds of a rotating component exceeding a predetermined rotational speed threshold, centrifugal force acting on brake arms of a braking assembly overcome biasing by springs such that the brake arms will frictionally engage a non-rotating brake ring to thereby slow the rotational speed of the rotating component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brian C. Coleman, Christopher J. Mielke, George E. Doerr
  • Patent number: 8177253
    Abstract: A device for use with an anti-theft locking assembly which comprises an enclosure, a noise emitter mounted within the enclosure, a battery, and a control circuit, an actuator extending externally of the enclosure and being designed to be plugged into a first actuator receptor on a towing vehicle or a second actuator receptor on the locking assembly, the noise emitter being activated when the actuator is unplugged from one of the receptors. The device will strongly remind the user that the anti-theft locking device is to be connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: André Paré
  • Patent number: 8177019
    Abstract: It is one object of the present invention to provide a steering device for a vehicle improving a resolution of detecting a steering reaction force thereby to control precisely a reaction actuator and to improve a steering feeling. The steering device for the vehicle is equipped with a reaction actuator 19 acting a steering reaction force on a steering wheel 1. This device further includes a steering angle sensor 11 detecting a steering angle ?h of the steering wheel 1, a controller 20 controlling the reaction actuator 19 according to the steering angle ?h, a torque sensor 12 detecting a steering torque Th acted on the steering wheel 1. The controller 20 controls in a feedback way the reaction actuator 11 based on the steering torque Th in a predetermined range including a middle point of the steering angle. The controller 20 drives, in a open-loop way without feed-backing the steering torque Th, the reaction actuator 19 out of the predetermined range of the steering angle ?h.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Jtekt Corporation
    Inventors: Shoji Koyama, Ryohei Hayama, Tomoyasu Kada
  • Patent number: 8172033
    Abstract: A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising: a frame comprising an operator's compartment; wheels supported on the frame, at least one of the wheels being a steerable wheel; a steer-by-wire system associated with the steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about a first axis; and a control apparatus. The steer-by-wire system comprises a control handle capable of being moved by an operator to generate a steer control signal, a selection switch capable of generating one of a first select signal and a second select signal, and a steer motor coupled to the steerable wheel to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about the first axis. The control apparatus may be coupled to the control handle to receive the steer control signal, coupled to the selection switch to receive the one select signal, and coupled to the steer motor to generate a first drive signal to the steer motor to effect angular movement of the steerable wheel about the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Corbett, James F. Schloemer, George R. Wetterer
  • Patent number: 8167317
    Abstract: Attachments for a manual wheelchair are provided for navigating a wheelchair over obstacles and uneven terrain, such as a typical curb on a street. The attachments provide for regulating the movement of the wheelchair as the wheelchair descends the curb and to prevent the wheelchair from flipping over during such movement. The attachments include a front caster wheel slider assembly on each side of the wheelchair, a follower wheel assembly and a track belt damping bar. The front caster wheel slider assembly includes a piston that will quickly push the front caster wheels down after they roll over the top edge of the curb. The follower wheel assembly acts as a sensor that will release the piston in the assembly after the front caster wheels roll over the top edge of the curb. As the back wheels of the wheelchair roll over and down the curb, the track belt damping bar slows the descent of the wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignees: Montefiore Medical Center, The University of Hartford
    Inventors: Avital Fast, Devdas Shetty, Moshe Raz, Giora Rothman
  • Patent number: 8167327
    Abstract: A bicycle assembly can include a bicycle frame that can have a head tube, a top tube and a down tube. The top tube and down tube can be attached to the head tube. The head tube can include at least one ledge configured to fit inside either of the top and down tubes. The top of the top tube and/or the bottom of the down tube can be substantially flush with the top of the head tube or bottom of the head tube, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason L. Chamberlain
  • Patent number: 8132637
    Abstract: An attachment for an electric wheelchair that enables the electric wheelchair to be used in areas that would not otherwise be possible, e.g., beaches, mud, and tall grass. The attachment is powered off of the wheelchair's motor and allows the user to explore terrain that would not be possible in conventional wheelchair designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: University Of South Florida
    Inventors: Travis Watkins, Robert Burn, John Hopkins
  • Patent number: 8132634
    Abstract: An electronic steering assembly is disclosed for a dual motor vehicle having a first and a second motor for driving a first and a second drive wheel. The electronic steering assembly comprises a handlebar rotatably mounted relative to a base. A sensor senses the rotational position of the handlebar relative to the base. A control is interposed between the sensor and the first and second motors for powering the first and second motors in accordance with the rotational position of the handlebars for steering the dual motor vehicle through the rotational movement of the handlebar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Flowers IP LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Flowers
  • Patent number: 8132638
    Abstract: A wheel disconnect system is provided including a rear drive module and a constant velocity joint housing. The rear drive module includes a housing, at least one actuator, and at least one dog clutch. The dog clutch includes a first portion configured to move when the actuator is moved and a second portion configured for engagement with the first portion. The constant velocity joint housing is formed integrally with the second portion of the dog clutch. A wheel may be disconnected from the rear drive module unless engagement of the first and second portions of the dog clutch allows torque to be transferred to the wheel. In one embodiment, a hydraulically activated piston may be used to activate the first portion of the dog clutch. In another embodiment, a ball ramp may be used to activate the first portion of the dog clutch. A vehicle driveline including a wheel disconnect system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Charles R. Martus, Ross K. Cheadle