Patents by Inventor Edward A. Gahan

Edward A. Gahan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6672730
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly for large vehicles, such as trucks, includes a reflective element, a support bracket, and an actuator mounting the reflective element to the support bracket. A mirror housing is secured to the support bracket. The electrical actuator is mounted to the support bracket by a plurality of fasteners and includes an actuator housing, which has a peripheral surface extending around the fasteners. The support bracket provides bearing contact for at least a portion of the peripheral surface of the housing to reduce the vibration and improve the stability of the mirror assembly. The electrical actuator includes a movable member which supports the reflective element for movement therewith and which extends into the actuator housing and frictionally engages the housing to minimize vibration of the movable member when it pivots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Hadley Products
    Inventors: Karl H. Hanft, Edward A. Gahan, David N. Sizemore
  • Patent number: 6488383
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly for large vehicles, such as trucks, includes a reflective element, a support bracket, and an actuator mounting the reflective element to the support bracket. A mirror housing is secured to the support bracket. The electrical actuator is mounted to the support bracket by a plurality of fasteners and includes an actuator housing, which has a peripheral surface extending around the fasteners. The support bracket provides bearing contact for at least a portion of the peripheral surface of the housing to reduce the vibration and improve the stability of the mirror assembly. The electrical actuator includes a movable member which supports the reflective element for movement therewith and which extends into the actuator housing and frictionally engages the housing to minimize vibration of the movable member when it pivots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Hadley Products
    Inventors: Karl H. Hanft, Edward A. Gahan, David N. Sizemore
  • Patent number: 6325520
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly for large vehicles, such as trucks, includes a reflective element, a support bracket, and an actuator mounting the reflective element to the support bracket. A mirror housing is secured to the support bracket. The electrical actuator is mounted to the support bracket by a plurality of fasteners and includes an actuator housing, which has a peripheral surface extending around the fasteners. The support bracket provides bearing contact for at least a portion of the peripheral surface of the housing to reduce the vibration and improve the stability of the mirror assembly. The electrical actuator includes a movable member which supports the reflective element for movement therewith and which extends into the actuator housing and frictionally engages the housing to minimize vibration of the movable member when it pivots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: KAM Truck Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl H. Hanft, Edward A. Gahan, David N. Sizemore
  • Patent number: 5721646
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly for vehicles such as trucks, vans and recreation vehicles provides reduced weight and vibration and improved stability. The assembly includes a mirror mount securing a reflective mirror element to an elongated support bracket, and a mirror housing secured to the support bracket and shielding the mirror element, mount and support bracket. The support bracket spans the interior of the housing from adjacent one end of the housing to adjacent the other end, is spaced from the side and rear walls of the housing, and has spaced, elongated support members and at least one brace member extending between the support members. Preferably, the brace members are arranged in an X-pattern along the bracket length, while the mirror mount is an electric actuator providing remote adjustment of the mirror element about multiple axes. In one form, the bracket may include a covering wall over the brace members and support members to increase rigidity and reduce vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: KAM Truck Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Catlin, Edward A. Gahan
  • Patent number: 4799768
    Abstract: The specification discloses an automatic rearview mirror which more accurately responds to the glare-reduction needs of the vehicle operator. The mirror includes a reflective element, a light sensor, and a control circuit for regulating the reflective state of the mirror in response to the light sensor. The light sensor includes a detector responsive to electromagnetic wavelengths and a filter for filtering the wavelengths received by the detector so that the spectral response of the light sensor approximates the spectral response of the human eye or standard C.I.E. observer. The light sensor therefore detects the same wavelength intensities as does the vehicle operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1989
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventor: Edward A. Gahan
  • Patent number: 4793690
    Abstract: The specification discloses an automatic rearview mirror control circuit which models the physiological response of the human eye to fluctuating light levels as observed in typical driving conditions. The control circuit calculates an ambient light signal representative of light levels within the driver's field of view and a rear light signal representative of light levels in a direction generally incident to the reflective element. The reflectivity of the reflective element is controlled to optimize rear image information while minimizing on rear image glare at the driver's eyes. The control circuit includes a multiple-rate filter for time-averaging an ambient light signal over a shorter time period during increasing ambient light intensities than during decreasing ambient light intensities to simulate the more rapid adaptation of the human eye to increasing light intensities than to decreasing light intensities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Edward A. Gahan, Keith W. Molyneux, Kenneth Schofield