Patents by Inventor Jean-François Pharand

Jean-François Pharand 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: 11648966
    Abstract: A universal storage device for a wheel chock used in an auto carrier railcar comprises a grating coupled to a backplate. The grating has a regularly spaced array of horizontal rods, including an intermediate horizontal rod with a missing segment that creates a gap in the array. The backplate has a plurality of tabs extending transverse to the horizontal rods that are wrapped around one or more horizontal rods to couple the grating to the backplate. The wheel chock has multiple rows of teeth for engaging the grating. When installed on the storage device, a first row of teeth engages a first horizontal rod of the grating and a second row of teeth is positioned in the gap in the array of horizontal rods. The storage device further comprises a locking flange rotatable between a locked and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the locking flange engages an upper surface of the wheel chock to secure the wheel chock to the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Holden America IL, LLC
    Inventors: Bruno Pietrobon, Jean Iorio, Jean-Francois Pharand
  • Publication number: 20200406937
    Abstract: A universal storage device for a wheel chock used in an auto carrier railcar comprises a grating coupled to a backplate. The grating has a regularly spaced array of horizontal rods, including an intermediate horizontal rod with a missing segment that creates a gap in the array. The backplate has a plurality of tabs extending transverse to the horizontal rods that are wrapped around one or more horizontal rods to couple the grating to the backplate. The wheel chock has multiple rows of teeth for engaging the grating. When installed on the storage device, a first row of teeth engages a first horizontal rod of the grating and a second row of teeth is positioned in the gap in the array of horizontal rods. The storage device further comprises a locking flange rotatable between a locked and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the locking flange engages an upper surface of the wheel chock to secure the wheel chock to the storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Bruno Pietrobon, Jean Iorio, Jean-Francois Pharand
  • Patent number: 6422156
    Abstract: An improved railway car body structure is described. One of the features of the box car is that the longitudinal side walls are formed by a plurality of spaced apart vertical side posts which are hat-shaped in cross-section and define a bottom wall portion, opposed side walls and opposed end flanges extending in a common plane. Horizontal structural stiffeners are secured between the vertical side posts. The stiffeners define a recessed wall portion aligned with a recessed formation formed in the opposed end flanges of the vertical side posts. Ferrous sheet members are secured to the side wall and also to the end frames by welds disposed in the recess wall portion of the stiffeners and recessed formation of the vertical posts to form flush, unobstructed, inner side and end walls of the railway car. A new roof structure is also described and incorporates improved skylight designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: IEC - Holden Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Winsor, Jean-François Pharand, Ronald F. Woollam, John-John Dratva, Jean Iorio, Mell R. Thoman