Patents by Inventor Keith Niehorster

Keith Niehorster 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: 9010502
    Abstract: A retaining formation defined on a brake lever of an air disc brake includes a push fit/snap fit connection for releasably securing a push rod to a brake lever. The retaining formation can include a pinned connection and a ball and socket joint, and a main axis of the pinned connection is coincident with a center of rotation of the ball and socket joint. The retaining formation can include a concave formation on one of the push rod and the brake lever and a corresponding convex formation on the other of the push rod and the brake lever. The concave formation at least partially surrounds the convex formation to prevent axial separation of the push rod and the brake lever. A method of assembling a brake subassembly includes the steps of assembling a push rod and a brake lever including a retaining formation such that at least a portion of the retaining formation deforms during assembly and resiles when the push rod is assembled to the brake lever to provide a snap fit connection therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Meritor Heavy Vehicle Braking Systems (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Paul Roberts, Keith Niehorster, Martin P. Taylor, V. S. Arul Anand, Nagaraja Gargeshwari S, Pradeep D. Mirji, Herr Franz Helmut Holl
  • Patent number: 8047336
    Abstract: A co-axial wear adjuster and wear sensor for a brake caliper includes a sleeve having an external tooth form engageable with a toothed adjustment wheel of a brake tappet. The sleeve rotates with the tappet and is threaded to engage a relatively non-rotatable, but axially movable, bolt. A wear sensor is partly within the sleeve and has a plunger operably engaged with the bolt. The bolt may be tubular to carry a screw-threaded head whereby a position of the plunger may be set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Meritor Heavy Vehicle Braking Systems (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Keith Niehorster, Paul Roberts, Martin Pors Taylor
  • Patent number: 8016082
    Abstract: An actuating lever of a brake caliper of a vehicle includes a cam surface operable against a single tappet and reacting against a caliper bridge. The actuating lever includes a wear adjuster arm which exerts a turning moment on the actuating lever. The turning moment is resisted by a small stub axle pivotable in a plain bearing of the brake caliper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Meritor Heavy Vehicle Braking Systems (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Keith Niehorster, Kishan Kumar Udupi, Rajaram Kumble, Paul Roberts
  • Publication number: 20090175677
    Abstract: A retaining formation defined on a brake lever of an air disc brake includes a push fit/snap fit connection for releasably securing a push rod to a brake lever. The retaining formation can include a pinned connection and a ball and socket joint, and a main axis of the pinned connection is coincident with a center of rotation of the ball and socket joint. The retaining formation can include a concave formation on one of the push rod and the brake lever and a corresponding convex formation on the other of the push rod and the brake lever. The concave formation at least partially surrounds the convex formation to prevent axial separation of the push rod and the brake lever. A method of assembling a brake subassembly includes the steps of assembling a push rod and a brake lever including a retaining formation such that at least a portion of the retaining formation deforms during assembly and resiles when the push rod is assembled to the brake lever to provide a snap fit connection therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Paul Roberts, Keith Niehorster, Martin P. Taylor, V.S. Arul Anand, Nagaraja Gargeshwari S, Pradeep D. Mirji, Herr Franz Helmut Holl
  • Publication number: 20070256902
    Abstract: An actuating lever of a brake caliper of a vehicle includes a cam surface operable against a single tappet and reacting against a caliper bridge. The actuating lever includes a wear adjuster arm which exerts a turning moment on the actuating lever. The turning moment is resisted by a small stub axle pivotable in a plain bearing of the brake caliper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Inventors: Keith Niehorster, Kishan Udupi, Rajaram Kumble, Paul Roberts
  • Publication number: 20070256901
    Abstract: A co-axial wear adjuster and wear sensor for a brake caliper includes a sleeve having an external tooth form engageable with a toothed adjustment wheel of a brake tappet. The sleeve rotates with the tappet and is threaded to engage a relatively non-rotatable, but axially movable, bolt. A wear sensor is partly within the sleeve and has a plunger operably engaged with the bolt. The bolt may be tubular to carry a screw-threaded head whereby a position of the plunger may be set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Inventors: Keith Niehorster, Paul Roberts, Martin Taylor
  • Publication number: 20060086575
    Abstract: A lever assembly for a vehicle brake includes an operating shaft having a lever aperture, a lever engageable with the lever aperture and a retainer pin insertable into the lever assembly to retain the lever in the lever aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Publication date: April 27, 2006
    Inventor: Keith Niehorster