Patents by Inventor Madhu Posani
Madhu Posani 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).
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Patent number: 7431268Abstract: A tire carrier assembly for storing a spare tire on a vehicle which includes a carrier adapted for supporting the spare tire and a winch operatively connected to the carrier to raise and lower the carrier between a stowed position wherein the carrier is inaccessible and a deployed position wherein the carrier is accessible. The winch has a flexible member secured to the carrier and one of an electric motor and a manual device which selectively raises and lowers the carrier between the stowed and deployed positions. A sensor is activated when the carrier is in the stowed position. A warning indicator is operably connected to the sensor so that the warning indicator is activated and provides the operator with a warning when the carrier is out of the stowed position and the sensor is not activated.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2004Date of Patent: October 7, 2008Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Walter J. Steiner, Charles Flynn, Madhu Posani, Rosanne Knox, John Truckey
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Patent number: 7104744Abstract: A latch assembly for use a tire carrier has a wheel plate and a lock bracket and an aperture and a flexible member disposed in the aperture and connected to a wheel plate. The latch assembly has a lock housing, a guide adjacent and a lock arm. The lock arm has one end, another end, a cam surface and a lower cam surface. The one end is pivotally connected to the guide. The lower cam surface extends past the bottom of the lock housing. The weight of the housing acts on a stop member attached to the flexible member, to form a force to urge the lock arms to an unlocked position. When another end is moved toward the lock bracket, the cam surface engages the lock bracket to pivot the lock arm to a locked position so that when the flexible member breaks, the lock arm engages the lock bracket.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2003Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Jason Reznar, Steve Battle, Madhu Posani
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Patent number: 7028989Abstract: A tire carrier assembly for storing a spare tire on a vehicle which includes a carrier adapted for supporting the spare tire and a winch operatively connected to the carrier to raise and lower the carrier between a stowed position wherein the carrier is inaccessible and a deployed position wherein the carrier is accessible. The winch has a flexible member secured to the carrier and one of an electric motor and a manual device which selectively raises and lowers the carrier between the stowed and deployed positions. A monitoring device is located adjacent the winch and a control module is operably connected to the monitoring device to monitor movement of the carrier from the deployed position toward the stowed position.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2003Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Charles Flynn, Madhu Posani, Rosanne Weitzel, John Truckey
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Publication number: 20060013679Abstract: A spare tire carrier with an annular sleeve is disposed about a flexible member. A tire plate is formed to support the spare tire. A stop is attached to the flexible member. A biasing member is disposed about the flexible member. One end of the annular sleeve extending above the tire plate distance “A”, the distance “A” varying between 1.5 to 6.0 mm, the biasing member has a spring constant “B” varying between 1 pound per mm to 50 pounds per mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2004Publication date: January 19, 2006Inventor: Madhu Posani
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Publication number: 20050082517Abstract: A tire carrier assembly for storing a spare tire on a vehicle which includes a carrier adapted for supporting the spare tire and a winch operatively connected to the carrier to raise and lower the carrier between a stowed position wherein the carrier is inaccessible and a deployed position wherein the carrier is accessible. The winch has a flexible member secured to the carrier and one of an electric motor and a manual device which selectively raises and lowers the carrier between the stowed and deployed positions. A sensor is activated when the carrier is in the stowed position. A warning indicator is operably connected to the sensor so that the warning indicator is activated and provides the operator with a warning when the carrier is out of the stowed position and the sensor is not activated.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2004Publication date: April 21, 2005Inventors: Walter Steiner, Charles Flynn, Madhu Posani, Rosanne Knox, John Truckey
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Publication number: 20040253084Abstract: A spare tire carrier with an annular sleeve member is disposed about a flexible member. A stop is attached to the sleeve. The sleeve has one end, an opposite end, an inner surface and one of a polymeric layer, a contoured interior surface and a polymeric insert to prevent wear and failure of the flexible member. The interior surface forms a flared inside surface that extends from the one end toward the opposite end. The inside surface defines a first diameter D1 near the one end, a second diameter D2 extending away from the one end and a length L that extends between D1 and D2. The difference between D1 and D2 divided by L is in a predetermined range. A method of preventing failure to the flexible member with a contoured surface, a polymeric insert or a polymeric layer is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2004Publication date: December 16, 2004Applicant: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Madhu Posani, Casimir R. Kiczek, Jason Hana
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Publication number: 20040188582Abstract: A tire carrier assembly for storing a spare tire on a vehicle which includes a carrier adapted for supporting the spare tire and a winch operatively connected to the carrier to raise and lower the carrier between a stowed position wherein the carrier is inaccessible and a deployed position wherein the carrier is accessible. The winch has a flexible member secured to the carrier and one of an electric motor and a manual device which selectively raises and lowers the carrier between the stowed and deployed positions. A monitoring device is located adjacent the winch and a control module is operably connected to the monitoring device to monitor movement of the carrier from the deployed position toward the stowed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2003Publication date: September 30, 2004Inventors: Charles Flynn, Madhu Posani, Rosanne Weitzel, John Truckey
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Patent number: 6692216Abstract: A latch assembly adapted for use with a tire carrier including a wheel plate, and a lock bracket including an aperture and a cable disposed in the aperture and connected to the wheel plate. The latch assembly includes a lock housing, a cable guide adjacent the lock housing and a lock arm adjacent the cable guide member. The lock arm has one end, another end and a cam surface. The one end is pivotally connected to the cable guide member wherein, when another end is moved toward the lock bracket, the cam surface engages the lock bracket to pivot the lock arm to a locked position so that when the cable breaks, the lock arm engages the lock bracket.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2002Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Dura Global TechnologiesInventors: Jason Reznar, Steve Battle, Madhu Posani
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Publication number: 20030210974Abstract: A latch assembly for use a tire carrier has a wheel plate and a lock bracket and an aperture and a flexible member disposed in the aperture and connected to a wheel plate. The latch assembly has a lock housing, a guide adjacent and a lock arm. The lock arm has one end, another end, a cam surface and a lower cam surface. The one end is pivotally connected to the guide. The lower cam surface extends past the bottom of the lock housing. The weight of the housing acts on a stop member attached to the flexible member, to form a force to urge the lock arms to an unlocked position. When another end is moved toward the lock bracket, the cam surface engages the lock bracket to pivot the lock arm to a locked position so that when the flexible member breaks, the lock arm engages the lock bracket.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2003Publication date: November 13, 2003Inventors: Jason Reznar, Steve Battle, Madhu Posani
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Patent number: 6427981Abstract: A tire carrier assembly for storing a spare tire of a motor vehicle includes a tire carrier adapted for supporting the spare tire, a winch assembly operably connected to the tire carrier to raise and lower the tire carrier between a stowed position wherein the tire is inaccessible and a deployed position wherein the tire is accessible, and a latch assembly. The latch assembly includes at least one latch member and an actuator adapted to selectively move the latch member between a locking position wherein the latch member prevents movement of the tire carrier from the stowed position to the deployed position and an unlocking position wherein the latch member permits movement of the tire carrier from the stowed position to the deployed position. The actuator includes a push-pull cable and a pull handle such that the operator manually pulls the cable to move the latch member from the locking position to the unlocking position.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Bruce Daniel Kingsbury, Scott Matthew Markiewicz, Garrett J. Wize, Madhu Posani, Ramakrishna Putumbaka, Derek Lee Oxyer