Patents by Inventor Robert A. Benson

Robert A. Benson 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: 10259442
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having a manual transmission system includes an anti-lock braking system configured to apply brakes of the vehicle, a clutch pedal configured to control engagement/disengagement of a clutch disc with a pressure plate of the manual transmission system, and a controller configured to perform a clutch burst prevention technique when the clutch pedal is depressed such that the clutch disc is disengaged from the pressure plate, the clutch burst prevention technique comprising: obtaining a set of operating parameters of the vehicle, determining a vehicle speed threshold based on the set of operating parameters, the vehicle speed threshold being a speed of the vehicle at which clutch burst begins to occur, and when the vehicle speed is within a first threshold amount from the vehicle speed threshold, decreasing the vehicle speed by commanding the anti-lock braking system to apply the vehicle brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Justin J Donajkowski, James E Wayman, II, Robert A Benson
  • Publication number: 20190054911
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having a manual transmission system includes an anti-lock braking system configured to apply brakes of the vehicle, a clutch pedal configured to control engagement/disengagement of a clutch disc with a pressure plate of the manual transmission system, and a controller configured to perform a clutch burst prevention technique when the clutch pedal is depressed such that the clutch disc is disengaged from the pressure plate, the clutch burst prevention technique comprising: obtaining a set of operating parameters of the vehicle, determining a vehicle speed threshold based on the set of operating parameters, the vehicle speed threshold being a speed of the vehicle at which clutch burst begins to occur, and when the vehicle speed is within a first threshold amount from the vehicle speed threshold, decreasing the vehicle speed by commanding the anti-lock braking system to apply the vehicle brakes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Justin J Donajkowski, James E Wayman, II, Robert A Benson
  • Patent number: 9988955
    Abstract: A drive unit, method, and control system are provided that warm drive unit fluid in a drive unit having a main pump, a scavenge pump, and an electric motor for powering an axle of a vehicle. The control system and method are configured to fill a main sump of the drive unit with drive unit fluid to a predetermined fill level. In a warm-up mode, the method and control system operate the electric motor to heat the drive unit fluid within the main sump while the vehicle is stationary and the electric motor is at least partially disposed in the drive unit fluid within the main sump. Further in the warm-up mode, the method and control system are configured to operate the scavenge pump to pump the drive unit fluid from the main sump into an auxiliary reservoir after the drive unit fluid has been heated by the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Yujiro Suwa, Robert Benson Parrish, Arthur L Mcgrew
  • Publication number: 20180149051
    Abstract: A drive unit, method, and control system are provided that warm drive unit fluid in a drive unit having a main pump, a scavenge pump, and an electric motor for powering an axle of a vehicle. The control system and method are configured to fill a main sump of the drive unit with drive unit fluid to a predetermined fill level. In a warm-up mode, the method and control system operate the electric motor to heat the drive unit fluid within the main sump while the vehicle is stationary and the electric motor is at least partially disposed in the drive unit fluid within the main sump. Further in the warm-up mode, the method and control system are configured to operate the scavenge pump to pump the drive unit fluid from the main sump into an auxiliary reservoir after the drive unit fluid has been heated by the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Yujiro Suwa, Robert Benson Parrish, Arthur L. Mcgrew, JR.
  • Patent number: 9906736
    Abstract: A sight attachable to a weapon and comprising an objective lens, an image display, and a digital reticle. The objective lens focuses infrared light received from a scene onto a thermal imager, which is comprised of a focal plane array that detects infrared radiation in the scene focused by the lens. The image display is in signal communication with the thermal imager and provides an image of the received infrared light from the scene. The image rendered by the display is visible to the user. The digital reticle is rendered on the display and provides an aim point of the weapon upon a target in the scene. The image of the scene and superimposed reticle are directly viewable by a user with the aim point of the weapon upon the target being maintained constant over a range of viewing angles that depart from a viewing angle perpendicular to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Rochester Precision Optics, LLC
    Inventors: Edward Patton, Robert Benson
  • Patent number: 9814911
    Abstract: Linalool and other materials which are skin penetrating vasodilators or which can be made to have such properties are applied, either by themselves or in skin treatment compositions, to the skin of the head and especially the back of the neck to prevent or alleviate the effects of migraine headaches or applied to sore muscles or ligaments to aid in minimizing the soreness, or are applied to wrinkled and/or old looking skin on the face, neck, torso, or extremities, other than on the hands, to minimize wrinkles and/or improve the skin's appearance and/or are applied to the head to grow hair on the head or prevent hair loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Benson Aylor, Leigh Heather Makover
  • Publication number: 20170248222
    Abstract: A motor vehicle vacuum driven hydraulic balance system includes a housing. A shaft rotatably supported in the housing has a longitudinal bore to deliver oil flow to a plurality of ports created in the shaft. A vacuum flow passage communicates with both the longitudinal bore and an oil sump. A first delivery passage is created in a portion of the housing, the first delivery passage in direct communication with the longitudinal bore. An electrical oil pump pumps oil from the oil sump to the longitudinal bore through the first delivery passage. Axial rotation of the shaft creates a partial vacuum in the longitudinal bore acting to vacuum drag oil from the oil sump through the vacuum flow passage to the longitudinal bore in addition to a volume of the oil delivered to the longitudinal bore by the electrical oil pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Yujiro Suwa, Robert Benson Parrish, James D. Hendrickson
  • Patent number: 9689373
    Abstract: Pocket and cup sails formed from flexible materials, especially such sails formed with excess material, have spar like supports attached at their deepest point to maintain the depth of the said sails when the wind fills them so that the sails expand to maximize resistance to the wind coming into the openings of the sails and so that the sails deflate when the wind is coming from the back of the sails to minimize resistance to the wind, the said sails being attached to rotor arms on rotary devices to provide torque, the torque being used to rotate decorative structures including the sails themselves, generate electricity, bring airplane tires up to speed before landing, and/or measure wind speed, and sails optionally having cuffs on the inside to help the sails inflate and/or maintain inflation by minimizing spillage of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Inventors: Nicholas Aruhn Aylor Suetrong, Robert Benson Aylor
  • Patent number: 9630816
    Abstract: A portable crane formed of composite members. A composite mast is coupled to a composite boom. A boom end housing removably couples at a top of the mast and includes an enclosure. A first end of the boom couples within the boom end housing. A boom pivot couples to the boom end housing and couples the boom to the mast. An angle adjuster releasably secures the boom at a desired angle relative to the mast. In implementations an end cap is included at a second end of the boom, coupled to a sheave with a pin, the end cap covering a terminal end of a second end of the boom and extending along both sides of a slot in an upper surface of the second end and along a portion of a first side of the second end and along a portion of a second side of the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Oz Lifting Products, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Napieralski, Matthew Robert Benson, Gregory Lucas
  • Patent number: 9597311
    Abstract: Combinations of betaine and vitamin C are used to suppress or prevent malignant tumors, e.g., by combining the two ingredients in a product consumed by a human, dog, or cat, such as an aqueous liquid such as grape juice, the ingredients being provided in containers with instructions for use, or in finished products, especially with support of tests demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment for, e.g., preventing tumors in populations known to be at risk of developing tumors, or, treating existing cancers in combination with other cancer drugs such as anastrozole and/or fulvestrant and/or artemisinin either concurrently or sequentially to prevent the cancer from growing when the cancer drug is not being used, the combination of betaine and Vitamin C optionally being supplemented or replaced by other treatments like the combination of selenium and Vitamin E or hormone treatments used to slow cancer growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Benson Aylor, Leigh Heather Makover, Robyn Aylor Haines
  • Publication number: 20170038958
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can present a graphical element indicating that text is capable of being provided as input. A gesture performed with respect to the graphical element can be detected. At least one property associated with text to be provided as input can be modified based on the gesture performed with respect to the graphical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Benson Walton, Eugenio Padilla Garza
  • Patent number: 9506557
    Abstract: A shifter assembly for a manual transmission includes a shifter housing, a shift lever and a gear blockout. The shift lever includes a shift plane select member configured to move to a first and second gear shift plane and a gear engagement member configured to move along the first and second gear shift plane to a first gear position. The shift plane select member and the gear engagement member are each operatively coupled to the transmission. The gear blockout is positioned within the shifter housing and configured to be selectively actuated to (i) block movement of the shift plane select member to the shift plane position thereby preventing the manual transmission from being shifted into first and second gears, and (ii) block movement of the gear engagement member to the first gear position thereby preventing the manual transmission from being shifted into first gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Robert A Benson, Lawrence K Laba, Eugene H Polan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9394990
    Abstract: A system for lash reduction of a shifter for a manual transmission includes a shifter assembly having a housing, a shift lever and a shift lever guide device positioned in the housing. The guide device includes a plurality of shift channels connected by a select channel and defines a shift pattern for the shift lever. The transmission gate guide includes a corresponding plurality of shift finger slots connected by a select slot and defines a pattern for a shift finger of the transmission. Movement of the shift lever into one of the channels operatively moves the shift finger into a corresponding one of the slots. Each of the channels includes a channel width complimentary to a width of the shift lever so as to substantially reduce lateral free play of the shift lever when received in the channels while allowing longitudinal motion of the shift lever in the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Robert A Benson, Jeffrey J Sawruk, Lawrence K Laba, Eugene H Polan, Jr., Michael W Gapski, Christopher W Collins
  • Publication number: 20160003219
    Abstract: Pocket and cup sails formed from flexible materials, especially such sails formed with excess material, have spar like supports attached at their deepest point to maintain the depth of the said sails when the wind fills them so that the sails expand to maximize resistance to the wind coming into the openings of the sails and so that the sails deflate when the wind is coming from the back of the sails to minimize resistance to the wind, the said sails being attached to rotor arms on rotary devices to provide torque, the torque being used to rotate decorative structures including the sails themselves, generate electricity, bring airplane tires up to speed before landing, and/or measure wind speed, and sails optionally having cuffs on the inside to help the sails inflate and/or maintain inflation by minimizing spillage of air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Nicolas Aruhn Aylor Suetrong, Robert Benson Aylor
  • Patent number: 9146758
    Abstract: Probes are instrumented in multiple software modules of a computer system having virtual machines running therein and executed in a coordinated manner. An output of one probe may be used to conditionally trigger another probe so that the precision of collected data may be improved. In addition, outputs of probes that are triggered in different software modules by related events may be synchronized and analyzed collectively. Probes also may be parallel processed in different processors so that multiple probes can be processed concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Radu Rugina, Ricardo E. Gonzalez, Alok Kataria, Doug Covelli, Robert Benson, Matthias Hausner
  • Patent number: 9004550
    Abstract: A latch with dual rotary magnets is particularly suited for releasably securing dual doors of a compartment in the closed position. Each rotary magnet holds in a closed position a magnetic insert attached to a respective door by magnetic attraction to secure both doors in the closed position relative to the compartment. Mechanical hook-like rotary pawls supplement the action of the magnets. In addition, the latch is provided with a safety feature that prevents the latch from opening in the event that the vehicle in which the latch is installed is involved in a collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Southco, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Carabalona, Robin Talukdar, Kevin A. McCloskey, Robert Benson Speers, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150054964
    Abstract: A sight attachable to a weapon and comprising an objective lens, an image display, and a digital reticle. The objective lens focuses infrared light received from a scene onto a thermal imager, which is comprised of a focal plane array that detects infrared radiation in the scene focused by the lens. The image display is in signal communication with the thermal imager and provides an image of the received infrared light from the scene. The image rendered by the display is visible to the user. The digital reticle is rendered on the display and provides an aim point of the weapon upon a target in the scene. The image of the scene and superimposed reticle are directly viewable by a user with the aim point of the weapon upon the target being maintained constant over a range of viewing angles that depart from a viewing angle perpendicular to the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Rochester Precision Optics, LLC
    Inventors: Edward PATTON, Robert BENSON
  • Publication number: 20140373660
    Abstract: A system for lash reduction of a shifter for a manual transmission includes a shifter assembly having a housing, a shift lever and a shift lever guide device positioned in the housing. The guide device includes a plurality of shift channels connected by a select channel and defines a shift pattern for the shift lever. The transmission gate guide includes a corresponding plurality of shift finger slots connected by a select slot and defines a pattern for a shift finger of the transmission. Movement of the shift lever into one of the channels operatively moves the shift finger into a corresponding one of the slots. Each of the channels includes a channel width complimentary to a width of the shift lever so as to substantially reduce lateral free play of the shift lever when received in the channels while allowing longitudinal motion of the shift lever in the channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Robert A. Benson, Jeffrey J. Sawruk, Lawrence K. Laba, Eugene H. Polan, JR., Michael W. Gapski, Christopher W. Collins
  • Publication number: 20140373661
    Abstract: A shifter assembly for a manual transmission includes a shifter housing, a shift lever and a gear blockout. The shift lever includes a shift plane select member configured to move to a first and second gear shift plane and a gear engagement member configured to move along the first and second gear shift plane to a first gear position. The shift plane select member and the gear engagement member are each operatively coupled to the transmission. The gear blockout is positioned within the shifter housing and configured to be selectively actuated to (i) block movement of the shift plane select member to the shift plane position thereby preventing the manual transmission from being shifted into first and second gears, and (ii) block movement of the gear engagement member to the first gear position thereby preventing the manual transmission from being shifted into first gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Robert A. Benson, Lawrence K. Laba, Eugene H. Polan, JR.
  • Patent number: D746408
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Inventor: Robert Benson