Patents by Inventor Timothy Dering

Timothy Dering 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: 6237501
    Abstract: A suspension system for suspending a tool from a pair of parallel rails. The suspension system consists of a support structure, a tool mounting interface and exactly three trolley assemblies. The support structure has three trolley assembly mounting structures with a first one of the trolley assembly mounting structures positioned on a first side of the support structure and the remaining trolley assembly mounting structures are positioned on the opposite side. The tool mounting interface is adapted to couple the tool to the support structure. Each of the trolley assembly mounting structures is coupled to a trolley assembly. Each trolley assembly has at least one trolley set with a plurality of wheels adapted to roll on one of the parallel rails. The three trolley assemblies collectively adapted to exert a reaction force onto the pair of parallel rails equal to the weight of the suspension system and the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Terry W Miller, Timothy A Dering, Emad Z Attalla
  • Patent number: 6202350
    Abstract: A power liftgate device for a liftgate of a vehicle having a power drive unit and a pneumatic actuator. The pneumatic actuator is pivotally coupled between the liftgate and the vehicle and exerts a force opposing retraction of the liftgate. A driven gear is fixed to the pneumatic actuator to pivot therewith and is selectively driven by the power drive unit. The liftgate assembly further includes an engaging device that is coupled to the vehicle for engaging the power drive unit with the driven gear, thereby enabling the power drive unit to drive the driven gear. Specifically, the engaging device is positionable between an engaged and a disengaged position, wherein the engaging device is operable in the engaged position to engage the power drive unit into driving connection with the driven gear. The engaging device is also operable in the disengaged position to disengage the power drive unit from the driven gear to enable the actuator to actuate freely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Kyle Montgomery, Timothy Dering, Michael Dettling, William R. Addison
  • Patent number: 6055775
    Abstract: A liftgate self-closing device for a vehicle includes a power drive unit and a track drive member drivingly interconnected with the power drive unit. The power drive unit selectively drives the track drive member. A pneumatic actuator is pivotally coupled at one end to the liftgate and at the other end to the track drive member. The actuator exerts a force opposing retraction of the liftgate. The power drive unit is operable in a first and a second direction. The first direction of the power drive unit drives the track drive member such that the pneumatic actuator is lowered to a predetermined position to enable the liftgate to automatically close. The second direction of the power drive unit drives the track drive member in an opposite direction such that the pneumatic actuator is raised to a predetermined position to enable the liftgate to be opened by an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Dering, Kyle Montgomery, Michael Dettling
  • Patent number: 5979952
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle latch system is aligned in a single operation without trial-and-error manipulations of the striker. An alignment mechanism is mounted on the vehicle body to align the striker on the vehicle body with the latch on the vehicle door. The alignment mechanism includes an elongated latch sensor having one end attached to a loosely mounted striker and another end adapted to mate with the door latch when the door is moved to a partially closed position. After the latch sensor has been locked in a proper position for alignment of the striker and latch, the door can be opened to allow the striker to be fastened to the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Dering, Joseph G. Contos, Dennis M. Steward
  • Patent number: 4687316
    Abstract: A method for generating finished illustrations from a computer graphic display image is effected using a computer graphic art copy system. A finished illustration is formed from and a visible but non-reproducible reference image formed on a transparency and an enhanced reproducible image formed over the non-reproducible reference image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: Chrysler Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy A. Dering