Patents Examined by Katy Meyer
  • Patent number: 8079605
    Abstract: A self-propelled vehicle comprises a frame and a platform pivotally mountable to a rear portion of the vehicle frame. The platform is pivotally movable between a first position in which the platform extends generally horizontally from the rear portion of the frame to support a rider during operation of the vehicle, and a second position in which the platform is removably secured in a generally upright position adjacent the rear portion of the frame to enable walk-behind operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Inventor: Bruce E. Kallevig
  • Patent number: 8075003
    Abstract: Gliding board equipment systems and individual components are disclosed herein. A gliding board equipment system of one embodiment includes a boot having an upper cuff and a lower boot. The upper cuff of the boot defines opposed slots, and a respective pin passes through each slot to couple the upper cuff to the lower boot and allow the upper cuff to move laterally relative to the lower boot. Means are included for selectively covering at least one portion of each slot to restrict movement of the upper cuff relative to the lower boot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Inventor: Matthew Wade Ellison
  • Patent number: 8056921
    Abstract: A stroller has a frame structure with two laterally spaced apart sides and a frame extension on each side. Each frame extension projects rearward and terminates at a free end. The frame structure is collapsible laterally from a side-to-side in-use spacing between the frame extensions to a side-to-side compact spacing less than the in-use spacing between the frame extensions. A push handle is on the free end of each frame extension. A cross-brace extends between and interconnects the frame extensions. The cross-brace has a central section and a pair of flanking sections pivotally connected to one another. The cross brace is selectively reconfigurable from a stiff condition to a loose condition with the frame extensions in the in-use spacing. The stiff condition maintains the in-use spacing between the frame extensions and the loose condition permits the frame extensions to collapse to the compact spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dotsey, Todd D. Sorzano, Roy L. Dean
  • Patent number: 8047556
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a board capable of voluntary forward movement. The board comprises: a pair of front and rear boards, each of which is integrated with a connecting step formed on its lower surface and has a connecting hole formed within the connecting step; a connecting assembly including a connecting pipe inserted into the connecting holes, fixing blocks rotatably coupled to both ends of the connecting pipe to integrally connect the front board and the rear board, each of the fixing blocks having a track groove, and coupling pins inserted into the track grooves through the connecting pipe to be in association with the connecting pipe so that the front and rear boards are rotated within limited angle ranges corresponding to predetermined widths of the track grooves; and voluntary advancement assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Trisports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung Soo Jang, Byung Taek Jang
  • Patent number: 8038161
    Abstract: This invention relates to a folding structure for carrier's handlebar, wherein it essentially comprises: a first joint (2) fixed in the front end of a carrier body (1) and having positioning teeth (25) formed on the sidewall in the interior thereof, and a second joint (3) pivotally provided in the first joint (2); a rail block (33) being fixed in the interior of the second joint (3), the rail block (33) being formed with a sliding rail (331), a slider (34) being formed in the sliding rail (331), occluding teeth (341) being formed on the bottom end of the slider (34) to mesh with the positioning teeth (25) of the first joint (2), a wire body (35) and an elastic member (36) being provided on the top end of the slider (34), and a dragon head handlebar (12) being provided on the second joint (3). In this manner, it is convenient for user to adjust the angle of the dragon head handlebar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Inventor: Arthur Wang
  • Patent number: 8016060
    Abstract: A vehicle has a drive wheel, a seat, an attitude sensor, a balancer movable relative to the seat, a drive control, an attitude control for controlling the attitude of the seat by moving the balancer and a main controller. The main controller calculates a torque T1 for tilting the seat and a torque T2 for moving the balancer forward, compares T1 with T2max (the maximum torque which can be generated by the balancer), and outputs commands to the drive control and the attitude control. When the calculated torque T1 exceeds T2max, responsive to a command for T2max, the attitude control moves the balancer to generate a reaction torque corresponding to T2max, and the main controller supplies an adjustment torque value T3 for the drive wheel. The drive control controls the drive wheel in accordance with the drive command and the adjustment torque value T3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Equos Research Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Miki, Munehisa Horiguchi, Takumi Tachibana, Fumihiko Sakakibara, Katsunori Doi, Toshio Fukuda, Takayuki Matsuno
  • Patent number: 8006791
    Abstract: An intake air passage, formed through a motorcycle body frame, reduces changes in pressure within an air routing duct member due to opening and closing of a throttle, and also reduces pipe resonance of the air routing duct member. The air routing duct member extends longitudinally from the intake air passage and directs fresh air to another air passage. The air routing duct member includes openings that communicate with hollow sections provided in a portion of an adjacent support structure, such as an instrumentation support member. When the throttle is opened rapidly, air from the hollow sections is temporarily supplied to the air routing duct member, reducing changes in internal air pressure in the air routing duct member due to throttle operation. Resonance chambers are formed above the air routing duct member, and communicate through communication pipes with a space within the air routing duct member to reduce duct pipe resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakagome, Yoshitaka Seki, Akira Sonobata
  • Patent number: 8006984
    Abstract: The dolly is constructed with wheels to provide mobility and with posts to allow for stacking of one dolly on another for storage purposes and return shipment purposes. A long dolly may also be provided with laterally mounted posts for receiving and supporting a shorter, but wider, dolly thereon. Each corner post is provided with a dependent pin that is able to fit into an opening in the upper end of a post of a dolly below. Removable support feet are provided for supporting a loaded dolly for transport with the wheels in an elevated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Thermoseal Glass Corp, LLC
    Inventor: Richard A. Chubb
  • Patent number: 8006793
    Abstract: The electric vehicle includes a battery pack that can be exchanged at a battery exchange station. At the battery exchange station, an at least partially spent battery pack is exchanged for an at least partially charged battery pack. A battery bay is configured to be disposed at an underside of the electric vehicle. The battery bay includes a frame which defines a cavity. The cavity is configured to at least partially receive the battery pack therein. The battery bay comprises at least one latch rotatably pivoted about an axis substantially parallel with a plane formed by the underside of the vehicle. The latch is configured to lift, retain the battery pack at least partially within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Better Place GmbH
    Inventors: Yoav Heichal, Tal Agassi
  • Patent number: 7992661
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle drive device includes a clutch that transmits and separates a driving force between an engine output shaft and a transmission input shaft; a first electric motor having a first rotor that is connected to an engine output shaft side of the clutch; a second electric motor having a second rotor that is connected to an transmission input shaft side of the clutch; and a radial vibration suppressing device, wherein (1) the first electric motor is connected to the engine output shaft via the radial vibration suppressing device, and (2) the radial vibration suppressing device suppresses a vibration of the engine output shaft in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Nomura, Yasuo Yamaguchi, Mitsugi Yamashita, Takeshi Inuzuka
  • Patent number: 7984781
    Abstract: An underseat structure of a road vehicle which protects an occupant from engine heat while enhancing the maintenance property of a vehicle which includes an engine supported on a vehicle body frame, and an engine oil supply pipe and an oil level gauge mounted on the engine, wherein the engine is disposed below at least one seat. An inner cover is disposed between the at least one seat and the engine and a maintenance lid is provided for allowing maintenance of the engine oil supply pipe and the oil level gauge formed on the inner cover with the inner cover being detachably mounted on the vehicle body frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Nozaki
  • Patent number: 7980568
    Abstract: Two skate wheel devices each with a foot placement platform, a frame and a wheel. The wheel rotates relative to the frame. The user inserts both feet into respective platforms within the skate wheel devices while the devices rest on pavement. After shifting weight to one of the wheel skate devices, the other raised so that the foot is generally horizontal as opposed to pointing to the pavement. The wheel skate device with the raised foot is then rolled to the side. The user then raises the other wheel skate device so that its foot also points generally horizontally and rolls that wheel skate device in the same direction as the other to build momentum. The platform may rock back and forth relative to the wheel. Grooved rollers may be sandwiched between spaced apart frame elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Inventor: Shane Chen
  • Patent number: 7934729
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sports bag assembly with an integral wheeled transportation system. The bag assembly can accommodate the transportation and storage of sports equipment. The wheels can be deployed and retracted with a single mechanical movement, and may be stowed within the geometry of the bag. The bag assembly can fit within the recessed areas of platforms on the rear of motorized golf carts; within conventional storage stands, racks, lockers, vehicle trunks and/or hatches typically found around golf courses and in residences; and within travel containers or other systems for traditional golf bags. The golf bag assembly may also include a ventilated club storage compartment to facilitate the drying of clubs (including grips), and allow drainage of fluids which may enter the interior of the bag assembly. The bag assembly can also include a support and suspension system which restrains the grip and upper shaft or hosel ends of clubs which stabilizes and protects clubs during transport and play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Golf-N-Go, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Howard L. Murphy, Thomas F. Gardner
  • Patent number: 7926835
    Abstract: A golf club bag assembly is shown for carrying a plurality of golf clubs therein. The bag assembly comprises an elongated spine having upper end and a lower end, an upper frame member attached to the upper end of the spine at a first acute angle with respect thereto, a lower frame member attached to the lower end of the spine at a second acute angle with respect thereto, a resilient enclosure attached to the spine and the upper and lower frame members, and wherein the first angle is equal to the second angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Inventor: Michael R. Barton
  • Patent number: 7921943
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle according to the invention, upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition with regard to a gearshift position or a drive mode, a virtual gearshift position according to a driving condition is set to a tentative target gearshift position SPtmp (steps S471 and S472). An object gearshift position SP* is set based on the tentative target gearshift position SPtmp and a boundary value Srt to have a gentle change with a variation of smaller than 1 (step S473).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshiro Ueoka, Noriaki Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 7909123
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle, an ECU performs speed-change control and selectively changes a speed-change mode between a stepless speed-change mode and a fixed speed-change mode in accordance with the travel condition of the hybrid vehicle. At this time, in the condition that the fixed speed-change mode is selected, if an accelerator off operation is performed, a release preparing process is performed, and a reaction element which receives the reaction torque of engine torque in a power dividing mechanism is changed to a sun gear on a motor generator side. Moreover, if an accelerator off speed or a brake pedal operation amount exceeds its own reference value, the speed-change mode is transferred into the stepless speed-change mode, predictively and unconditionally, before a normal speed-change condition is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ebuchi, Motoji Hirata
  • Patent number: 7905305
    Abstract: Improved blow-molded wheels, methods for producing the same, and children's ride-on vehicles including the same are disclosed. The blow-molded wheels may include a blow-molded wheel body that is configured to rotate about an axis and has a tread surface that extends circumferentially around the wheel body and may have a circumferential profile that is defined as the locus of points at which the radial distance from the axis to the tread surface is greatest at each position around the circumference of the tread surface. The radial distance from the axis to the circumferential profile may change from a first radius to a second radius that is larger than the first radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the circumferential profile. The method for producing the blow-molded wheels may include providing a mold with pinch-off rings that have an opening configured to form the circumferential profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher F. Lucas, John Rhein, Gerald P. Sitarski, Steven R. Drosendahl
  • Patent number: 7896365
    Abstract: A two-piece snowboard includes an improved bottom shape and connector. The bottom surface of each snowboard section facilitates three primary functions: riding in a straight line, turning, and stopping. The bottom surfaces are concave or substantially flat, and grooves or ribs are provided along bottom edges of the sections to provide for turning and/or braking. Thus placed, the grooves and/or ribs do not interfere with straight line riding. The connector is somewhat stiff, and resists twisting. An example of a suitable connector is a length of reinforced hydraulic hose. The connector allows both vertical and horizontal flexing to facilitate riding over irregular terrain, while resisting twisting between sections to facilitate control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Trakboard, Corporation
    Inventor: Shane Smith
  • Patent number: 7891694
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for machining the running surfaces (9) of winter sports appliances such as skis or snowboards, in which a blank track (20) is subjected to a machining process in order to obtain a predetermined surface microstructure which improves the gliding ability. A precisely defined and reproducible surface structure of the track is achieved in such a way that the machining process for producing the surface microstructure comprises a plastic deformation by a tool (5, 5a) which is moved over a running surface (9) of the track blank (20) and is pressed with a predetermined force on the track blank (20) in order to deform the same in a plastic manner. The invention further relates to a winter sports appliance which is produced with such a method and an apparatus for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Atomic Austria GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Schamesberger
  • Patent number: 7878519
    Abstract: An electric slide step for a recreational vehicle assists users in entering and existing the vehicle. A step housing is mounted to the vehicle beneath the exterior door. The housing has steps that are movable on inclined slides between a retracted position when not in use and an extended position for assisting uses while entering and exiting the vehicle through the exterior door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Inventor: Julian W. Hallmark