Patents Represented by Attorney Butzel Long
  • Patent number: 8164327
    Abstract: A steering angle sensor assembly 10 for determining absolute angular position of a steering wheel of a motor vehicle and includes a multi-axis detector 24 having an active operating mode and a standby operating mode and being adapted to measure speed and direction of rotation of the steering wheel. The steering angle sensor assembly 10 further includes at least one second detector 26 arranged to form a quadrature encoder to detect movement and direction of the steering wheel when the multi-axis detector 24 is in the standby or powered down operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Kostal of America
    Inventors: Steven R. Hoskins, Michael F. Tefend
  • Patent number: 8163988
    Abstract: The invention relates to a snare tension device for tensioning and releasing a snare wire. In the snare tension device a rotation movement of a rotation element is transferred to a pushing element by means of a transfer element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Gewa Music GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Holl, Ruben Steinhauser
  • Patent number: 8147368
    Abstract: A seat adjustment device for a vehicle seat includes a driving motor that is in engagement with a driving part of a self-locking free wheel. An output part of the free wheel is connected to a gearing. To obtain a compact structure, the driving motor, the free wheel and the gearing are located in a common housing, which preferably has a housing base part and at least one housing covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Breitfeld, Frank Triebeneck
  • Patent number: 8146991
    Abstract: A transmission device for a vehicle component adjuster, such as a seat adjuster, may include a drive screw, a drive member and a load transfer member. The drive member engages the drive screw and has a first end with an outer periphery and an end surface. The load transfer member has a first portion disposed at least partially around the periphery of the drive member and a second portion configured to be positioned between the end surface and a support structure supporting the seat adjuster relative to a track arrangement or system. The load transfer member is configured to transfer an axial load applied to the drive member to the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Kannan S. Stanz, Eugen F. Craciun, Ganesh T. Ramaseshadri, William S. Brewer
  • Patent number: 8132865
    Abstract: A multi-surface sponge product includes a foraminous portion adhered to an abrasive portion to form a unitary product, each portion and the resulting product having a pair of sidewalls and in cross-section or side elevation having the form of a parallelogram. The sidewalls form gripping areas and the angled forward and reward end opposite ends of the parallelogram shaped body form wedges. The multi-surface body is low profile and various edges and corners thereof enable the foraminous and abrasive portions to be selectively used to engage corners of many differently configured surfaces to be cleaned, to either scrub the surface or simply clean or absorb fluid, depending on which portion of the product is emplaced in the edge or in a corner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Armaly Sponge Company
    Inventor: John W. Armaly, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8110154
    Abstract: An exhaust treatment device, comprising: a shell portion defining an inlet opening and an outlet opening; at least one catalyst brick being inserted within the shell portion; an insulative material disposed between the shell portion and the at least one catalyst brick; and a sensor receiving area formed in at least one catalyst brick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Katcon Global S.A.
    Inventors: Gregory T. Roth, Edward A. Owezarch, Robert A. Sarsfield
  • Patent number: 8110152
    Abstract: An outer housing and method of forming a mounting boss therein, the outer housing comprising: an elongated housing portion defining an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the elongated housing portion having a thickened area defined by an overlapping portion of the elongated housing; a sensor mounting boss formed in the overlapping portion with only displaced portions of the overlapping portion; and a plurality of threads disposed in the sensor mounting boss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Katcon Global S.A.
    Inventors: Eric C. Schultz, Stephen J. Myers, Jeffrey B. Hardesty, Dana M. Serrels
  • Patent number: 8082839
    Abstract: A one-piece steel piston that is made from a piston blank that includes a portion that is configured and designed to be displaced to form a cooling gallery and ring belt. The piston blank can be formed by a casting or forging process. The portion that is designed and configured to be displaced is a flange that extends radially outward. The flange is bent downward or upward so that a peripheral edge of the flange contacts another portion of the piston. The peripheral edge of the flange and the other portion of the piston can be welded together or mechanically engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Karl Schmidt Unisia, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuejun Huang
  • Patent number: 8079533
    Abstract: A rotating spray nozzle, comprising an elongate stem securable to a liquid-supply pipe, the stem defining a passageway therethrough for communicating a liquid from the supply pipe, the passageway communicating at least one inlet opening and at least one outlet opening defined in the stem; and a polymer nozzle body freely rotatably mounted on the stem for rotation about a nozzle axis, the nozzle body having an internal cavity in communication with the at least one outlet opening of the stem, and at least one nozzle defined through the nozzle body and communicating with the internal cavity, the at least one nozzle being offset from the nozzle axis to impart a driving couple to the nozzle body to cause rotation thereof when a liquid from the supply pipe is communicated through the at least one nozzle. The stem defines a longitudinal portion bounded at opposite ends thereof by integral annular shoulders having diameters greater than the longitudinal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: BEX Engineering, Ltd.
    Inventor: Derek Bowen
  • Patent number: 8080144
    Abstract: A method for performing electrophoretic separation of ionic compounds which involves varying a bulk fluid flow though a separation path into which ionic species are continuously introduced and separated. The method can also include the introduction of a leading electrolyte into the separation path to form an ionic interface with the sample and an optional terminating electrolyte to enrich ionic species for higher detection resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, The National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: David J. Ross, Jonathan G. Shackman
  • Patent number: 8029063
    Abstract: A track assembly for a vehicle seat includes a first track member and a reinforcing member. The first track member has a first portion defining a first set of apertures configured to receive a locking device. The reinforcing member, which may be in the form of a plate, is coupled to the first portion and defines a second set of apertures corresponding to the first set of apertures. The second set of apertures are also configured to receive the locking device. The reinforcing member is configured to reinforce the first track member in an area around and between the first set of apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: David A. Kazyak, Michael J. Leighton, William S. Brewer, Simon Moore, Todd M. Tommelein
  • Patent number: 7996950
    Abstract: A multi-surface sponge product includes a foraminous portion adhered to an abrasive portion to form a unitary product, each portion and the resulting product having a pair of sidewalls and in cross-section or side elevation having the form of a parallelogram. The sidewalls form gripping areas and the angled forward and reward end opposite ends of the parallelogram shaped body form wedges. The multi-surface body is low profile and various edges and corners thereof enable the foraminous and abrasive portions to be selectively used to engage corners of many differently configured surfaces to be cleaned, to either scrub the surface or simply clean or absorb fluid, depending on which portion of the product is emplaced in the edge or in a corner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Armaly Sponge Company
    Inventor: John W. Armaly, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7985599
    Abstract: Arrays of spin-valve elements that can be selectively activated to trap, hold, manipulate and release magnetically tagged biological and chemical particles, including molecules and polymers. The spin-valve elements that can be selectively activated and deactivated by applying a momentary applied magnetic field thereto. The spin valve element array can be used for selectively sorting and transporting magnetic particles one particle at a time within the array. As the magnetically tagged particles are held by the spin-valve elements, application of an auxiliary magnetic field can be used to apply tension or torsion to the held particles or to move, e.g. rotate, the trapped particles. The arrays of spin-valve elements can be used in a variety of applications including drug screening, nucleic acid sequencing, structural control and analysis of RNA/DNA and proteins, medical diagnosis, and magnetic particle susceptibility and size homogenization for other medical applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, The National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: John Moreland, Elizabeth Mirowski, Stephen E. Russek
  • Patent number: 7981696
    Abstract: Arrays of spin-valve elements that can be selectively activated to trap, hold, manipulate and release magnetically tagged biological and chemical particles, including molecules and polymers. The spin-valve elements that can be selectively activated and deactivated by applying a momentary applied magnetic field thereto. The spin valve element array can be used for selectively sorting and transporting magnetic particles one particle at a time within the array. As the magnetically tagged particles are held by the spin-valve elements, application of an auxiliary magnetic field can be used to apply tension or torsion to the held particles or to move, e.g. rotate, the trapped particles. The arrays of spin-valve elements can be used in a variety of applications including drug screening, nucleic acid sequencing, structural control and analysis of RNA/DNA and protiens, medical diagnosis, and magnetic particle susceptibility and size homogenization for other medical applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Commerce, The National Institute of Standards and Technology
    Inventors: John Moreland, Elizabeth Mirowski, Stephen E. Russek
  • Patent number: 7966716
    Abstract: A method for assembling a direct drive generator assembly includes the steps of placing a rotor over a stator, leaving a gap therebetween. A magnetic hub is assembled using adjacent columns of magnets having opposed orientation, and placed in the air gap. Application of an input torque to generate cogging torque in first direction that offsets coggery torque in second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Danotek Motion Technologies
    Inventors: Daniel Gizaw, David M. Erdman, Joseph E. Miller, Girma Desta
  • Patent number: 7963605
    Abstract: A vehicle seat having a lift structure for adjusting the position of the seat employs a load transfer link (9) to transfer the loads applied to the seat from a lift link (3) and an upper support (2) to a pivot bracket (7), which is typically coupled to the floor of the vehicle. The load transfer link is coupled to the pivot bracket on one end and to the lift link on the opposite end, in order to transfer the load. The lift structure permits movement of a restraint seatbelt with the height adjustment of the vehicle seat, thus reducing the potential for discomfort of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Inventors: Ganesh T. Ramaseshadri, William S. Brewer
  • Patent number: D639547
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Fisker Automotive
    Inventor: Nikola Stefanov
  • Patent number: D642564
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Mimos Berhad
    Inventors: Saharudin Busri, Choong Soo Li, Mohd Fauzi Yahaya, Sheikh M Shahrizal, Nuzairi Yasin, Muhamad Ruzi Shuib
  • Patent number: D646777
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Inventor: Devin Benner
  • Patent number: D653399
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Elaine Smith