Patents Represented by Attorney Leo H. McCormick, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6655139
    Abstract: A pneumatic servomotor for an assisted braking of a motor vehicle having a unidirectional clutch device (56). The clutch device (56) has a coaxial sleeve (58) that slides on a plunger (46), and a substantially ring-shaped key (60) that is arranged with a given clearance around the sleeve (58) and driven by a moving piston (22). When an input force is applied at a determined speed onto a control rod (38) that is integral with the plunger (46), the key (60) rocks and locks a finger (52) that biases the piston (22) with respect to the sleeve (58) in an axial position. The key (60) includes a peg (78) for axial indexing of the locking position of the sleeve (58).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Bosch Sistemas de Frenado, S.L.
    Inventor: Juan Simon Bacardit
  • Patent number: 6651789
    Abstract: A drum-in-hat park brake assembly for a vehicle wherein first and second brake shoes are retained and aligned on a backing plate by first and second pins. The first and second shoes are moved into engagement with a drum by a force applied to an actuator by a cable assembly. The backing plate is characterized by a flange having a slot therein and the cable assembly is characterized by a cable with a fitting on a first end that has a stem with an annular rib thereon. The stem passes is passed through the slot while the annular rib engages the flange to limit the movement of the first end of the cable toward the actuator and to limit the movement of the first end toward the actuator mechanism to prevent the lever from being axially moved past a position of rest and change the radial alignment between the first and second brake shoes and the backing plate by the action of a release spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip Ingmar Loken, Robert Lee Wagner
  • Patent number: 6652039
    Abstract: A method for measuring the volume of hydraulic fluid in the secondary circuit of a braking system, especially in an accumulator, through the use of a Hall-effect magneto resistive device. A secondary hydraulic circuit includes an accumulator (11, 137), an electric motor (71, 101) driven hydraulic pump (73, 143), and appropriate valving (133) for supplying braking force hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder to one or more wheel cylinders. There is a secondary hydraulic circuit supply path for each wheel brake cylinder and each path includes a first normally open solenoid actuable valve (41, 43, 57, 59, 97, 149) providing a brake fluid path from the master cylinder to the wheel brake cylinder and a first normally closed solenoid actuable valve (61, 65, 67, 69, 139, 141) selectively opening during an anti-lock event to provide a path to bleed fluid from the associated wheel cylinder to the accumulator (11, 137).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Shull, James L. Lundy, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6634276
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pneumatic servomotor for an assisted braking, comprising a rigid casing (1) in which a moving airtight partition wall (2) defines a front chamber (3) and a rear chamber (4), a pneumatic piston (5) travelling with the moving partition wall (2), a plunger (8), housed within the piston (5) and driven by a control rod (7) and controlling the state of a three-way valve (9), force-transmitting means (10, 13, 17, 18, 31), adapted for receiving and transmitting at least one assistance force (Fa), exerted by a front face (51) of the piston (5) when the valve (9) puts the rear chamber (4) under a second pressure (Pa), the plunger (8) including a front section (81) comprising retaining means (18, 31) intended to tie down the front section (81) of the plunger (8) to the pneumatic piston (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stéphane Lacroix, Jean-Pierre Gautier, Philippe Richard, Pierre Pressaco, Fernando Sacristan, Juan Simon Bacardit, Bruno Berthomieu
  • Patent number: 6619565
    Abstract: An irrigation system for selectively providing water to various plants in a relative same area with different rates of application of water. The system has a first valve for connecting a water supply with a tube in a edging. The edging has vertical web with a flange for locating the tube in a fixed position within the area with respect to various plants. A plurality of second control valves are located on the tube in a plane tangent to the web such that a first end cap on each of the control valves is below an apex of the tube. Each second valve is characterized by a body having a first projection that extends into the tube. The body has a stepped axial bore that extends into the first projection to meet a cross bore for communicating water presented to the tube into the stepped axial bore. The stepped axial bore is connected to an outlet port in a first end cap by an internal port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Inventor: Timothy A. Abbott
  • Patent number: 6609594
    Abstract: Guide pins for retaining a caliper in an anchor of a disc brake assembly. The guide pins are characterized by a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end with a first diameter section that extends from the first end separated by a shoulder from a second diameter section that extends from the second end. The cylindrical body has a threaded axial bore that extends from a face on the second end toward the first end. A bolt has a shaft with threads thereon which mate with the threaded axial bore in the cylindrical body. A bushing is concentrically located on the shaft and in a corresponding axial opening in an ear that extends from the anchor. Torque applied to the bolt acts on and brings the bushing into engagement with the face on the second end of the cylindrical body however as the bushing has a greater length than the width of the axial opening of the ear, a desired gap is developed between a head on the bolt, the second end and the ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Djamel Charmat, Brian Roach
  • Patent number: 6606859
    Abstract: A master cylinder (12,212) including a housing (40,40a) with a bore (42,42a) for retaining a piston assembly (100,200) to define a first chamber (54) that is connected to wheel brakes (14,14′) in a first brake circuit and a second chamber (56) that is connected to wheel brakes (18,18′) in a second brake circuit. The piston assembly (100,200) includes a sleeve (102,202) and a concentric cylindrical body (110,210) whose respective first and second end surface areas define a first effective area (D1) while the second end surface area of the cylindrical body (110,210) defines a second effective area (D2) within the bore (42,42a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Mackiewicz, Raymond Kosarski, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6591734
    Abstract: A braking servomotor (10) having a rigid casing (12) with a movable wall (14) location therein to define a front chamber (16) and a rear chamber (18). The movable wall (14) carries a piston (22) that slidably receives an actuating rod (28) for a master cylinder (36). A control rod (28) is sliding located in a bore inside a piston (22) and moved as a function of an input force. The control rod (28) has an end that bears against a plunger (46) that has a finger (52) that biases a reaction disk (32) located at the rear surface of the actuating rod (28) to transmit a reaction force from the actuating rod through the plunger to the control rod. The servomotor (10) is characterised by a unidirectional clutch device (56) that responds to a predetermined speed at which an input force is applied to the control rod (28) to lock the actuating rod in relation to the piston (22), independently, of the reaction disk (32), the plunger (22) and the control rod (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Bosch Sistemas de Frenado. S.L.
    Inventor: Joan Simon Bacardit
  • Patent number: 6591611
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster (12) having a housing (100,200) with a first bore (102) separated from a second bore (104). The first bore (102) retains a power piston (50) and the second bore (104) retains a control valve (60). The first bore (102) is connected by a passage (112) to the second bore (104) that is connected to a source of pressurized supply fluid (24). In responsive to a desired braking force being applied to the input member (30,30′), the lever arrangement (80) moves the control valve (60) to allow controlled pressurized supply fluid to be communicated from the second bore (104) by way of passage (12) to the first bore (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Mackiewicz, William John Penninger
  • Patent number: 6569281
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a mop wherein a cylindrical member is fixed in a groove of a sponge. The cylindrical member has a smaller length than the sponge and a flat surface located midway between a first end and second ends thereof. The flat surface is located in a same horizontal plane as first and seconds lands defined by the groove in the sponge. A single screw is turned into the cylindrical member at the center of the flat surface and a handle is turned onto the screw until an end of the handle engages the flat surface. A roller with a smaller diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical member has a first axial projection, which is located in a first opening in a strap, and a second axial projection which is in a second opening in the strap. The strap is flexed and the first and second axial projections on the cylindrical member are located in third and fourth openings in the strap such that the roller and cylindrical member are parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur King Brown, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6568513
    Abstract: An adjustment arrangement for a non-servo drum brake having a hydraulic actuator that engages a first web of a first brake shoe and a second web of a second brake shoe. The hydraulic actuator on receiving a hydraulic input develops an actuation force for moving the first and second brake shoes from a rest position into engagement with a rotatable member to effect a brake application. An extendible member, that is connected to the first web and the second web, is extendable to define a running clearance in a rest position between the first and second brake shoes and the rotatable member. A lever arm, that is mounted on the first web, engages the extendable member. A resilient member extends between the lever to the second web to urge the first and second webs into engagement with the hydraulic actuator. The lever arm pivots on the first web as the first web moves through the running clearance during a brake application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Doolittle, Lawrence W. Rusk
  • Patent number: 6561596
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster (12) for use in a brake system (10) having a first housing (100) with a first bore (102) separated from a second bore (104). The first bore (102) retains a power piston (118) and the second bore (104) retains a control valve arrangement (170). A push rod (30) of an input arrangement (49) is connected to the power piston (118) and linked to the control valve arrangement (170) by a lever arrangement (50). A second housing (200) encloses the control valve arrangement (170), lever arrangement (50) and a projection (117) that extends from the power piston (118) to define a cavity or relief chamber (202) having a permanent low pressure. The input arrangement (49) supplies the control valve arrangement (170) with an input force in response to a braking force applied to the push rod (30) to regulate the communication of pressurized supply fluid from the second bore (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: William John Penninger, Robert Keller Wilson, Richard Becker McClain, Kenneth Scott Towers
  • Patent number: 6553888
    Abstract: A pneumatic servomotor for providing an assisted braking of a motor vehicle. The servomotor includes a plunger arrangement with a unidirectional clutch device (56). The clutch device (56) has a coaxial sleeve (58) that slides on a plunger (46) and a substantially ring-shaped key (60) with a given clearance around the sleeve (58). The key (60) is driven by a moving piston (22) in response to a predetermined rate of speed being applied to a control rod (38) by an input force. The predetermined rate of speed causes the key (60) to rock and lock the sleeve (58) with respect to the piston (22) independently of the control rod (38). The unidirectional clutch device (56) comprises at least one locking transverse face (76) for engagement with the sleeve (58). The face (76) is axially directed rearwards from a front end of the sleeve (58) to form a stop for a peg (78) located on the key (60) that extends radially towards the sleeve (58) for axial indexing an end locking position for the sleeve (58).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Juan Simon Bacardit
  • Patent number: 6554372
    Abstract: A brake system (10) having a brake booster (12) that is responsive to an operator brake input for providing a first input force to a master cylinder (13) to develop a first brake application and is responsive to a hydraulic input for providing a second input force to a master cylinder (13) to develop a second brake application. An electronic control unit (ECU) (40) receives first input signals from sensors (19) indicative of a speed for each wheel (14,14′,18,18′) in a brake system of the vehicle. The ECU (40) supplies a pump (42) with an operational input signal when a sensed wheel speed indicates a wheel lock may occur between a wheel and a surface during a brake application and simultaneous activates a decay valve (17) to release pressurized fluid from actuation of the wheel brake associated with the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Mackiewicz, Timothy Jay Albert
  • Patent number: D473120
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: S-B Power Tool Company
    Inventors: Jason Lind, Bob Pjevach, Marcus Burzynski, Brady Groth
  • Patent number: D473127
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventor: Tim Yoko
  • Patent number: D475434
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventor: Timothy A. Abbott
  • Patent number: D478452
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Inventors: Mona L. Kafka, Angela L. Schroeder
  • Patent number: D478501
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventor: Tim Yoko
  • Patent number: D481659
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventor: James Reimann