Patents Represented by Law Firm McGlew & Tuttle
  • Patent number: 7331733
    Abstract: A rocker pendulum for a motor vehicle, has an elongated, especially hollow basic body (1). The basic body (1, 11, 21, 31) has at least one section (1a, 11a, 21a, 31a), which forms or has a bearing shell of a ball and socket joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Georg Wolf, Frank Budde
  • Patent number: 7331439
    Abstract: A manufacturing plant (1) is provided for vehicle body parts (2, 3). The manufacturing plant includes a number of processing stations (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10), which are situated one behind the other along a transfer line (22), and of a number of multiaxial robots (18, 19). In at least one processing station (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10), one or more handling robots (18) for transporting parts is/are arranged on at least one axis of travel (20, 21). Next to the handling robot (18), one or more processing robots (19) is/are displaceably arranged on the same axis of travel (20). Working locations (11, 12) are arranged on both sides of a common axis of travel (20), whereby another common axis of travel can be provided on the rear side of the working locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: KUKA Schweissanlagen GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Degain, Robert Long, Hans Moser
  • Patent number: 7331093
    Abstract: A pieces hold-unit for machine tools such as workstations, transfer machines and milling machines is provided which comprises two parallel supports (12, 13) placed on a plane with at least a first of said support guided, controlled and movable with respect to the other one in order to approach and move them away, at least a first clamp-holder shaft (14) rotary mounted on the said first support and controlled for rotating, a second clamp-holder shaft (15) mounted on the other of said supports. Each shaft holds a clamp opposite to that of the other shaft, and one gear-reduction unit (16) is located at least on board of the support carrying said first shaft to follow the movements of said support and cause the gradual rotation of said first shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: DM2 di DUINA Gianfranco S.r.l.
    Inventor: Rosario Ferrari
  • Patent number: 7331094
    Abstract: A device for positioning components to be joined together, such as car body components, is characterized by at least one movable central module and a plurality of arms, movable in space and connected thereto and which in each case have at least one holding element for holding the components. By means of the inventive method for the positioning of the components to be joined together and for the performance of which the said device is particularly suitable, the components are held from a position within a desired arrangement of the components to be joined. In this way the assembled components during a subsequent tacking together and optionally further downstream production processes such as welding or the like, are accessible in optimum manner from the outside. Further advantages of the method according to the invention are a limited space requirement and possible balancing of the production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventor: Alwin Berninger
  • Patent number: 7331434
    Abstract: An impact absorber is provided for absorbing impact forces especially in case of a collision of a motor vehicle. The impact absorber includes an inner tube (1), which can be pushed into an outer tube (2) in a telescopic manner and which is closed with a bottom plate (3) at its free end projecting from the outer tube (2). Starting from the bottom plate (3) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (4) of the impact absorber, a gas space (5) filled with pressurized gas and a first, a fluid-filled liquid space (7), which is separated from the gas space (5) by a wall (6) displaceable in the inner tube (1), are arranged in the interior of the inner tube (1). The liquid space (7) is in connection through a throttle element with a second, fluid-filled liquid space (13), which adjoins the first liquid space (7) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (4) and is closed by a piston (9) fixed in the outer tube (2) towards the free end of the outer tube (2) in a liquid-tight manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Guido Steinbach
  • Patent number: 7329995
    Abstract: A serial lamp set having security warning functions comprising at least one serial lamp set unit composed of a plurality of light emitting elements, insulated electric wires, and power source connector; at least one IC set being connected in the serial lamp set for receiving the signal of electric power, generating pre-determined functions, having set limitation values of electric properties of the serial lamp set, emitting signals, such as a warning signal, and having set security warning functions. After the power connector is connected to the power source, a preset security warning signal shall be released at the time when the load of the serial lamp set is over the preset limitation value of an electric property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Willis Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Johnny Chen
  • Patent number: 7329390
    Abstract: A breath alcohol measuring device includes a flow chamber, for receiving exhaled breathing gas of a person, with a flow diaphragm. A differential pressure sensor has a first measuring connection via a first gas line (5) to the interior space of the flow chamber (2) upstream of the flow diaphragm (3), and a second measuring connection via second and third gas lines (12, 15) and a breath alcohol sensor (8) to the interior space of the flow chamber (2) downstream of the flow diaphragm (3). A throttling element (14) is present in the second gas line (12). The second gas line (12) is connected to a sampling system (9, 10), and an evaluating and control unit (6) is connected to the sensors (4, 8) and to the sampling system (9, 10) for controlling the sampling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Drager Safety AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Burkhard Stock, Dieter Krüger, Rigobert Chrzan, Hans-Jürgen Busack
  • Patent number: 7325289
    Abstract: A process is provided for manufacturing a ball and socket joint that has a ball pivot (2) that is composed of a pivot pin (3) with an essentially spherical ball head (4) arranged or made integrally in one piece on one side. A bearing shell (5) is provided as well as a preformed plastic film as a thin-walled ball socket (7) with a joint surface (8) enclosing the ball head at least partially. A lubricant (9) is introduced between the surface of the ball head (4) and the joint surface (8) of the thin-walled ball socket (7). According to the process, the thin-walled ball socket (7) is filled first with the lubricant (9). The ball head (4) of the ball pivot (2) is then introduced into the thin-walled ball socket (7) filled with lubricant (9), and the ball head (4) provided with the thin-walled ball socket (7) is subsequently introduced into the housing (10). Finally, the free space between the thin-walled ball socket (7) and the housing (10) is filled up with a material to form a bearing shell (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Frank Budde, Thomas Richter, Achim Möll, Jürgen Gräber
  • Patent number: 7323155
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing silane or hydrochlorosilanes by disproportionation of a higher chlorinated hydrochlorosilane or a mixture of said hydrochlorosilanes in the presence of a catalyst. Before the catalyst is used, it is a) washed with hyper-pure water in one or several steps; b) transferred in the water-moist state to the reactor in which the disproportionation is to proceed; c) treated in the reactor with boiling methanol or rinsed with anhydrous methanol; and d) the methanol is removed from the catalyst by evacuation and/or stripping with inert gas. The invention further relates to a method for treating disproportionation catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Solarworld Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Klein, Hans-Dieter Block, Hans-Joachim Leimkühler, Werner Dick, Dirk Müller, Johannes-Peter Schäfer
  • Patent number: 7324070
    Abstract: A monitoring device, process and system use an image recording device for recording an image falling on the eyes of the user of the device. The monitoring device includes a display and a signal processor with which at least the image signals recorded by the image recording device can be evaluated. An input medium and a storage medium are used for storing and retrieving information about the topology of the building. An instantaneous position of the user of the device is determined by evaluating the image signals sent by the image recording device by pattern recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Werner Jumpertz
  • Patent number: 7322457
    Abstract: A shifting device (1) for the mechanical coupling-free transmission of shift commands to an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle (shift-by-wire shifting), with at least one housing and/or one frame and one selector lever for the manual selection of shift commands for the vehicle transmission in at least one shift gate. The selector lever can be moved manually into at least four positions (P, R, N, D), pivotable about at least one shift axis. A transmission device(s) transmits the shift commands without mechanical coupling with the vehicle transmission (shift by wire). A mechanical coupling (16) is provided between the selector lever (2) and the transmission of the vehicle. This mechanical coupling (16) activates the parking brake exclusively and automatically when the selector lever (2) is engaged in the P position and is automatically uncoupled from the selector lever when the selector lever (2) is pivoted out beyond the adjacent position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder MetallWaren AG
    Inventors: Andreas Giefer, Jörg Meyer
  • Patent number: 7322510
    Abstract: A machining system and unit, especially a welding cell, is provided for use for the machining of workpieces (2), especially body parts of vehicles. The machining system has one or more machining stations (15, 16) with robots (18, 19, 20) and at least one rotation or turning station (5), which has at least two work stations (6, 7) for carrying out different operations simultaneously. The turning station (5) has at least two said multiaxially movable turning units (8, 9) arranged next to one another with said gripping tools (11, 12, 13). The working areas (10) intersect each other at the work stations (6, 7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: KUKA Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Kraus
  • Patent number: 7322769
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint for a motor vehicle, and especially for the chassis of the motor vehicle, with a ball-and-socket joint housing is provided with a joint opening (6), in which housing there is arranged a bearing shell (5). The ball-and-socket joint has a ball pivot (3) with a pin (2) and with a joint ball (1), which is rotatably and pivotably mounted in the bearing shell (5), in which case the pin extends out of the ball-and-socket joint housing (4) through the bearing shell (5) and the joint opening (6). The bearing shell (5) is made at least partially of a plastic mixed with an anti-adhesive material and reinforced with fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder MetallWaren AG
    Inventors: Frank Heuser, Frank Budde
  • Patent number: 7320548
    Abstract: A bearing shell with a spherical bearing surface for a ball and socket joint preferably for use in chassis suspensions or steering mechanisms of motor vehicles, which has essentially a joint housing and a bearing journal, which comprises a spherical surface and a pivot part and which is mounted with the spherical surface rotatably and deflectably in the spherical bearing surface of the bearing shell fixed in the joint housing, is presented, in which a filament fabric is embedded according to the present invention in the thermoplastic of the bearing shell (5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) at least in a partial area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Frank Budde
  • Patent number: 7321802
    Abstract: A process for setting an anesthesia apparatus or respirator with a control unit controlling the respiration is wherein a) after selecting an input sector for a respiration parameter by pressing the rotary and acknowledge switch and keeping it pressed beyond a preset first time threshold and by subsequently adjusting same corresponding to the direction of rotation of the rotary and acknowledge switch, an increase or decrease in the value of the selected parameter is brought about directly via the control unit, b) the set value of the selected parameter is changed over into the presetting by releasing the rotary and acknowledge switch, c) repeated pressing of the rotary and acknowledge switch and keeping it pressed within a second preset time threshold after releasing the rotary and acknowledge switch according to b) leads to the setting of the parameter selected with an increased or decreased value according to a), so that a further adjustment of the selected parameter setting is possible, d) pressing and rele
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Dräger Medical AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Carsten Wasner, Hubertus Koch, Franz Urbanski
  • Patent number: D559785
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Bien-Air Holding SA
    Inventor: Marc Tosetti
  • Patent number: D560842
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: FLOS S.p.A.
    Inventor: Philippe Starck
  • Patent number: D560843
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: FLOS S.p.A.
    Inventor: Philippe Starck
  • Patent number: D561378
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Flos S.p.A.
    Inventor: Philippe Starck
  • Patent number: D563012
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: FLOS S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Citterio