Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Tuttle
  • Patent number: 6918348
    Abstract: Disclosed is a watercraft comprising a body; a hull constituting a lower portion of the body; a deck having deck floors formed on both sides of the body in a width direction and a raised portion at least extending from a center portion of the body to a rear end portion of the body in a longitudinal direction and being raised from center-side end portions of the deck floors on both sides in the width direction so as to form an engine room that contains the engine, the deck covering the hull from above and constituting an upper portion of the body; a straddle-type seat mounted over an upper end of the raised portion of the deck for a rider to straddle with feet put on the deck floors on both sides; and a rear cowling mounted behind the seat and extending rearwardly from a rear end of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimoto Matsuda, Yoshiyuki Kuroyanagi
  • Patent number: 6915630
    Abstract: A method is described for operating an engine coupled to an emission control device that stores and reacts oxidants such as NOx. The method transitions from lean to stoichiometric or rich operation under various conditions. For example, a periodic transition is performed with an amount of NOx stored in the device reaches a threshold, or when a tip-in from idle conditions has been identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Jeffrey Scott Hepburn, John M. Roth
  • Patent number: 6916216
    Abstract: A small watercraft comprises an engine for propelling a body of the watercraft, an oil tank configured to reserve oil for lubricating the engine, an oil separator configured to separate the oil from a blow-by gas of the engine, and an oil return passage configured to return the separated oil to the oil tank, wherein a baffle member is provided in the vicinity of an opening portion at which the oil return passage opens in the oil tank so as to inhibit the oil from moving from a predetermined direction toward the opening portion of the oil return passage within the oil tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimoto Matsuda, Yasuo Okada
  • Patent number: 6917378
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a display system in a vehicle (01), having at least one camera, using which an observation region (02) in the surroundings of the vehicle (01) may be recorded, having an image processing unit, in which the image data coming from the camera may be processed, a display screen (05) inside the vehicle, on which the image data coming from the image processing unit may be displayed as an image (07), and a sensor system, using which the vehicle movement may be detected and relayed as movement data to the image processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Donnelly Hohe GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Tim Weis, Benno Tobias Schindler
  • Patent number: 6917425
    Abstract: The spectrometer comprises at least a first optical path for a beam of electromagnetic radiation, along which the following are set: a beam-entry slit (1) for an incoming beam; a collimator (5) comprising a convergent spherical mirror for collimation of the incoming beam; a first dispersor (9) for dispersion of the beam into its chromatic components; a first focusing system (19); and a first detector (21) which receives the beam dispersed and focused by said first focusing system. Set along the first optical path there is set at least one first aspherical corrector element (7; 17) comprising an aspherical mirror for correction of spherical aberration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Galileo Avionica S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alberto Caruso, Andrea Romoli, Matteo Taccola
  • Patent number: 6915717
    Abstract: An assembly unit for a motor vehicle is provided with a lever arm arranged in a bearing block pivotably around an axis on a bolt fixed in mounts of the bearing block. The bearing block has at least one section opening or expanding in case of an accident as a consequence of force acting on the assembly unit. The bolt disengages the mounts as a consequence of the acting force. After the assembly of the assembly unit, the bolt, which has an at least two-part design, has at least one connection area, on which the individual bolt parts are engaged with one another in a positive-locking and nonpositive manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Andree Burgstaler, Jan Dütz, Simone Pätzold
  • Patent number: 6912844
    Abstract: The invention relates to a new method and system for optimizing the efficiency of an automotive catalytic converter by adjusting the engine air/fuel ratio based on estimates of the actual amount of oxidants stored in the catalyst. An available oxidant storage capacity of the catalyst is determined by establishing an oxidant set point location, i.e., a location in the catalyst about which the system controls the oxidant storage. The oxidant set point is established based on the temperatures of the different potential set point locations and the levels of deterioration of the different potential set point locations, as well as the oxidant storage capacity of the emission control device system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald James Lewis, Kevin Ronald Carlstrom, Stanley Larue Bower, Jr., Stephen L. Hahn
  • Patent number: 6913495
    Abstract: A small watercraft comprises a four-cycle engine, an engine speed sensor configured to output a signal according to an engine speed of the engine, first and second hydraulic switches each configured to output a signal according to a pressure of oil, and an electrical control unit configured to control operation of the engine based on signals from the engine speed sensor, and the first and second hydraulic switches. The electrical control unit enters a first detection mode when the engine speed is within a first range, and limits the operation of the engine when detecting that the hydraulic pressure is not more than a first threshold. The electrical control unit enters a second detection mode when the engine speed is within a second range, and causes a notification lamp to be lighted when detecting that the hydraulic pressure is not more than a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6914783
    Abstract: A projection device is provided, wherein the projection device includes a digital micromirror device, a circuit board that further includes a first face and a second face, an integrated heat sink/stiffener; and a plurality of engagement mechanisms, wherein the plurality of engagement mechanisms is adapted to operatively couple the digital micromirror device to the first face of the circuit board and to secure the integrated heat sink/stiffener to the second face of the circuit board; and wherein the integrated heat sink/stiffener is adapted to provide structural support to the circuit board and to draw thermal energy away from the digital micromirror device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: InFocus Corporation
    Inventors: Tony Rogers, Clark Wilson, Gary Cook
  • Patent number: 6913410
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint (1) is provided with a sleeve (2) or a pivot (3) with a partial spherical surface (4) and with a bearing shell (5) surrounding the partial spherical surface (4) in a positive-locking manner with a hollow spherical bearing surface (6). The bearing surface (6) is arranged in a two-part housing (9, 10), whose housing halves (9, 10) have locking elements (15, 16) with detents (17) and locking grooves (18) mutually engaging one another, which lock the two housing halves (9, 10) with one another in a relatively immovable manner in the direction of the longitudinal axis (13) of the sleeve (2) or of the pivot (3) in their final assembled position. The bearing surface (6) for the partial spherical surface (4) of the sleeve (2) or of the pivot (3) is integrated in the inner surfaces of the two housing halves (9, 10) and these (9, 10) are surrounded on their outer surfaces (11, 12) by a metallic ring element (8) in a positive-locking manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Arnold Blanke
  • Patent number: 6913409
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint for motor vehicles has a ball pivot with at least a joint ball (4) accommodated rotatably and/or pivotably in a bearing shell (2) of a housing (3) and a pivot section (5). A sealing bellows is provided with a first edge area (7) fastened to the housing (3) and withe a second edge area (8) has a sliding connection with a thrust ring (9), which is fixed on the pivot section (5) and comprises an axial shoulder (10) and a radial shoulder (11), wherein the radial shoulder (11) of the thrust ring (9) forms a wave-shaped contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Patent number: 6913499
    Abstract: An exhaust passage configured to discharge an exhaust gas from an engine of a small watercraft, comprises at least a first exhaust pipe, a second exhaust pipe connected to the first exhaust pipe, and a connecting structure configured to connect the first exhaust pipe and the second exhaust pipe to each other, the connecting structure including a first tubular insertion end portion provided at a connecting end portion of the first exhaust pipe so as to protrude toward a connecting end portion of the second exhaust pipe, a second tubular insertion end portion provided at the connecting end portion of the second exhaust pipe so as to accommodate the first tubular insertion end portion of the first exhaust pipe, a ring groove formed to extend circumferentially over an entire outer peripheral face of the first insertion end portion, and a seal ring configured to engage in the ring groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6910449
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine that can be operated in compression ignition mode, comprising a fuel injector (2) for each cylinder; a fuel injection control unit (4) for controlling fuel injection quantity and a piston (5) in each cylinder whose compression action causes a mixture of air and fuel to be ignited. The engine is further provided with inlet and outlet valves (6, 7) and sensors (12-16) for measuring various engine operating parameters, is disclosed. During compression ignition mode, the control unit controls the fuel injector to perform a first fuel injection before, and a second fuel injection after top dead center of the piston stroke during or after a negative valve overlap period. A method for operating the engine and a computer readable storage device (4) having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a computer to implement a compression ignition for an internal combustion engine is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hans Strom, Lucien Koopmans
  • Patent number: 6910990
    Abstract: An engine control system controls engine torque to transition through the transmission and driveline's lash zone. The transmission and driveline's lash zone is indicated using information of the speed ratio across the torque converter. This information is then supplemented with information of the driver's request and vehicle speed so that engine torque is adjusted at various predetermined rates based on current operating conditions. As such, the system can reduce undesired drive feel that otherwise may occur as the system passes through the transmission and driveline's lash zone. By limiting the change of torque in this way, driveability, while at the same time maintaining acceptable performance response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Doering, Michael J. Cullen, Rob Ciarrocchi
  • Patent number: 6910270
    Abstract: A rhomboidal blade includes a blade footing (2) of rhomboidal cross section and a blade body (1) for axial turbo engines is worked out from a solid blank (3) by machining. The blank (3) is cut off as a bar from a hot-rolled, bar-shaped input stock, whose cross section has the shape of a rhomboid which is adapted to the shape of the cross section of the rhomboidal blade footing (2). The blank is larger on all size than the maximum cross section of the blade by only the minimum oversize (5) for machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Man Turbo AG
    Inventor: Hans-Egon Brock
  • Patent number: 6908215
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dynamically sensitized decorative lighting equipment wherein a plurality of lighting elements such as miniature decorative lamps or LEDs is divided in several individual groups which are hung on a structural framework and configurated into special patterns of variety of artistic contours to exhibit a unique and dynamical sensitization lighting effect by partially constantly turning on and partially alternatively glittering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventor: Jeng-shyong Wu
  • Patent number: 6908352
    Abstract: The present invention provides a towable watersports handle assembly such as might be used for waterskiing, wakeboarding, etc. The towable watersports handle assembly may include a grip adapted to provide the user with a grippable surface, a bridle, and a fastening device configured to reversibly secure the bridle to the grip such that a user can quickly and easily remove and replace the grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Straight Line Sports, LLC
    Inventor: Andrew Richards
  • Patent number: 6907983
    Abstract: A conveying device (1) with change of direction for conveying stock, preferably on pallets (2), along a first conveying line (3) and along a second conveying line (4) oriented in a different direction, and with a transferring system for transferring the pallets from the first to the second conveying line. The transferring system is provided in the form of a driven linear conveying track (5) for receiving the pallet(s) (2) from the first conveying line (3), for linearly advancing it/them on the linear conveying track and for transferring the pallet(s) to the second conveying line (4). The linear conveying track can swivel around an essentially vertical axis (7) between the first and the second conveying line via a driven swivel device (6). The vertical axis is located outside of the conveying track center (m) of the linear conveying track (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Knapp Logistic Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Freudelsperger, Wilfried Waukmann
  • Patent number: D506580
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Action Japan, Inc.
    Inventor: Keizo Nishimura
  • Patent number: D506935
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Fabrique de montres Rotary S.A. (Rotary Watch Company Limited)
    Inventor: Robert Mark Dreyfuss