Patents Examined by Bradley King
  • Patent number: 8733520
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an impact sensitive damper damping vibration transferred from a road surface to a vehicle, and more particularly, to an impact sensitive damper in which handling stability may be achieved in a low speed operating section of the damper and improvement of ride comfort may be achieved in a high speed operating section thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Hong Sig Kim
  • Patent number: 8727455
    Abstract: A brake control apparatus for a vehicle having a regenerative braking system, has first to fourth brake circuits, a pump, a gate-out valve, an inflow valve, an outflow valve, a reservoir, a fluid suction cylinder, a branch oil passage, a switch valve, a regulation valve, and a hydraulic pressure control unit. The hydraulic pressure control unit controls a brake fluid pressure by operating the gate-out valve, the inflow valve, the outflow valve, the switch valve and the pump in accordance with a regenerative operation state of the regenerative braking system. Also the hydraulic pressure control unit stores the brake fluid flowing out from a master cylinder in the fluid suction cylinder by operating the pump when the regenerative braking system works, and supplies the brake fluid stored in the fluid suction cylinder to a wheel cylinder when a regenerative braking amount of the regenerative braking system lowers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro Higuma, Kotaro Koyama
  • Patent number: 8720651
    Abstract: A bicycle hydraulic caliper brake apparatus includes a first brake arm with a first bearing surface, a second brake arm with a second bearing surface, and a hydraulic control device that includes a housing and a piston unit. The first bearing surface non-lockingly engages the piston unit, and the second bearing surface non-lockingly engages the housing. At least one of the piston unit or the housing engages a corresponding first or second bearing surface so that the piston unit or the housing rotates at least in part around an axis that is substantially parallel to at least one of the rotational axes of the brake arms. The housing is carried by the first brake arm and the second brake arm so that the housing moves together with the first brake arm and the second brake arm relative to a bicycle frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Daisuke Nago
  • Patent number: 8721009
    Abstract: An anti-skid braking system for an aircraft having a brake pedal in communication with a master cylinder and fluid reservoir, and a brake caliber engaged with a wheel. The system includes a three way hydraulic valve controlled by a solenoid wherein the hydraulic valve is in fluid communication with and between the master cylinder and fluid reservoir and the brake caliper. A double acting spring loaded accumulator has an accumulator piston wherein the accumulator is in fluid communication with and between the three way hydraulic valve and the brake caliper. A hydraulic pump is in fluid communication with and between the three way hydraulic valve and the brake caliper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Advent Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald Roberts
  • Patent number: 8720652
    Abstract: A braking system comprising a reconfigurable caliper piston adapted for, and a method of, retracting a brake pad utilizing active material actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Domenic Certo, Alan L. Browne, Paul W. Alexander
  • Patent number: 8714317
    Abstract: A disc brake having spaced apart first cantilever beams that extend from an anchor and second cantilever beams that extend from the first beams back toward the anchor. A caliper is retained on the anchor by a pin to align first and second friction members with a rotor. Pressurized fluid that acts on a piston moves the first friction member into engagement with the rotor creates an axial force that axially slides the caliper on the pin and moves the second friction member into engagement with the rotor to create a clamping force that urges the friction members into engagement with the rotor. The clamping force rotates the caliper on the pin and brings the first friction member into engagement with the first cantilever beam and the second friction member into engagement with the third cantilever beam to oppose the rotation of the caliper during a brake application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: John E Mackiewicz
  • Patent number: 8714318
    Abstract: A spring-type brake actuator for a pneumatically-operated vehicle brake is provided, in which the portion of the brake actuator containing the parking brake actuation power spring is arranged to be vented to atmosphere but not to permit entry of outside environmental air into the power spring chamber, the spring-type brake actuator being provided with an internal breather valve which permits clean dry air from the parking brake release chamber to enter the power spring chamber which the pressure difference between the chambers falls to within a predetermined pressure range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake, LLC
    Inventors: Brett S. Darner, Ronald S. Plantan, Mark J. Kromer, Randy J. Salvatora
  • Patent number: 8708115
    Abstract: A device is described for vibration damping, which is attachable on a mechanical structure or integratable therein, having at least one mass which is indirectly or directly operationally linked to the structure via elastic means, referred to as the so-called damper mass, and at least one actuator for changing a stiffness which can be associated with the elastic means. The invention provides an electrical power source, which is capable of generating electrical power exclusively using an oscillating relative movement resulting along the operational link between the damper mass and the structure, and a regulating unit, which is connected to the electrical power source, which activates the at least one actuator as a function of the vibration behavior of the structure based upon a vibration damping rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Sven Herold, Dirk Mayer
  • Patent number: 8701844
    Abstract: The invention relates to a brake dust collector (10) for a disc brake (12) comprising a brake disc (18) and a brake caliper (16) clasping the latter. The brake dust collector (10) includes a housing (24) designed to clasp a portion of the brake disc (18) directly adjoining the brake caliper (16) in the main direction of rotation (R) of the brake disc (18). Provided arranged in the housing (24) is a brake dust retainer comprising a plurality of brake dust intake ports. To ensure practically total retainment of the resulting brake dust without detrimenting, indeed, even improving the cooling of the disc brake (12) the housing (24) features a plurality of air intake ports (34; 38) separate from the inner brake dust intake ports, making it possible to direct the inflow of air in the direction of the brake disc (18) and into the inner brake dust intake ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: KT Projektentwicklungs-GmbH
    Inventor: Konstantinos Tsiberidis
  • Patent number: 8702181
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for operating a brake system for motor vehicles that can be actuated in a “brake-by-wire” operating mode both by the vehicle driver and independently of the vehicle driver, and that is operated preferably in the “brake-by-wire” operating mode, and that can be operated in a first fallback operating mode wherein a brake force amplifier is available, and in a second operating mode without brake force amplification, in which only operation by the vehicle driver is possible. According to the invention, the “brake-by-wire” operating mode, provided as the normal operating mode, is divided into energy-saving and high-power operating modes, between which a switch is made depending on the braking situation, and using different components of the hydraulic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventor: Stefan A. Drumm
  • Patent number: 8702075
    Abstract: A unique, adjustable collar for a shock absorber coil-over spring is positioned on top of the coil-over spring and below the shock lock nut. The collar serves as a bearing that can be adjusted to increase or decrease the tension applied to the coil-over spring making for easier adjustments. The collar in the preferred form has eight (8) conical gears that mate with corresponding teeth in the top. The gears are turned clockwise or counterclockwise to respectively raise or lower the ride height of the vehicle. A typical one quarter inch (¼?) socket extension or similar tool can be used to turn the gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Inventor: Matthew C. Moorefield
  • Patent number: 8695767
    Abstract: A device for braking the movement of a movable member with respect to a support structure includes a casing fixable to the movable member or to the structure and defining a chamber containing a viscous braking fluid, and a rotor, operationally associable with the movable member or with the structure, and which is rotatably connected to the casing and is mounted thereon so as to close the chamber. The rotor includes a piston-like member or portion, mounted so as to slide within the chamber in such a way as to separate the chamber into separate regions in mutual fluid communication. The piston-like member or portion is movable integrally with the rotor, such that rotation of the rotor brings about a rotatory displacement of the piston-lie member or portion, braked by the resistance to the passage of the fluid from one region to the other of the chamber caused by the displacement of the piston-like member or portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Inventor: Antonino Cultraro
  • Patent number: 8690266
    Abstract: To configure brake fluid a pressure controlling unit to open a high pressure control valve to allow a high pressure generating unit that generates a brake fluid pressure higher than the brake fluid pressure according to brake pedal operation of a driver and a brake fluid pressure adjusting unit that adjust the brake fluid pressure to wheel cylinders to communicate with each other, when actual deceleration of a vehicle becomes lower than target deceleration by execution of anti-lock brake control during brake assist control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8684341
    Abstract: A torque rod having an arm portion, a ring portion formed on each end of the arm portion in a longitudinal direction of the arm portion, and a rubber bushing that is integrally provided with the ring portion. The arm portion is formed from a material that is lower in specific gravity than iron. A weight is provided in a portion of the rubber bushing other than a principal spring portion. The principal spring portion, which absorbs principal vibration to be isolated, is formed by an elastic arm portion that extends radially outwardly from an inner cylinder located substantially in a center of the rubber bushing and is connected to the ring portion. An aperture, which is a separation space, is provided between the elastic arm portion and the ring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignees: Yamashita Rubber Kabushiki Kaisha, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironao Nishimae, Nobuo Kubo, Hiroshi Yanagase
  • Patent number: 8684342
    Abstract: A coil spring has a spring wire wound in a coil shape having an outer diameter side portion and an inner diameter side portion on a peripheral shape in a cross section thereof, one of the outer diameter side portion and inner diameter side portion formed in a semi-circular shape expressed by x2+y2=b2, the other thereof formed in a non-circular shape with a long diameter “a” and a short diameter “b” expressed by (x/a)?+(y/b)?=1, and value of the “?” set in a range of 1.85 to 2.45, and contact faces provided between the inner diameter side portion and the outer diameter side portion on the peripheral shape in the cross section such that each contact face comes into contact with a contact face of an adjacent coil in an axial direction along an axis line of the coil spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel Fenioux, Nobuharu Kato, Takeshi Yabushita
  • Patent number: 8678144
    Abstract: An apparatus for a bicycle brake comprises a housing with a first piston bore and a second piston bore, a first piston disposed in the first piston bore, a first piston rod attached to the first piston and extending from the first piston toward the outside of the housing for coupling to a first brake arm, and a second piston disposed in the second piston bore. The first piston moves along a first piston axis, and the second piston moves along a second piston axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshio Tetsuka, Kenji Nakahara
  • Patent number: 8672101
    Abstract: An improved self-adjusting automatic slack adjuster for reducing slack in the brake of a vehicle is provided, in which an easily accessible external operating feature permits the automatic slack adjuster's one-way clutch assembly to be readily disengaged to allow smooth release and retraction of the brake shoes of a vehicle brake without damage to the one-way teeth of the clutch assembly. When the external feature is operated in a brake release direction, the motion of the feature is translated into a motion which axially displaces an output part of the one-way clutch away from an input part of the clutch a distance sufficient to disengage the parts' one-way teeth, thereby disengaging the one-way clutch to permit brake shoe retraction without resistance from the one-way clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC
    Inventors: John R. Louis, Zoltan Tormasi, Mark J. Kromer
  • Patent number: 8672304
    Abstract: An anti-vibration device includes a tubular first attachment member connected to either a vibration generating section or a vibration receiving section; a second attachment member connected to the other of the vibration generating section and the vibration receiving section; a first rubber elastic body elastically interconnecting the first and second attachment members; a liquid containing a first liquid and a second liquid which are insoluble in each other, the second liquid having a smaller surface tension than the first liquid, and the second liquid in the liquid weighing less than the first liquid in the liquid; a partition member partitioning the inside of the first attachment member into a main liquid chamber and a sub liquid chamber, the main liquid chamber having a first partition wall and having a portion of the liquid enclosed therein, an inner volume of the main liquid chamber changing due to deformation of the first rubber elastic body, a part of the first partition wall being formed of the first
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ueki
  • Patent number: 8668059
    Abstract: An improved unit guide wear plate for brake beams, which provides a brake beam centering force and aligns the movement of a brake beam end guide within the side frame of a railroad car truck so that the brake shoes can provide the maximum amount of force against the wheels when stopping the railroad car, and which is less prone to fracture than current unit guide wear plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Stucki de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V.
    Inventors: Jorge Alberto De La Fuente-Farias, Jerome A Malachowski
  • Patent number: 8668282
    Abstract: A brake-by-wire system uses a time sequence type that determines road conditions before initialization, initializes EWBs (Electro Wedge Brake) at the left/right front wheels and EMBs (Electro Mechanical Brake) at the left/right rear wheels with time differences on the basis of the determined road conditions. Therefore, the clamping force in at least any one of the EWBs and the EMBs is maintained in any circumstances, thereby avoiding a situation that all the braking force of a vehicle is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bonggeun Cho