Patents Examined by Bradley T King
  • Patent number: 10780875
    Abstract: A spring brake chamber for pneumatic braking systems used in heavy commercial vehicles such as buses, trucks, trailers and tractors, includes a power spring configured to detect the parking position, the driving position and the situation in which the power spring is broken. The present invention allows the driver to be notified by sending a signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: ARFESAN ARKAN FREN ELEMANLARI SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI
    Inventors: Fuat Burtan Arkan, Remzi Sahinoglu, Omer Faruk Kulac
  • Patent number: 10781816
    Abstract: A hydraulic motor brake for providing load holding torque to a hydraulic motor and comprising a housing, a plate fixedly mounted within the housing, a piston mounted for bi-directional translation relative to the plate along a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of friction-producing members arranged such that the piston and plate at least partially define a brake release chamber and the piston, normally biased in engagement with the friction-producing members to produce load holding torque, translates away from the plate and disengages from the friction-producing members to stop producing load holding torque in response to pressurized hydraulic fluid being received by the brake release chamber. The hydraulic motor brake further comprises a wear plate with the brake housing and wear plate defining bores arranged in coaxial alignment with threaded bores of the hydraulic motor for detachably attaching the hydraulic motor brake to the hydraulic motor as a self-contained unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Sagar Chandrakant Patil, Yashvantrao Uttamrao Patil, Shivam Bhadoria, Trimbak Shridhar Attarde
  • Patent number: 10774896
    Abstract: A method for operating a controllable shock absorber may involve damping movement of a valve body by loading the valve body with a back pressure on an outflow side. Further, the controllable shock absorber may include a cylinder tube, a piston within the cylinder tube that divides the cylinder tube into two working spaces and includes a couple fluid leadthroughs connecting the working spaces, and first and second valve assemblies for damping piston movement in first and second actuating directions that are disposed on the leadthroughs. Each valve assembly may have a pilot control chamber and a valve plate that is either seated on or spaced apart from a valve seat in closed and open valve positions. Each valve plate can be prestressed closed by pressure loading the pilot control chamber. The pressures of the pilot control chambers can be set by a pilot control valve that comprises a movable valve body. As a result, an outflow cross section between the pilot control chambers and the working spaces can be set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP BILSTEIN GMBH, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hamers, Tobias Lenz
  • Patent number: 10773693
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a zero position of a brake pedal of a brake system of a motor vehicle. A separating valve arranged at least between a main brake cylinder and the respective wheel brakes of the brake system is opened in order to reduce a volume of the brake fluid in a secondary circuit of the brake system. At least one separating valve is then closed again after the volume of the brake fluid of the secondary circuit has been reduced by the predetermined volume amount, and the brake pedal is moved to a new zero position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Tobias Brok
  • Patent number: 10774898
    Abstract: A vibration reduction (VR) human support has exactly two paths to ground in each degree of VR: one provided by respective displacement actuators (DAs) for active VR, the other by one or more elastomeric damping bodies (EDBs). These paths extend from a frame for carrying a support structure for a live human, to a grounding for fixing the VR system in a vibrating environment. Each EDB is composed of a material having a dynamic Young's Modulus of 0.1-2.5 MPa, and a resilience test rebound height less than 40, and is positioned between the grounding and frame to provide elastic restorative forces and damping in each of the respective directions. The use of EDBs simplifies construction, and allows for a more compact arrangement, without reducing VR efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: National Research Council of Canada
    Inventors: Amin Fereidooni, Viresh Wickramasinghe, Yong Eric Chen
  • Patent number: 10773696
    Abstract: In the present invention, a brake device is equipped with: differential pressure control valves; pressure adjusting units which are connected to the differential pressure control valves through liquid passages; and a control device which controls the WC pressure Pwc in wheel cylinders by operating the differential pressure control valves and the pressure adjusting units. When predetermined suppression control permission conditions are satisfied while both the supply pumps of the pressure adjusting units and the differential pressure control valves are in operation, the control device performs self-excited vibration suppression control over the differential pressure control valves, the self-excited vibration suppression control being carried out in such a manner that a valve element separated from a valve seat is caused to abut on the valve seat, and, upon abutting on the valve seat, the valve element is separated from the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Takeya, Kosuke Hashimoto, Shun Nohira
  • Patent number: 10767722
    Abstract: Flows of magnetorheological fluid inside a mount are controlled to be stopped in the direction of the axis of the mount and in directions perpendicular to the axis by applying coil excitation current to an exciting coil, and thus the elastic properties of the mount are adjusted such that the mount is hardened in the axial direction and in the directions perpendicular to the axis. As a result, a variable damping force can be exerted on the external forces applied to the mount in the axial direction and in the directions perpendicular to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Inoue
  • Patent number: 10759398
    Abstract: An integrated system for engaging electric brakes of a towed vehicle when the towed vehicle separates from a towing vehicle, comprising a power source, a first junction pole configured to be connected with an electric ground, a second junction pole configured to be connected with the electric brakes of the towed vehicle, an electrical connector connecting the first junction pole with the power source, a breakaway switch, and a housing containing the power source, first and second junction poles, and the electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a first end fixedly connected with the first junction pole and the breakaway switch includes an electrical connector fixedly connected to the second junction pole. Another integrated system further housing the breakaway switch and comprising fixed connections between the first junction pole and the power source, the second junction pole and the breakaway switch, and the breakaway switch and the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL BATTERY COMPANY
    Inventor: Steve Crow
  • Patent number: 10759408
    Abstract: This electric braking device is provided with: an electric motor MTR that, in accordance with an operation amount Bpa of a braking operation member BP, generates a pressing force Fba, being a force pressing a friction member MSB against a rotary member KTB that rotates integrally with a wheel WHL of the vehicle; and a circuit board KBN to which a processor MPR and a bridge circuit BRG are mounted. The device is further provided with a rotation angle sensor MKA for detecting the rotation angle Mka of the electric motor, and drives the electric motor MTR on the basis of the rotation angle Mka. An end face Mmk of the rotation angle sensor MKA is fixed so as to be in contact with the circuit board KBN. The device is further provided with a pressing force sensor FBA for detecting the pressing force Fba, and drives the electric motor MTR on the basis of the pressing force Fba. An end face Mfb of the pressing force sensor FBA is fixed so as to be in contact with the circuit board KBN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Tomonori Katsuyama
  • Patent number: 10759407
    Abstract: An electric parking brake device generates pressing force by pressing friction materials against a brake disc by causing a piston to move by motor operation. A control device executes: parking processing wherein the motor increases the pressing force to an initial pressing force higher than a lower-limit pressing force; and re-drive processing wherein the motor is driven and the pressing force increased at a re-drive time, which is a predetermined time after the end of execution of parking processing. During parking processing, the control device uses one among the initial pressing force and the predetermined time, in addition to a pressing force decrease characteristic corresponding to an assumed temperature set for use in calculation, as a basis to calculate the other of the initial pressing force and the predetermined time such that the pressing force becomes equal to or less than the lower-limit pressing force at the re-drive time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Hanzawa, Tetsuaki Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 10753412
    Abstract: A bicycle brake disc assembly has a brake disc and a hub body that has a portion for connection to the brake disc. The hub body includes a radially outer portion provided with a plurality of stops arranged at different axial distances from an axial end of the hub body. The brake disc includes a central portion provided with an opening for at least partially receiving the connection portion of the hub body and for securing the brake disc to the hub body. The brake disc also has a protuberance configured to selectively contact one of said stops of the hub body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Nicola Zanella, Flavio Fusari
  • Patent number: 10752229
    Abstract: An electric braking device includes: an electric motor for pressing a friction member against a rotary member that rotates integrally with a vehicle wheel; a lock mechanism for locking rotation of the electric motor and applying a parking brake in accordance with operation on a parking switch; and a control for driving the electric motor and the lock mechanism. The control increases the electricity amount sent to the electric motor when a pressing force is less than a preset lower value at the time the parking switch is switched from off to on, starts actuating the lock mechanism when the pressing force equals or exceeds the lower value, and, when the pressing force is greater than a preset upper value greater than or equal to the lower value, starts actuating the lock mechanism when the pressing force equals or exceeds the upper value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Yasui
  • Patent number: 10752070
    Abstract: A clamping plate is dimensioned to secure a flexible spring member to an end member for forming a gas spring assembly. The clamping plate includes a clamping plate wall with an axis and opposing surface portions oriented transverse to the axis. An opening extends into the clamping plate wall from along each of the opposing surface portions. An elongated damping passage extends in a spiral configuration through the clamping plate wall in fluid communication with the openings. A gas spring assembly includes a flexible spring member that defines a spring chamber, and an end member with an end member wall that defines an end member chamber. The clamping plate is secured to the end member and retains the flexible spring member thereon. The elongated damping passage is in fluid communication between the spring chamber and the end member chamber. Gas transfer between the spring chamber and the end member chamber generates pressurized gas damping during use of the gas spring assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
    Inventor: Joshua R. Leonard
  • Patent number: 10752071
    Abstract: A pneumatic spring for a running gear of a motor vehicle, including a pneumatic spring cover and a pneumatic spring piston, wherein a pneumatic spring bellows composed of elastomer material is braced in air-tight fashion between the pneumatic spring cover and the pneumatic spring piston, wherein the pneumatic spring bellows is at least partially surrounded by a sleeve-like outer guide, wherein a corrugated bellows surrounds the pneumatic spring bellows and the outer guide, and wherein, between the outer guide and the corrugated bellows, there is provided a separately formed, air-permeable fastener by which the corrugated bellows is fixed to the outer guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Jens-Uwe Gleu, Tiberiu Popa-Bianu
  • Patent number: 10753418
    Abstract: Architected materials with superior energy absorption properties when loaded in compression. In several embodiments such materials are formed from micro-truss structures composed of interpenetrating tubes in a volume between a first surface and a second surface. The stress-strain response of these structures, for compressive loads applied to the two surfaces, is tailored by arranging for some but not all of the tubes to extend to both surfaces, adjusting the number of layers of repeated unit cells in the structure, arranging for the nodes to be offset from alignment along lines normal to the surfaces, or including multiple interlocking micro-truss structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias A. Schaedler, Alan J. Jacobsen, Zak C. Eckel, Sophia S. Yang, Adam E. Sorensen, Jacob M. Hundley, William Carter, Jie Jiang
  • Patent number: 10752076
    Abstract: A damper assembly includes a main tube disposed on a center axis and extending between a first and a second end defining a fluid chamber for containing a working fluid. A main piston is slidably disposed in the fluid chamber dividing the fluid chamber into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber. A piston rod is attached to the main piston for moving the main piston between a compression and a rebound stroke. The piston rod includes a rod extender attached to the main piston defining a compartment. A compression stop including an additional piston is slidably disposed in the compartment and movable between a first position in response to the compression stroke and a second position in response to the rebound stroke. The first position is the additional piston being disposed adjacent the main piston. The second position is the additional piston being axially spaced from the main piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: BEIJINGWEST INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Marcin Knapczyk, Pawel Slusarczyk
  • Patent number: 10746243
    Abstract: Disclosed is a disc brake including a stationary support arm which includes a C-shaped recess, a slide which fits closely to the walls of the recess, a brake pad including two lateral lugs, each of which is received in a recess with a slide inserted therebetween, and a spring for resiliently returning the brake pad to its inoperative position, including a portion for attachment to the stationary support. The attachment portion includes an attachment tab, at least one flange of the slide includes an attachment strip, and the attachment tab and the attachment strip include complementary element for connection by form-fitting interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FOUNDATION BRAKES FRANCE
    Inventors: Alexandre Foucoin, Didier Montegu, Xavier Labarre
  • Patent number: 10746248
    Abstract: A valve assembly includes a first valve plate defining at least one first opening and at least one second opening. A valve element located above the first valve plate has a central portion, and at least one tab extending outwards from the central portion. The at least one tab includes a narrow portion axially aligned with the at least one first opening such that the narrow portion at least partially covers the at least one first opening. The at least one tab is selectively provided with electrical energy to melt the narrow portion to form an orifice. The orifice is fluidly coupled with the at least one first opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Perry Paielli
  • Patent number: 10744989
    Abstract: This brake device is provided with: a brake actuator which applies to a wheel a brake torque depending on the rotation of an electric motor; a booster circuit which boosts a reference voltage outputted from a battery; and a motor control unit which controls the electric motor. Depending on the state of the booster circuit, the motor control unit switches between a first drive process for driving the electric motor by supplying thereto a boost voltage, which is a voltage that has been boosted by the booster circuit, and a second drive process for driving the electric motor by supplying a reference voltage to the electric motor and by performing spark advance control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Ota
  • Patent number: 10730358
    Abstract: A shock absorber including: a first cylinder having an interior, first and second ends and defining an axis, wherein the interior includes a damping fluid chamber and a damping piston movably mounted therein for movement between the first and second ends, wherein the damping piston is mounted on a first end of a shaft, wherein the first end of the shaft is movably retained within the interior of the first cylinder; first and second bypass openings configured for opening into the damping fluid chamber at first and second axially spaced-apart positions; a bypass channel fluidly coupling the first and second bypass openings; a fluid metering valve; and a floating piston dividing a portion of the shock absorber into a gas chamber and the reservoir chamber, wherein the fluid metering valve and the floating piston define the reservoir chamber there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: John Marking, Vegard Hamso