Patents Examined by Brian Cassidy
  • Patent number: 8579306
    Abstract: An in-line off-road skateboard includes a front wheel and a rear wheel in tandem, one foot platform mounted between the front and rear wheels and one foot platform mounted aft of the rear wheel, an articulating front wheel which is steered by tilting the board in the desired direction of travel, a steering assembly which is adjusted to control the radius of a turn and the level by which the steering assembly is able to respond when the board is leaned from side to side at various degrees, independent suspension for both wheels that can be adjusted for various lengths of wheel travel and for various types of terrains, and a rear disc brake that does not interfere with the ability of the rear suspension to respond to uneven surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Inventor: Michael George Lewis
  • Patent number: 8561744
    Abstract: A motor vehicle is provided with a power train having primary and auxiliary internal combustion engines which selectively feed power to a jackshaft. The power accumulated in the jackshaft is conveyed to a speed change transmission. Fuel economy is achieved by utilizing only one engine when lesser power is needed by the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventor: Gregorio M. Belloso
  • Patent number: 8544856
    Abstract: A skid shoe for a snowthrower is provided that includes a selected dual-faced, dual-angled approach surface, and an elongate footprint as compared to prior skid shoe devices. The skid shoe includes a runner element and a mounting flange element, each of which has dimensions and contours configured to maximize utility when mounted to a snowthrower. In particular, the skid shoe provides for smoothened operation of a snowthrower moving across uneven surfaces and/or abrupt transitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Inventor: Robert J. Sayre
  • Patent number: 8528679
    Abstract: An air intake system for a vehicle includes a grille disposed at a forward end of the vehicle for admitting airflow into an engine compartment of the vehicle and a scoop having a ramped surface for directing at least a portion of the airflow admitted through the grille upward toward an air intake of the vehicle. The ramped surface has an aperture defined therein for removing entrained particles from the portion of the airflow directed upward by the ramped surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joshua D. Stuckey
  • Patent number: 8522904
    Abstract: A battery mounting arrangement for a vehicle includes a compartment (e.g., an engine compartment), a cover disposed over the compartment (e.g., a hood disposed over an engine compartment) and a spring mounted set plate mounted to the cover for applying a hold down force on an associated battery mounted in the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nicky Strock
  • Patent number: 8523195
    Abstract: A snow sled has a seating portion having a lower portion that is configured to slide on snow. The sled also includes a steering portion formed separately from the seating portion and having a ski support, a single front ski, and an arm having opposing ends that are pivotably coupled to the ski support and the front ski. The sled further includes a steering mechanism pivotably coupling the seating portion and the ski support of the steering portion. The pivotable couplings between the arm and the ski support and the front ski, together with the pivotable couplings between the steering mechanism and the seating portion and the ski support, are configured to allow for the front ski to be folded and stored under the seating portion. A braking member can also be provided at each end of the opposing ends of the ski support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Stallion Sport Limited
    Inventor: Joseph Lin
  • Patent number: 8517400
    Abstract: In a steerable traveling trunk, a driving part is provided for converting a horizontal axis rotation of the handle into a vertical axis rotation at both ends of the handle and transferring the rotations as a user rotates the handle. A driving force transfer part is connected to the driving part and transfers rotational force of the driving part to a lower side of the traveling trunk body. An output part is connected to a lower side of the driving force transfer part and transfers rotational force depending on the rotation of the handle, to the wheels, thus adjusting steering angles of the wheels, and allowing the traveling directions of the trunk to be easily changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventor: Yun-Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 8511415
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system particularly adaptable for use in connection with golf carts which are driven over a charge station having a pair of elongated slots such that electrical pickups are lowered from the golf cart into engagement with electrically charged contact bars disposed within the slots thereby causing activation of a flywheel assembly to power the golf cart wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Inventor: Henry Copeland
  • Patent number: 8480117
    Abstract: A mobile, collapsible table and storage assembly for outdoor recreational use. The assembly includes: a storage compartment having a receptacle and lid, wheels at a first end of the storage compartment, a stand connected to the first end, a handle connected to the storage compartment at a second end, and folding legs connecting the receptacle and lid of the storage compartment. Each leg has a lower limb and an upper limb connected by a pivot, such that the limbs are movable between a folded and unfolded position. An end of one of the limbs at which the pivot is located has an extension portion which engages an adjacent end of the other limb to allow the lower and upper limbs to assume the unfolded position when forming an angle greater than 180 degrees. This prevents the table collapsing by buckling of the folding legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Inventor: Chrissie Purdy
  • Patent number: 8448957
    Abstract: Sulky apparatus for use behind a self-propelled machine including sulky operator riding apparatus for supporting an operator behind a self-propelled machine that the sulky apparatus is attached to, an upward extending control column adapted to be located near the operator controls for the self-propelled machine, a deployment boom attached to the sulky operator riding apparatus for deploying the sulky operator riding apparatus having a lower portion pivotally attached to the control column for deploying and for retracting the sulky operator riding apparatus to a stored position, and sulky apparatus control apparatus for controlling the operation of the sulky apparatus deployment boom. The control apparatus includes a gas filled cylinder and a chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Inventors: Steve R. Houston, Thomas Russell Stokes, Warren David Litchfield
  • Patent number: 8443928
    Abstract: An exhaust tail pipe includes a front outer tube, an inner tube and a rear tail pipe. The inner tube has a plurality of screw holes on one side mating a plurality of apertures formed on a rear coupling portion of the front outer tube to be fastened together by a plurality of bolts. The rear coupling portion is coupled on the front end of the rear tail pipe so that the rear section of the inner tube is held at the rear end of the rear tail pipe and fastened together by welding. Such a structure allows the front outer tube and rear tail pipe to be made of different materials, thus can maintain aesthetic appeal of the appearance to enhance product value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Liang Fei Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chin-Chuan Chang
  • Patent number: 8444172
    Abstract: A basket frame of a stroller comprises a connecting device connected between a front frame and a rear frame. The connecting device comprises a first connector having a first pivot part, a second connector having a second pivot part, and a torsion spring. The first pivot part is pivotally connected to the second pivot part. An application of a downward force on the rear frame deforms the torsion spring and causes the rear frame to pivot downward. A removal of the downward force causes a spring return to make the rear frame to return to a fixed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Company Limited
    Inventor: Manqun Cheng
  • Patent number: 8439375
    Abstract: A new dolly can be used for making either a vacuum cleaner supported by casters or one supported by wheels. Casters can be mounted in sockets in bosses near the dolly perimeter. Alternatively, axle mounts can be fitted over the bosses. Upright walls on the mounts engage corresponding walls on the underside of the dolly, forming spaced supports. An accessory component with molded upright walls is mounted onto the dolly, and its walls engage corresponding walls under the dolly. One fastener seats against one fastener surface on the accessory component, and extends into a hole in that fastener surface, an aligned opening in the corresponding axle mount, and into the dolly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Shop Vac Corporation
    Inventor: David Martinez
  • Patent number: 8408563
    Abstract: A sulky includes a frame having a cross-member and a pair of shafts spaced from each other and extending from the cross-member forwardly along an axis. A first wheel support and a second wheel support each rotatably extend downwardly from the frame and each engage wheels, respectively. Each of the first and second wheel supports includes an adjustment feature defining a plurality of adjustment positions. The wheels are engaged with the first and second wheel supports, respectively, and are independently adjustable relative to the first and second wheel supports, respectively, to any of the adjustment positions. The plurality of adjustment positions of the first and second wheel supports are located along lines generally extending rearwardly along the axis and upwardly relative to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Inventors: Beverly W. Ross, Gary Helzerman, Larry Carlson, Tamaira Ross
  • Patent number: 8381852
    Abstract: An electrical system for a motor vehicle includes first and second battery sets. The first battery set generally supplies power to vehicle electrical loads while the second battery set is used to energize the engine starter system. The vehicle's engine driven alternator is connected to recharge the first battery set. Recharging of the second battery set is provided by a charger connected to draw power from the first set and to transfer the power to the second set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Daron K. Zolman, Nicholas A. Gollmer
  • Patent number: 8348005
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor, a multi-stage gear transmission, and an actuator. The engine has a crankshaft, a crankcase, and a cylinder. The motor is provided on the crankshaft. Through the multi-stage gear transmission, an output of the crankshaft is changed to be used for traveling of the vehicle. The actuator is configured to automatically shift the multi-stage gear transmission and is provided in the crankcase in proximity to the motor. A radius from a center line of the cylinder to a part of the actuator farthest from the center line is shorter than a radius from the center line to a part of the motor farthest from the center line. The actuator has a width less than a width of the motor in a direction perpendicular to the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Hanawa, Takashi Tsutsumizaki