Patents Examined by Brian L Cassidy
  • Patent number: 9956131
    Abstract: A walker device is described herein including two side frames, each side frame including a front vertical support, a rear vertical support and at least one connecting member extending between the front and rear vertical supports. The walker device further includes a cross bar extending between the two side frames and pivotally connecting to the front vertical supports of the two side frames. The walker device also includes a tension device which applies a resistive force to the pivoting motion between the first cross bar and the two side frames. The walker device is therefore capable of a pivoting configuration which enables the user to learn or re-learn a more natural gait pattern including rotation of the upper and lower body. Some embodiments of the walker device include a second, auxiliary cross bar that is parallel to the first cross bar and horizontally offset from the first cross bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: Katherine Haik, Charles A. Haik
  • Patent number: 9951850
    Abstract: A drive assembly for a motor vehicle has a multi-step transmission and a differential drive. The multi-step transmission comprises a rotatingly drivable driveshaft and an intermediate shaft parallel to the driveshaft, and at least one first transmission stage and a second transmission stage for transmitting torque from the driveshaft to the intermediate shaft with different transmission ratios, as well as a shift unit, wherein the intermediate shaft comprises an output gear for transmitting torque to a differential carrier of the differential drive, wherein a rotational axis of the differential carrier extends parallel to the intermediate shaft, wherein the output gear and the shift unit are arranged axially between the at least two transmission stages, and wherein the driveshaft comprises bores for supplying lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Fred Kramer, Mark Schmidt, Ralph Mertens, Thomas Altenrath, Jiri Marks, Theodor Gassmann
  • Patent number: 9950574
    Abstract: An apparatus for delivering air through a powered axle assembly for use in automatic tire inflation systems. The apparatus comprises a base attachable to a non-rotating structure within the axle assembly and having the drive axle extend therethrough. A rotor is mountable in the axle assembly for rotation with the drive axle and for forming an air chamber between the rotor and the base and extending about the drive axle. An annular sealing member in sealing engagement with the rotor and the base is disposed within the air chamber and is rotatable with the rotor and with respect to the base. The base includes at least one air inlet for delivering air in a radial direction into the air chamber and the rotor includes at least one air outlet for air flow out of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: AIRGO IP, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle J. Berkness, Phillip K. Berkness
  • Patent number: 9950242
    Abstract: A ski for use on ice or snow is disclosed. The ski includes a ski body having a tip portion, a tail portion, and a longitudinal running length extending between the tip portion and the tail portion and a substantially flat bottom surface for sliding on snow or ice. The ski also includes a suspension system comprised of a substantially rigid support structure secured to the longitudinally central region of the said ski body at two attachment locations separated by a distance of at least 5 inches along the longitudinal axis of the ski body, and at least one resilient element configured to exert an opposing force between the support structure and the ski body in the area between the two attachment locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Anton F. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9944231
    Abstract: A retractable vehicle step is attachable to a vehicle or truck. The vehicle step facilitates access to a cargo hold, interior, or roof of the vehicle. Advantageously, the vehicle step may provide clearance space relative to a tailgate of the vehicle by displacing a stepping member of the vehicle step in a generally lateral direction. The vehicle step desirably has a covered and protected biasing mechanism for transitioning between retracted and extended positions of the stepping member. Advantageously, the vehicle step may be pulled out from under the vehicle by the foot of a user. Another advantage is that the vehicle step is readily attachable to the vehicle using already existing connection members, thereby generally eliminating or mitigating the need for customized retrofitting and avoiding undesirable installation cost and time. Finally, the vehicle step may be configured into at least two different arrangements for attachment to a vehicle utilizing the same components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Lund Motion Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Horst Leitner, Anthony Smith
  • Patent number: 9932072
    Abstract: A vehicle structure includes a battery, a chamber that is arranged on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of the battery and provided on part of an exhaust pipe through which emission gas from a fuel cell system is emitted outside a vehicle, and a side frame that is arranged between the battery and the chamber in the vehicle width direction and extends in a fore-and-aft direction. A slider member inclined inward in the vehicle width direction toward a lower side of the vehicle is arranged between the chamber and the side frame. A lower end portion of the slider member is in a position lower than a position of a lower end portion of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryota Imura, Masanori Hayashi, Tamaki Mikami
  • Patent number: 9926026
    Abstract: A trailer includes at least a plurality of fabric support connections that retain a plurality of fabrics spaced apart from one another so as, if desired, to insulate the roof and side walls of the trailer. In one embodiment, the plurality of fabric support connections are connected by way of extrusions to some of the sides of the trailer and further provide insulation by forming a double wall on those sides. In another embodiment, the plurality of fabric support connections form a double wall only on certain portions of the top side of the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: AWOL Outdoors, Inc.
    Inventors: Cedar Jon Vandergon, Kevin Arnold Fleischhacker, Scott Alan Davidson
  • Patent number: 9919591
    Abstract: A vehicle battery cooling structure is provided with a vehicle body, a battery unit and a cooling jacket. The vehicle body includes a floor panel and a vehicle body frame member. The battery unit is attached to the vehicle body frame member. The battery unit is arranged below the floor panel. The battery unit includes a battery case and a battery. The cooling jacket is attached to an upper surface of the battery case that houses the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Mizoguchi, Hirofumi Uchiyama, Shinya Ogata
  • Patent number: 9914043
    Abstract: The system disclosed and claimed herein is an electric propelling wheel and battery/motor control subsystem enabling the retrofitting of a standard skateboard, having standard truck and wheels, with electrical propulsion capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Inventors: Bin Lu, Alan Lu
  • Patent number: 9902255
    Abstract: A cooling assembly for a vehicle is capable of improving air-blowing efficiency through rotation of a fan at the time of stopping the vehicle and improving heat-exchange efficiency of a heat exchanger provided in an engine room of the vehicle through an increase in an amount of introduced driving wind at the time of driving the vehicle by including a valve assembly controlling introduction and discharge of the driving wind. The valve assembly is capable of preventing deterioration of wind-amount performance due to leakage of air by blocking a gap generated between the shroud and the valve assembly to minimize air leaked through the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Jong Yeol Kim, Dae Suk Park
  • Patent number: 9902251
    Abstract: A hydraulic pump is configured to mount within an internal receptacle defined by a housing of a hydraulically-powered component of a work vehicle. The pump has a housing defining one or more pump chambers. Each pump chamber communicates with a suction port and an outlet pressure port. Each pump chamber contains a pump assembly having a drive member at a fluid interface between the suction port and the outlet pressure port. The drive member is arranged for co-rotation with at least one power input component extending into the housing through each pump chamber. Rotation of each drive member displaces and pressurizes hydraulic fluid through the pump housing, and, when the pump is mounted within the internal receptacle, through internally ported passages routed through walls of the hydraulically-powered component housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Thomas Butts, Matthew B. Winhold
  • Patent number: 9889872
    Abstract: A multi-function stroller may comprise a lower chassis shell and an upper occupant shell connected by a quick release pivot joint that provides occupant accommodation that is secure and comfortable. In addition, the structural architecture is designed to allow safe adaptations to the axle configuration. Through flexible suspension arm mounting the suspension-hub-wheel/tire assembly can be quickly assembled/disassembled to provide alternative usage axle layouts. An ergonomic handle assembly may be coupled with the structure for pushing, pulling, towing, carrying, etc. When disassembled, the multi-function stroller can be folded into a compact storage mode. Thus, non-compromised performance, versatility, and usage functionality can be readily achieved and accomplished in a safe manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ignio LLC
    Inventors: Darren W. Somerset, Sunil Lall
  • Patent number: 9873032
    Abstract: Skate blade (10), which has an outside edge and an inside edge (2, 3), in the middle region (1) of which the outside edge and the inside edge (2, 3) are parallel and have the same height, and the blade has an anterior region (4) in front of the middle region (1), where the height (z) of the edges (2, 3) increases in forward direction relative to the height (z=0) assumed at the middle region, and it has a posterior region (5) behind the middle region (1), where the height (z) of the edges (2, 3) increases in rearward direction relative to the height (z=0) assumed at the middle region, and the width coordinate (y) of at least one edge (2, 3), at least in the anterior or in the posterior region (4,5) increases along and arched curve with the distance from the middle region (1) relative to the vertical central plane (6) interpreted at the middle region (1), and at every location in front or behind the middle region (1), where the width of blade (10) exceeds the value assumed at the middle region (1), both edges (
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Miklós Makai
  • Patent number: 9874264
    Abstract: A powertrain mount is connectable between a vehicle's powertrain component and body structure. The powertrain mount includes a moveable core and a housing for the moveable core. The housing supports the moveable core for movement relative to the housing, in one or more open degrees of freedom, to one or more floating poses where the moveable core is rigidly mechanically decoupled from the housing in the open degrees of freedom. A magnetic field generation system includes one or more housing-side magnetic devices at the housing and one or more moveable-core-side magnetic devices at the moveable core. The housing-side magnetic devices and the moveable-core-side magnetic devices are configured to collectively generate mutually balanced magnetic fields between the housing and the moveable core in the open degrees of freedom that retentively locate the moveable core in one or more floating poses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffrey D. Gaither
  • Patent number: 9862434
    Abstract: The present disclosure features standing electric vehicles for golf course travel that include a skateboard-like deck. The vehicles disclosed herein, referred to as “golf boards,” include features that enhance the safety and ease of use of the vehicle, including power-off electromagnetic braking systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Jay Radenbaugh, Robert Anthony Wilk, Starling T. Faraon, Dean F. Fuschetti, Joseph Israel Wolf
  • Patent number: 9849769
    Abstract: A structure for mounting a battery and a spare tire may include a battery bracket fixing the battery to an accommodating compartment recessed in a rear floor of a vehicle, and a tire mounting bracket fastened to the spare tire, disposed at an upper side of the battery, through a tire bolt, and fixing the spare tire to the rear floor, in which the battery bracket and the tire mounting bracket are separated so that a load applied to the spare tire is not transmitted to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Joo-Nam Kim, Ji-Ho Choi, Dong-Wook Kim
  • Patent number: 9845715
    Abstract: Such a mobile recycler that an operator can replenish a reducing agent tank with a reducing agent from the ground is provided. A reducing agent tank stores a reducing agent supplied to an exhaust gas treatment device treating an exhaust gas from an engine through reduction reaction. A tank case accommodates the reducing agent tank. The tank case has a support base supporting a container of the reducing agent for replenishment to the reducing agent tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Yasukuni Suemitsu, Takahito Hashino, Yasutaka Nishida
  • Patent number: 9840143
    Abstract: A coolant pump assembly having a combined hydraulic drive pump and a coolant circulating pump is disclosed herein, for use in connection with a utility vehicle, such as a ride-on or stand-on mower. Such a vehicle includes at least one combination pump assembly that utilizes a first fluid circuit to hydraulically drive a wheel of the vehicle and a second fluid circuit to cool one or more vehicle components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Scott W. Keller, Donald Rousser
  • Patent number: 9834088
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a front and a rear opposite to the front in a front-rear direction of the work vehicle, and a lateral direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The work vehicle further includes an engine, a hood, a fuel tank, a fuel supply path, a separator, and a front protector. The hood is to cover the engine. The fuel tank is to store fuel. The fuel stored in the fuel tank is to be supplied to the engine via the fuel supply path. The separator is provided in the fuel supply path to remove water in the fuel flowing through the fuel supply path. The separator includes a protruding portion protruding from the hood in the lateral direction. The front protector is provided at a front side with respect to the protruding portion of the separator to protect a front portion of the protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Inaba
  • Patent number: 9827843
    Abstract: A wheel of a roller includes a roller axis, the wheel being driven by an electric motor, wherein the electric motor is a hub motor which drives a hub body, which extends with circumferential spacing and surrounds the wheel axle, relative to the fixed wheel axle, wherein furthermore the wheel has a running surface. The running surface is formed on a running surface carrier and the running surface carrier is supported flush on the hub body at the back of the running surface. Further, a manually movable load truck includes one or more rollers, of which at least one roller has a driven wheel. Further, an operating device, in particular for a manually movable load truck, is formed having a substantially annular cross-section having a central through opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: TENTE GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Block