Patents Examined by Brodie Follman
  • In-wheel motor system
    Patent number: 8720623
    Abstract: Disclosed is an in-wheel motor system including: an in-wheel motor mounted inside a wheel and generating a driving force; an oil pump provided adjacent to the in-wheel motor and supplying cooling oil into the in-wheel motor; and an oil tank provided under the in-wheel motor and collecting cooling oil discharged from the in-wheel motor, wherein the oil pump and the oil tank are arranged at a lower end of the in-wheel motor and between the in-wheel motor and a steering tie-rod in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle so as to be located at a more inner position than a knuckle in a widthwise direction of the vehicle. In the in-wheel motor system, the oil tank and the oil pump may be efficiently arranged to minimize the size of the oil tank and to improve the cooling performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Hyun Kim
  • Thermal management system and method
    Patent number: 8720344
    Abstract: A system includes an interior duct, a blower, a vent coupling, and a secondary duct. The interior duct is fluidly coupled with the inlet and with an energy storage device disposed in a vehicle. The blower draws cooling fluid received through the inlet and through the interior duct to cause a first portion of the cooling fluid to flow over and/or through the energy storage device. The vent coupling directs the first portion of the cooling fluid that flowed over and/or through the energy storage device into a vented area. The secondary duct directs a second portion of the cooling fluid from the interior duct into the vent coupling to mix with the first portion of the cooling fluid after the first portion of the cooling fluid flows over and/or through the energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, John D. Butine
  • Automobile comprising an electric engine powered by a power supply module
    Patent number: 8708076
    Abstract: The invention relates to an automobile, comprising an electric engine powered by a power supply module (10) to which a pipe (11) for extracting the hot air generated by said module is connected, and a structure including a floor (2) defining the lower portion of the vehicle passenger compartment. According to the invention, one of the ends (12) of said extraction pipe (11) is in communication with an opening (3) formed in the floor (2) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventors: Sebastien Hureaux, Flavien Berger, Eric Alpy, Maxime Spehner, Benoit Luc
  • Vehicle front portion structure
    Patent number: 8689925
    Abstract: A cooling unit that is cooled by heat exchange with air is disposed at a rear side in a vehicle longitudinal direction of a power unit. Further, a cooling fan is disposed at a rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the cooling unit. Further, catalytic converters are disposed at a rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the power unit. A periphery of these catalytic converters is surrounded by a heat insulator. A duct portion, that communicates an interior of the heat insulator and a space between the cooling unit and the cooling fan, is provided at this heat insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Ajisaka
  • Hockey skate
    Patent number: 8684368
    Abstract: A skate assembly includes a shell structure and a removable tendon guard. The shell structure includes a heel portion, a lateral ankle portion, and a medial ankle portion. The heel portion is formed to cover a human heel. The lateral ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The medial ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The lateral ankle portion and the medial ankle portion are spaced apart to form a notch extending toward the heel portion. The removable tendon guard is removably attached between the lateral ankle portion and medial ankle portion to cover the notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Easton Sports, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Van Horne, David Cruikshank, Neil Wensley, Dmitry Rusakov
  • Modular dolly kit
    Patent number: 8684372
    Abstract: A modular kit for constructing a dolly comprising of at least one strut having a first and second end, and a first, second, and third through hole; at least one first connector; at least one second connector, each first connector removably attaches to each second connector, hereinafter referred to as a connector assembly, after at least two struts have been modularly assembled, each connector assembly is threaded through either the first, second, or third through holes of each respective strut; and at least one caster assembly, each caster assembly removably attaches to each connector assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Inventors: Luca Buttazzoni, Andres Bernal
  • Electric motor wheel assembly
    Patent number: 8678117
    Abstract: A motor wheel assembly for a motor vehicle comprises a radial flux brushless electric motor having a plurality of stator magnets arranged along a circumferential path; a wheel; first connecting means to connect motor to wheel in a torque transfer manner and second connecting means suitable for connecting motor to the motor vehicle. The motor wheel assembly defines a seat interrupting the sequence of stator magnets along the circumferential path and is suitable for housing a caliper of a braking system of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Three Tilting Wheels S.R.L.
    Inventors: Stefano Carabelli, Fabio Cavalli
  • Portable convertible wheelchair
    Patent number: 8678402
    Abstract: A portable wheelchair is easily convertible between a conventional or street wheelchair and a specialty wheelchair through the use of conversion components, some of which are mounted permanently to the wheelchair and some of which are received by the mounted conversion components. In one form, the portable specialty wheelchair is a portable beach wheelchair while in another form the portable specialty wheelchair is an all-terrain wheelchair or trail chair. Preferably, but not necessarily, the portable convertible wheelchair is foldable in order to provide added versatility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Inventor: Arlen Helterbrand
  • Tank support arrangements for a vehicle
    Patent number: 8672359
    Abstract: An object is to provide a vehicle in which the configuration of a frame supporting a tank is effectively used. In order to achieve such an object, the vehicle includes a tank supported by a pair of side frames and cross frames which traverse the side frames, wherein a displacement suppression target on a vehicle floor is supported by the cross frames, the displacement suppression target having a relative displacement during an action of an external force on the vehicle, needed to be suppressed. The tank is preferably suspended on the cross frames. In addition, the displacement suppression target is preferably attached to the cross frames on which the tank is suspended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Ohashi
  • Bicycle hub with integrated motor
    Patent number: 8657047
    Abstract: A bicycle hub comprises a hub axle, a motor case and an integrated motor. The hub axle has a pair of frame attachment ends. The motor case is mounted on the hub axle such that the bicycle frame attachment ends protrude out of opposite axial ends of the motor case. The motor case including a recessed portion that is configured to receive a bicycle frame that is mounted to the bicycle frame attachment ends of the hub axle. The integrated motor is operatively mounted between the hub axle and the motor case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Urabe, Takahiko Hayashi, Takafumi Saiki, Tomofusa Ishizeki
  • Stroller with assistant wheel
    Patent number: 8657325
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a stroller including a foldable stroller skeleton, a front-wheel assembly and a rear-wheel assembly installed on the foldable stroller skeleton, a frame pivotally connected to the foldable stroller skeleton and an assistant wheel pivotally connected to the frame for being capable of contacting a ground by cooperating with the rear-wheel assembly as the frame approaches the rear-wheel assembly by rendering the foldable stroller skeleton folded. The stroller can be in a standing state so as to facilitate users to carry after being folded. The assistant wheel is rolling as the stroller is dragged so that users can save more effort to drag the stroller. The stroller is standing by the assistant wheel and the rear-wheel assembly, instead of the front-wheel assembly and the rear-wheel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Company Limited
    Inventor: Zhi-Ren Zhong
  • Wafer box conveyor
    Patent number: 8657310
    Abstract: The wafer box conveyer includes a chassis, a transverse moving mechanism, a longitudinal moving mechanism, a loading mechanism and a shock reduction mechanism. The chassis includes a frame and a plurality of wheels mounted under the frame. The transverse moving mechanism is movably connected to the frame. The longitudinal moving mechanism is movably connected to the transverse moving mechanism. A moving direction of the longitudinal moving mechanism is perpendicular to that of the transverse moving mechanism. The loading mechanism includes at least one tray for a wafer box. The shock reduction mechanism is disposed between the at least one tray and the frame for absorbing a load of the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Gudeng Precision Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yung-Chin Pan
  • Pushing vehicle for transporting a child, modular supporting system, and components
    Patent number: 8657308
    Abstract: A pushing vehicle is described for transporting at least one child, including: a wheeled chassis including a chassis frame and a plurality of wheels that are rotatably mounted relative to the chassis frame to support the chassis frame above a ground surface and which enable the chassis to be moved along the ground surface; a passenger support for supporting a child; wherein the passenger support is attachable to the frame in a mounting position by a single tool-less attachment mechanism for attaching an underside of the passenger support to the chassis frame, to support the passenger support generally above the wheeled chassis. Also described are related modular seating systems and a supporting compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Phil and Teds Most Excellent Buggy Company Limited
    Inventors: Campbell Gower, James Richard Andrews
  • Construction machine or transfer apparatus
    Patent number: 8657057
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, in particular a construction machine configured as a mobile excavator or a transfer apparatus, having an undercarriage carrying a chassis and having a superstructure connected thereto, wherein the superstructure is made up in a modular manner of at least two modules which can be releasably coupled to one another, and wherein at least one drive module is provided which forms an operable unit of a machine drive and a machine cooling system and at least one further module includes one or more superstructure components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Bolz, Rolf Eberhardt, Stefan Schott
  • Collapsible stroller
    Patent number: 8651511
    Abstract: A collapsible stroller has a collapsing operation in width and front/rear directions that can be performed simultaneously. The collapsible stroller has a frame including a pair of front leg tubes and a pair of rear leg tubes pivotally collapsibly coupled to the front legs; a seat unit including a pair of seat side-tubes and a pair of backrest tubes; a first collapsing auxiliary assembly horizontally collapsibly disposed between lateral sides of the frame and operably coupled to the side-tubes of the site unit and the rear leg tubes; a second collapsing auxiliary assembly disposed between the rear leg tubes; and an operation unit operably coupled to the side-tubes of the seat unit and releasibly coupled to the rear leg tubes of the frame, thereby the two dimensional collapsing operation of the stroller can be performed by one hand of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: BP Children's Products HK Co., Limited
    Inventors: Hong-Bo Chen, Fu-Sian Yu
  • Baby carriage with stand to prevent tipping
    Patent number: 8646803
    Abstract: The present description relates to a baby carriage comprising two rear wheels and a front wheel, a chassis that is carried by said wheels, a seat carried in the chassis and intended for a passenger, as well as a folding stand. The stand guarantees that the baby carriage does not risk tipping and that it stands stably on the substratum when it stands still.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Elite Group Sverige AB
    Inventors: Johan Adolfsson, David Thalén
  • Radiator core support
    Patent number: 8646554
    Abstract: In a radiator core support 1 having a hood lock stay member 3, which is provided with a hood lock 14, on a radiator core support 1 of a motor vehicle, a transmission means is provided to connect between the hood 7 of a vehicle body to directly transmit load acting on the hood lock 14 from an engine hood from the hood lock stay member 3 to the side members 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Go Takahashi, Hiroshi Toyoura
  • Shoulder-carriable wheeled cart assembly
    Patent number: 8641056
    Abstract: A shoulder-carriable wheeled cart assembly includes a cart frame, a detachable backpack mountable on the cart frame, a plurality of laterally spaced support pegs mounted on the cart frame lower end portion, and a detachable harness strap. The harness strap is tightenable about articles mounted on the support pegs between the harness strap and the cart frame to secure said articles against the cart frame. A support tray attachable to the support pegs and interposable between the articles and the support pegs stabilizes the mounting of the articles on the support pegs. The cart assembly is mountable on a mobile passenger vehicle, such as a bicycle, via a docking fixture that receives and secures the cart assembly. A retraction cord connected to the harness strap upper end urges the harness strap upper end toward the upper portion of the frame, thereby avoiding dragging the harness strap along the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventor: Robert L. Carter
  • Chassis for a motor vehicle having an electrical axle
    Patent number: 8640800
    Abstract: A chassis (1) for a motor vehicle has an electrical axle (2) with two electrical machines (4) for respectively driving two wheels (6). The chassis (1) also has a step-down gear mechanism (10, 11) arranged between the respective electrical machine and the associated wheel. Each step-down gear mechanism is connected to the respective wheel by a cardan shaft. The respective rotation axes (5, 5) of the two electrical machines are arranged parallel and next to one another. The chassis enables each wheel to be mounted in a non-rigid manner and permits the overall length of the electrical machines to be varied on account of the arrangement of the rotation axes of the electrical machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Armbruster, Stephan Hennings
  • Propulsion device for automobile with portal axle comprising an electrical machine
    Patent number: 8640801
    Abstract: A drive apparatus (1) for a motor vehicle has a hollow portal axle (2) that accommodates two electrical machines (4). Wheels (12) are mounted rotatably at opposite ends of the portal axle (2) and can be driven by the electrical machine (4) associated with the respective wheel. A step-down gear mechanism (8, 9) is arranged between each electrical machine (4) and the respective wheel (12) and a separate connection from the respective wheel to the step-down gear mechanism, permits the wheel to be mounted in a non-rigid manner. The respective step-down gear mechanism (8, 9) is connected to the respective wheel (12) by a cardan shaft (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Hennings, Daniel Armbruster, Jochen Schmid