Patents Examined by Brodie Follman
  • Patent number: 9296444
    Abstract: A straddle electric vehicle comprises a battery case accommodating a battery which is an electric power supply for an electric motor; and an air box attached to an upper portion of the battery case, and the air box includes a ram air inlet through which ram air flows into the air box, and a ram air supply port through which the air is supplied from inside the air box to the battery case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9297144
    Abstract: A work machine includes a machine body, the machine body includes a bottom plate having an air outlet, and an exhaust air duct, the air outlet includes a major opening portion and a wide portion that is disposed with the major opening portion side by side in a left and right direction, the wide portion including a portion located immediately under an engine and having a greater width in a front and rear direction than a width of the major opening portion in the front and rear direction, the exhaust air duct includes a duct base portion including a lower opening that communicates with the air outlet, and an extension portion having an upper opening that is provided at an upper end thereof, and the duct base portion includes a wide-portion covering portion that covers the wide portion at a position immediately under the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiichi Hanada, Hiroshi Kanamaru
  • Patent number: 9296297
    Abstract: A dual stage accelerator pedal spring assembly is provided that allows the transition point between stroke stages to be set, thereby controlling pedal travel within the first stroke stage, and notifies the driver of a critical operating condition, such as a low battery pack level, via a pedal feedback system. The spring assembly, which uses two springs exhibiting different spring force, allows adjustment of the relative positions of the two springs in order to control the transition point between the first and second pedal stroke stages. The change in pedal resistance used to notify the driver of a change in a monitored vehicle characteristic is achieved by preloading one of the springs in the spring assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: ATIEVA, INC.
    Inventor: Jean-Philippe Gauthier
  • Patent number: 9295335
    Abstract: A convertible dual purpose device (10) has a frame (12) movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, supporting material (28) connected to the frame for supporting one or more objects, handles (14, 16, 18, 20) at a first end of the frame, and a wheel (26) at a second end of the frame. When the frame is in the expanded configuration, the device can be positioned in a first orientation whereby the supporting material is adapted to serve as a load support for a chair, or in a second orientation whereby the supporting material is adapted to serve as a load support for a wheel barrow. When the frame is in the collapsed configuration, the device can be stored in a carry bag (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Inventor: James Patrick Cardona
  • Patent number: 9295302
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a gait-altering shoe includes a frame adapted to support a user's foot and at least one wheel that supports the frame above a walking surface, the wheel having a radius that varies as a function of angular position of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Kyle B. Reed, Ismet Handzic
  • Patent number: 9296310
    Abstract: A traction battery assembly includes a battery array having a plurality of stacked cells and a pair of thermal plates arranged to sandwich the array therebetween. Each thermal plate includes a plurality of fins. Each fin extends out from one of the thermal plates into the array and is interleaved with the cells to cool or heat the cells. Also, disclosed is a vehicle including the traction battery assembly described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: George Albert Garfinkel, Patrick Daniel Maguire
  • Patent number: 9289077
    Abstract: A walker to assist an infant in walking system including an infant walker assembly having, a T-shaped base unit including a horizontal support bar and, a perpendicular support bar; a first vertical support bar; an angled support bar; a T-shaped handle; and at least three wheels coupled to the T-shaped base unit. The infant walker assembly is made of non-toxic coated metal material for safety of the infant. The horizontal support bar and the perpendicular support bar together form the T-Shaped base unit. The three wheels are positionally coupled to the T-shaped base-unit making said infant walker assembly movable so that said infant-user can push said infant walker assembly when learning how to walk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventor: Andrews K. Gyasi
  • Patent number: 9290143
    Abstract: A deflector for a skateboard generally comprises; a sweep plate to deflect in-path debris from the skateboard's line of travel and a sweep plate suspension, which is coupled to the sweep plate and to the skateboard. The sweep plate suspension provides to substantially maintain a sweep plate's position proximate to a ground in response to maneuverings of the skateboard. The sweep plate suspension may further comprise a spring to provide for a flexing of the sweep plate in response to the maneuverings so as to maintain the sweep plate's proximate position. The sweep plate suspension may couple to a truck or a platform of the skateboard, and may also comprise an adjustment mechanism to set the sweep plate's position. The sweep plate may be releasable from the sweep plate suspension, and at least one of the sweep plate and the sweep plate suspension may comprise lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventor: Jorge A. Arjona
  • Patent number: 9284771
    Abstract: A trolley for supporting equipment on an overhead door using the existing track for the overhead door is described. The invention may be used to allow utility items such as lighting, electrical outlets, and safety devices to be mounted conveniently and efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Inventor: Victor J. Doherty
  • Patent number: 9284008
    Abstract: A folding kick scooter includes a quick release clamp on top of a head tube and including a lever; a neck having a front end secured to the head tube and including two opposite slot members; a footboard having an upwardly bent front portion pivotably secured to the neck and including two front, opposite cavities; a brake member at a rear portion of the footboard; a lock device including a seat in the neck, the seat having a through hole, and a spring biased pin through the slot members to have two ends releasably anchored in the opposite cavities respectively; a cable extending from the lever and passing through the neck and the through hole of the seat to secure to the pin; a brake member including a hole and a slot element communicating with the hole; and a lever fastening device moveably secured to the brake member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Inventor: Anita Wu
  • Patent number: 9283839
    Abstract: A fitting arrangement for fitting a drive package (1) for a vehicle, the arrangement includes a supporting element (2) to be mounted on the drive package (1). The supporting element (2) has an end element (6), which cooperates with the vehicle's frame (4) to support the drive package (1). The end element abuts upon a cooperating bearing element which is suspended relative to the frame (4). At least one screw (10) cooperates with the end element (6), to fix the supporting element (2) to the vehicle's frame (4) via the bearing element (8). A washer (12) cooperates with the screw (10) to fix the supporting element (2) to the frame. A spacing element (14) cooperates with the screw (10) to keep the washer (12) in a horizontal position above the bearing element (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventor: Erik Andersson
  • Patent number: 9283978
    Abstract: A stroller (10) includes: a front leg (31); a middle leg (34) located rearward of the front leg; a rear leg (37) located rearward of the middle leg; a front-wheel holding mechanism (21) provided on the front leg; a middle-wheel holding mechanism (24) provided on the middle leg; and a rear-wheel holding mechanism (27) provided on the rear leg. The front-wheel holding mechanism is configured to rotatably and turnably hold a front wheel (22). The middle-wheel holding mechanism is configured to rotatably and unturnably hold a middle wheel (25). The rear-wheel holding mechanism is configured to rotatably and turnably hold a rear wheel (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Combi Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiro Kikui
  • Patent number: 9279427
    Abstract: A cooling system for a generator of a vehicle has an engine, a generator and a wind collection box. The generator has a rotor driven by the engine and a fan synchronously rotating with the rotor. The wind collection box is connected to the generator via a first guiding tube. The fan draws exterior air from the wind collection box and the first guiding tube to allow the exterior air to flow through the generator. Thus, heat in the generator that is mounted in an airtight engine compartment is dissipated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: KWANG YANG MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chien-Ping Tseng, Wen-Ming Su
  • Patent number: 9278650
    Abstract: A cargo step pad comprising a container having a bottom and a plurality of sidewalls defining an opening and a lid coupled to the container and operable between a closed position, wherein the lid extends laterally beyond the opening, and an opened position, wherein at least a portion of a back wall of the container is positioned within a volume defined by the inner surface of the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Edward Joseph Leonard Meszaros, David Thomas Patrick
  • Patent number: 9272614
    Abstract: An active grille system which is mounted to a fascia, grille, or carrier, or is part of the carrier of an automobile. Two sets of louvers are rotatably mounted to a frame, and a camming mechanism provides selective actuation of both sets of louvers, and an actuator controls the camming mechanism such that the actuator moves the camming mechanism between a first position, a second position, and a third position. When the camming mechanism is in the first position, both the first set and second set of louvers are in a closed position, when the camming mechanism is in the second position, the first set of louvers are in an open position and the second set of louvers are in a closed position, and when the camming mechanism is in the third position both the first set and second set of louvers are in an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Anthony J. Povinelli, Thomas E. Cobb
  • Patent number: 9272636
    Abstract: A work vehicle comprising, a power unit, an electric motor activated by electric power from the power unit, a propelling transmission system for receiving drive power from the electric motor, a cabin including a roof portion the driver rides, an air conditioner for adjusting air temperature in the interior of the cabin. the power unit and the air conditioner are provided in the roof portion of the cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventor: Nobushige Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9267469
    Abstract: A motorcycle includes a body frame, an engine, a lead-in duct, and an air cleaner case. An air cleaner includes a convex cleaner element protruding in a direction opposite to a direction extending toward the lead-in duct, and a convex support frame that supports the inner surface of the cleaner element. The support frame includes an outer frame that supports a periphery of the cleaner element. The cleaner element includes a convex element body and a seal provided adjacent the peripheral edge of the element body to project toward the inner surface of the element body so as to work together with the periphery of the element body to hold the outer frame. The periphery of the element body has a smaller thickness than the other portions of the element body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YAMATO SEISAKUSYO, YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinnosuke Ide, Masatomo Nagumo, Yuya Yamada
  • Patent number: 9266010
    Abstract: Some embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and apparatus relating to a touring snowboard binding comprising an adjustable lateral leverage device. In some embodiments, the adjustable lateral leverage device may comprise at least one first attachment generally at a top corner of a highback of a touring snowboard boot and at least one second attachment generally at an ankle portion of the binding. The adjustable tensioning element may extend generally diagonally between the at least one first attachment and the at least one second attachment such that when the tension in the adjustable lateral leverage device is increased the lateral support to the boot is increased proportionally and when the tension in the adjustable lateral leverage device is decreased the lateral support to the boot is decreased proportionally. Some embodiments also provide a touring snowboard boot comprising an adjustable leverage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Inventors: Tyler G. Kloster, Bryce M. Kloster
  • Patent number: 9266475
    Abstract: A running board assembly may include a motor which supplies power, a transmission which transmits the motor's power, a rack gear which is disposed lengthily in a transverse direction of a vehicle body such that one side thereof is connected to a body of a running board, and a motion control unit which transmits the power from the transmission to the rack gear such that a motion of the rack gear is controlled to allow a sliding motion and a pivot motion of the rack gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Dong Eun Cha, Seung Mok Lee, Hyun Gyung Kim, Phil Jung Jeong
  • Patent number: 9266547
    Abstract: A utility cart has four corner posts arranged in rectangular pattern and at least one lower shelf including a recess in the push side edge and a top shelf that, instead of the recess, includes a handle. The other three sides of each of the shelves are substantially the same size and extend beyond the corner posts. The bottom of each of the shelves may include a wagon wheel structure in each corner which secures and supports the corner posts of the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Metro Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Schumaker, Wilhelm Heinrich, Robert Kaluzavich