Patents Examined by Chong H. Kim
  • Patent number: 6782774
    Abstract: A pedal apparatus for an automobile comprises a plurality of pedals attached to a bracket fixed to a vehicle body via a plurality of parallel link mechanisms, a connection parallel link mechanism that connects a pair of the plurality of parallel link mechanism, and is provided with a pair of connection portions connecting the both parallel link mechanisms with the bracket, and an adjustment mechanism attached to the bracket, that arbitrarily prescribes the forms of each parallel link mechanism and the connection parallel link mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sadao Ito, Hiroshi Watanabe, Takashi Ishii, Soshi Mitsuyama
  • Patent number: 6766713
    Abstract: A control pedal assembly includes a first control pedal including a first pedal adjustable in a fore-aft direction upon operation of a first motor and a second control pedal including a second pedal adjustable in a fore-aft direction upon operation of a second motor. The first pedal and the second pedal have a predetermined fore-aft relationship. A controller is operably connected to the first motor and the second motor. The controller is programmed to operate the first and second motors to simultaneously move the first and second pedals in the fore-aft direction and to reestablish the predetermined relationship if the predetermined fore-aft relationship is not maintained as a result of the movement of the first and second control pedals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Srini Sundaresan, Gordon Smith, Michael David Hershey
  • Patent number: 6763740
    Abstract: An apparatus for coupling to a control cable having a cable end protuberance attached thereto includes a member having a cable terminating structure. The cable terminating structure includes a first wall defining a first detenting structure for receiving the cable end protuberance and a second wall spaced apart from the first wall. At least one of the first wall and the second wall includes a resilient portion for deflecting in response to a pulling force applied to the cable terminating structure by the cable end protuberance so as to release the cable end protuberance from the cable terminating structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenji Ose
  • Patent number: 6758308
    Abstract: A funnel includes a housing that has a perimeter wall for defining an interior space. An attachment assembly is coupled to the housing. The attachment assembly is for stabilizing the housing to a support surface of a vehicle. The housing includes a receiving portion for securely receiving a container of lubricant. The housing includes a directing portion that is in fluid communication with the receiving portion for facilitating the flow of lubricant from the receiving portion to the directing portion into an engine of a vehicle. The housing includes a handle portion that is coupled to the receiving portion for facilitating gripping of the housing by the hand of a user. A light assembly is positioned proximate the handle portion of the housing. The light assembly is for providing light to a distal end of the housing allowing the user to easily position the funnel assembly in low light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Inventors: Rick Hearting, Linda Hearting
  • Patent number: 6758115
    Abstract: An adjustable control pedal for a motor vehicle includes a pivotable upper pedal arm having a slot formed therein, a link pivotable relative to the upper pedal arm, and a lower pedal arm having an upper end pivotably connected to the link and a lower end carrying a pedal. A nut is pivotally connected to the link such that the link pivots relative to the upper pedal arm upon movement of the nut along a drive screw. A pin is connected to the lower pedal arm and laterally extends into the slot such that the pin moves along the slot upon pivotal movement of the link. Also disclosed is a control pedal having a drive block or a pair of spaced apart pins located in a single slot of the upper pedal arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Allen, Dean William Reynolds
  • Patent number: 6752245
    Abstract: A ring-like lubricant supply device 6 is fitted into a recess 4 of a nut member 2. The lubricant supply device 6 contains a lubricant and is formed in an outer peripheral surface with notches 7. Tubular members 8 each having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the notch 7 are inserted into the notches, pushing and widening the notches 7 in a circumferential direction. One end of the tubular member 8 is fitted into a recess 9b of a retaining ring 9 and the retaining ring 9 is fixed to a nut member 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Tsukada, Soichiro Kato
  • Patent number: 6742624
    Abstract: A wiper bar for application to a rail of a railroad track for applying lubricant to the head of the rail having a series of lubricant outlets and a rubber or the like guide or brush for confronting the gage face of the rail head and guiding lubricant discharged from the outlets up on the gage face, and the wiper bar/rail installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Lincoln Industrial Corporation
    Inventor: Leonard J. DiCarlo
  • Patent number: 6736025
    Abstract: A vehicular foot-operated parking brake control apparatus includes a mounting bracket and a pedal arm that is rotatably mounted on the bracket. The bracket is provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth and a pawl is rotatably mounted on the pedal arm for rotation between a first rotational position in which the pawl is engaged with the ratchet teeth and a second rotational position in which the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet teeth. The pawl is slidably mounted on the pedal arm to slide between a first slide position and a second slide position. The apparatus is designed to allow the parking brake to be engaged and disengaged by depressing the pedal arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunari Kanbe
  • Patent number: 6729207
    Abstract: A rigid drive axle assembly for motor vehicles, includes a support beam member having a substantially flat, enlarged central section and two opposite arm sections axially outwardly extending from the central section, a differential assembly secured to the flat central section of the support beam member, and two opposite axle shaft members outwardly extending from the differential assembly and rotatably supported by the arm sections in a spaced relationship with respect to the central section of the support beam member. The differential assembly includes a differential carrier frame member fastened to the central section of the support beam member, and provided for rotatably supporting a differential case and a drive pinion. The differential assembly is enclosed into a housing formed by a rear cover and a front cover secured to opposite surfaces of the central section of the support beam member. The rear cover incorporates two throughholes provided with self-centering seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Torque-Traction Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Bernard Allmandinger, Sean Karl Hoefer, Gregory James Maser, Edward Eugene Stuart, Earl James Irwin, Parvinder Singh Nanua
  • Patent number: 6725741
    Abstract: A brake cover (18) and shaft (24) rotate with a pedal lever (20) relative to a central section (14) of the housing (12) rotate a pedal gear (76). The pedal gear (76) rotates a sensor gear (74) to rotate a sensor arm (46) about a sensor axis (48). The sensor arm (46) supports sensor members (58) that move along sensor bands (50) to generate an electrical signal. As the brake cover (18) rotates with the pedal lever (20) it uncoils coil springs (84) to cause brake shoes (80) to pivot radially outward about respective posts (82) frictionally engage the interior surface (78) of the central section (14) to thereby provide a resistance or hysteresis to movement of the pedal lever (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Teleflex Incorporated
    Inventor: Brad C. Menzies
  • Patent number: 6725742
    Abstract: The use of one or more studs attached to the sole of a bicycle shoe as a means of engagement of the shoe with a corresponding pedal. The studs are similar in design to lugs, cleats, spikes, or studs conventionally attached to the soles of soccer, football, or other outdoor sport shoes as a means of enhancing traction on turf or dirt. In a preferred embodiment of the pedal, a cylindrical ring connects a pedal body and legs and provides a means for sandwiching studs in slots between the ring and a pedal cage. The stud-based shoe and pedal system is especially suited for mountain bicycling. The shoe readily releases from the pedal in unanticipated stops, thus preventing injury, and enables a cyclist to maintain firm contact with pedals in steep or treacherous terrain. The shoe performs well both on and off a bicycle when the cyclist is riding and running in difficult conditions commonly associated with off-road bicycling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Inventor: David Albert Bremer
  • Patent number: 6722229
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal assembly includes a pedal and a cleat. The pedal includes a body that rotates about a shaft. Front and rear clamping member are coupled to opposite ends of the pedal body. Each of the clamping members has an engagement surface facing in a first direction. The cleat has front and rear attachment portions that are selectively engageable with the pedal via the front and rear clamping members. Specifically, the front and rear attachment portions have front and rear offset coupling surfaces engageable with the front and rear engagement surfaces. The pedal and the cleat are configured to form a rear float pivot axis on a rear side of a center rotation axis of the pedal and a front cleat release pivot axis on a front side of the center rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Muraoka
  • Patent number: 6718843
    Abstract: A gear-shift and brake-control assembly for a racing bicycle, comprising a first control lever located along and behind the brake lever and a second control lever projecting transversely from the internal side wall of the supporting body of the brake lever, is provided with a push-button for controlling the operating mode of a display associated to the handlebars of the bicycle, which is positioned further back (with reference to the direction of advance of the bicycle) and higher up than the aforesaid second control lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventor: Valentino Campagnolo
  • Patent number: 6718845
    Abstract: A brake cover (18) and shaft (24) rotate with a pedal lever (20) relative to a central section (14) of the housing (12) rotate a pedal gear (76). The pedal gear (76) rotates a sensor gear (74) to rotate a sensor arm (46) about a sensor axis (48). The sensor arm (46) supports sensor members (58) that move along sensor bands (50) to generate an electrical signal. As the brake cover (18) rotates with the pedal lever (20) it uncoils coil springs (84) to cause brake shoes (80) to pivot radially outward about respective posts (82) frictionally engage the interior surface (78) of the central section (14) to thereby provide a resistance or hysteresis to movement of the pedal lever (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Teleflex Incorporated
    Inventor: Brad C. Menzies
  • Patent number: 6719095
    Abstract: Wayside lubrication apparatus for railroad track wherein metered charges of lubricant are delivered to points spaced at intervals along the gage sides of the heads of the rails, and systems for and methods of monitoring the apparatus at a location remote from the site thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Lincoln Industrial Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Arens, David C. Beck, Paul G. Conley, Ayzik Grach, Fred Leers
  • Patent number: 6705430
    Abstract: This invention relates to a dust preventing structure of a guide unit comprising a track shaft and a sliding member engaging the track shaft via a plurality of rolling bodies such that it is capable of reciprocating in a length direction thereof. Elastic members in firm contact with the track shaft are overlaid in the length direction of the track shaft. A lubricant pocket forming member having a concave groove portion for forming a lubricant pocket constituted of the elastic members and filled with lubricant by a help of the surface of the track shaft as well is provided so as to achieve a smooth reciprocating motion of the sliding member with respect to the track shaft with less sliding friction. Particularly, under even a severe use condition in which use of coolant is required or dust, dirt, wooden pieces, cutting powder or the like falls on the guide unit, a smooth reciprocating motion of the sliding member with respect to the track shaft can be maintained in a long period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Michioka, Yoshiaki Saitou, Yasuhide Katsumata, Mitsuaki Honma
  • Patent number: 6701800
    Abstract: A pedal support structure for use in a vehicle contains a toe board, a steering support beam, a master cylinder, a pair of pedal support elements including pedal support portions, a supporting mechanism provided between the pedal support portions supporting a pedal lever, and a catcher bracket. When an impact is applied to the vehicle, the pedal support portions are spread apart so as to disconnect the pedal lever from the pedal supporting mechanism and the movement of the pedal lever in a direction toward an operator of the vehicle is restricted by the pedal lever contacting the catcher bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Saitou, Hitoshi Harashima, Masashi Ishida, Yasunori Sugita, Hirokazu Chosho, Tatsuya Okuno, Masafumi Kotani, Hiroaki Maruyama, Nozomu Sutou
  • Patent number: 6694839
    Abstract: The invention concerns a neutral point setting device for the rotating ring of a roller bearing (5) provided with an inner ring (6) and an outer ring (7), one of the rings being integral with a fixed element (9) and the other ring being integral with a rotating element (1). The return device comprises springs designed to apply a return torque on the rotating ring to return it to the neutral point and means for limiting in two directions the rotation of the rotating ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: SKF France
    Inventor: Franck Landrieve
  • Patent number: 6694841
    Abstract: A self adjusting closure mechanism for a locking plier or similar device. Central to the invention is a set of one or more friction pawls which slide along a support rod, moved by a push link working against a spring. The push link is free to rotate between two positions relative to the rod as it slides. In the first position, and in between the positions, the push link bears against the center of the friction pawls and they remain free to slide along the rod. When the push link rotates to the second position, it presses on the edge of the pawls, causing them to tilt, coupling to the rod and preventing movement along the rod. In a typical locking plier, the support rod is mounted to the frame and the opposite end of the push link connects to the handle. As the handle closes, the push link rotates towards its second position and optionally slides along the support rod. When the friction pawls lock, the plier begins to grip and lock on to the work piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Inventor: Donald A. Kesinger
  • Patent number: 6691591
    Abstract: A bicycle control device is disclosed having a control lever that is operable in a first direction to operate the brake control mechanism, a second direction to operate the shift control mechanism in the pulling direction and a third direction to operate the shift control mechanism in the release direction. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, when viewed from the perspective of a rider on the bicycle, the first direction is the direction of movement of the lever toward the handlebar. The second direction is the direction of movement of the control lever downward and the third direction is the direction of movement of the control lever upward. In a more preferred embodiment, the second and third directions are perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Tsumiyama, Nobukatsu Hara