Patents Examined by Christopher Bottorff
  • Patent number: 7654618
    Abstract: A webbing tack in a seat belt prevents overspooling in the seat belt webbing. The webbing tack is configured to be temporarily tacked. The webbing tack includes an elongated filament and first and second bars; each bar is attached to opposite ends of the filament. The filament extends through first and second layers of the webbing, the first bar is positioned adjacent the first layer and the second bar is positioned adjacent the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander P. Kotikovsky
  • Patent number: 7618046
    Abstract: A roller skate having enhanced steerability and stability is disclosed. The skate includes a platform for supporting a skater's foot and front and rear wheel trucks secured to the underside of the platform. A pair of front wheels is rotatably mounted in transverse axial alignment on the front wheel truck and a pair of rear wheels is rotatably mounted in transverse axial alignment on said rear wheel truck. The pairs of front and rear wheels are also in parallel axial alignment with each other and mounted on their respective wheel trucks for resiliently controlled, tilting movement about downwardly inclined longitudinal axes. In addition, a fifth wheel is rotatably mounted on the front wheel truck between the pairs of front and rear wheels and in parallel axial alignment with the wheel pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Triskate Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Brian J. Green
  • Patent number: 7445227
    Abstract: A ski or ski-like device with an improved edging feature to assist skiers in edging during icy conditions. The edging feature includes a structure and method that provides a lateral edge on the inside of the ski that can extend into the snow surface beneath the bottom surface of the ski. When the ski is turned (i.e., rotated about its longitudinal axis) the extended inside edge of the downhill ski digs into the snow surface to provide improved gripping and control. The edge adapted to extend beneath the bottom surface of the ski is provided either by attaching an edge that extends below the bottom surface of the ski, or by providing a bottom surface of the ski in the region adjacent to the extended edge that is arranged to yield under pressure, to expose the extended edge when vertical force is applied to the bottom surface of the ski during a turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Inventors: Gerald W. Harris, Jr., Leah K. Harris, Eric C. Witte
  • Patent number: 7431334
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint device having a gas bag module includes a gas generator for inflating a gas bag, at least one discharge opening that is formed in a rigid component of the gas bag module, through which gas that is produced by the gas generator and conveyed into the gas bag can be discharged, and at least one closing device for the discharge opening. The closing device has an adjusting device and a plurality of covers of different pressure sensitivities. A specific one of said covers is placed in front of the discharge opening by the adjusting device even before the gas bag module is activated, so as to close the discharge opening until a pre-established gas bag interior pressure is reached that is associated with the specific cover, and, when this interior pressure is exceeded, to at least partially release the discharge opening through bursting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Britz
  • Patent number: 7428940
    Abstract: A transport trolley is disclosed and which includes parallel spaced forks, ground engaging rollers, and a steering system including a distance monitor, a driving system for steering the rollers, and an electronic control system operatively connected to the distance monitors and the drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Tynecat Technologies Pty. Ltd
    Inventors: Bernd Raetze, Douglas Mayes, Robert J. Ellis, Norman I. Mathers
  • Patent number: 7416188
    Abstract: A vehicle having a chassis (1) and at least two mutually separated wheels arranged on a first side of the chassis and two mutually separated wheels on the opposite, second side of the chassis where the wheels on the first side are rotatable about axes that are substantially fixed in position in a vertical plane relative to the chassis and the wheels (5) on the second side are arranged on a frame part (6) that is pivotably arranged relative to the chassis about a central longitudinal axis (8) running between the first and second sides of the vehicle to create a stability area for the vehicle in the shape of a triangle in the horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Stock of Sweden AB
    Inventor: Max Segerljung
  • Patent number: 7413201
    Abstract: The invention discloses a utility vehicle, in particular an agricultural tractor, with a steering system having single-wheel-suspended steering wheels, which are mounted on a respective wheel carrier (11). Each wheel carrier (11) may be swivelled about the axis of at least one rigidly connected bolt (18) and is connected via a ball-and-socket joint (9) on the at least one bolt, to a transverse steering element (1) that is articulated to the vehicle body. Associated with the ball-and-socket joint (9) is a steering angle sensor (22) comprising a rotatable input member (23), which is located at least approximately in the extension of the axis of the swivel bolt (18). The rotatable input member (23) is connected to the bolt via an entrainment element (25) that transmits the swivel motion of the bolt in an angularly precise manner to detect the current swivel position of the wheel carrier (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: AGCO GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Freytag, Bernd Glaser
  • Patent number: 7413220
    Abstract: An inflator having at least first and second gas outputs and configured to generate gas. The inflator releases the gas through the first gas output with a fist gas flow rats and to release the gas through the second gas output with a second gas flow rate different from the first gas flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo Itoga, Hiromichi Yoshikawa, Masayoshi Kumagai
  • Patent number: 7407181
    Abstract: An air bag formed from two layers of fabric using a one-piece weaving technique has a peripheral seam at the edge of a region adapted to be inflated. Beyond the seam there are a plurality of chambers and gas escaping from the inflated region through the seam must inflate these chambers thus creating a back pressure to reduce the flow of escaping gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: David Stow, Simon Valkenburg, Altay Kismir, Anorin Shaker
  • Patent number: 7401675
    Abstract: A vehicle body includes a front frame, a rear frame, a control unit, a fixing screw, a battery, and a locking unit. Thus, the rear frame is combined with and detached from the front frame easily and rapidly, thereby facilitating a user assembling and disassembling the vehicle body. In addition, the fixing hooks of the front frame are snapped onto the fixing stubs of the rear frame, and the locking hook of the control unit on the support post of the rear frame is locked in the locking hole of the front frame, thereby forming a three-point support structure by the fixing hooks, the fixing stubs and the locking hook, so that the rear frame is combined with the front frame rigidly and stably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Chienti Enteprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Feng-Chu Chang
  • Patent number: 7398981
    Abstract: A concrete pumping truck having a forward end and a rear end with a hopper attached at the rear end of the concrete pumping truck comprises an auxiliary axle system pivotally attached to the rear end of the truck adjacent the hopper, the auxiliary axle system comprising a pair of pivotable wheels movable between a first position in contact with a ground surface and a second position elevated above the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Schwing America, Inc.
    Inventors: Evran Y. Ener, Thomas M. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7398991
    Abstract: A cover component mountable to an airbag system has a tear line that is torn open when an airbag of the airbag system inflates. At least part of the tear line includes a recessed line and hollows bored in the recessed line at intervals. The recessed line is molded into the cover component using a raised line provided on a core surface of a die, and where the hollows are bored into the cover component by laser processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Hayashi, Masaru Morita
  • Patent number: 7398992
    Abstract: An inner panel of an air bag cooperates with a first panel portion of the air bag so as to define a duct having an entrance adapted to receive gas from a gas generator through an opening in the first panel portion. The terminus of the duct provides for discharging the gas to a distal location within the air bag, so as to provide for relatively early inflation thereof. The inner panel may be vented into the interior of the air bag so as to provide for tuning inflation kinematics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Brandon Scott Marriott
  • Patent number: 7398853
    Abstract: In a frame structure of a vehicle that includes a flywheel housing, an intermediate housing and a transmission case that are connected to each other along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle to constitute a vehicle frame, the intermediate housing has a hollow shape with a first end and a second end located along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the first end having an abutting surface against which the second end of the flywheel housing abuts, a support surface located radially inwardly of the abutting surface so as to support the forward/rearward movement switching unit, and an opening surrounded by the support surface, the opening serving as a first-end opening of the intermediate housing along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The abutting surface and the support surface along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle are located so that at least a portion of the forward/rearward movement switching unit is accommodated within the flywheel housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ohtsuki, Toshiyuki Hasegawa, Atsuo Yoshina, Yoshitaka Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 7396038
    Abstract: The invention relates to a child's vehicle with a folding frame, comprising at least one front shaft provided with at least one front wheel, a rear shaft provided with at least one rear wheel, and a pushing device cooperating with a guiding handle, wherein said frame includes at least one assembly of two pieces which can slide in relation to each other without a space therebetween. A first piece of said two pieces has at least one track and the second of said two pieces has at least one slider which slides in said track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Ampafrance
    Inventor: Bruno Zweideck
  • Patent number: 7396029
    Abstract: An air-suspension device for vehicles, e.g., commercial vehicles, includes a valve block that is assigned to a rear axle and contains a central valve for aerating and venting air-spring bellows of the rear axle, and a valve block assigned to a front axle for aerating and venting air-spring bellows of the front axle. The central valve of the valve block assigned to the rear axle selectively connects: a) a compressed-air supply to the air-spring bellows of the rear axle and to a supply-pressure connection of the valve block assigned to the front axle; or b) the supply-pressure connection of the valve block assigned to the front axle and the air-spring bellows of the rear axle to an air vent. The valve block assigned to the front axle has a pneumatic pilot-operation connection for pneumatic-electric pilot operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Günther Fecht, Friedbert Röther, Winfried Geiger
  • Patent number: 7392996
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for establishing a caster angle of a vehicle suspension system. The apparatus includes two air reservoirs, each reservoir having an extendable piston rod. The air reservoirs are juxtaposed, and are pivotally connected to a single bell crank. In particular, the bell crank is pivotally connected to each piston rod, and to a control arm of the vehicle suspension system for establishing the caster angle. Concerted pressurizing and exhausting of the air reservoirs extends and retracts the piston rods, causing the bell crank to rotate. Rotation of the bell crank induces movement of the control arm which translates into a rotation of an axle to a desired caster angle. In one embodiment, one air reservoir is a multi-chamber reservoir capable of doubling the force used to extend the piston rod, rotate the bell crank and adjust the caster angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Ridewell Corporation
    Inventor: William Mattocks
  • Patent number: 7393004
    Abstract: An airbag module removal structure includes a pair of brackets which extends from an instrument panel and is disposed with a space to sandwich an airbag module, a first hook member secured to one side of the airbag module and a second hook member secured to the other side of the airbag module, and each of the first and second hook members includes an engagement part capable of being inserted into a hole provided in each of the brackets, and a clearance between the brackets and sizes of the engagement parts of the first and second hook members are set such that the first hook member is removed from the hole corresponding to the first hook member, and then the second hook member is removed from the hole corresponding to the second hook member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumi Ono, Tomiharu Yamada
  • Patent number: 7390000
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lateral link for suspension systems wherein the distance between opposite ends of the lateral link increases in a tight or sudden turn, so as to enhance controllability, stability, and riding comfort of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Cheol-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7390019
    Abstract: An air bag inflator has a cylindrical housing defining an internal space therein and having a convex portion protruding towards the internal space, and a cup member provided inside the cylindrical housing and having a cylindrical wall, provided with a vent hole that communicates inside the cup member with a space defined by the cup member and an inner surface of the cylindrical housing, and an end wall closing a first end of the cylindrical wall. The cup member is supported inside the cylindrical housing by making contact with the convex portion. An inflator assembly method includes, forming the convex portion, providing the cup member, and inserting the cup member inside the internal space of the cylindrical housing, such that the cup member abuts the convex portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuzo Gotoh, Yasunori Iwai, Masayuki Nakayasu