Patents Examined by Conan D Duda
  • Patent number: 9981551
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle has a tailgate. The tailgate has a framework to secure CNG tanks. A cover overlays the frame work to provide an aesthetic appearance to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: The Heil Co.
    Inventor: Bobby Ray McKinney
  • Patent number: 9981689
    Abstract: A self-steering bogie for an elongate road vehicle having at least a first axle assembly at the front end of the vehicle and at least one trailing axle assembly disposed on the vehicle behind said first axle assembly. The trailing axle assembly is a set of tandem axles with associated wheels disposed below a structural frame of the vehicle, the bogie comprising a rotatable sub-frame borne on the set of tandem axles which supports the vehicle by means of a load bearing turntable. A rotational restraint assembly is mounted on the turntable and which in part interconnects the sub-frame, the structural frame and an upper portion of the turntable, the rotational restraint assembly having a plurality of compression air springs. The elongate road vehicle could be a truck and semitrailer where the trailing axle assembly is on the semitrailer, or a vehicle such as a bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Inventor: Geoffrey Paul Sandford
  • Patent number: 9975417
    Abstract: A crawler vehicle having a first and second track driven by a first and second drive wheel respectively; an internal combustion engine; a mechanical power transmission assembly extending from the internal combustion engine to the first and second drive wheel; an electric power transmission assembly; a mechanical power connection configured to transfer energy between the mechanical power transmission assembly and the electric power transmission assembly; and at least one mechanical power transmission configured to transfer energy between the electric power transmission assembly and the mechanical power transmission assembly; the electric power transmission assembly extending from the mechanical power connection to the mechanical power transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: PRINOTH S.P.A.
    Inventors: Klaus Kalmbach, Mathias Lutz, Gianluca Milan, Alberto Giacometti, Martin Runggaldier
  • Patent number: 9969258
    Abstract: A zero turn vehicle having an operator platform at the rear and a compact transmission design featuring a pair of transmissions disposed in a common housing and separate gear boxes permits a smaller, more efficient arrangement for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Raymond Hauser
  • Patent number: 9956883
    Abstract: A straddle electric vehicle comprises a charging connector to which an outside connector connected to an outside electric power supply is detachably attached; a battery which charges therein electric power supplied from the outside electric power supply with the outside connector attached to the charging connector, and discharges the electric power stored therein to supply the electric power to an electric motor; a battery case accommodating the battery; and a seat on which a passenger is seated, wherein the battery case is disposed between the seat and a front wheel, the charging connector is attached to an upper portion of the battery case, and a charging port of the charging connector is located forward relative to the seat so as to face rearward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Kawabata
  • Patent number: 9931986
    Abstract: A mobile vessel for refueling engines at remote refueling sites. The vessel has a tank with side walls and a rectangular bottom portion. The bottom portion is configured to rest on the ground and it includes an inner wall and a lower plate. The bottom portion further includes spacer elements between the inner wall and lower plate that defines a gap there between for collecting fuel that may leak from the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: MRB Enterprise Inc.
    Inventor: Mark William Beard
  • Patent number: 9930824
    Abstract: A windrower has a first dual-path steering mode, causing a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel to concurrently rotate, wherein the rotation of the left drive wheel is in a direction opposite that of the rotation of the right drive wheel and the position of tailwheel casters are not controlled but are permitted unconstrained rotation. The windrower also has a second tailwheel steering mode non-overlapping in operation with the dual-path steering mode, causing the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel to rotate concurrently in only a same direction and the tailwheel casters are steered based in part on tailwheel caster steer position information received from a sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: AGCO Corporation
    Inventors: Brendon Nafziger, Daniel J. Soldan, Martin E. Pruitt, Douglas R. Treffer
  • Patent number: 9932087
    Abstract: The invention provides a vehicle drivable in use by a person walking or running while seated comprising: a frame; a large diameter front wheel non-steerable with respect to the frame, a seat for supporting a user's weight while walking or running, the frame configured to carry the seat suspended on the front wheel, a small diameter, steerable rear wheel journalled to the frame at a steering pivot axis, the seat being rotatable forwardly with respect to the front wheel and comprising a seat base for supporting a user and further comprising a backrest for engaging the user's back in use. The large front wheel may be of approximate diameter of a user's leg (typically an adult human), thus the large front wheel may be of similar size to a bicycle wheel for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: VELOFEET LTD
    Inventors: Manuel Alvarez-Icaza, Veronica Vargas
  • Patent number: 9932078
    Abstract: A utility trailer having outboard wheels, the trailer including a deck having a first height, a frame having an axle in which wheels attached to the axle have a second height, the second height extends a predetermined distance above the first height, opposed side panels are rotatably coupled to the frame, at least one of the opposed panels includes an opening having a third height, the third height being greater than the predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: KARAVAN TRAILERS, INC.
    Inventor: Joel Nehring
  • Patent number: 9926004
    Abstract: A power steering system includes a first steering mechanism designed to control the steering of at least one of the wheels of a steered axle and includes a mechanical transmission of the movement from a steering wheel of the vehicle to the wheel, a first actuator controlled by a parameter related to the steering wheel movement and capable of providing a steering assistance effort to the wheel. The power steering system further includes a second steering mechanism which includes a second actuator capable of providing a steering assistance effort to at least one of the wheels of the same axle, the second actuator having a housing which is secured to the axle, a first and a second piston rods able to slide through the housing and extending, on opposite sides, beyond the housing, with the piston rods being substantially parallel to the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Blond
  • Patent number: 9919762
    Abstract: A backpack type self balancing scooter having a foot-driven steering apparatus mounted thereon is provided, including: two wheels having motors mounted thereon; a motor housing for mounting the motors therein in such a manner as to allow rotary shafts of the motors to be located linearly to each other; a footrest; a shuttle ring mounted on any one side of the footrest; an erecting housing, a controller mounted on the upper portion, a cover disposed coveringly on top thereof, and an insertion hole formed on the center of the cover; a saddle; and a backpack. The rider walks in the state of carrying the backpack on the back, or puts the backpack on the around, sits on the saddle to drive the self balancing scooter in the state where both hands are free, while conducting the direction changes through the shuttle ring turned with his or her foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: ROBO3 CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Joon Hyung Kim, Gwang Seok Jeon
  • Patent number: 9914348
    Abstract: An electric drive motor assembly for a wheel includes a wheel hub and an electric motor configured to drive the wheel hub. A drive shaft connects the wheel hub to the electric motor. A pivot member is pivotally connected to the electric motor such that the electric motor is rotatable about the pivot member to accommodate movement of the wheel hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Barry Koval, Benjamin Bowlby
  • Patent number: 9908582
    Abstract: A bicycle frame structure having a rear frame and a front frame includes a rear frame of which a left stay and a right stay are bonded to each other, and an insert portion is formed at a bonded end portion, and a front frame where a head tube is formed at a front end portion thereof, an insertion hole into which the insert portion is inserted is formed at a rear end portion thereof, and the front frame is bonded to the rear frame along the circumference of the insertion hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jungnam Choi, Sung Dae Lim
  • Patent number: 9908406
    Abstract: A support system is provided for a vehicle. The support system can include one or more bracket assemblies in which each includes a coupling member and a curved member in which the coupling member is affixed to a structure of the vehicle. A housing can be supported by the one or more bracket assemblies in which the housing encloses a container that stores a material such that the housing protects the container and the material. The support system provides movement between a length of the container so as to reduce deterioration of the support system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: James B. Rike, Steven J. Tiede, Michael A. Pintz
  • Patent number: 9878576
    Abstract: An adaptable wheel has a central hub, radial segments connected to the central hub at a proximal end and extending radially from the central hub, each radial segment having a linear actuator configured to change a length of the radial segment; a shoe connected to a distal end of the radial segment for contacting a surface being traversed by the wheel; and a locking mechanism for selectively preventing linear motion of the linear actuator. A control system for an adaptable wheel includes a distance sensor on a vehicle for determining distance to a surface in the path of the vehicle and a computer for receiving distance information from the distance sensor and, responsive to the distance information, determine a desired length of a segment of an adaptable wheel for maintaining a hub of a wheel level, and provide control signals to a linear actuator of the segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: X-SIM LLC
    Inventor: Carl E. Hein
  • Patent number: 9873478
    Abstract: There is provided a swing arm configured to be coupled to a vehicle body frame to be vertically swingable via a pivot shaft. A main body has a pivot pipe in which the pivot shaft is to be inserted. A pair of right and left arm parts extend rearward from the main body. The main body is made by casting to have a hollow structure. The main body is provided with a rib configured to vertically partition an internal space thereof. The rib is connected to the pivot pipe at a place spaced from a connection place between the pivot pipe and an outer wall part defining an outer surface shape of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9868490
    Abstract: An electric vehicle comprises an electric motor which generates driving power for driving a wheel; a battery case accommodating a battery storing DC power to be supplied to the electric motor, in a battery space in an interior of the battery case; and an inverter which converts the DC power supplied from the battery into AC power and supplies the AC power to the electric motor, wherein the inverter is placed above the battery to overlap with the battery case when viewed from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masafumi Inoue
  • Patent number: 9862437
    Abstract: A mounting structure for a rig may include a base configured to support the mounting structure on an operating surface and a plurality of transport systems operatively connected to the base and configured to lift the mounting structure off of the operating surface. An elevated rig platform may be connected to the base by a plurality of support struts, wherein at least some of the support struts comprise a mounting connection that is configured to pivot to lower the elevated rig platform toward the base and place the mounting structure in a partially collapsed state. Additionally, a connecting member may be attached to one or more of the plurality of transport systems, wherein in response to the elevated rig platform being lowered to the partially collapsed state, the connecting member may be configured to displace at least a portion of the one or more transport systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ENTRO INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shawn R. Smith, Justin M. Carey
  • Patent number: 9839566
    Abstract: A wheel chair with several new and useful features is provided. Those new and useful features provide the wheel chair with enhanced lateral stability, automatic cocking of an automatic locking device whenever an occupant sits in the wheel chair, and a holding mechanism that enables the wheel chair to be freely wheeled about when there is no occupant, and automatically move to a cocked state as soon as an occupant sits on the chair. The result is an automatic locking system for a manual wheelchair that unlocks the wheels for intentional motion when the chair is occupied, and locks the wheelchair wheels immediately when it is unoccupied, yet in no way interferes with the typical locking mechanism of the standard manual wheelchair when so desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SAFELY MADE USA, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dana R. Yentzer, Melvin G. Hector, Jr., Mark F LaVeer
  • Patent number: 9820441
    Abstract: A vehicle 10 includes a prime mover engine 15, a drive wheel 16, and a hydrostatic transmission 20. The prime mover engine 15 has a substantially vertical prime mover output shaft 18. The hydrostatic transmission 20 has a hydraulic pump 24 with a substantially vertical pump input shaft 28. A drive link 31 drivingly connects the pump input shaft 28 to the prime mover output shaft 18. The hydraulic motor 25 has a substantially vertical output shaft 30. An interface connector 32 establishes fluid pressure communication between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor. A gear set is intermediate the hydrostatic transmission 20 and drive wheel 16. The gear set includes a vertically disposed bevel gear 41 drivingly connected to the motor output shaft 30 and a horizontally disposed bevel gear 42 drivingly connected to the drive wheel 16.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: David Mark Heathcoat, Gale Maddy