Patents Examined by Daniel Yabut
  • Patent number: 9075427
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal apparatus includes a pedal arm having an accelerator pedal, a housing rotatably supporting the pedal arm between a rest position and a maximum depression position, a first return spring exerting urging force to return the pedal arm toward the rest position, a reaction force adding mechanism adding reaction force opposed to tread force of the accelerator pedal; and the reaction force adding mechanism includes a movable member arranged movably against the housing while receiving reaction force of the first return spring, a reaction force spring arranged between the movable member and the pedal arm as being capable of generating reaction force against the tread force, and a lock mechanism being capable of locking the movable member not to be movable at desired timing, so that fuel consumption can be improved by exerting resistance force to driver's depressing operation to suppress excessive depression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: MIKUNI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuo Muraji, Yoshitomo Fukushima
  • Patent number: 9056648
    Abstract: A bicycle component positioning device is provided with a support member, a positioning element, a position maintaining member, a winding element, a release member and a spring member. The winding element is movably between a winding position and a disengaging position. The release member is movably between a neutral position and a position releasing position. The spring member is arranged with respect to the support member to move the winding element from the winding position to the disengaging position in response to movement of the release member from the neutral position to the position releasing position and to return the release member to the neutral position after movement of the release member from the neutral position to the position releasing position. The spring member applies a biasing force to the release member without the biasing force being transmitted through the position maintaining member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Patent number: 9038496
    Abstract: An adjusting device is equipped with a rod and a holder disposed movably in the direction of the length of the rod at an end of the rod, and adjusts the allowance length of the inner cable coupled to the rod and (or) holder. The adjusting device is provided with a lock-discriminating member protruding from the periphery of the holder and a cover covering the periphery of the holder including the lock-discriminating member and the lock. The lock piece does not protrude from the periphery of the holder in the lock state and protrudes to the same height with the lock-discriminating member in the unlock state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: HI-LEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Horinaka, Atsushi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 9032836
    Abstract: A device for preventing an inward shifting of a brake pedal during a collision. The device includes a mounting bracket. A pedal housing is combined with the mounting bracket such that the pedal housing is movable in a rearwards direction from the mounting bracket. A pedal arm is hinge-coupled at upper and middle parts thereof with the pedal housing and a push rod, respectively. A unit for preventing the inward shifting of the pedal arm has a separating plate which, as the pedal housing is moved rearwards, presses against a fixing pin to decouple the fixing pin from the pedal arm, enabling the pedal arm to turn outwards about a hinge point at the middle part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, KIA Motors Corp., Kyung Chang Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong Seon Min, Eun Sik Kim, Yang Rae Cho, Sung Il Byun
  • Patent number: 9016167
    Abstract: Integrated hand and controls protection system for vehicles utilizing handlebars for steering, consisting of; hand/controls guards (guards), integral/stowable mirror assembly, damper mount, display guard and integral electrical accessory mounting provisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Inventors: Paul Degarate, Paul Davidovich, Rodney A. Brenneman
  • Patent number: 9016163
    Abstract: A bicycle control device is basically provided with a base member, a release member, a shift operating lever and a release pawl. The release member is pivotally mounted relative to the base member about a pivot axis. The shift operating lever is pivotally mounted relative to the base member. The release pawl is movably mounted on the shift operating lever such that the release pawl is movable from a rest position in a direction away from the pivot axis to a release operating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshimitsu Miki
  • Patent number: 9016162
    Abstract: A bicycle component operating device is basically provided with a base member, an operating member and an insert element. The base member includes a body member having a recess with an inner wire opening. The operating member is movably coupled with respect to the base member to operatively pull and release an inner wire. The insert element has a first channel portion and a second channel portion disposed in the recess of the body member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Miki, Kazutaka Fukao
  • Patent number: 9003920
    Abstract: A pedal arm provided with an arm main body has a first end portion, a second end portion, a pedal pad portion, and a shaft portion. The arm main body includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion in a first direction, and a third wall portion and a fourth wall portion in a second direction. One of the first wall portion and the second wall portion includes an abutting portion where the first end portion and the second end portion contacts, and the third wall portion and the fourth wall portion include a first curved portion and a second curved portion. A first depressed wall portion and a second depressed wall portion are formed on the first curved portion and the second curved portion, which are formed in inward convex shapes, respectively, and parts of the first depressed wall portion and the second depressed wall portion contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: F-Tech Inc.
    Inventors: Katsumi Nagahori, Tohru Izu, Shuichi Inoue, Takanori Matsumura
  • Patent number: 8984986
    Abstract: A pedal boss, to which an accelerator pedal is fixed, has a projection-receiving space, which circumferentially extends on a circumferential side of a closing-side end wall in an accelerator-opening direction and receives a projection. When the pedal boss is rotated in an accelerator-closing direction, the pedal boss is rotatable to an accelerator-full-closing position of the pedal boss without being stopped by the projection through engagement with the projection regardless of a rotational position of the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Inuzuka, Masahiro Makino
  • Patent number: 8967018
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the automatic adjustment of the pretension of a pulling element (10, 11) in particular a cable, comprising an elasticity element (50) acting on a first mounting means (20) for a first section (10) of the pulling element for increasing the pre-tension, a second mounting means (30) for a second section (11) of the pulling element, threads (70, 70?, 71) arranged at the first mounting means which interact with a spindle (40, 40?) so that a change of the distance between the first mounting means (20) and the second mounting means (30) causes a rotation of the spindle (40) or the threads (70), and blocking elements (36, 45; 236, 245), which are arranged such that they block a rotation of the spindle or the threads (70), respectively, when the pulling element is under pulling load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Fico Cables, S.A.
    Inventors: Jaume Prat Terrades, Jordi Jornet Vidal, Albert Planas Girona
  • Patent number: 8961017
    Abstract: A sleeve for use in repairing a shaft having an unworn diameter and a worn diameter, the sleeve providing a fresh bearing surface for a split roller bearing, comprising: two halves which, when joined, define a cylinder having a diameter adapted to firmly engage a portion of unworn diameter shaft at each end; bolts holes adapted to releasably affix the halves together, and bolts adapted to attach the halves thereby; joiner pin holes defined in at least one intersection between the halves, the joiner holes adapted to receive joiner pins therein and adapted to serve as a stable joinder point for the halves, and joiner pins adapted to be firmly engaged therein; a smooth bearing surface defined on an external surface of the sleeve; and a split roller bearing adapted to engage the bearing surface. A method for field manufacture of said sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Inventor: Mike Muilenburg
  • Patent number: 8960048
    Abstract: A mechanism for the adjustment of an accelerator pedal, comprising a support part (2) which is fixed to the vehicle, a control part (3) which can move in relation to the support part (2), a pedal (4) which pivots in relation to a rotary shaft (5) which is connected to the control part (3), and actuation means (6) for moving the control part (3) in relation to the support part (2). Each side of the control part (3) is equipped with at least two pins (7,8) which are housed in respective guide grooves (9,10) in the support part (2), such that the actuation means (6) can move said control part (2) along a curvilinear path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Batz S. Coop
    Inventors: Bruno Souza, Fernando Burguera
  • Patent number: 8931368
    Abstract: A clevis pin (connecting pin) (26) is inserted into a clearance hole (72), and is displaceable relative to an operating pedal (16). A pivotal moving link (68) is disposed between the clevis pin (26) and a sensor pin (64) of a load sensor (30). A reaction force applied from the clevis pin (26) to the load sensor (30) always acts in a substantially constant direction (substantially leftward in FIG. 1A) even if the operating pedal (16) and an operating rod (22) are pivoted relatively around the axis of the clevis pin (26) in accordance with the depressing operation of the operating pedal (16). Thus, the detecting accuracy of the load sensor (30) is heightened, and variation in detecting accuracy is prevented, rendering the high reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Toyoda Iron Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Fujiwara, Hiroyuki Amano
  • Patent number: 8931367
    Abstract: A connecting opening portion is provided at the portion that is an outer circumferential portion of a hollow-structured operating pedal and is connected to connecting links inside the connecting opening portion, a reinforcing member having a U-shaped section is integrally weld-joined so as to open outward. End portions of the connecting links are inserted inside the reinforcing member, and are relatively pivotablly connected by a first link pin. Accordingly, the rigidity of the operating pedal is improved, and at the same time, the stress concentration is relieved, whereby buckling and deformation are suppressed. As a result, the plate thickness of the hollow-structured operating pedal can be kept small to minimize the weight thereof, and also, the width dimension of the operating pedal in the vehicle fore and aft direction can be reduced to achieve a compact size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Toyoda Iron Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiro Himetani
  • Patent number: 8893571
    Abstract: A transmission shift assembly for a vehicle and a method of monitoring the same includes a transmission having a shift position member movable between a plurality of gear positions. A linkage is coupled to an actuator and movable between a plurality of positions in response to movement of the actuator. A cable having first and second ends is coupled to the linkage and the shift position member respectively for transferring movement from the actuator to the shift position member. A plurality of sensors are spaced from each other and disposed about the first end of the cable such that movement of the cable relative to said linkage causes the sensors to monitor movement of the shift position member between the gear positions for achieving a proper position of the shift position member in one of the gear positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventor: James E. Rouleau
  • Patent number: 8893581
    Abstract: A pedal adjuster which may be used with a pedal device such as a bicycle or stationary bicycle and which allows a user to tilt pedals relative to the horizontal plane in order to accommodate a foot that is everted or inverted relative to the vertical midline of the user's body. The illustrated embodiment of this invention includes an outer tube with a plurality of locking pin holes and a means for attachment to a crank arm, an inner rod housed coaxially within the outer tube and having a means for attachment to a pedal and a means for adjustably positioning the inner rod within the outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventor: Larry White
  • Patent number: 8850922
    Abstract: A vehicle accelerator pedal actuator may include a pressurized fluid source, a mounting mechanism configured to fix the accelerator pedal actuator relative to a vehicle accelerator pedal, and an actuating mechanism in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source and configured to displace the vehicle accelerator pedal. The vehicle accelerator pedal actuator may further include a valve member selectively controlling fluid communication between the pressurized fluid source and the actuating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Inventor: Michael David Gray
  • Patent number: 8839692
    Abstract: A work machine having a loop-shaped operating handle connected to an upper end part of a handle post. The operating handle pivots to positions in the longitudinal direction of the work machine across a longitudinal axis of the handle post as a baseline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyomi Yanai, Ai Habuka, Misako Hamani, Mai Ohba
  • Patent number: 8827564
    Abstract: A tapered cylinder portion, a radially extending portion, a cylindrical portion, a center backup portion, and a large diameter side curved portion are formed from an integral metallic plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Jtekt Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Hamada, Hiroshi Ueno, Hitoshi Yano, Kanichi Koda, Masashi Sakaguchi, Toshihiko Shiraki, Ryo Oonishi
  • Patent number: 8820188
    Abstract: A park-position mechanism includes a selector mechanism that includes a cam mounted on a selector hub shaft, a park gear mounted on a main shaft and corresponding in position to the cam, a park arm arranged between the cam and the park gear. The park arm has a holed base fit over a stud that rotates and supports the park arm in a crankshaft case. A torsion spring is arranged between the park arm and the crankshaft case with ends attached to the park arm and the crankshaft case respectively. The park arm has a driven section and an engaging section respectively extending from opposite sides of the holed base. The engaging section forms a projection. The driven section forms a hole in which a guide rod is received in an axially movable manner. The guide rod is engaged with the earn and is thus selectively driven by the cam to cause engagement of the projection of the engaging section with the park gear. A resilient member is arranged between the hole and the guide rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Kwang Yang Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chao-Chang Ho