Patents Examined by David Fenstermacher
  • Patent number: 7370554
    Abstract: A moveable control pedal assembly includes a pedal carriage to which a pedal arm is mounted. The pedal carriage can be moved forward and backward via threaded extender rods which engage the pedal carriage to move it along the extender rods when they are rotated. A threaded control rod, extending between the pedal arm and a control device, such as a hydraulic cylinder or control cable, rotates with the extender rods and allows movement of the pedal carriage and pedal arm without altering the mechanical advantage provided by the pedal arm and without altering the lateral positioning of the control rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Magna Closures Inc.
    Inventors: Nebojsa Djordjevic, Richard Olichwier
  • Patent number: 7237448
    Abstract: In a linear guide unit that has an elongated guide housing which limits a guide hollow space with a longitudinal opening, a wagon arrangement which is displaceably guided in the guide hollow space on guide rails, a connection part for connecting the wagon arrangement to an object to be guided, a cover element arranged between movement tracks of the connection part and covering the longitudinal opening, in accordance with the present invention forwardly of and/or rearwardly of the wagon arrangement, at least one support unit is arranged displaceably in direction of the longitudinal axis for supporting the cover element relative to the guide housing; also additionally or alternatively the support unit can support the cover element relative to the wagon arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Rexroth Star GmbH
    Inventor: Siegfried Bauer
  • Patent number: 7192381
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The present invention includes a continuously variable transmission that may be employed in connection with any type of machine that is in need of a transmission. For example, the transmission may be used in (i) a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or watercraft, (ii) a non-motorized vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, scooter, exercise equipment or (iii) industrial equipment, such as a drill press, power generating equipment, or textile mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Miller, David John Allen
  • Patent number: 7191679
    Abstract: An electric tilt and/or telescopic steering column apparatus comprises a steering shaft having a steering wheel mounted on a rear end thereof, a steering column for rotatably supporting the steering shaft, an electric actuator for adjusting the tilt and/or telescopic position of the steering shaft by driving this steering column, and position detecting means for detecting the position of the steering shaft in a non-contact manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Tomaru, Kazuya Fukuda, Takahiro Saito
  • Patent number: 7188708
    Abstract: An oil pan for an engine, the oil pan having a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced-apart reinforcement channels (58) extending from adjacent a first end (10) of the oil pan to adjacent a second end (12) of the oil pan, each channel (58) having a base (58) and two sides (60) and an open top (66); the channels (58) tapering downwardly from the first end (10) and the second end (12) towards an accumulation area (24) of the oil pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Petroliam Nasional Berhad
    Inventor: Azmi B. Osman
  • Patent number: 7178634
    Abstract: A device for supplying several lubrication points on machine parts with a lubricant, comprising an electromechanical lubrication dispenser and a distribution device coupled to a lubricant outlet of the dispenser. The distribution device has a housing, a cylindrical hollow distributor body or tube which is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis. There is also a fixed cylindrical sleeve that surrounds the distributor body, forming a seal. The distributor body has an opening at the top for allowing the lubricant in, and has at least two distributor bores disposed on the circumference but offset axially from one another. Each of these distributor bores has a corresponding opening bore in the distributor sleeve that is assigned to it. This distribution device also has an electric motor drive that has a running path control that has a switch that functions electromechanically or in a contact free manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: perma-tec GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Weigand
  • Patent number: 7178421
    Abstract: A dual spherical ball clamp is employed to allow for pivotal adjustment of a robotic arm to support an object in a desired position. The clamp is formed by a pair of clamp halves bolted together to form a pair of sockets. Each socket receives a spherical ball of an arm. The faces of the dual spherical ball clamp are slightly inclined outwardly with respect to the lower surface of the dual spherical ball clamp to provide for additional range of motion of the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Syron Engineering & Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Filipiak, Richard Rial Hamann, Timothy John Key
  • Patent number: 7175565
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The present invention includes a continuously variable transmission that may be employed in connection with any type of machine that is in need of a transmission. For example, the transmission may be used in (i) a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or watercraft, (ii) a non-motorized vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, scooter, exercise equipment or (iii) industrial equipment, such as a drill press, power generating equipment, or textile mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Miller, David John Allen
  • Patent number: 7175566
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The present invention includes a continuously variable transmission that may be employed in connection with any type of machine that is in need of a transmission. For example, the transmission may be used in (i) a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or watercraft, (ii) a non-motorized vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, scooter, exercise equipment or (iii) industrial equipment, such as a drill press, power generating equipment, or textile mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Miller, David John Allen
  • Patent number: 7174997
    Abstract: An auxiliary lubrication system for an aircraft turbine engine includes a reservoir 32 of lubricant 50 and a venturi 42 to suction lubricant out of the reservoir and direct an lubricant mist at a bearing 24 or other component requiring lubrication. The venturi is directly connected to a source of motive fluid, such as pressurized air extracted from an engine flowpath 10, and is continuously driven by the motive fluid. The auxiliary system accommodates a failure or malfunction of the primary, high pressure lubrication system. The auxiliary system operates during normal conditions, when the primary system is fully functional. If the primary system fails, the auxiliary system continues to operate for a limited time, until the lubricant in the reservoir is depleted, to provide an lubricant mist to the component being lubricated. The limited-duration lubricant supply allows the aircraft crew time to carry out actions required to safeguard the aircraft and its occupants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 7174999
    Abstract: An automatic wire lubricating device includes first and second components each having a body section of semi-annular configuration defining a portion of a continuous cylindrical interior reservoir formed by the body sections when they are fastened together into an annular body defining a central opening, a pipe fitting attached on an outer circumferential side of the body section of the first component in flow communication with the interior reservoir such that the pipe fitting can be coupled to a soap line coming from a pump, dispensing holes circumferentially spaced apart defined through the body sections providing flow communication from the interior reservoir to the central opening, and coupler pins formed on opposite ends of the body sections of the first and second components which fit together so as to make a tight seal of the interior reservoir when the first and second components are fastened together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: WLD, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy L. Coder, Dennis D. Hartman
  • Patent number: 7172529
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The present invention includes a continuously variable transmission that may be employed in connection with any type of machine that is in need of a transmission. For example, the transmission may be used in (i) a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or watercraft, (ii) a non-motorized vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, scooter, exercise equipment or (iii) industrial equipment, such as a drill press, power generating equipment, or textile mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Miller, David John Allen
  • Patent number: 7166058
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The present invention includes a continuously variable transmission that may be employed in connection with any type of machine that is in need of a transmission. For example, the transmission may be used in (i) a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or watercraft, (ii) a non-motorized vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, scooter, exercise equipment or (iii) industrial equipment, such as a drill press, power generating equipment, or textile mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Miller, David John Allen
  • Patent number: 7165651
    Abstract: A lubricating structure of an engine for vehicle comprising a main pump for pressure-feeding a lubricating oil, and a scavenging pump for pumping the lubricating oil out of a crank room to transfer the oil, can reduce an applied load of a main pump and reduce a power loss of the pump while reducing the size of the main pump and the scavenging pump, and thus reducing the size of the entire engine. In the lubricating structure, the crank room and a transmission room are divided by a partition, an oil storage room communicating with a discharging portion of the scavenging pump is formed, and an oil passage for lubricating a transmission is formed in the transmission shaft along the shaft center and is opened to the oil storage room. The lubricating oil in the oil storage room is supplied to lubrication points on the transmission shaft through the oil passage of the transmission shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Hiraga
  • Patent number: 7166057
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The present invention includes a continuously variable transmission that may be employed in connection with any type of machine that is in need of a transmission. For example, the transmission may be used in (i) a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or watercraft, (ii) a non-motorized vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, scooter, exercise equipment or (iii) industrial equipment, such as a drill press, power generating equipment, or textile mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Miller, David John Allen
  • Patent number: 7163486
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The present invention includes a continuously variable transmission that may be employed in connection with any type of machine that is in need of a transmission. For example, the transmission may be used in (i) a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or watercraft, (ii) a non-motorized vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, scooter, exercise equipment or (iii) industrial equipment, such as a drill press, power generating equipment, or textile mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Miller, David John Allen
  • Patent number: 7159485
    Abstract: A drive assembly 21 is provided for an electric motor 10 having a rotatable shaft 12 including a worm 14. The drive assembly includes an output gear 16 constructed and arranged to mesh with the worm. The output gear includes a plurality of arms 22 extending generally from a periphery of the output gear radially towards a center of the output gear. A driver 18 is operatively associated with the output gear to rotate therewith. The driver includes a plurality of cams 24 near a periphery thereof. The cams are operatively associated with the arms so that when the driver stops rotating while the output gear continues to rotate, each cam engages an associated arm to absorb kinetic energy of the output gear while the motor stalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventor: Luis E. Acosta
  • Patent number: 7152712
    Abstract: A lubrication medium supply system and method for delivering lubricant to, for example, the spin bearings of a control moment gyro (CMG), includes a reservoir, a motor, and a valve. A lubrication medium is placed within the reservoir, and the motor, which is coupled to the reservoir, compresses, and thereby pressurizes, the lubrication medium. The valve opens in response to the pressurization of the lubrication medium, to thereby dispense a predetermined amount of lubrication medium from the reservoir, while simultaneously depressurizing the lubrication medium in the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Gisler, Mark A. Heller
  • Patent number: 7153233
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The present invention includes a continuously variable transmission that may be employed in connection with any type of machine that is in need of a transmission. For example, the transmission may be used in (i) a motorized vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or watercraft, (ii) a non-motorized vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, scooter, exercise equipment or (iii) industrial equipment, such as a drill press, power generating equipment, or textile mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Fallbrook Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Miller, David John Allen
  • Patent number: RE39757
    Abstract: A brake lever arm is mounted to a base member, with the base member fixed to a bicycle handlebar. The lever arm is pivotal about a pivot point on the base. The lever arm includes an adjusting mechanism that adjusts the position of the lever arm when the lever arm is in a brake dis-engaged position. The adjusting mechanism is slideable in grooves in the lever arm such that the adjusting mechanisms may be moved to positions that are differing distances away from the pivot point. The adjusting mechanism includes a contact member that engages a brake cable connected to the lever arm when the lever arm is moved from the brake disengaged position toward a brake engagement position. The position of the contact member with respect to the pivot point determines the effect movement of the lever arm has on the cable. In this manner, the adjusting mechanism adjusts the length of the stroke or travel of the lever arm from the brake disengaged position to the brake engagement position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Yamashita