Patents Examined by Emily G Castonguay
  • Patent number: 11884342
    Abstract: A component for a track-type machine comprises a body, a through-bore extending through the body forming an inner wall, and a bushing located in the through-bore. The bushing comprises a bearing surface, an outer surface engaging the inner wall, a flange extending from the outer surface and extending into the inner wall, and retention features located in the outer surface proximate the flange. The retention features comprise voids in the bushing filled-in by material of the body. Methods of manufacturing a component for a track-type system comprises casting-in-place a bushing with a flange and retention features into the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin I. Jones, Benoit Abello, David J. Hakes
  • Patent number: 11858566
    Abstract: A track link having sensor-receiving cavities and a method of producing a track link is disclosed. The track link may include a link body and a cavity formed in the link body configured to receive a sensing device. The track link may also include a protrusion substantially surrounding the cavity. The protrusion may include a substantially flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Caterpillar Inc., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd.
    Inventors: Donald J. Kalmes, William P. Shoemaker, Yaodong Zhou, Li Zhang
  • Patent number: 11845300
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel rim including: a tire bed surface having laterally spaced first and second bead seats that are configured to support respective first and second beads of a mating tire; and a rim well laterally positioned between the first and said second bead seats and including a circumferential first step edge; and a first lateral offset region laterally positioned between the first bead seat and the first step edge, with the first step edge extending radially inwardly from the first lateral offset region and configured to provide for lateral alignment registration and/or visual alignment and placement of a first edge of a mating rim strip. The rim strip is a circumferential element that radially outwardly overlaps the rim well and extends laterally inwardly from the first step edge. The first step edge is radially inboard of the first bead seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Feucht, Mark Slate, Evan Smith, Raphael Schlanger, Patrick M. Seidler
  • Patent number: 11820446
    Abstract: A ground-engaging track shoe includes a shoe plate having link-side fixturing surfaces and ground-side fixturing surfaces. The link-side fixturing surfaces and the ground-side fixturing surfaces are raised in profile relative to a link-facing surface and a ground-facing surface, respectively. The fixturing surfaces enable a fixture to clamp the track shoe for support during processing, enabling improvements in maintaining portions of the track shoe flat and reducing part to part variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Eric James Johannsen
  • Patent number: 11807041
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a wheel cover that is coupled to a wheel of a vehicle utilizing a mounting assembly that has a bearing block. A retainer assembly in combination with the bearing block of the mounting assembly allows the wheel cover to be coupled to the wheel in a manner such that the wheel cover does not rotate with the forward and backward rotation of the wheel when the vehicle is being driven. The wheel cover covers the wheel and partially covers a gap or space between a tire of the wheel and a fender of the vehicle, which increases the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle. The retainer assembly provides at least one degree of freedom such that the wheel cover may move with the wheel when steering the vehicle in a leftward direction and a rightward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventor: Jeffrey Paul Smith
  • Patent number: 11801709
    Abstract: A composite wheel includes a rim, a connecting ring, a plurality of spokes and a flange all connected in sequence from the outside to the inside. One end of each spoke is provided with a thread, and the other end of each spoke is provided with a first mounting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: CITIC DICASTAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Weidong Liu, Minglei Li, Dexi Du
  • Patent number: 11802598
    Abstract: A wheel end support assembly and method of assembly. The assembly may include a spindle, a brake torque plate, and a locator bushing. The locator bushing is received in a first locator hole of the spindle and a second locator hole of the brake torque plate and aligns the brake torque plate to the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Philpott, Soumar Jabbour
  • Patent number: 11794518
    Abstract: A freecoaster hub system for a bicycle allows the bicycle to coast freely in either a forward or backward direction. The freecoaster hub system includes a hub assembly having a hub and an axle, wherein the hub is interconnected to the rim of a wheel of the bicycle by a plurality of spokes. The freecoaster hub system for a bicycle also includes a transmission assembly at least partially mounted in the hub and operatively interconnected to the axle and the hub. The transmission assembly comprising a drive assembly and an engagement assembly, each of which operatively engage the axle and or hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel Patrick Keeley, II
  • Patent number: 11791748
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an energy harvester proximate to a rotatable component of a vehicle's wheel are disclosed. In some embodiments, an energy harvester system includes: a substrate having a first surface configured to contact and interface with a surface of a wheel, and a second surface opposite the first surface; a piezoelectric component configured to produce energy in response to mechanical strain imparted on the piezoelectric component, wherein the piezoelectric component is configured to deform while experiencing the mechanical strain so as to contact at least a portion of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryan Griswold, John Sze, Vibhu Vivek
  • Patent number: 11752811
    Abstract: A valve assembly for a tire pressure control system used to control tire pressure of a vehicle has a unitary body and one or more valves. The unitary body has attachment points for mounting the unitary body to a vehicle wheel end, one or more valve cavities formed in the unitary body, and a plurality of air passages formed in the unitary body. The plurality of air passages have an air supply passage that is connectable to an air supply and a tire supply chamber for connecting to a tire of the vehicle. The air supply passage and the tire supply chamber are connected to each of the one or more valve cavities. Each valve has a valve element mounted to the valve cavity, an air supply chamber in communication with the air supply passage, and a tire supply chamber in communication with the tire supply passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Tire Pressure Control International Ltd.
    Inventors: Lesley Joseph Hinz, Brian Douglas Spreen
  • Patent number: 11745811
    Abstract: A ground-engaging track shoe in a track joint assembly includes a shoe plate having bolt holes extending through a middle plate section between a planar link-bolting surface and a ground-contact surface. A weight relief channel is formed in the middle plate section upon a link-bolting side of the track shoe, and extends inwardly from the planar link-bolting surface. The weight relief channel is arranged between a forward bolt hole set of the bolt holes and a back bolt hole set of the bolt holes in a fore-aft direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Eric James Johannsen
  • Patent number: 11745538
    Abstract: A bicycle rim is made with a plurality of layered, each of which is formed of structural fibres incorporated in a polymeric material. The rim has a radially outer peripheral channel with an upper bridge extending between the wings for holding a tyre. The peripheral channel comprises an inner layered structure, extending between wings and at least one wrapping layered structure, wound on the inner layered structure at least at the end of the wings, the inner layered structure and the wrapping layered structure being included in the plurality of layered structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: CAMPAGNOLO S.r.l.
    Inventors: Mario Meggiolan, Mauri Feltrin, Leonardo Antonio Demelio, Filippo Bove
  • Patent number: 11697462
    Abstract: A track shoe assembly includes a pad portion, and a grouser that extends from the pad portion along a direction that is perpendicular to the pad portion, terminating at a free end. A first cap is attached to the grouser, at least partially covering the free end of the grouser. The cap comprises a wear resistant material such as a white iron material or a carbide material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Prest
  • Patent number: 11685452
    Abstract: A track shoe assembly is described that comprises a drive lug part and a track shoe body including a drive lug cavity configured to receive the drive lug part. The drive lug part has at least one lug portion protruding in a first direction, and at least one supporting protrusion extending in a direction substantially opposite to the first direction. The at least one supporting protrusion is configured to be receivable in a drive lug cavity formed in a track shoe such that a load applied to the drive lug part is at least partially transferred to the track shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventor: Antonino Restifo
  • Patent number: 11679825
    Abstract: An annular support structure for a track vehicle is disclosed herein. The annular support structure includes a first piece and a second piece. The first piece includes a first hub portion, a first web extending radially outward from the first hub portion, and a first outer body extending radially outward from the first web. The second piece includes a second hub portion, a second web extending radially outward from the second hub portion, and a second outer body extending radially outward from the second web. The first piece and the second piece joined together at an inner joint located proximate to the first hub portion and the second hub portion and the first piece and the second piece adjacent to each other at an outer joint located proximate to the first outer body and the second outer body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Gennaro Suanno
  • Patent number: 11679621
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel includes a hub portion, a rim portion, and a disc portion. The disc portion is arranged such that a window portion, a spoke portion, and a thin plate portion do not overlap when viewed from a wheel axis direction. The thin plate portion is connected to at least a part of the hub portion, the rim portion, and the spoke portion via a connection portion. A cross-sectional area of the connection portion that appears when the connection portion is cut in a wheel radial direction changes such that a cross-sectional area of an end of the connection portion becomes smaller than a cross-sectional area of another portion of the connection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: CENTRAL MOTOR WHEEL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takanori Amano
  • Patent number: 11673433
    Abstract: The vehicle tire inflation system comprises an air jacket and an air hose. The air jacket may reside within a wheel of a vehicle and may be mounted to the inside of a rim of the wheel. The air jacket may determine that a tire of the wheel has at least partially deflated by sensing that tire pressure within the wheel has dropped below a first pressure threshold. The air jacket may release compressed air within the wheel until the air jacket senses that the tire pressure has reached a second pressure threshold such that the tire may be reinflated. The air hose may be configured to couple the air jacket to a tire pressure monitoring system such that the air jacket has access to an external air supply located outside of the wheel via the tire pressure monitoring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Jeff Choizi
  • Patent number: 11667148
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel having a rim, a hub, a plurality of spokes with at least one of the spokes having a first portion connected the rim and a second portion connected to the hub. The rim includes a spoke bed wall with a radially outboard surface and a spoke hole having a radially outboard entrance and perimeter edge. The spoke extends through the spoke hole and is engaged to the spoke bed wall by an overlie engagement at a bearing interface between a bearing surface of the spoke and the radially outboard surface to limit longitudinally inward displacement between the spoke and spoke bed wall. At least a portion of the bearing interface is laterally outwardly spaced from the first perimeter edge by a lateral distance of at least 0.7 millimeters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventor: Raphael Schlanger
  • Patent number: 11660909
    Abstract: A rim assembly for a bicycle wheel includes a rim, a first protruding tire retaining feature attached to a first surface of the rim, and a second protruding tire retaining feature attached to a second surface of the rim. The first surface is a surface of a first tire retaining wall of a radially outer tire engaging portion of the rim, and the second surface is a surface of a second tire retaining wall of the radially outer tire engaging portion. The second surface faces the first surface. The first protruding tire retaining feature and the second protruding tire retaining feature are made of a first material, and the first tire retaining wall and the second tire retaining wall are made of a second material. The second material is different than the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Brady, Michael Hall, David Morse, Miguel Navarro Baeza
  • Patent number: 11654537
    Abstract: A system and method of use of the system to reset a thrown continuous track onto wheels of a continuous track vehicle (CTV). The system includes at least one track bar assembly configured to engage the thrown continuous track to reset teeth within channels on the wheels. In an aspect, the track bar assembly includes a bar configured to engage the inside surface of the thrown track and wheels of the CTV and a track mount tab connected to the bar, the track mount tab configured to engage the outer surface of the continuous track by being received within the gaps between the adjacent treads or over adjacent treads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Inventor: Cody Quirk