Patents Examined by Emily R Kincaid
  • Patent number: 11976708
    Abstract: A pulley belt (100) for transmitting force from a first pulley (12) to a second pulley (14) includes a belt member (110) having a contact surface (120) configured to be in contact with the first pulley (12) and the second pulley (14). A plurality of projections (122) extends from the contact surface (120). The projections have a predetermined height/diameter aspect ratio. In a method of making a pulley belt, an uncured elastomer (316) is placed in a mold (310) having a shape of a belt member (320) with an inner surface from which patterned projections (312) extend inwardly. The uncured elastomer is cured to form a cured belt member (320), which is removed from the mold (310).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Varenberg, Michael Leamy, Yingdan Wu
  • Patent number: 11945546
    Abstract: A pedal drivetrain includes an input interface, an output interface, and a power transmission belt. The power transmission belt is engaged with the input interface and output interface to transmit force from the input interface to the output interface. At least one of the input interface and the output interface includes a plurality of movable pins engaged with the power transmission belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventor: Marcelo Alonso Mejia Cobo
  • Patent number: 11946530
    Abstract: A power pack for a vehicle selected from a group of different vehicles is disclosed. The power pack includes an internal combustion engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) operatively connected to the engine. The CVT includes: a drive pulley operatively connected to a crankshaft of the engine, the drive pulley being rotatable about a drive pulley axis; a driven pulley rotatable about a driven pulley axis; a belt connecting the drive pulley to the driven pulley; and a housing at least partly enclosing the drive pulley, the driven pulley and the belt. The power pack also includes a sub-transmission selected from a group of different sub-transmissions depending on the selected vehicle. The selected sub-transmission is mounted to the housing of the CVT. The housing of the CVT is configured to mount any sub-transmission of the group of different sub-transmissions. A method for assembling a power pack is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: BRP-ROTAX GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Nigel Foxhall, Thomas Zorn, Franz Russegger, Bruno Girouard
  • Patent number: 11932351
    Abstract: A conical shaped bicycle cassette has a unitary sprocket assembly. Each annular portion of an individual sprocket is mechanically supported either from a back of the sprocket, in an axial direction toward a bicycle hub or from an inner radial direction toward a centerline axis of the bicycle cassette and hub. The axial support zones and radial support zones are alternated around a circumference of the sprocket so that an entirety of the sprocket is supported in either the axial direction or the radial direction. In this way, the chain driving loads on the cassette are spread throughout the entire cassette and the areas of highly localized stress from the cassette are removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Hive Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Thrash
  • Patent number: 11927267
    Abstract: A chain guide includes a contact guide portion that comes into contact with a chain and guides the chain, and a vibration control portion having a zero-touch surface extending along a travel line of the chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: DAIDO KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiya Naoe, Hideaki Seki
  • Patent number: 11919607
    Abstract: A bicycle rear derailleur includes a base element including a first attachment end for coaxial installation on a rear-wheel axis and a second attachment end, a movable element movable relative to the base element, a linkage mechanism connecting the movable element to the base element, and a chain guide arrangement rotatably connected to the movable element. The second attachment end is coupled to the linkage mechanism. The first attachment end includes a first arm and a second arm, which are spaced apart in an axial direction with respect to the rear-wheel axis. The base element includes an angular position adjustment structure that adjusts an angular position of the derailleur relative to a bicycle frame by rotating the first arm and the second arm about the rear-wheel axis. The angular position adjustment structure is disposed between the first and second attachment ends in a radial direction of the rear-wheel axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shahana, Sota Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11919606
    Abstract: A bicycle rear-wheel sprocket pairing for engaging in a meshing, force-transmitting and form-fitting manner with a bicycle roller chain, wherein the rear-wheel sprocket pairing is rotatable about a sprocket axis. The sprocket axis defines an axial direction running along the sprocket axis, a radial direction running so as to be orthogonal to the sprocket axis, and a circumferential direction encircling the sprocket axis. The rear-wheel sprocket pairing comprises a larger sprocket and a smaller sprocket which for rotating conjointly with the larger sprocket in a slip-free manner about the sprocket axis is connected to the larger sprocket so as to be coaxial with and axially directly adjacent to the latter. The larger sprocket has an even tooth count of equal to or less than twenty-two teeth, and the difference in the tooth count between the larger and the smaller sprocket is exactly two teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SRAM DEUTSCHLAND GmbH
    Inventors: Henrik Braedt, Sebastian Heyna
  • Patent number: 11913534
    Abstract: A chainring assembly includes a chainring carrier adapted to be coupled to a crank arm. The chainring carrier is rotatable about a rotation axis, and includes an outer periphery having carrier threads. A chainring structure includes an inner periphery having chainring threads and an outer periphery comprising a plurality of teeth. The inner periphery of the chainring structure is threadably engaged with the outer periphery of the chainring carrier. In one embodiment, a power meter device includes a body having a torque input section and a torque output section, with the torque output section including an outer periphery having threads adapted to be coupled to a chainring structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Isaiah Miller, Nathan Keck, James Meyer
  • Patent number: 11913549
    Abstract: A tensioner for a belt transmission of a motor vehicle engine has a fixed part configured to be constrained to the engine and provided with a pin defining a rotation axis (A), an arm having a hub portion hinged on the pin and rotatable about the axis (A) and an opposite portion rotatably supporting a pulley configured to cooperate with a transmission belt, a main spring interposed between the fixed part and the arm to exert a thrust on the arm such as to rotate the arm towards the belt, a roller bearing supporting the arm on the pin, and a pair of damping devices exerting on the arm opposite actions so as to minimize the load on the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: DAYCO EUROPE S.R.L.
    Inventors: Roberto Ronchetto, Gianluca Osella
  • Patent number: 11912373
    Abstract: A bicycle rear wheel sprocket arrangement comprises a carrier sprocket and a self-supporting sprocket cluster connected to the carrier sprocket on the outboard side in a connection region of the carrier sprocket. The sprocket arrangement comprises a plurality of further sprockets which are designed as sprocket rings. The sprocket rings are each arranged on the carrier sprocket in the connection region and each are connected to the carrier sprocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SRAM DEUTSCHLAND GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Vonend, Jakob Rohmer
  • Patent number: 11913550
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes: a CVT mechanism including a driving pulley, a driven pulley, an annular belt wound around the driving pulley and the driven pulley, and a centrifugal fan blade disposed at the driving pulley; and a CVT case that defines an internal space accommodating the CVT mechanism. An inner surface of the CVT case includes: a peripheral surface portion that covers the CVT mechanism from an outer side in a radial direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the driving pulley; and a guide surface portion that projects toward an inner side in the radial direction from the peripheral surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11898636
    Abstract: Fixed belt tensioners for a belt system, such as for an exercise bicycle or other belted exercise equipment. The tensioners have the pulley-bearing assembly fixedly attached to the tensioning arm, which is attached to the equipment frame or to a bracket via the same aperture that forms the axis by which the pulley-bearing assembly is attached to the tensioning arm. The arm includes a protrusion or other feature that provides a pivot point for use during the belt installation process. The tensioning arm also incorporates a tensioning adjustment, such as a hex or square hole or protrusion for engagement with a torque wrench or a simple wrench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Andrzej Dec, Min Chun Hao, David P. Rieland
  • Patent number: 11885415
    Abstract: A CVT variator transmission box for using on a bicycle is provided. The CVT variator transmission box increases or decreases a speed of a rotation of pedals or hands when a form of a motion transmission is provided; and the CVT variator transmission box introduces a new variator gearbox with a CVT variator transmission mechanism capable of transmitting to a front wheel or a rear wheel by increasing or decreasing the speed from the pedals or the hands when the form of the motion transmission is provided. The CVT variator transmission box is positioned on any part of the front wheel, the rear wheel or on a frame of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: YESIL KOMPRESOR KLIMA TASARIM IMALAT SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI
    Inventor: Peyman Asadi
  • Patent number: 11884364
    Abstract: A rear derailleur assembly for mounting to a bicycle having a frame. The rear derailleur assembly includes an upper body portion configured to operationally engage the rear derailleur assembly to the frame, a controller portion pivotally connected to the upper body, a lower body portion pivotally connected to the upper body and pivotally connected to the controller portion, and a chain cage assembly. The chain cage assembly includes at least two pulleys configured to engage a chain of the bicycle, and a one-piece chain cage configured to retain each pulley at a particular fixed position. Each pulley is rotatable relative to the one-piece chain cage at the particular fixed position of the pulley. The lower body portion is operationally connected to the one-piece chain cage and configured to allow the one-piece chain cage to pivot relative to the lower body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: The Cycle Group
    Inventors: Kenneth K. Anderson, Jonathan Ziegler
  • Patent number: 11885394
    Abstract: A drive sprocket comprising a plurality of teeth for meshing with a drive member to transmit rotary motion, the drive member including a plurality of engagement pockets engaging the teeth of the drive sprocket, wherein each tooth has a tooth profile defined by a first side comprising a first engagement surface and an opposite second side comprising a second engagement surface, which engagement surfaces are configured such that when driven, a tooth meshes to the engagement pocket at a first contact location on the first engagement surface and also at a second contact location on the second engagement surface, wherein the first contact location is radially offset from the second contact location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: NEW MOTION LABS LTD.
    Inventors: Josh Daniel Palmer, Lucas Lobmeyer, Marcel Fowler
  • Patent number: 11879536
    Abstract: In one aspect, a rotary device is provided, and includes a shaft adapter, a chambered member, a seal member and at least one internal torque transfer member. The shaft adapter is connectible to a crankshaft or accessory shaft and defines an axis. The chambered member (e.g. a pulley) is rotatably connected to it, and at least partially encloses a chamber (e.g. for oil), and includes a circumferential portion, a first side wall, and a second side wall which is a separate member from the circumferential portion. One of the circumferential portion and the second side wall has projections thereon, and the other has valleys that mate with the projections with no clearance, so as to be able to transfer a torque of at least 10 Nm into one another without plastic deformation. A seal member is compressed between the second side wall and the circumferential portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: LITENS AUTOMOTIVE PARTNERSHIP
    Inventors: Ahmed Abdul Wadood Anwer, Frank Verriet, Sean Kieran, Andrew Malcolm Boyes
  • Patent number: 11879535
    Abstract: A pulley assembly is disclosed herein that includes a shaft having a shaft length. A plurality of rolling elements are supported on a radially outer surface of the at least one shaft. In one aspect, the plurality of rolling elements are cylindrical rollers, the cylindrical rollers can each have a rolling element length and a rolling element diameter, and a ratio of the rolling element length to the rolling element diameter can be at least 1.0. A pulley is provided that surrounds the plurality of rolling elements, the pulley defines an outer raceway for the rolling elements, and the pulley defines a support surface configured to support a cable. A pair of washers are also arranged on axially opposite outer sides of the pulley and the rolling elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ulrich Mayr, Steven Kleinheinz, Carl White
  • Patent number: 11851134
    Abstract: The silent drive chain system for a motorcycle rear drive includes a small chain wheel, a large chain wheel and a silent drive chain, where the silent drive chain is a toothed chain and includes: an outer chain plate, inner chain plates, a guide plate, a pin, a sleeve and a damping sealing ring; the sleeve is in interference fit with mounting holes of both the inner chain plate and the guide plate and forms an inner chain link together with the inner chain plate and the guide plate, the pin penetrates into the sleeve and is in clearance fit with the sleeve, two ends of the pin are in interference fit with a mounting hole of the outer chain plate, and form an outer chain link together with the outer chain plate, and the damping sealing ring is arranged between the outer chain link and the inner chain link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: QINGDAO CHOHO INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zhenming Fu, Yumo Jin
  • Patent number: 11852292
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lubricant dispenser comprising a storage container (1) filled with lubricant and a pump (2) which is connected to or can be connected to the storage container (1) and by means of which the lubricant can be pumped out of the storage container (1). The pump has a pump housing (3) with an inlet opening (4) and an outlet opening (5), a piston (6) which is movably guided in the pump housing (3) in a linear manner, and a drive (7) which acts on the piston (6). The pump housing (3) of the pump (2) is connected to or can be connected to the storage container (1), and the piston (6) can be raised or lowered cyclically by the drive (7) in order to pump a lubricant from the inlet opening (4) to the outlet opening (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: PERMA-TEC GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Buehner Kuno, Eisenbacher Egon
  • Patent number: 11846350
    Abstract: A damper apparatus for a belt element of a belt transmission includes a sliding surface, a bearing receptacle, a first rail half and a second rail half. The sliding surface is arranged to contact a strand of the belt element to dampen the belt element. The bearing receptacle is arranged to align the sliding surface with the strand such that the sliding surface defines a strand travel direction, normal to a transversal direction. The first rail half has a first plunge opening with a first hook lid, and the second rail half has a second plunge opening with a second hook lid. The first rail half and the second rail half are interlockingly connected in contact to each other crosswise to the strand travel direction, and the first hook lid is arranged to plunge into the second plunge opening behind the second hook lid in a gripping manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Nicolas Schehrer