Patents Examined by Felicia L Brittman
  • Patent number: 12208846
    Abstract: A steering axle drive assembly includes a steering axle having opposite ends, a wheel pivotally connected with each steering axle end, and a control mechanism. The wheels are operated by the control mechanism for rotation about a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. When the axle is connected with a vehicle, the control mechanism controls the steering axle wheels independent of other wheels of the vehicle, such as the main drive wheels, to steer and drive the vehicle from an origin in any direction without passing through the origin. Preferably, a motor or linear actuator controls the rotation of the steering axle wheels. The steering axle drive assembly can be further improved by including an angled axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Inventor: Thomas Towles Lawson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 12202536
    Abstract: A steering system for a skid steered vehicle has a variable-speed steering motor, and an asymmetrical steering differential operatively connected to the steering motor and rotatably mounted on a first side of the chassis separately from the propulsion system. The steering differential has a first differential shaft and a second differential shaft, where the asymmetrical differential imparts a greater speed change on the second differential shaft than the first differential shaft. The first differential shaft is connected to a first steering output shaft operatively connected to at least one ground-engaging element on the first side of the vehicle. A speed reducer connecting the second differential shaft to a second steering output shaft operatively connected to at least one ground-engaging element on the second side of the vehicle so that the second steering output shaft experiences the same speed change but in an opposite rotational direction as the first steering output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Inventors: Peter Derek Visscher, Peter John Woolfrey
  • Patent number: 12202570
    Abstract: A bike trailer with improved top cover includes a trailer frame installed with a seat, a top cover, a left panel and a right panel. One side of the top cover is fixed to one side of the trailer frame. A connecting member and a connected member are respectively provided between the other side of the top cover and the other side of the trailer frame so that the top cover can be opened when the connecting member is disengaged from the connected member. The top cover is provided with an accommodating space along the direction of opening to receiving direction, and a stretched and straightened coiled leaf spring is installed in the accommodating space and fixed on the top cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Inventor: Cheh-Kang Liu
  • Patent number: 12195129
    Abstract: A mobile device holder for mobility object includes: a main body coupled to a top end of the mobility object; a display positioned on a top surface of the main body and configured to provide a passenger of the mobility object with information; and a holder configured to be stored in the main body when coupled to a first side of the main body, and configured to be coupled to a second side of the main body and mount a mobile device thereon when separated from the first side, wherein the mobile device is supported together on the holder and a top surface of the display when mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hyun Song
  • Patent number: 12194843
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wheeled vehicle. The wheeled vehicle includes various features for operation by a rider, such as a throttle actuation assembly and various components for operation and manipulation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Bryce R. Evans, William B. Rodriguez, Scott D. Taylor, Joel B. Kelso, Michael J. Hanten
  • Patent number: 12194623
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a robot device comprises: a mast extending in one direction; a pivoting structure including a pivot mounted on one end portion of the mast and configured to pivot with respect to the mast; a casing accommodating at least a portion of the pivoting structure, and configured to linearly reciprocate with respect to the pivoting structure in a direction parallel or oblique to the direction in which the mast extends; and an elastic outer cover accommodating at least a portion of the mast, wherein the elastic outer cover may include a first portion fixed to the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Heeseung Choi, Sungjin Park, Seunghwan Lee, Baeseok Lim, Woojong Cho, Kuyoung Choi, Hyoseok Na, Byounguk Yoon
  • Patent number: 12187382
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a snowmobile including an engine mounted on the chassis, a drive track in contact with the chassis, and a drive train, operatively interconnecting the engine with the drive track for delivering propulsive power to the drive track. The drive train includes a driveshaft, comprising a tubular driveshaft including two or more interior channels, the channels positioned in a substantially longitudinal orientation, two or more sprocket driving features on an exterior surface of the tubular driveshaft, and one or more fitting components, positioned at one or more distal ends of the driveshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Arctic Cat Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin David Thompson, Gary D. Homme, Devin Joseph Danielson, Andrew Jon Ellsworth
  • Patent number: 12179857
    Abstract: A steering assistance device includes an input shaft, a torque sensor, and output shaft, a gear unit, a steering housing, and a drive unit. The drive unit and the torque sensor are arranged so as to be in mechanical contact with the steering housing. The drive unit has a pump for conveying the working medium and a motor for driving the pump. The drive unit has a reservoir for containing working medium, wherein at least the pump is arranged within the reservoir. The input shaft, the torque sensor, the gear unit, and the drive unit are arranged in a row along a longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Lang, Bernhard Miller, Klaus Peterreins, Falk Hecker
  • Patent number: 12178765
    Abstract: A chair-drive interface assembly is for use with a wheelchair assembly having a first chair-connection member and a second chair-connection member, and also for use with a drive assembly including a wheel assembly, a motor assembly, a drive-connection member and a steering assembly. The chair-drive interface assembly has a first connection member configured to be fixedly attached to the first chair-connection member. The chair-drive interface assembly also has a second connection member configured to be fixedly attached to the second chair-connection member. The second connection member is spaced apart from the first connection member. The chair-drive interface assembly also has a third connection member configured to be fixedly attached to the drive-connection member of the drive assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Inventors: Dmitry Paltsev, Yevgeny Cherny, Evelio Goderich, Gennady Lisnyak, Dmitry Marukh, Eduard Somin
  • Patent number: 12173772
    Abstract: Adjustable suspension for a bicycle, comprising a suspension body provided with a main fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a piston disposed in the suspension body and comprising a piston head delimiting a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber being in fluid communication with the main fluid inlet, the piston being movable in translation in the suspension body between at least one first position in which the fluid outlet fluidly communicates with the second chamber but not with the first chamber, so as to deploy the piston, and at least one second position in which the fluid outlet is in fluid communication with the first chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Inventors: Pablo Ortuno Ayuso, Zigor Garate
  • Patent number: 12156837
    Abstract: A wheelchair includes a seat, a first adjustable leg coupled to a first side of the seat, a second adjustable leg coupled to a second side of the seat, one or more turning sensors, and a control unit. The first adjustable leg includes a first leg actuator configured to extend and retract the first adjustable leg. The second adjustable leg includes a second leg actuator configured to extend and retract the second adjustable leg. The one or more turning sensors are configured to output a turning signal indicative of the wheelchair performing a turning motion. The control unit is operable to determine the wheelchair is performing the turning motion based on the turning signal, and automatically adjust a tilt angle of the seat with the first leg actuator and the second leg actuator to lean a user of the wheelchair into the turning motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas A. Moore, Dario S. Villarreal Suarez
  • Patent number: 12151773
    Abstract: A method for forming a bicycle frame component made of thermoplastic composite laminates has: a shell forming step: manufacturing multiple shells by compression molding; an overlapping step: overlapping two corresponding connecting margins of each two of the multiple shells to form an overlapping section of the two of the multiple shells and deploying a supporting unit within the multiple shells for supporting; a hot compressing connection step: heating and compressing the multiple shells to diffuse polymers of the multiple shells and to turn the multiple overlapping sections into multiple fusion areas for connection; a supporting unit removal step: removing the supporting unit disposed within the bicycle frame component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: ASTRO TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Samuel Hu, Liu-Cheng Liu
  • Patent number: 12151761
    Abstract: A knuckle guard (30) according to an embodiment includes a wind guide portion (35) that is disposed in front of a grip (17) of a handlebar (15) of a vehicle (1) and has a communication hole (36) which opens in a vertical direction, wherein the wind guide portion (35) covers the communication hole (36) in a front view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shimpei Shikanai, Ryuichi Nakanishi, Jumpei Yasuda
  • Patent number: 12151750
    Abstract: A vehicle according to a vehicle system and method includes a chassis, a coupler, and a platform on the chassis. The coupler is mounted to the chassis at a first end of the chassis and is configured to releasably connect the vehicle to a second vehicle. The platform is for supporting a cargo container and includes a base portion and a bridge member. The bridge member is located at an end of the platform and is extendable relative to the base portion from a retracted position to an extended position to lengthen the platform. The bridge member in the extended position projects beyond the first end of the chassis, above the coupler, towards the second vehicle for establishing a bridge to transload the cargo container from the platform to the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony D. Paul, Nathan Thomas North, Milan Karunaratne
  • Patent number: 12144767
    Abstract: An adjustable wheelchair and components thereof are provided. The wheelchair may include a first chassis connected to a first wheel on a first side of the wheelchair. The first chasses may include a first strut configured to laterally translate while supporting a seat. The wheelchair may further include a second chassis connected to a second wheel on a second side of the wheelchair. The second chasses may include a second strut configured to laterally translate while supporting the seat. A jack may be connected to the first chasses and second chasses. The jack may operatively cause the first and second chassis expand away from each other and contract toward each other to vary a width between the first side and second side of the wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Quinn Alexander Joyce, Eric Eagon
  • Patent number: 12145674
    Abstract: Ride-on outdoor power equipment includes one or more batteries, one or more electric traction motors electrically connected to the one or more batteries, one or more user input devices, a plurality of sensors, and a controller in communication with the one or more batteries, the electric traction motors and the one or more user input devices, the controller configured to control the electric traction motors to operate the ride-on outdoor power equipment based on inputs received via the user input devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Zeiler, David Schulenberg, Scott Funke, Steve Avery, Steve Weber, Brian Poirier, Jacob Schmalz
  • Patent number: 12145663
    Abstract: A rack-driven electric power assisted steering device includes a rack bar which axially slides in a rack housing and has an outer circumferential screw groove formed at the outer circumferential surface thereof; a ball nut which has an inner circumferential screw groove formed at the inner circumferential surface thereof and corresponding to the outer circumferential screw groove of the rack bar, and has a ball circulation passage formed between the inner and outer circumferential surfaces thereof, the ball circulation passage passing through the ball nut in the axial direction; end caps coupled to ends of the ball circulation passage, each of the end caps having a ball return hole provided to circulate balls through the ball circulation passage, the outer circumferential screw groove, and the inner circumferential screw groove; and a support member coupled to the inner circumferential surface of the ball nut while axially supporting the end caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jong Baek Lee
  • Patent number: 12145668
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to redundant steering system, including a first steering knuckle rotatable with respect to a first steering axis, a first steering cylinder, a first steering rod coupled to the first steering cylinder, a second steering cylinder, and a second steering rod coupled to the second steering cylinder. The first steering rod and the second steering rod are each rotatably coupled to the first steering knuckle at a distance from the first steering axis and at different positions along the first steering axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: DANA ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventors: Nicola Tessaro, Davide Deimichei, Efrem Rusconi, Gianluca Terrasi
  • Patent number: 12139207
    Abstract: A steering reaction force generation device for a vehicle may include a housing; a transfer shaft part rotatably installed in the housing, and disposed coaxially with a steering shaft; a stator part fixed to the inside of the housing; a rotor part connected to the transfer shaft part, and configured to rotate the transfer shaft part through an electromagnetic interaction with the stator part; and a power transfer part installed in the rotor part, and configured to transfer a rotational force of the transfer shaft part to the steering shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Il Ryong Kim
  • Patent number: 12115112
    Abstract: A device for supporting a wheelchair includes a frame and a support system. The first end of the frame is attached to an axle of the wheelchair. The second end of the frame is attached to a wheel for allowing translation of the device over a surface. The support system is coupled to the frame and may be positioned to catch a back of the wheelchair upon reclining of the wheelchair during a wheelie. The position of the support system with respect to the frame is adjustable in order to catch the wheelchair at varying angles of reclining. As the user of a wheelchair develops skill in performing a wheelie, the position of the support system may be moved further away from the wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
    Inventors: Amy Huckstep, Elizabeth Ann Petersen, Jacob Wat, Melanie Claire Galantino, Justin Omid Navadzadeh, Jose Roberto Roches, Kevin Brenner