Patents Examined by Hau Phan
  • Patent number: 9365078
    Abstract: A bearing-hub assembly having a rolling bearing provided with a stationary radially outer ring, at least one rotatable radially inner ring and at least one row of rolling bodies is provided. The bearing-hub assembly includes a light alloy hub, provided with a flanged portion and a cylindrical housing. The cylindrical housing is axially located inside the radially inner ring and is provided with an external lateral surface having a complementary shape with an internal lateral surface of the radially inner ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Davide Antonio Olivieri, Laura Sguotti
  • Patent number: 9359026
    Abstract: A rubber crawler includes a rubber belt, a main cord layer that is incorporated within the rubber belt and includes a main cord configured from plural twisted strands covered with rubber, the main cord extending around the crawler circumferential direction, and a bias cord layer incorporated within the rubber belt at the crawler circumferential outside of the main cord layer configured by at least one bias ply and configured from at least one bias ply that is formed from a plurality of bias cords extending at an angle with respect to the crawler circumferential direction, disposed side-by-side around the crawler circumferential direction and covered in rubber such that bias cords of the bias ply at the circumferential outermost side of the crawler are, as viewed from the crawler circumferential outside, angled toward an opposite side, with respect to the crawler circumferential direction, from the angled side of the strands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Mizusawa
  • Patent number: 9352621
    Abstract: A tire inflation system for a vehicle. The tire inflation system may include at least one pressure relief valve. The pressure relief valve may be normally closed and may be configured to vent pressurized gas from a tire when a pressure of the pressurized gas in the tire exceeds a threshold pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventor: John D. Morgan
  • Patent number: 9352612
    Abstract: A wheel for a vehicle includes an inner hub portion that is configured to receive an axle therethrough and which defines an axis of rotation at a center thereof. The wheel includes an outer rim portion. A plurality of wheel spoke portions extend generally between the inner hub portion and the outer rim portion. The inner hub portion, the outer rim portion, and the plurality of spoke portions cooperate to form a wheel outer surface having a plurality of turbine openings. The outer surface of the wheel defines a wheel reference plane that is oriented generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The wheel outer surface is the side that face away from a vehicle. Each of the plurality of wheel spoke portions has an outer side adjacent the wheel outer surface, an inner side opposite the outer side, a leading side surface and a trailing side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Lacks Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Chinavare
  • Patent number: 9351891
    Abstract: A raising wheelchair comprises a wheeled frame and a raising system mounted to the frame and supporting a seat and a backrest. The raising system is configured to be movable between a lowered position and a raised position. The raising system includes at least one double-armed lever including a first lever member and a second lever member, a coupling member fixedly mounted to the frame, wherein the first lever member and the second lever member are pivotally coupled to the coupling member, and a coupling mechanism translationally coupled or pivotally coupled to a second end of the first lever member, pivotally coupled to a second end of the second lever member, and coupled to the backrest. The raising system maintains an orientation of the backrest relative to the ground that is substantially constant throughout substantially an entire range of movement between the lowered position and the raised position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Dane Technologies, INC.
    Inventors: Balz Maurer, Fabian Wolter
  • Patent number: 9346479
    Abstract: A foldable stroller frame having right and left front, right and left rear legs, and right and left handle supports joined at a right and left folding joints in a manner permitting folding movement about a folding axis between deployed and folded positions. A seat panel connects the front legs and includes a movable portion being movable between first and second positions. A seat back frame is connected to the movable portion at a seat back pivot. Spacing between the seat back pivot and the folding axis is dependent upon the position of the movable portion. When in the first position, the spacing is greatest and precludes frame folding due to interference between the seat back frame and a transverse element between the handle supports. When in the second position, spacing is minimized and frame folding is permissible without interference between the seat back frame and the transverse element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: ARTSANA USA, INC
    Inventor: Matthew J. Ransil
  • Patent number: 9340251
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical and hollow main body having an open end and a closed end and a bayonet component extending therein. The bayonet component has a shaft at least partially enclosed within the main body and a pair of opposing protrusions extending radially outside of the main body proximate to a first end of the shaft. The apparatus further includes a lever rotatably coupled to the main body proximate to the open end thereof, and the lever includes a locking recess selectively aligned with the open end of the main body. The apparatus also includes a resilient member enclosed within the main body between the closed end thereof and the first end of the shaft of the bayonet component, and the resilient member biases the bayonet component toward the lever. The bayonet component engages the locking recess to inhibit rotation of the lever relative to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Robert George Thompson
  • Patent number: 9340065
    Abstract: A turn limited wheel lug nut and nut cap combination is provided. The combination includes a lug nut for retaining a wheel on a vehicle. The lug nut has an external lobe. The combination also includes a nut cap, which is turnable with respect to the lug nut. The nut cap has an internal cam, which cooperates with the external lobe to locate the nut cap with respect to the lug nut with not more than a partial turn. The nut cap also has a stop, which cooperates with the external lobe to limit the partial turn of the nut cap with respect to the lug nut. And, the nut cap has a retention feature, which cooperates with the external lobe to retain the nut cap on the lug nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: James D. Hosking
  • Patent number: 9333816
    Abstract: An air maintenance tire assembly includes a tire having an elongate valve stem projecting outward from the tire cavity and a tire sidewall having an elongate sidewall groove formed therein and housing an elongate air tube. A connecting tube extends between the air tube and the valve stem, the connecting tube having an internal connecting air passageway for directing air forced along the air tube air passageway into the internal valve stem passageway as the tire rolls over a ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Michael Joseph Durr
  • Patent number: 9327547
    Abstract: A spoke 15 has a spoke crest 15a, a spoke radially outer wall 15b and a pair of spoke circumferential side walls 15c. In a cross section of the spoke 15 along a radial direction of a disk, a crest outer curved portion 15a2 of the spoke crest 15a is curved at a larger curvature than curvatures of a crest inner curved portion 15a1 of the spoke crest 15, a crest main portion 15a4 of the crest and the spoke radially outer wall 15b. Thus, compared with a conventional one, a configuration of the spoke 15 becomes like a box. As a result, a bending strength and a bending rigidity of the spoke 15 in the radial direction of the disk can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Topy Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Morishita, Masafumi Bojo
  • Patent number: 9327590
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a front module, a drive wheel, a transmission, a case, an oil inlet, a return passage, and a bypass passage. The case has a first chamber accommodating the front module, and a second chamber accommodating the transmission. The second chamber includes an oil pan. The oil inlet is arranged inside the oil pan. The return passage communicates the first chamber with the second chamber. The return passage keeps a first oil level inside the first chamber higher than a second oil level inside the oil pan by applying flow resistance to oil. The bypass passage is arranged at a position higher than the first oil level when the hybrid vehicle is in a horizontal position and lower than the first oil level when the hybrid vehicle is leaning forward at a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiko Ideshio, Shinji Matsumoto, Daiki Suyama, Katsuhiko Hattori, Yo Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9327750
    Abstract: The present invention provides a stroller frame adapted for a stroller and the stroller with the stroller frame. The stroller frame includes a handle, a front foot pivoted to the handle, a bottom pipe pivoted to the front foot, and a linking mechanism pivoted with the handle, the front foot and the bottom pipe. Thus, the present invention provides the stroller frame and the stroller therewith capable of being folded easily and with simple structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Company Limited
    Inventors: Ze-Hua Yi, Fangming Li
  • Patent number: 9321304
    Abstract: The present invention provides a wheel cover for use to cover the wheel of a tractor or trailer. The wheel cover includes an inner support section and an outer main section. The outer main section includes a wheel cover surface and an outer edge. Further, the wheel cover includes a ratchet assembly comprising a spring, a support block, an operating holder and an extension. When installed on a truck wheel, the ratchet extension engages an outer radial edge of the inner support section that is installed on a wheel hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Consolidated Metco, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham Wildey, Michael Miga
  • Patent number: 9321345
    Abstract: An assembly is provided that includes a front end support frame and radiator support beam. The front end support frame has an end that defines an opening that extends between two facing walls across an inside wall of the tubular structure. The radiator support beam is assembled into the opening in the end of the front end support frame and is attached to the two facing walls. The front end support frame is a hydro-formed tube and the radiator support beam is an extruded part. The radiator support beam includes at least one internal reinforcement wall and an outside wall of the front end support frame is fastened with flow drilling screws to the internal reinforcement wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gerhard G. G. Lueschen, Dragan B. Stojkovic
  • Patent number: 9320661
    Abstract: A wheelchair of the mid-wheel drive type has a chassis frame (10), a pair of front link arms (30) and a pair of rear link arms. The link arms are pivotally connected to the chassis frame. Front caster wheels (32) and drive wheels (53) are fixed to the front link arms. Rear caster wheels (42) are fixed to the rear link arms. Each front link arm (30) is operatively connected to an adjacent rear link arm (40) by a respective coupling (70), which is arranged to transmit pivotal movement of one of the front (30) and rear (40) link arm to an opposite pivotal movement of the other of the front (30) and rear (40) link arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: PERMOBIL AB
    Inventor: Mehdi Mirzaie
  • Patent number: 9308829
    Abstract: A straddle electric vehicle which rotates a drive wheel by driving power generated in an electric motor, comprises a battery unit which is an electric power supply; and a battery case for storing the battery unit; wherein the battery case includes a pair of first case member and second case member which are joined together such that the first case member and the second case member are horizontally separable from each other, and a parting line of the first case member and the second case member extends above a bottom wall of the battery case; and wherein the first case member and the second case member include a first flange section and a second flange section, respectively, which define the parting line, and are separably joined to each other in a state in which the first flange section and the second flange section are engaged with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9308432
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to snowboards and skis that include a pair of edges for each longitudinal side of the snowboard or ski. The edges are laterally spaced apart, with one edge being an outer edge and the other edge being an inner edge. The inner edge is positioned vertically lower than the outer edge. The inner edge generally engages the snow surface prior to the outer edge, and is thus a transitional edge. Transitional edges may be rounded edges. The top surface of dual-edges snowboards or ski include an inner portion flanked on each lateral side by a lateral offset. A portion of the inner portion is recessed relative to the lateral offsets. The outer edges are positioned on a base surface of the lateral offsets. The inner edges are positioned on a base surface that is below the interface between the lateral offsets and the inner portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Mervin Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Olson
  • Patent number: 9302575
    Abstract: A powertrain for a vehicle and a method of assembling the powertrain are disclosed. An engine includes a crankshaft being rotatable about a longitudinal axis. A ring gear is attached to a first distal end of the crankshaft such that the ring gear and the crankshaft are rotatable in unison about the longitudinal axis. A starter mechanism is selectively operable to rotate the ring gear and the crankshaft to start the engine. A motor-generator includes an adapter selectively cooperating with the starter mechanism to dispose the motor-generator and the starter mechanism in alternative assembly configurations being a first assembly configuration and a second assembly configuration. The first assembly configuration is when the starter mechanism is coupleable to the adapter and the second assembly configuration is when the starter mechanism is spaced from the adapter to operate independently of the motor-generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alan G. Holmes, Alexandru Rajala, Chandra S. Namuduri, Venkata Prasad Atluri
  • Patent number: 9296443
    Abstract: A three wheeled scooter comprises a chassis having forward and aft ends with a front wheel non-pivotally mounted to the forward end and a pair of rear wheels coaxially mounted to the aft end. The chassis defines a longitudinal axis and includes a support assembly and a handle assembly extending upwardly from the support assembly. The rear wheels are configured to be angularly yawable relative to the longitudinal axis between a neutral position and a yawed position. Steering of the scooter is thereby effectuated by angular yawing of the rear wheels relative to the longitudinal axis such as by asymmetric loading of one of opposing sides of the support assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: SBYKE USA LLC
    Inventor: Bradley E. Wernli
  • Patent number: 9296258
    Abstract: An axle shaft has radially outwardly extending drive fingers which drivingly engage drive slots in a wheel hub cover. The hub cover is rigidly secured to a wheel hub and maintains the axial position of the axle shaft. A shock absorber may be positioned between the drive fingers and the drive slots. The axle shaft may be formed from a hollow tube or a solid shaft by cutting an end portion of the shaft and deforming a cut section radially outwardly to form a drive finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Sypris Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen W. Straub, Patrick T. Maled