Patents Examined by J. Allen Shriver, II
  • Patent number: 8960347
    Abstract: A modular snorkel system for an off-road vehicle has a hollow main body that normally is hidden from view behind a fender of the vehicle. The main body terminates at its upper end in an intake mount that projects upwardly from an end of the forward cowl of the vehicle. The other end of the main body is coupled to an end of an air tube that is configured to be routed through the engine bay of the vehicle, again normally hidden from view. The other end of the air tube is coupled through an elbow to the air filter housing of the vehicle. Various intake modules such as a low intake module, a high intake module, an in-line filter module, and others can be mounted to the intake mount of the main body to accommodate different hostile off-road conditions such as water fording and operation in deserts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Omix-Ada, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick W. Bennett
  • Patent number: 8960710
    Abstract: A rear hoop (3) for a snowboard boot binding, having an overall shape in the form of a U and comprising a central connecting part (12) arranged between two arms (11) suitable for forming a movable connection with a snowboard boot binding, the hoop (3) comprising at least one zone where it consists of an extruded hollow body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Skis Rossignol
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Pascal
  • Patent number: 8960693
    Abstract: A door transporting and positioning system for enabling a single user to safely transport or position a door for installation has a door cradle to hold a door. A cradle floor has a general shape of a “U”. The door cradle has a generally planar first side surface interface component, second side surface interface component, and a floor surface interface component each constructed from compressible, non-marring material. The system has a clamping device located close to a cradle anterior end on a cradle bottom with a spanning bar. A spanning bar first end has a first side clamping member and a spanning bar second end has a second side clamping member. The system has a first axle perpendicularly located on the cradle first side with a first wheel, and a second axle perpendicularly located on the cradle second side with a second wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Inventor: Stuart Cotner
  • Patent number: 8960342
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided having at least one swing-out cooling assembly. A method of assembling the at least one swing-out cooling assembly on the vehicle is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Gregory K. Werner, David R. Didelot, Karl G. Heine, Denis J. Montocchio, David D. Latham
  • Patent number: 8955629
    Abstract: A radiator structure includes a radiator body having a core composed of radiating fins and cooling water passing tubes alternately laminated and a bracket disposed at one end of the core. The bracket includes an extension portion disposed at a vehicle widthwise inner end of the core and extending along a vehicle front-rear direction. The extension portion has a fixing portion on a leading end thereof, the fixing portion being fixed to a mounting portion of a body frame. An indentation is provided in a portion of an opposed sidewall where a front end of the core and the opposed sidewall of the bracket overlap each other when the vehicle is viewed from the side and which overlaps the fixing portion at least in the vehicle front-rear direction. The indentation is formed by bending the opposed sidewall in a direction away from the front end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Munehiro Toda, Katsutaka Hattori, Masaomi Yamada, Yusuke Inoue
  • Patent number: 8955871
    Abstract: Disclosed is a transfer and locomotion apparatus with excellent functionality, stability, versatility, and user-friendliness such that a person requiring nursing care can transfer between the transfer and locomotion apparatus to a bed and a toilet seat, etc., keeping the orientation of the body. The apparatus comprises a base part having a driving part, a seat part provided on the base part and which a user can sit from a back portion or a side portion, and a breast pad part standing in a front end side of the seat part and contacting a breast of the user. At least one of the seat part and the breast pad part is held to be able to move forward and backward, and upward and downward with respect to the base part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: TMSUK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Takamoto, Yuji Kawakubo, Kenichi Miyamoto, Katsuyuki Baba, Shin-ichiro Takasugi, Ryuichi Kusaba, Yukihide Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 8955627
    Abstract: An electric vehicle has simple structure allowing effective cooling of on-board batteries collectively disposed within a swing arm. The electric vehicle includes a swing arm that houses an electric motor that is swingably mounted to a vehicle body and drives a drive wheel WR, and batteries of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. A wide case portion that houses the batteries is formed at a position toward a pivot shaft of the swing arm. Also, a protruding portion for forming an air reservoir space above the batteries is formed at a roof portion of the wide case portion. The batteries are disposed side by side in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body. The protruding portion, in a side view of the vehicle body, is substantially convex protruding upward across the batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Hatanaka, Yoichi Taniguchi, Atsushi Yonehana
  • Patent number: 8955867
    Abstract: Ski binding heel unit includes lateral release cams and a vector decoupler mechanism that provide lateral shear release of the heel of a ski boot from a ski. The ski binding heel unit includes an independent vertical heel release mechanism, independent lateral release mechanism and a forward pressure compensator. The lateral release cams have laterally outwardly flaring contact points. The vector decoupler mechanism restricts heel unit lateral rotation and translation to a control path. The shape of the lateral release cams dictates the control path. The vector decoupler mechanism redirects the non-lateral forces without effecting the vertical heel release, lateral heel release or forward pressure compensator. The lateral release cams and vector decoupler mechanism avert non-lateral, benign loads from the lateral heel release, and avert non-vertical, benign loads from the vertical heel release thereby reducing the incidence of inadvertent pre-release of a boot from a ski.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Kneebinding, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Howell
  • Patent number: 8955854
    Abstract: A car wash caddy is implemented as a compact cart for storing, transporting, and keeping handy various supplies and equipment for use in a variety of applications. The car wash caddy includes a shelf that holds a wash bucket at a convenient hip-level height. A dry storage locker keeps supplies and equipment clean and dry and is slideably mounted beneath the wash bucket shelf. An elevated shelf includes cup holders and keeps supplies and equipment at hand for convenient access. Open topped storage bins are removably offset-mounted in the rear of the car wash caddy and are configured with vents to enable wet materials such as towels and sponges to drip and air dry. The car wash caddy includes two large rear-mounted wheels and two fixed legs A high-mounted handle gives the user leverage to easily maneuver the caddy to the job site and includes integrated water hose retaining slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Inventor: Gregory Taranto
  • Patent number: 8955868
    Abstract: An infant stroller apparatus includes a rear leg frame including a first side segment, a handle having a second side segment, and a hinge structure assembled with the first and second side segments. The hinge structure includes a first and a second coupling part, and a latch. The first coupling part is pivotally connected with the first side segment. The second coupling part is affixed with the second side segment and is pivotally connected with the first coupling part. The latch is operable to lock the first coupling part with the second coupling part to block rotation of the second coupling part relative to the first coupling part about the second pivot axis. When the stroller apparatus is in a deployed state, a distal end of the second coupling part faces a rear surface of the first side segment, and the latch engages with the first coupling part at a location above the distal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Company Limited
    Inventors: Robert E. Haut, Andrew J. Taylor, Curtis M. Hartenstine, Dylan A. Mellinger
  • Patent number: 8955869
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seat attachment for a stroller, single stroller and double strollers. Such a seat attachment may be used to reversibly convert a single stroller into a double stroller. More specifically, versions of the seat attachment relate to a seat attachment for a stroller capable of supporting a seat such as, but not limited to, a stroller seat, a baby seat, bassinet, a pram, a car seat, or a baby carrier, for example. The seat may be supported in front of a permanent seat of the stroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Baby Jogger, LLC
    Inventor: Mark Zehfuss
  • Patent number: 8955855
    Abstract: An infant wagon includes a body having a seating surface. A number of wheels and a handle are attached to the body. A seatback is pivotally attached to the body adjacent to the seating surface. The seatback may be pivoted between a folded position where the seating surface is covered, an upright position and a reclined position. An infant seat is removably attached to the seatback when in the reclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Radio Flyer Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Herlitz, Katherine Powers, Mark Johnson, Emily Rivard, Matt Young
  • Patent number: 8950761
    Abstract: A collapsible infant carrier apparatus comprises a support frame including front and rear leg frames and a handle, and a linkage frame pivotally connected with the front leg frame and the handle. A first latch mechanism is connected between the handle and the linkage frame, wherein the first latch mechanism is operable to lock the handle in position relative to the linkage frame. A second latch mechanism is connected between the linkage frame and the front leg frame and having a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the second latch mechanism when in the locked state locks the linkage frame with the front leg frame, and the second latch mechanism when in the unlocked state enables rotation of the linkage frame relative to the front leg frame. The infant carrier apparatus can be collapsed by rotating the linkage frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Company Limited
    Inventor: Xuhui Chen
  • Patent number: 8950776
    Abstract: In a bed including a wheelchair and a bed main body portion, the wheelchair has a seating bottom portion composed of bendably coupling a plurality of divided members. A chair bottom support member supports the seating bottom portion, the chair bottom support member changing a shape of a leg bottom part in conjunction with inclination of a back bottom part. A chair base portion fixes the chair bottom support member. Front casters are provided in the chair base portion, the front casters being capable of freely changing direction. Both side wheel bottom support members are axially supported on the chair base portion. Rear casters are provided at one end of the both side wheel bottom support members, the rear casters being capable of freely changing direction. Traveling wheels are provided at the other end of both side wheel bottom support members, whose traveling direction is fixed to a straight-moving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei Tsukada, Yohei Kume, Hideo Kawakami, Tohru Nakamura, Toshihide Ueda
  • Patent number: 8950533
    Abstract: A cooling arrangement is disclosed for a vehicle having a first component, a first duct, and a cooling fan configured to deliver air through the first duct to the first component when the cooling fan is operated. The cooling arrangement includes, but is not limited to, a second component, a port coupled to the second component, the port being accessible from a position external to the vehicle, and a second duct having a first end positioned proximate the port and a second end in fluid communication with the first duct. The second duct is configured to deliver air from outside of the vehicle to the second component when the cooling fan is operated while the vehicle is off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mark D. Nemesh, Wissam Ibri
  • Patent number: 8950531
    Abstract: An internal motorized bicycle hub includes a hub axle, a motor, a first bearing, a second bearing, a spacer and a movement restricting section. The motor has a rotor and a stator. The first and second bearings rotatably support the rotor on the hub axle. The second bearing is axially spaced apart from the first bearing. Each of the first and second bearings includes an inner race attached to the hub axle, an outer race attached to the rotor, and a rolling element arranged between the inner and outer races. The spacer is arranged between the inner races. The movement restricting section restricts movement of the inner race of the first bearing in a direction of separating from the bearing of the second bearing. The spacer presses the bearing of the first bearing towards the movement restricting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Urabe
  • Patent number: 8950760
    Abstract: A mobile and adjustable dolly having an adjustable “V” shaped dolly frame. The dolly frame comprises first and second pivotal frame members rotationally coupled to a central support frame member forming a “V” shape. The central support frame member comprises a series of angle maintaining features for securing each frame member at any of a plurality of angled configurations. A distal caster, having a wheel rotation disposed therewith, is assembled to a distal end of each frame member and a central caster is assembled to a pivotal region of the dolly frame. A vehicle support subassembly is disposed upon and extends upward from the each respective frame member. An elongated handle assembly extends from the central caster. The elongated handle assembly further comprises a wheel chock, which removably engages with the central wheel when subjected to the weight of the elongated handle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Inventor: Steven S. Davis
  • Patent number: 8950532
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hub reduction gear (10) for a driving wheel (20) of a wheeled vehicle with a planetary gear unit, which has a sun gear (12) connectable to a drive shaft (38a, 38b), a carrier (14) for planet gears (16), which are in mesh with the sun gear (12), and a ring gear (18) being in mesh with the planet gears (16). The planet gear carrier (16) and the ring gear (18) are configured to be alternately connected to the driving wheels (20) of the vehicle and being alternately connectable to a body-fixed part (24). The invention also relates to a driveline for a multi shaft, wheel supported vehicle with a hub reduction gear (10) of planetary gear type at the driving wheels of the vehicle, wherein the planet gear carrier and the ring gear of the planetary gears on at least one side of the vehicle are configured to be alternately connected to the driving wheels of the vehicle and being alternately connectable to a body-fixed part of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: BAE Systems Hägglunds Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Assar Christensen
  • Patent number: 8950758
    Abstract: An accessory is provided for a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow has: a wheel; a tray; a pair of handle members supporting the tray relative to the wheel and extending rearward past the tray; and a pair of legs for cooperating with the wheel to support the wheelbarrow in a parked condition. The sled has a left runner and a right runner each mounted at a first location relative to one or both of the legs and mounted at a forward location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Inventor: Katherine S. Bysiewicz
  • Patent number: 8950536
    Abstract: A battery assembly, or module, for a vehicle having a battery compartment that defines an opening in the floor. The battery module is disposed partially within the battery compartment and extends through an opening in the floor of a battery compartment to be partially disposed below the floor of the vehicle. A method of installing a battery module into a vehicle is also disclosed. The battery module is inserted partially into an opening in a floor of a battery compartment with a lower portion of the battery module being retained below the floor and an upper portion of the battery module being retained above the floor. A seal is attached between the battery module and the opening in the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Daniel Maguire, Mladen M. Marjanovic, Stephen W. Siu