Patents Examined by Jack Lavinder
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Patent number: 6575270Abstract: A device for setting the handbrake cable (26) of an automotive handbrake, said handbrake cable (26) including a threaded member (27) fixed at one end and a nut (28) threaded onto said threaded member (27) and in the set condition of the handbrake said nut (28) engaging against a seat (29) to maintain tension in said handbrake cable (26), said device including gripping means (69) to grip said threaded member (27) and retracting means (48, 49) to retract said gripping means (69) to a retracted position to apply a tensile bedding load to said cable (26) which bedding load exceeds the required set load of the cable (26) in the set condition, return means (48, 49) to return said threaded member (27) from said retracted position to reduce the tensile load on said cable (26) to said set load, rotating means (20, 60) to rotate said nut (28) down said threaded member (27) to engage said seat (29) whereafter said gripping means (69) releases said threaded member (27).Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2001Date of Patent: June 10, 2003Assignee: Sarlyn Pty. Ltd.Inventor: Steven Farenden
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Patent number: 6575638Abstract: An apparatus for retaining a bearing assembly on the neck of a roll in a rolling mill. The apparatus includes an adaptor element having outwardly projecting first lugs circumferentially separated by first flutes. Fasteners detachably secure the adaptor element to a distal end of the roll neck. A locking element, which comprises an integral component of the bearing assembly, has inwardly projecting second lugs circumferentially separated by second flutes. The locking element is rotatable between an unlocked position at which its second lugs are aligned with the first flutes of the adaptor element to accommodate axial shifting of the bearing assembly onto and off of the roll neck, and a locked position at which its second lugs are aligned with the first lugs of the adaptor element to axially retain the bearing assembly on the roll neck.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2001Date of Patent: June 10, 2003Assignee: Morgan Construction CompanyInventors: Armando S. Martins, Peter N. Osgood, Dennis H. Shriner
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Patent number: 6575636Abstract: Composite bearing with double ball bearings (4) for the rotary support of a rotating shaft (1) of a very high precision device, wherein this bearing with double ball bearings is constituted by the juxtaposition of two bearings with single ball bearings having two respective corresponding races (51, 52), interior or exterior, tightened axially against one another with a predetermined pre-stress, characterized in that the two races (51, 52) maintained tightened against one another with said pre-determined pre-stress are welded (9) to each other by their co-operating faces.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2001Date of Patent: June 10, 2003Assignee: Sagem SAInventors: Hervé Dardelet, Michel Augot, Marc Jenger
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Patent number: 6575441Abstract: The disclosure concerns an elastic articulation designed to operate in torsion and comprising an elastomeric sleeve (7) whereof the inner and outer peripheral surfaces are linked without any possibility of sliding respectively to inner (8) and outer (9) reinforcements, and which is configured such that the articulation should have a minimal radial rigidity along a first reference axis Z′ of a system with three reference axes X′, Y, Z′ whereof the second reference axis Y merges with the axis of the elastic articulation (5), at least one of the two end surfaces (7a) and (7b) of the sleeve (7) has a profile which continuously moves in the circumferential direction of the sleeve between at least a minimum and at least a maximum, the minimum or minima and the maximum or maximums of the profile in the inner peripheral zone of the end surface being offset by a predefined angle respectively relative to the minimum or minima or to the maximum or maximums of the profile in the outer peripheral zone ofType: GrantFiled: March 28, 2002Date of Patent: June 10, 2003Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.Inventor: Serge Lefebvre
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Patent number: 6572158Abstract: A window securing device (36) for use in a double-hung sash window assembly having upper and lower sash window frames (14,16) installed for relative overlapping vertical sliding movement, said upper sash frame (14) having a recess into the interior of a vertical facial member of the window. The device (36) includes a housing (38) having a front faceplate opening (51) into a cavity (50) therein and a means for retaining the housing (38) in the recess with the faceplate (42) covering the edges of the recess. A pawl (40) mounted in the cavity (50) of the housing (38) is spring biased into an extended position where the lowermost arresting edge protrudes through the opening (51). In effect, the extended pawl (40) blocks the pathway of a top portion of the lower sash (16) for preventing further upward movement thereof.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2002Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Ashland Products, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Peter Szapucki, Richard J. Kulkaski
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Patent number: 6572089Abstract: Mount for a shock absorber includes a cap in working torque-transmitting connection with the entire mount. The twisting surface, which is in working connection with an opposing surface on the vehicle at least during the installation of the shock absorber in a mounting hole in the vehicle. The twisting surface and the opposing surface ensure the rotational alignment of the connecting means on the mount side with the connecting means on the vehicle side.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2001Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventor: Andreas Zietsch
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Patent number: 6568664Abstract: A flow restriction part (10) which provides a resistance to high speed oil is provided in a reservoir (R), and an air chamber (A2) which contracts according to an oil pressure is disposed underneath this flow restriction part (10). Providing such flow restriction part and air chamber in addition to an air chamber (A1), a repulsive force when the front fork contracts at high speed, such as during sudden braking, increases larger than during normal contraction while mechanical vibration caused by road unevenness during normal running is absorbed.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2001Date of Patent: May 27, 2003Assignee: Kayaba Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Ken Furuya
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Patent number: 6568516Abstract: A clutch for use in an open faced fishing reel that when engaged operates as a conventional one-way clutch, with the pins or needles rolling with the shaft and allowing for movement in one direction but binding the shaft to an outer fixed surface, prohibiting rotation, when the shaft is urged in the opposite direction, but when is disengaged, is switchable from one-way action to freewheel action i.e. shaft motion allowed in both directions by separating the outer binding surface from the main housing of the clutch, allowing it to move radially and allow the surface required to bind the shaft to move away from contact with the pins and shaft, thereby allowing the shaft to freewheel. The clutch is particularly well suited for use in a fishing reel.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2001Date of Patent: May 27, 2003Assignee: U.S. Reel - Missouri, L.L.C.Inventor: Fred M. Kemp, III
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Patent number: 6564909Abstract: A vehicle braking member has a block of friction material cooperating in sliding manner with a respective member for braking, and supports a wear detector wherein a resistive element, consumed simultaneously with the block of friction material, has a first electric terminal set, in use, to a reference potential, and a single second electric terminal cooperating in sliding manner with the member for braking so as to be set to the same potential as the member for braking.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2000Date of Patent: May 20, 2003Assignee: I.C.P. S.r.l.Inventor: Tancredi Razzano
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Patent number: 6565474Abstract: A hydraulic pressure control device for an automatic transmission in which a single control valve selectively applies control pressure to friction elements includes a control valve and a shift valve. The control valve has a control port from which control pressure is outputted after being adjusted by a linear solenoid valve, and first and second feedback ports to which the control pressure is fed back. The shift valve is positionable in a first position when the control pressure is applied to the first friction element and a second position when the control pressure is applied to the second friction element, and is adapted to lower the control pressure outputted by the control valve in the second position of the shift valve by controlling communication of the control port with the feedback ports. In addition, an ON-OFF solenoid valve switches the position of the shift valve.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2001Date of Patent: May 20, 2003Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Suguru Futamura, Noriyoshi Kondoh
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Patent number: 6561596Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster (12) for use in a brake system (10) having a first housing (100) with a first bore (102) separated from a second bore (104). The first bore (102) retains a power piston (118) and the second bore (104) retains a control valve arrangement (170). A push rod (30) of an input arrangement (49) is connected to the power piston (118) and linked to the control valve arrangement (170) by a lever arrangement (50). A second housing (200) encloses the control valve arrangement (170), lever arrangement (50) and a projection (117) that extends from the power piston (118) to define a cavity or relief chamber (202) having a permanent low pressure. The input arrangement (49) supplies the control valve arrangement (170) with an input force in response to a braking force applied to the push rod (30) to regulate the communication of pressurized supply fluid from the second bore (104).Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2001Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: Robert Bosch CorporationInventors: William John Penninger, Robert Keller Wilson, Richard Becker McClain, Kenneth Scott Towers
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Patent number: 6558041Abstract: The damper assembly includes a centering spring about a bearing for a rotating shaft. The centering spring is fixed to and spaced from a fixed component. One or more annular arrays of brush bristles project from the fixed component and have tips in engagement with the non-rotating, radially and orbitally movable centering spring. With the brush bristles engaging the centering spring, the vibrations and dynamic loadings of the shaft on the bearing and centering spring are damped.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2000Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Hector Emilio Laos
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Patent number: 6557673Abstract: An eddy current braking apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a stator, a coil of wire, and a drum. The stator has a plurality of poles and is mountable to a frame of a vehicle. The coil of wire is wound about each of the plurality of poles and wherein adjacent coils are electrically connected to form an electromagnet. The drum is adapted to receive a wheel and tire assembly and wherein the drum is rotatably mounted to a vehicle axle, and wherein an eddy current is developed between the drum and the stator, from the relative motion of the drum with respect to the stator, thereby retarding rotation of the drum and wheel and tire assembly.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Girma Gete Desta, Kevin Jerome Pavlov, Scott Christopher Tonn, Zheshing Li
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Patent number: 6557674Abstract: The compensator consists of at least one flexible and preferably elastic braiding (8), fitted up outside onto the cylinder (1) of the shock absorber, seal-fastened with its own ends onto said cylinder by means of suitable fastening means (19, 10) and carried out in such a way as to contain a chamber with variable volume (C) occupied by oil and communicating with at least one of the inside chambers of the shock absorber, for instance with the chamber with the larger volume, by means of holes provided on said cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1999Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Marzocchi S.p.A.Inventors: Loris Vignocchi, Sandro Musiani
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Patent number: 6554372Abstract: A brake system (10) having a brake booster (12) that is responsive to an operator brake input for providing a first input force to a master cylinder (13) to develop a first brake application and is responsive to a hydraulic input for providing a second input force to a master cylinder (13) to develop a second brake application. An electronic control unit (ECU) (40) receives first input signals from sensors (19) indicative of a speed for each wheel (14,14′,18,18′) in a brake system of the vehicle. The ECU (40) supplies a pump (42) with an operational input signal when a sensed wheel speed indicates a wheel lock may occur between a wheel and a surface during a brake application and simultaneous activates a decay valve (17) to release pressurized fluid from actuation of the wheel brake associated with the wheel.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Robert Bosch CorporationInventors: John E. Mackiewicz, Timothy Jay Albert
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Patent number: 6554373Abstract: The present invention discloses a brake system for automotive vehicles including a vacuum brake power booster which is operable preferably by a solenoid irrespective of the actuation by the driver. In order to sense the actuating speed during actuation introduced at a brake pedal by the driver, the present invention provides a travel sensor of proportional operation which is operable by the axial movement of the movable wall of the vacuum brake power booster, and the output signal of the travel sensor is directly proportional to the actuating travel of the movable wall and is subjected to a time differentiation processing operation in an electronic control unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 1998Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.Inventor: Karlheinz Bill
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Patent number: 6554736Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle that is capable both of performing running drive with gear-change being effected by an infinitely variable gear-change mechanism that performs gear-change of the output rotation of an engine that is capable of temporary stoppage control and also of performing running drive by means of a second motor generator, when running using the second motor generator with the engine temporarily stopped, a forward/reverse changeover mechanism is released by a forward/reverse clutch control valve. If this forward/reverse clutch control valve becomes inoperable due to its spool sticking, etc., a gear shift inhibitor valve is operated by a gear shift control valve to supply line pressure to the forward/reverse changeover mechanism through a port of the forward/reverse clutch control valve in this sticking condition, so that this can thereby be engaged.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2001Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Mikihiro Takano, Naohisa Morishita
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Patent number: 6554109Abstract: An actuator (7) comprises a housing (8) which contains a screw mechanism (9) and a motor (10) which is drivably connected to the screw mechanism (9), said screw mechanism (9) providing a linear movement in response to a rotational movement of the motor (10), and comprising a screw (12) and a nut (13) one of which is supported rotatably with respect to the housing (8) by means of a rolling element bearing (25, 62). Support means (22, 61) have been provided which extend axially with respect to the screw mechanism (9), said support means (22, 61) engaging the housing (8), and supporting the screw mechanism (9) so as to take up the axial loads exerted on said screw mechanism (9).Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2001Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: SKF Engineering and Research Centre B.V.Inventors: Armin Herbert Emil August Olschewski, Hendrikus Jan Kapaan, Clair Druet, Thomas Wilhelm Fucks, Manfred Antensteiner, Andries Christian Rinsma, Jiri Gurka, Alexander Jan Carel De Vries
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Patent number: 6554476Abstract: In order to manufacture a dynamic pressure bearing device, there are provided a shaft member, and a thrust plate formed with a press-fitting portion into which the shaft member is press-fitted. At least two relief portions are formed in at least one of the press-fitting portion of the thrust plate and a part of the shaft member which corresponds to the press-fitting portion. The shaft member is press-fitted with the press-fitting portion such that the thrust plate extends perpendicular to an axial direction of the shaft member, while making the relief portions absorb press-fitting stress.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2001Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki SeisakushoInventors: Masayuki Ishikawa, Hiromasa Marumo, Hiroshi Zenisawa
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Patent number: 6550754Abstract: A dynamic damper mounted on a rod-shaped oscillating member is disclosed which includes: a cylindrical metallic mass member formed of sintered metal or forging and disposed radially outwardly of the oscillating member; two elastic support members formed on axially opposite sides of the metallic mass member to elastically support the metallic mass member; and an elastic covering layer integrally formed with the elastic support member and fixed in close contact with the substantially entire area of the surface of the metallic mass member. The metallic mass member has bevels in the form of tapered cylindrical surfaces formed at radially inner edges of axially opposite end faces of said metallic mass member, respectively. Each of the bevels extends over a corresponding one of the axially opposite end faces and an inner circumferential surface of the metallic mass member to thereby chamfer the corresponding one of the radially inner edges.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2001Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Naohito Kuwayama