Patents Examined by Jacob D. Knutson
  • Patent number: 12168496
    Abstract: An electric power assist device for bicycles includes: a dynamic brake controller configured to stop supply of a current from a battery to an electric motor and bring a dynamic brake circuit to an ON state when a crank rotational angle is within one or more predetermined crank rotational angle ranges; a pedaling force estimator configured to estimate a pedaling force put on pedals of a bicycle on a value of reverse current caused by a counter electromotive force and detected by a current sensor when the dynamic brake circuit is in the ON state; and a motor drive controller configured to control the electric motor based on the pedaling force estimated by the pedaling force estimator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 12162545
    Abstract: A pivot assembly for connecting a ground-contacting wheel assembly to a frame member of a track system assembly has a base defining a first interlocking member, a resilient body structured for being received at least partially within the base and having a second interlocking member connectable to the first interlocking member, and an axle assembly configured for rotatably connecting the ground-contacting wheel assembly to the frame member, the axle assembly including a third interlocking member connectable to the second interlocking member. The resilient body is at least partially wrappable around the peripheral surface of the axle assembly. Upon deformation of the resilient body, the axle assembly is pivotally movable relative to the frame member of the track system assembly about at least one of a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: SOUCY INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jeremie Aubin-Marchand, Yan Roger, Stephane Pelletier, Benoit Savage, Samuel Lasnier Guillemette
  • Patent number: 12162540
    Abstract: A handwheel actuator for a steer by wire system may include a compressive loading assembly, a feedback actuator and a column for operably coupling a handwheel to the handwheel actuator. The column may operably couple a handwheel to the handwheel actuator. The column may include a column shaft extending from a first end of the column to a second end of the column. The feedback actuator may be operably coupled to the second end of the column. The feedback actuator may provide tactile feedback to an operator responsive to movement of the handwheel. The feedback actuator may include a torsion bar substantially coaxial with the column shaft. The compressive loading assembly may be disposed at the second end of the column to operably couple the column shaft and the torsion bar under a compressive load when the column is joined to the feedback actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Soderlind, Taras Palczynski, Steven Amburgy
  • Patent number: 12162549
    Abstract: A vehicle with driving and steering rear wheels includes a rear suspension system having a support frame mounted on the vehicle body. For each rear wheel, a wheel support is connected to the frame by oscillating arms. An actuator is mounted on the frame, with control rods, protruding from opposite ends of the actuator body, and connected to the wheel supports by control arms. Within a space between the rear wheels, there is a rear motor or differential. The actuator body is mounted on the frame along a transverse direction spaced apart from an axis of the rear wheels to avoid interference with the motor or differential. The control arms are substantially parallel to a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, or form an angle therewith not exceeding 15 degrees. The control rods are connected to the control arms with the interposition of a transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: FCA Italy S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Messina, Giampaolo Maschietti
  • Patent number: 12157537
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating an electronic device associated with a related bicycle component and comprising a processor and a wake unit, the method comprising the following steps executable by the processor of the electronic device: operating alternately in standby mode and in running mode, switching from the standby mode to the running mode upon receiving a wake signal from the wake unit at predetermined wake conditions, and before switching from the running mode to the standby mode, modifying the configuration of the wake unit by updating the predetermined wake conditions, such that the subsequent wake signal is sent to the processor at updated wake conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: CAMPAGNOLO S.R.L.
    Inventor: Antonio Rizzo
  • Patent number: 12151749
    Abstract: According to the present embodiments, torque caused by friction when a steering shaft rotates is applied so as to provide weight to the operation of a steering wheel by a driver, and the steering shaft is restricted from rotating in certain situations in which wheels can no longer rotate, such as when the wheels are caught on a curb, thereby enabling the steerability and steering stability of the driver to be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Suk Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 12152370
    Abstract: A working vehicle has an upper rotating body and a lower traveling body. The lower traveling body is provided with: a center frame on which a swivel joint is vertically mounted; a right side frame on which a right traveling motor is mounted; a left side frame on which a left traveling motor is mounted; at least one right restriction member and at least one left restriction member, which restrict the maximum width of the vehicle; a right hose guide section having a right opening into which a right hydraulic hose is inserted, and provided to the right restriction member; and a left hose guide section having a left opening into which a left hydraulic hose is inserted, and provided to the left restriction member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Harada
  • 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: 12145587
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle including a vehicle body, a steerable front wheel set swivelable around an axis extending in an up-down direction, a rear wheel set, a turn operation input device that receives a turn operation and transmits the turn operation non-mechanically, a leaning device including a lean actuator that leans the vehicle body, the steerable front wheel set and the rear wheel set to a leftward or rightward direction, and a centripetal force generator including a centripetal force generation actuator, which outputs a controllable torque to thereby generate an additional centripetal force that acts on the steerable front wheel set and the rear wheel set during a turn of the leaning vehicle. The controller controls the torque while controlling the lean actuator in accordance with the received turn operation, to thereby control a leaning condition of the vehicle body during the turn and to control generation of the additional centripetal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignees: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Terada, Toshifumi Uchiyama, Keizo Araki, Shota Kubo
  • 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: 12144769
    Abstract: Stable transfer of a person from a wheelchair to another support facility, such as a bed or commode, utilizes a support bar having first and second legs depending vertically from respective ends of a transversely extending grip section. In a normal or exercise mode the lower ends of the bar legs can be selectively secured in respective sockets on opposite sides of the wheelchair with the grip section disposed horizontally in front of the wheelchair. In a transfer mode the bar is positioned with the lower end of the first leg removably engaging a bed or other support facility and the lower end of the second leg engaging to one of the wheelchair sockets such that the bar stably secures the wheelchair to the facility and the grip section can be grasped by a person transferring between the wheelchair and the support facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Proactive Comfort, LLC
    Inventors: Carole Purdue, Elvis Campana
  • 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: 12145670
    Abstract: A track assembly for assisting in moving a farm implement along a ground surface in a line of travel is provided. The track assembly includes a tilt arm comprising front and rear ends. The track assembly includes a camber arm coupled to the tilt arm such that the camber arm permits the tilt arm to pivot about a first axis perpendicular to the line of travel and a second axis parallel to the line of travel. The camber arm is located between the front and rear ends of the tilt arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Van Mill, Christopher M. Self, John Walvatne
  • Patent number: 12138205
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a wheelchair device includes a frame adapted to be removably mounted to a wheelchair, a slide member supported by the frame that is configured to be pushed in a forward direction away from a user of the device with the user's arm, a transmission mechanism including a rotatable reel and a spring associated with the reel that resists rotation of the reel in a first direction and assists rotation of the reel in a second direction, and a cable having first and second ends, the first end of the cable being attached to the slide member and the second end being attached to the rotatable reel. With such a configuration, movement of the slide member in the forward direction causes the rotatable reel to rotate in the first direction and movement of the slide member in a backward direction opposite to the forward direction causes the rotatable reel to rotate in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventors: David Reinkensmeyer, Daniel Zondervan, Marti Comellas Andres
  • Patent number: 12139225
    Abstract: A seat rail installed on a vehicle body of a motorcycle. The seat rail includes a lateral member located on a lateral side in a width direction of the vehicle body, the lateral member has a laminated structure in which a sheet material including one layer made of a fiber reinforced resin or a plurality of layers made of a fiber reinforced resin and laminated to each other is folded back and doubly overlapped, and a folded edge part formed by folding back the sheet material is located at a lower edge part of the lateral member. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a seat rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta Suzuki, Daisuke Hatano
  • Patent number: 12128969
    Abstract: An electric power source device includes an auxiliary electric power source for a main electric power source that supplies electric power to electric power supply targets, including an electric circuit of a control system for controlling a specific control target and an electric circuit of a power system that requires larger electric power than the electric circuit of the control system; and a selection circuit configured to supply the electric power from one electric power source having a higher voltage, out of the main electric power source and the auxiliary electric power source, to at least the electric circuit of the control system among the electric power supply targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuuta Kajisawa, Fumihiko Sato, Masaharu Yamashita, Atsushi Satou, Masataka Okuda, Toshiyuki Mikida, Hiroaki Hanzawa
  • Patent number: 12128981
    Abstract: A bicycle mountable storage device for stowing articles and broadcasting audio includes a container, which comprises a top piece that is hingedly engaged to a bottom piece. The bottom piece is mountable to a frame of a bicycle. A battery and a receiver are positioned in an interior space defined by the container. A speaker is engaged to the container and is operationally engaged to the battery. The receiver is operationally engaged to the battery and communicatively engaged to the speaker. The receiver receives an audio signal from an electronic device of a user and the speaker broadcasts the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Inventor: Lorinc Szasz
  • Patent number: 12122465
    Abstract: Decoupled fifth wheel and gooseneck subframes are disclosed. An example apparatus includes brackets couplable to a vehicle frame, the brackets including puck mounts to receive a fifth wheel hitch, a subframe couplable between the brackets, the subframe including an aperture, and a gooseneck mount to receive a gooseneck ball, the gooseneck mount to be disposed in the aperture and couplable to the subframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Lucas Demott, Cliff Standifer
  • Patent number: 12121482
    Abstract: Apparatus using two telescoping armrest connecting a wheelchair to a walker for safely assisting a patient regaining their ability to walk. Physical therapists use the walker to train patients on walking to build strength, endurance, and balance. The telescoping armrest provide a fixed gap between the wheelchair and walker and keeps the wheelchair close to the patient. The patient can easily sit in the wheelchair, and the presence of the wheelchair minimizes the risk of falling, allows the patient to rest when fatigued, provides a sense of security, and eliminates a need for an assistance to push the wheelchair behind the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2024
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Inventor: Naun Galvan
  • Patent number: 12116050
    Abstract: A steering device according to one aspect of the disclosure includes: a speed reducer configured to decelerate a rotational power input from one surface side while increasing a torque and output rotation from an output section disposed on the other surface side; a motor provided on the one surface side and configured to input the rotational power to the speed reducer; and a control device for controlling the motor. The motor includes a rotor for generating the rotational power. The rotor includes a rotor output shaft disposed coaxially with an output axis of the output section. The motor inputs the rotational power from one end side of the rotor output shaft to the speed reducer. The control device is disposed on the other end side of the rotor output shaft coaxially with the rotor output shaft and includes a sensing unit for sensing rotation of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: NABTESCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Tanaka, Stefan Kubina