Patents Examined by Jacob Knutson
  • Snowmobile exhaust system
    Patent number: 9174702
    Abstract: A snowmobile has a frame including a tunnel, a least one ski operatively connected to the frame, a seat disposed above the tunnel, a fuel tank disposed on the frame, and an engine connected to the frame forwardly of the fuel tank. The engine has at least one cylinder, at least one intake port, at least one exhaust port, and a laterally extending output shaft defining an output shaft axis. An endless track is disposed at least in part under the tunnel and is operatively connected to the engine. An air intake system is fluidly connected to the at least one intake port. An exhaust system is fluidly connected to the at least one exhaust port. The exhaust system includes a muffler disposed between the output shaft axis and the fuel tank in a longitudinal direction of the snowmobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Mathieu Gauthier, Michel Lefebvre
  • Self-propelled windrower tailwheel non-zero caster for stability
    Patent number: 9168784
    Abstract: A non-zero caster angle for the rear axle swivel caster wheels on a self-propelled agricultural harvesting machine wherein steering is accomplished by varying speed and/or direction of forward drive wheels. The non-zero caster angle may be fixed or an adjuster mechanism may be provided to allow adjustment within a range of caster angles. The adjuster mechanism incorporates a fixed portion connected to the tractor frame and a pair of rotating portions, one connected to each caster wheel which allows rotation of the caster axis in a plane parallel to the machine longitudinal axis. Also disclosed is an actuator mechanism for providing powered adjustment of the caster angle, even including a control system for active caster angle adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: David M. DeChristopher, Benjamin C. Diem, Todd B. Pierce
  • Systems and methods employing limbed vehicle and spaced posts
    Patent number: 9168963
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems including a limbed vehicle having a plurality of controllably movable limbs (e.g., a limbed machine, limbed robot, etc.) and a plurality of spaced posts that the limbed vehicle may travel on using the limbs. As non-limiting examples, such disclosed embodiments of systems may be used to service an agriculture field, to enable travel over an environmentally-sensitive area or an area impassable by a conventional wheeled or tracked vehicle, and may be used in many other different applications. Embodiments disclosed herein also relate to methods of operating a limbed vehicle to travel on a plurality of spaced posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Victoria Y.H. Wood
  • Limbed vehicles, systems and methods using same, and post networks on which limbed vehicles travel
    Patent number: 9162719
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems including a limbed vehicle having a plurality of controllably movable limbs (e.g., a limbed machine, limbed robot, etc.), a plurality of spaced posts that the limbed vehicle may travel on using the limbs, and at least one logistical-support unit associated with at least one of the posts and configured to provide logistical support to the limbed vehicle. As non-limiting examples, such disclosed embodiments of systems may be used to service an agriculture field, to enable travel over an environmentally-sensitive area or an area impassable by a conventional wheeled or tracked vehicle, and may be used in many other different applications. Embodiments disclosed herein also relate to limbed vehicles configured to receive logistical support from a logistical-support unit, methods of providing logistical support to such limbed vehicles, post networks, and posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Victoria Y. H. Wood
  • Two-wheeled battery-powered vehicle
    Patent number: 9156516
    Abstract: A two-wheel battery-powered vehicle having a platform, two wheels connected to the platform, a battery-powered wheel drive driving the two wheels, an attachment connected to the platform, and a sensor device arranged in the platform. A person standing on the platform and engaging the attachment moves the platform into an angle position corresponding to a body position of the person. Based on the angle position of the platform relative to a horizontal position, the sensor device controls the wheel drive such that the wheel drive, by acceleration or deceleration, keeps the vehicle and the person standing on the platform in a balanced position. The attachment has a leg support device for at least one leg of the person standing on the platform in order to keep the platform at a desired angle position. The leg support device is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Inventors: Ulrich Kahlert, Chris Fawcett
  • Flexible tow hook
    Patent number: 9139058
    Abstract: A flexible tow hook assembly for a vehicle. That assembly generally includes a front rail enclosing an inner region, a through-bolt assembly, and a cable. The through-bolt passes through and secured to the front rail section, and a support structure provides structural support to the front rail at an area where the through bolt is secured to the same. The cable is substantially flexible and a tie area is attached to the cable to form a figure-eight. The cable has a smaller loop, extending around the through-bolt, and a larger loop extending from the end of the front rail. The through-bolt may extend through the front rail vertically or horizontally. The support structure may be provided by an overlap area where rail members overlap, or by mounting plates secured to the surface of the front rail at the position where the through bolt extends through the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Georgetta Livingstone, Marwan Ahmad Elbkaily, John Martin Knittel, Douglas Lee Howe
  • Method of producing rack of electric power steering device
    Patent number: 9139221
    Abstract: A method of producing a rack is proposed, which comprises aligning a first bar piece, an intermediate piece and a second bar piece in order along a common axis; carrying out a first process in which the first and second bar pieces are stationarily held while showing a predetermined intersection angle between the first rack teeth on the first bar piece and the second rack teeth on the second bar piece; and carrying out a second process in which each of the first and second bar pieces and the intermediate piece are brought into contact with each other at mutually facing ends and subjected to a relative rotation therebetween for a friction welding thereby to join the first bar piece, the intermediate piece and the second bar piece together by the friction welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS STEERING, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiki Takai
  • Upright bicycle securing system
    Patent number: 9139243
    Abstract: A system for securing a bicycle in an upright manner features a bicycle having a frame with a tube and features a stationary pole as a base for mounting. The system features a mounting device comprising a planar frame mount having a plurality of apertures. A mount second side features a rotating connection attached to a perpendicular member having a shape of an “L”. The mounting device features a cylindrical piston housing attached to the perpendicular member having a centrally located piston chamber, a first cable chamber, and a second cable chamber. The mounting device features a first cable adapted to be retracted from the first cable chamber having a hook and a second cable adapted to be retracted from the second cable chamber having a loop. A piston is adapted to be retracted from the piston chamber via a piston second end having a semicircular mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Inventors: Jose Manuel Z. Gonzalez, Geovanny Z. Garcia
  • Electric power steering system
    Patent number: 9126620
    Abstract: An electric power steering system includes: an assist motor that generate assist force for assisting steering of a steering member; a motor drive circuit that controls driving of the assist motor; a capacitor that is electrically connected to a main power supply that supplies electric power to the assist motor, the motor drive circuit, and electrical components; and a controller that controls charging and discharging of the capacitor. The controller discharges electricity to the electrical components when an amount of electric charge remaining in the auxiliary power supply is equal to or greater than a first threshold value in an engine start-up period in a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toyoki Sugiyama, Masayasu Higashi
  • Wind turbine nacelle, transport system for a wind turbine nacelle and method for transporting a wind turbine nacelle
    Patent number: 9127647
    Abstract: A wind turbine nacelle is provided. The wind turbine nacelle includes a longitudinal extension and a bottom part. The longitudinal extension has a rear end and a front end. At the bottom part, an opening is located which serves as an interface to a tower of a wind turbine at a designated assembly situation of the nacelle. A first detachable leg arrangement is attached to at least one of the front end and the rear end. A second detachable leg arrangement is attached at the bottom part. Further embodiments are directed to a transport system for a wind turbine nacelle and to a method for transporting a wind turbine nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Henning Poulsen
  • Adjustable wheelchair elevating leg rest
    Patent number: 9119756
    Abstract: A wheelchair leg-rest adapter is configured to attach to a wheelchair using mounting features functionally compatible with those of a leg rest suitable for the wheelchair, and having mounting features functionally compatible with those of a wheelchair suitable for the leg rest. The leg-rest mounting features are pivotally connected to the structure comprising the wheelchair mounting features, so that a leg rest attached to the former can rotate relative to a wheelchair attached to the latter. The adapter further comprises an adjustment mechanism to move an effective pivot point between the leg-rest and wheelchair mounting features at least in a vertical direction, to bring the pivot point near the knee of a user of the wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Macpherson Design & Consulting, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew E. MacPherson
  • Actuator control system
    Patent number: 9114831
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and a system for moving an element, e.g. a rudder of a ship or a wheel of a vehicle. The element is moved by a hydraulic fluid. According to the invention, an operator indicates a desired movement, and in accordance with the desired movement, at fluid is provided from at least three fluid providers each providing a share of the fluid in parallel streams and only considering the desired movement not the shares provided by the other fluid providers. The invention allows continuation of a steering task even if one fluid provider is disabled, and the invention allows the continuation even without having to notice that one provider is disabled. Accordingly, the invention provides an improvement and simplification relative to the known hydraulic steering systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Danfoss Power Solutions ApS
    Inventors: Preben Albrecht, John Kristensen, Steve Crow, Kjeld Buus Jensen
  • Travelling device equipped with dual, rotating, negative-pressure suction seals
    Patent number: 9102369
    Abstract: To improve the traveling functionality of a traveling device equipped with dual, rotating, negative-pressure suction seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: URAKAMI LLC
    Inventor: Fukashi Urakami
  • Snowmobile
    Patent number: 9096289
    Abstract: A snowmobile has an engine mounted with an exhaust port facing forwardly. A steering post extends substantially along a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle and over a top of the engine. An exhaust outlet is coupled to exhaust port and projects vertically upwardly to a position higher than the engine, and projecting rearwardly between the steering post and frame members. The rider position is re-defined relative to the snowmobile center of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Hedlund, Matthew J. Prusak, Michael L. Fugleberg, Jeffrey A. Eaton
  • Self-stabilizing platform, carrier, or base
    Patent number: 9085256
    Abstract: A two-wheel movable platform, carrier, or base having canted wheels is disclosed. In one embodiment, the two-wheel movable platform, carrier, or base includes adjustable canted wheels in which the angle of the canted wheels is adjustable. In this embodiment, the two-wheel movable platform, carrier, or base includes a pair of wheel assemblies mechanically coupled to a battery housing. Each of the wheel assemblies includes, for example, a mounting plate, a drive motor arranged in a motor housing, a canted wheel that is driven by the drive motor, and an angle-adjusting motor for adjusting the angle of the canted wheel. In another embodiment, the two-wheel movable platform, carrier, or base includes canted wheels that are set at a fixed angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: OPOBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Colin Parker, Vikram B. Shah
  • Coupling arrangement for a dolly and a dolly
    Patent number: 9085206
    Abstract: Coupling arrangement for a dolly, and a dolly equipped with such an arrangement, includes a female connecting part and a male connecting part. The male connecting part includes a draw bar and a connecting peg and the female part comprises an at least partially closed recess having an area limited by at least partially closed wall having a height and including at least a concave guiding part and a ceiling positioned to form the at least a partially closed recess with the wall. A hole is provided in the ceiling at the tip of the concave part of the wall dimensioned to receive the connecting peg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: K. HARTWALL OY AB
    Inventors: Markku Tiilikainen, Jack Grönholm
  • Vehicle for exercising
    Patent number: 9079061
    Abstract: This device is exercise equipment that can be used in the home or outside. It is a vehicle that is propelled by arm and leg power. The device is a three wheeled vehicle that driven by the movement of the handlebars and the seat. The rider moves the handlebars and the seat back and forth. The handlebars are attached to the wheels by a set of pulleys. When the handlebars are moved back and forth they drive the wheels. The handle bars and the seat are attached to each other so that both the legs and the arm are exercised. Thus, an individual can ride around the town in his vehicle exercising his whole body. He can also exercise in his home with a stand that holds the drive set of wheels off the floor so that the vehicle will not move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Inventor: Matthew S. Millirans
  • Portable collapsible motorized mobility device for wheelchair users adaptable to removably engage a traditional non motorized wheelchair
    Patent number: 9072641
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of motorized mobility devices for wheelchair users, specifically, portable collapsible motorized mobility devices for wheelchair users that removably engage the frame of a traditional wheelchair allowing for the wheelchair user to have a greater degree of autonomy and to negotiate a variety of terrains otherwise inaccessible to them. The present invention includes a collapsible platform operatively connected to a plurality of motorized rolling tracks and a plurality of securing means to secure the user's traditional wheelchair to the device to allow the wheelchair user a greater degree of autonomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Inventor: Gregory Ewing
  • Snowmobile engine heat transfer system
    Patent number: 9073404
    Abstract: An engine heat transfer system for a snowmobile in which heated air at generated by an engine inside the snowmobile's engine compartment and delivered to a hole formed in the dashboard and re-directed to a desired area rearward of the dashboard towards the driver. A bracket is positioned over the hole in the dashboard that contains openings that re-directs the heated air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Inventor: Eric Anderson
  • Underbed hitch mounting system
    Patent number: 9067468
    Abstract: An underbed hitch mounting system is described. The mounting system may be utilized for towing vehicles wherein the mounting system may selectively accommodate either a fifth wheel hitch or a gooseneck hitch. The mounting system may include at least one rail capable of being connected to a vehicle frame, wherein the rail includes at least one socket. The socket may be engaged with a receiving member, wherein the receiving member may be engaged with a leg of a fifth wheel hitch. A mid rail may be connected to the rails and may include a hitch ball socket that is capable of engagement with a hitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Cequent Performance Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Stanifer, Richard W. McCoy