Patents Examined by Jason Bellinger
  • Patent number: 9950565
    Abstract: A quick change system for carriage wheels comprising an axle adapter and a lock for axial locking of a wheel on the axle adapter, wherein the lock has at least one locking member and a release cooperating with the locking member, wherein the locking member axially locks the wheel on the axle adapter in a locking position, and the release and the locking member cooperate such that during moving of the release, the locking member can be brought from the locking position into a releasing position, in which the wheel is released axially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: IPEK INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventor: Dominik Pomp
  • Patent number: 9932077
    Abstract: A rubber crawler that has a specified rotation direction. includes a crawler body, rubber projections and lugs. The lugs project out from an outer peripheral face, extend at an angle to the crawler peripheral direction from an inner side end portion toward the crawler width direction outer side and toward an opposite side to a crawler rotation direction with a larger angle at an acute angle side with respect to the crawler peripheral direction on the crawler width direction outer side than on the central line side; have inner side end portions of lugs adjacent to each other in the crawler width direction respectively overlapping a single projection of the projections, and are disposed at positions separated in the crawler width direction with the inner side end portions adjacent to each other in the crawler width direction respectively overlapping each other when viewed along the crawler width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Sugihara
  • Patent number: 9925828
    Abstract: A bicycle wheel rim having a circular base portion including a proximal surface and a distal surface, and a pair of integral sidewalls extending generally radially outward from an intersection region of the proximal surface and the distal surface. The distal surface of the rim has a central hump, a trough contiguous with the central hump extending axially outward from the hump, and a flat shelf immediately adjacent, contiguous with, and extending axially outward from the trough. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a bicycle wheel including the embodied rim, a plurality a spokes engaged at respective ends thereof with the rim and a hub engaged with the plurality of spoke members at opposite ends thereof. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a bicycle wheel assembly comprising the embodied wheel and a tube and/or tire mounted on the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: K.G. Motors, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley F. Koziatek
  • Patent number: 9908375
    Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein may be useful for use in a wheel assembly which includes a heat shield. In this regard heat shield for a wheel may include a first member; a second member positioned radially of the first member defining an annular cavity between the first member and the second member; an opening in at least one of the first member and the second member configured to provide fluidic communication between the annular cavity and an outside of the annular cavity; and a mounting feature in operable communication with the first member and the second member configured to attach the heat shield to the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Bradley J. Baden, Katrina Lynn King
  • Patent number: 9902445
    Abstract: A rubber crawler having a specified rotation direction includes a crawler body and plural lugs. The plural lugs are provided at the crawler body, and extend at an angle to a crawler peripheral direction from an end portion on a central line side toward a crawler width direction outer side and toward an opposite side to a crawler rotation direction. In a cross-section of the lugs taken along the crawler peripheral direction, an angle formed between each apex side portion of tread-in-side wall faces on the crawler rotation direction side and an outer peripheral face is 90 degrees or greater, and is smaller than an angle formed between each apex side portion of a kick-out-side wall faces on the opposite side to the crawler rotation direction and the outer peripheral face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Sugihara
  • Patent number: 9834036
    Abstract: A wheel connectable to a vehicle. The wheel includes a stationary member having an axis, a rotary member rotatable about the axis, and at least one support member positioned between the stationary member and the rotary member, thereby providing a normally fixed distance therebetween. The support member is adapted to retain the distance when stressed up to a threshold value and to recoverably alter the distance when stressed over the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Soft Wheel LTD.
    Inventors: Ronny Winshtein, Amichay Haim Gross
  • Patent number: 9821598
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve a wheel cover configured to streamline a wheel of a motor vehicle. In one implementation, the wheel cover includes a unit that mounts and dismounts to the hub of a wheel of a vehicle without brackets, bolts, and assembly kits. The wheel cover system may include a circular cover that covers the center of the wheel hub. An engaging structure may include one or more hooks opposed from each other with small access ports to facilitate mounting and dismounting of the wheel cover on the wheel hub. To cover the wheel hub, the wheel cover system is placed over the wheel hub and the four hooks are engaged to latch onto a back edge of the wheel hub. Through the simple activation of the hooks, the wheel cover system may be easily mounted and dismounted on the wheel hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Moochout LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan E. Fleck
  • Patent number: 9815322
    Abstract: A bicycle hub comprises a tubular body and a spoke attachment part. The tubular body has a rotational axis. The spoke attachment part includes an attachment opening through which a spoke is to extend. The attachment opening includes a first end opening through which the spoke is to extend, and a second end opening through which the spoke is to extend. The second end opening is provided outward of the first end opening in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotational axis. The second end opening has a first maximum length and a second maximum length. The first maximum length is defined in a circumferential direction defined about the rotational axis. The second maximum length is defined in an axial direction parallel to the rotational axis. The first maximum length is larger than the second maximum length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Norihisa Senoo
  • Patent number: 9796446
    Abstract: An axle for removably retaining a wheel on a vehicle. The axle includes a rotary-type connector at a first end thereof; a cam assembly operatively connected to the second end, the cam assembly including a cam having an axis of rotation; a lever operatively connected to a second end of the axle, the lever being rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the cam, between an open position in which the axle is removable from and mountable on the vehicle and a closed position in which the axle is retained on the vehicle; and a cam assembly operatively connected to the second end; and a lever stop ensuring that an angle of maximum rotation for the lever from the closed position is less than 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Laird, Mario Galasso, William M. Becker, David M. Haugen
  • Patent number: 9789739
    Abstract: A tire inflation system for a small trailer may include a fluid pressure source mountable to the trailer, and fluid conduits providing sealed fluid communication between the fluid pressure source and the small trailer's pneumatic tires. The system may further include a fluid connector configured for connection to an external fluid power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Equalaire Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Kevin Hennig
  • Patent number: 9789729
    Abstract: A wheel includes a first hoop attached to a second hoop about a circumferential interface. The first and second hoops form at least part of an enclosed box structure positioned circumferentially around the wheel and adjacent to an outboard side of the wheel. The box structure may be formed at least in part by circumferential projections of the first hoop and the second hoop. The wheel may also include a central hub that optionally includes spokes. In some embodiments, the central hub may form part of the enclosed box structure. In some embodiments, a first hoop portion and a second hoop portion may be integral or unitary, with a box structure integrally formed between the hoop portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: SWIFT ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Kai Anderson
  • Patent number: 9783015
    Abstract: A pressure control assembly for an air maintenance tire includes a control valve assembly. The pressure control assembly mounts in proximal relationship to a tire valve stem and operably controls a flow of pressurized air through the tire valve stem from an ancillary tire-mounted pressurized air source. The ancillary tire-mounted pressurized air source and an external pressurized air source share the valve stem for delivery of pressurized air to the tire cavity. The pressure control assembly mounts to a surface of a wheel supporting the tire at a control location in proximal relationship with the valve stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Cheng-Hsiung Lin
  • Patent number: 9770942
    Abstract: A soundproof wheel includes a soundproofing device which is mounted to an inner peripheral surface of a rim section of the wheel. The soundproofing device is provided with: a fixing ring which is fitted in and fixed to a groove formed in the inner peripheral surface of the rim section; an elastic body section which is adhered to an outer peripheral surface of the fixing ring, is disposed within the groove, and has a plurality of elastic body pieces; and an additional mass section which is adhered to an opposite side of the elastic body section with respect to the fixing ring, is disposed within the groove, and has a plurality of additional mass pieces. The soundproofing device includes a plurality of dynamic vibration absorbers, each having an elastic body piece and an additional mass piece. This soundproof wheel allows for reduction in wheel vibration noise and is highly durable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Fujimoto, Hideki Minami, Hiroki Sakai, Shingo Abe
  • Patent number: 9758000
    Abstract: A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube connected to a tire and defining an air passageway, the air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow an air tube segment opposite a tire footprint to flatten, closing the passageway, and resiliently unflatten into an original configuration. The air tube is sequentially flattened by the tire footprint in a direction opposite to a tire direction of rotation to pump air along the passageway to a regulator device. The regulator device regulates the inlet air flow to the air tube and the outlet air flow to the tire cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Daniel Paul Luc Marie Hinque
  • Patent number: 9750192
    Abstract: An integrated fan and axle arrangement for an agricultural machine having a an impeller may include a front axle assembly and a fan housing. The front axle assembly supports one or more front wheels of the agricultural vehicle. The impeller rotates within the fan housing to provide an air flow within the agricultural vehicle. A laterally extending portion of the fan housing may form part of the front axle assembly, such that the laterally extending portion of the fan housing may provide structural rigidity to the front axle assembly for the support of the one or more front wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Ryan P. Mackin, Justin C. Freehill, Mark L. Pearson, Jared R. Suster
  • Patent number: 9738115
    Abstract: A central cover for covering a concave central axle cut-out area of a wheel includes a frame that is generally cup-shaped having a round outer surface. the round outer surface has a circumference smaller than an inner circumference of the concave central axle cut-out area of the wheel so that the central cover seats in the concave central axle cut-out area. A permanent magnet is seated within the frame for holding the central cover to the wheel. The permanent magnet having a central cutout area for clearance of an axle bolt when the axle bolt is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Krassner
  • Patent number: 9738377
    Abstract: An aircraft wheel having a rim having brake discs driving keys (21). The wheel has a rotational driver mechanism (210) which includes a drive gear (211) associated with coupling members (212) of the drive gear to the rim of the wheel. The coupling members are fixed to the rim by fixing members (220) introduced into orifices of the rim extending at an end of the keys which are also used to hold heat shields protecting the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: MESSIER-BUGATTI-DOWTY
    Inventors: Nicolas Mazarguil, Sébastien Remond
  • Patent number: 9731553
    Abstract: A unit for rapid deployment and retraction of chain traction systems for vehicles includes a pneumatic cylinder having a cylindrical chamber enclosing a piston that is pneumatically-movable bidirectionally. A control rod coupled at one end to the piston passes through an end of the chamber and is coupled to a rack linearly movable within a sealed, grease-containing case. The rack is formed from a series of equally-spaced roller pins secured between parallel walls of a rack frame. The roller pins of the rack engage a sprocket affixed to a rotatable shaft to which is rigidly coupled an actuator arm of the rapidly-deployable vehicle ice and snow chain traction system. As the rack is moved back and forth, the actuator arm swings through an arc that—depending on the displacement of the control rod and the length of the rack, can be greater than 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventors: Shane Evan McKenna, John Horace Atkinson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9731550
    Abstract: A bicycle hub assembly includes a hub axle, a hub shell, and a sprocket supporting member. The sprocket supporting member includes a tubular portion and a first tooth. The tubular portion includes an outer peripheral surface and an attachment portion provided only radially inward of the outer peripheral surface. The first tooth is configured to be attached to the attachment portion of the tubular portion. The first tooth includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is configured to face a mounting portion of a bicycle sprocket in a circumferential direction of the sprocket supporting member. The second surface is opposite to the first surface in the circumferential direction. The second surface is configured to face the mounting portion of the bicycle sprocket in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventor: Kazuki Koshiyama
  • Patent number: 9731781
    Abstract: An endless track for traction of a vehicle, such as a construction vehicle, an agricultural vehicle, a forestry vehicle or a military vehicle. The endless track has an enhanced elastomeric material curing capability. In one embodiment, each of a plurality of elastomeric projections of the endless track, such as guide/drive projections or traction projections, comprises elastomeric material defining a cavity to enhance a curing process during manufacturing of the endless track. The cavity may be shaped such that, during the curing process, a heat conductor positioned in the cavity conducts heat from the heat conductor to the elastomeric material of the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: CAMSO INC.
    Inventors: Marc Delisle, Jean-Luke Noël, Martin Lajoie