Patents Examined by John J. Love
  • Patent number: 4785901
    Abstract: A rack-pinion type electrically powered steering apparatus is provided with an electronic control circuit adapted to control a motor driving current which is applied to a motor for power assistance, in response to a steering load characteristic and/or a vehicle speed characteristic. The steering apparatus is also provided with a rack end proximity sensor adapted to detect a position adjacent the both ends of the rack during a steering operation, and a device for providing the motor driving current with an attenuation characteristic in response to the detected signal from said rack end proximity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Assignee: Tokai TRW & Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoyuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 4786072
    Abstract: A collapsible wheelchair and a lift assembly which is permanently mountable in a vehicle and operable for moving the wheelchair and an occupant thereof between the interior and the exterior of the vehicle. The wheelchair includes a chair member and a pair of enlarged rear wheels on the chair member which are operable for movably supporting the rear portion of the chair member on a supporting surface when the chair member is in the erected position thereof. The wheelchair is movable to a collapsed position wherein one of the rear wheels is positioned behind the back portion of the chair member in substantially parallel relation therewith and the other rear wheel is positioned beneath the seat portion of the chair member in substantially parallel relation therewith. When the wheelchair is in the collapsed position, it has a reduced overall profile to enable the wheelchair and an occupant thereof to be effectively moved between the interior and the exterior of a vehicle with the lift assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Assignee: K G Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert H. Girvin
  • Patent number: 4786067
    Abstract: Tubular spacers (28) are positioned between the wheels (10, 12) of a unicycle. Inboard portions of tie bolts (34) extend through the spacers (28). A threaded end portion (38) of the tie bolt (34) screws into a T-nut (40) provided within an opening (26) in a wheel (12). The shaft of the tie bolt (34) projects through an opening (24) in the other wheel (10) and projects outwardly beyond the wheel (10). A second tubular spacer (50) is provided in the form of an enlarged diameter outboard portion of the tie bolt (34). A shoulder (52) at the inner end of this spacer (50) bears against an abutment (46). When the tie bolt (34) is tightly screwed into the T-nut (46), it is put into tension and the tubular spacer (28) is put into compression. A pedal element (56) is mounted for rotation about the outboard tubular spacer (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Inventor: Chun-Yi Tang
  • Patent number: 4785899
    Abstract: A vehicle having spherical-shaped wheels and which may be steered, and whose speed may be controlled, by varying the inclinations of the wheels about respective horizontal axes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Inventor: Emil H. von Winckelmann
  • Patent number: 4786074
    Abstract: A rear suspension includes a suspension arm for supporting an axle carrier. The suspension arm has a first arm portion disposed laterally of a car body and having an inner end pivotably connected to the car body through a first bushing and an outer end pivotably connected to the axle carrier and a second arm portion disposed longitudinally of the car body and having a front end pivotably connected to the car body through a second bushing and a rear end connected to the first arm portion. The second arm portion is formed to be undeformable vertically, deformable laterally of the car body and deformable by a torsional force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadao Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 4786081
    Abstract: An adjustable mount for anchoring a safety belt on a vertical surface of a motor vehicle has a vertically elongated guide rail fixed to the surface and having an front face turned away from the surface and a rear face turned toward the surface. This rail is formed with a longitudinally extending throughgoing slot and generally along the full length of the slot with a vertical row of stops at the rear face and having upwardly and downwardly directed stop edges. A slider displaceable along the rail has a rear portion engageable forward with the rear face of the rail and having abutments engageable between the stops with the edges thereof, a front portion engageable rearward with the front face of the rail, and an intermediate connecting portion extending between and unitarily interconnecting the front and rear portions. A guide fixed to the rear portion extends forward therefrom through the slot and is formed with a forwardly open threaded bore into which a bolt is threaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Inventor: Gudrun Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4784236
    Abstract: A four-wheel drive vehicle has a permanently driven axle. A planetary gear set and viscous clutch are located in the power train leading to the second axle. The annular gear of the planetary gear set is mounted rotatably and can be stopped by a brake band. When the brake band is tensioned, the four-wheel drive, which is running via the viscous clutch, is in the state of readiness, while it is ineffective when the brake band is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Bausch, Hans-Peter Hemmer
  • Patent number: 4784235
    Abstract: A steering force control apparatus for a power steering apparatus of a vehicle of the type having a reaction chamber responsive to fluid pressure applied thereto for producing a reaction force to counteract the steering force produced by a power cylinder. A main tubular spool is disposed in a valve case movably relative to the valve case and has an inner valve surface. A sub-spool is disposed in the main spool movably relative to the main spool and has an outer valve surface cooperative with the inner valve surface to define a variable throttle for selectively connecting a fluid pump to the reaction chamber and to the power cylinder according to the movement of the sub-spool relative to the main spool in response to the vehicle speed. The main spool is moved relative to the valve case and the sub-spool in response to the fluid pressure applied to the reaction chamber when the fluid pressure is above a certain value to enable the variable throttle to disconnect the fluid pump from the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Waichiro Ijiri, Shuzo Hirakushi
  • Patent number: 4784403
    Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for limiting the angular movement between the tractor and trailer wherein a fluid operated cylinder is mounted within a rigid frame, having a mounting bar attached to a forward member of the tractor, for moving an abutment means between a position extending downwardly within the longitudinal slot of the fifth wheel to a position wherein the abutment means is removed from the slot. Means are carried within the frame having fixed relation thereto for providing lateral support within the position of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Assignee: Red Arrow International, Inc.
    Inventors: Wallace H. Hawkins, Calvin B. Gosnell
  • Patent number: 4784402
    Abstract: A dolly is disclosed which permits an automobile to be easily moved about a repair shop. In one embodiment, the length of the dolly is approximately equal the width of an automobile and is adapted to receive either the wheels of the automobile or a jackstand for supporting the automobile with one or more wheels removed. In a second embodiment, the length of the dolly is less than the width of an automobile and accessory cradles are attached to the dolly to receive the automobiles' wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Inventor: Andrew B. Roman
  • Patent number: 4784233
    Abstract: A wheeled skate board is modified for skiing purposes by replacing the two sets of wheels with two pivotally attached skis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Inventor: Alexander L. Favors
  • Patent number: 4783094
    Abstract: A safety device for maintaining in place a pin connecting the drawbar of a tractor to the tow bar or tongue of a towed piece of equipment. The safety device is mounted on the drawbar and is slideable along the drawbar. An arm extends outwardly from the device, and the device is moved so that the arm is over the top of the drawbar pin when the pin is in place thereby preventing it from becoming disengaged from the drawbar and tongue. A locking pin prevents the safety device from sliding along the drawbar so as to keep it in its pin retaining position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Inventor: John E. Sands
  • Patent number: 4783095
    Abstract: A suspension for motored and unmotored wheels of vehicles, having independent movements of bouncing/hoisting and rotation/steering, made up of a shaped bracket member coupled, at the rear, in a rigid way, with a vertical axle on which the vehicle structure runs, by means of the interposition of at least two bushes, and, at the top, in the front position, with the coupling axis being as close as possible to the reaction axis of the wheel with the ground, with the vehicle structure, such coupling being realized by means of an elastic and hoisting member and at least one damping member, said bracket member being also provided at a position intermediated between said axle and the wheel with a first ball joint and with a bearing as well as with a second ball joint and a second bearing, all arranged along an axis sloping at 3.degree.-10.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Janus Bus S.p.A.
    Inventors: Franco Rampini, Stefano Rampini
  • Patent number: 4783093
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for relieving friction during adjustment of a sliding tandem trailer's rear wheel assembly with respect to the trailer bed includes a plurality of bed lift devices mounted in the vicinity of the rear wheel assembly. Each of the devices are pivotally mounted to a sliding frame member of the rear wheel assembly for engagement with a respective fixed frame member of the trailer bed. By moving a roller, supported upon a pin which is rotatably mounted to a hydraulically-actuated piston contained within the device, into and out of engagement with the fixed frame member, the relative position of the rear wheel assembly may be suitably adjusted with a minimum of friction to a desired position which properly distributes, relative to the axles of the rear wheel assembly and the axles of the cab, the load upon the trailer bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: K. C. Mfg., Inc.
    Inventors: Kent Cusick, Kevin Criswell
  • Patent number: 4782907
    Abstract: A motor-driven power steering system for front and rear road wheels which is capable of preventing uncontrolled steering resulting from abnormal movement of the rear road wheels in case of a failure in various sensors and/or an electric motor or breakage in the wiring, and enabling vehicle to continuously travel in a safe manner by means of front wheel steering alone after occurrence of such troubles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Morishita, Shinichi Kohge
  • Ski
    Patent number: 4781395
    Abstract: A ski comprising a ski body component (1) and a trough (2). The ski body component is a prefabricated component which is formed from a core (3), steel edges (6 and 6', respectively), a running surface coating (7) and possible intermediate layers. To produce the ski, the prefabricated ski body component (1) is introduced into a trough-shaped mould (9), a space being left free for the production of the trough, whereupon the free space is filled with plastics material, preferably by RTM method. The sole FIGURE serves and the FIGURE for the Abstract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Fischer Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Josef Fischer
  • Patent number: 4781261
    Abstract: A four-wheel steering system for an automotive vehicle includes a front wheel steering mechanism operable in response to a steering effort applied thereto to steer a pair of dirigible front road wheels, a rear wheel steering mechanism including an axially displaceable operation rod operatively connected at the opposite ends thereof with a pair of dirigible rear road wheels to steer the rear road wheels, and a connecting mechanism assembled in combination with the rear wheel steering mechanism and being drivingly connected to the front wheel steering mechanism for effecting axial displacement of the operation rod in response to operation of the front wheel steering mechanism and for controlling the steering angle ratio and direction of the rear road wheels relative to the front road wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Youichi Hyodo
  • Patent number: 4781258
    Abstract: A fender apparatus for use with a saddle type vehicle having a vehicle body, an internal combustion engine mounted on the vehicle body, a driver's seat mounted on the vehicle body and a pair of rear wheels mounted on the vehicle body. The fender apparatus comprises a rear fender having a downwardly bent front wall located to the inside of the position of the rear wheel on each side of the vehicle body, such that air flows rearward past the engine and through the through openings to dissipate heat generated by the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Gen Tamura
  • Patent number: 4781263
    Abstract: A steering force controller for an automobile power steering device includes a solenoid-operated valve openable and closable by a current applied to a solenoid thereof for controlling a fluid supplied under pressure to a power cylinder for operating steerable wheels, an automobile speed sensor for detecting a speed of travel of the automobile, a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle of the steering wheel and issuing a signal indicative of the detected steering angle, a discriminator for determining a running mode of the automobile from a variance of steering angle signals, and a control unit responsive to an output from the discriminator for controlling the current fed to the solenoid dependent on an input signal indicating the automobile speed, according to a respective one of different control patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiko Eto, Yutaka Mori, Akihiro Ohno
  • Patent number: 4781266
    Abstract: A two-wheel/four-wheel automatic change-over device in an automobile transfer apparatus is disclosed. In the transfer apparatus in which driving forces are transmitted directly from a transmission to front two wheels or rear two wheels and also transmitted through a wet-type multiple disc clutch to the other two wheels, the two-wheel/four-wheel change-over device has a change-over control unit for changing over from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive. This unit automatically effects an engagement and a release of a wet-type multiple disc clutch in response to a signal of high speed travelling, a signal of slope travelling, a signal of quick acceleration travelling, a slip signal obtained from a relation between a real car speed and rotation of the wheels and a signal of a selector switch. In such a constitution, the wet-type multiple disc clutch is usually hydraulic-controlled so that it is differentiable in time of the four-wheel travelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Hotta, Yuichi Fukuhara, Kenji Takeuchi