Patents Examined by Juan J Campos, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11459217
    Abstract: A rotary tower crane with a tower, which carries a jib and a counterjib, with a jib stay being guided from a tower top to the jib and to the counterjib. The jib stay tensions only an inner jib portion, the length of which is less than 40% of the total length of the jib, and an outer portion, the length of which is more than 60% of the total length of the jib, forms an untensioned bending beam jib which includes at least one jib piece which tapers in height and which is adjoined on the inner side by at least one jib part of greater height and on the outer side by a jib piece of smaller height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Thomas Herse
  • Patent number: 11447372
    Abstract: The invention relates to a crane, in particular a rotary tower crane, comprising a lifting cable configured to run out from a crane boom and comprises a load receiving component, drive devices configured to move multiple crane elements and displace the load receiving component, a controller configured to control the drive devices such that the load receiving apparatus is displaced along a movement path, and a pendulum damping device configured to dampen pendulum movements of the load receiving apparatus and/or of the lifting cable. The pendulum damping device comprises a pendulum sensor system configured to detect pendulum movements of at least one of the lifting cable and the load receiving component and a regulator module comprising a closed control loop configured to influence the actuation of the drive devices depending on a pendulum sensor system signal returned to the control loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Biberach GmbH
    Inventors: Florentin Rauscher, Oliver Sawodny, Michael Palberg, Patrick Schlott
  • Patent number: 11434112
    Abstract: Provided is a crane (1) including: a boom (7); a wire rope (8); a winch (9); and a hook (10). The crane further includes: a spooling operation instrument (24) for enabling commanding an operation state of the winch (9); and switches (switch (41) or switch (42)) for enabling commanding a switch of a control mode with regard to the operation of the spooling operation instrument (24). When the boom (7) is in a flat travel orientation with the hook (10) loaded on a prescribed site (hook platform (12)), the switches ((41), (42)) being in an on state and the spooling operation instrument (24) being operated toward one side thereof cause the boom (7) to be raised to a work orientation while the wire rope (8) is unwound such that the hook (10) is not lifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: TADANO LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11427446
    Abstract: A vehicle crane having a telescoping jib, comprising a basic box with linearly displaceable inner boxes and a lifting cable with a load picking-up device. A fastening region is arranged on the basic box or on a head end of one of the inner boxes, and a bracing apparatus is securable to the fastening region by a connecting end. To simplify rigging/de-rigging of the vehicle crane in relation to the bracing apparatus, the fastening region is formed for mounting the bracing apparatus on the basic box or on one of the inner boxes such that a bracing apparatus that is freely suspended on the lifting cable is coupled to the fastening region with the connecting end being brought close to the fastening region by movements of the vehicle crane, retraction and extension of the inner boxes, raising and lowering of the load picking-up device, and/or luffing of the telescoping jib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Tadano Demag GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf Heintz
  • Patent number: 11420851
    Abstract: A tower crane configured to fold and unfold between a working configuration and a transport configuration includes a boom hinged in rotation relative to a mast about a main axis of rotation. The tower crane includes a rear retainer fastened to a frame supporting the mast and to a stanchion. The stanchion extends the boom rearwardly of the main axis of rotation and is displaceable relative to the boom between a working position and a transport position. The tower crane further includes a lifting cable connected to a winding device exerting, on the lifting cable, a tension force applied on stanchion by a return system configured to cooperate with the lifting cable, so as to cause displacement of said stanchion from the working position to the transport position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Manitowoc Crane Group France
    Inventors: Olivier Gevaudant, Yves Alloin, Vincent Veillerot, Simon Grimaud, Sylvain Cuillerier
  • Patent number: 11414157
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a bicycle rear sprocket assembly that can reduce shock in a gear shifting operation and can reduce changing of gear ratio during the gear shifting operation. A bicycle rear sprocket assembly includes a plurality of sprockets. A total tooth number of at least one of the plurality of sprockets is an even number. The plurality of sprockets have at least two coaxially arranged sprockets. At least one of the at least two coaxially arranged sprockets has an upshifting facilitation area and a downshifting facilitation area. Each of the at least two coaxially arranged sprockets has a total tooth number that is equal to or larger than eighteen. The tooth number difference is equal to or smaller than seven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Azusa Yamazaki, Kenji Kamada
  • Patent number: 11402000
    Abstract: A tensioner for tensioning a chain span which uses two pistons. The movement of the two pistons may be coupled together. The first piston provides damping to the chain span and a second piston provides variable, dominant and automatically adjusting spring force to the chain span. The tensioner automatically adjusts the mean tension force to keep the chain tension as low as possible without sacrificing chain control, significantly improving drive efficiency at new chain conditions and conditions with dynamic loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin B. Todd, Dale N. Smith
  • Patent number: 11401135
    Abstract: A drive system (46) for a telescoping boom (22) includes an elongated member (48), a locking head (50) configured to be driven on the elongated member, an actuator (52) configured to drive the locking head on the elongated member, and a cabling assembly (54) interconnected between the actuator and the locking head such that the locking head is driven on the elongated member in response to operation of the actuator, the cabling assembly including a cable (64) and a plurality of sheaves (66, 68). The telescoping boom includes a base section (34) and one or more telescoping sections (36, 38, 40) configured for telescoping movement relative to the base section, and the locking head is configured to selectively engage and disengage a telescoping section of the one or more telescoping sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Manitowoc Crane Companies, LLC
    Inventor: Stephen J. Schoonmaker
  • Patent number: 11396444
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a foldable truss boom section, a truss boom and a crane. The foldable truss boom section includes: two chords that do not intersect with each other; at least two slideways fixedly disposed on each of the two chords, wherein each of the at least two slideways has at least two slideway fixing points; and at least two long web members connecting the two chords, wherein each of the at least two long web members has at least one sliding end which is slidable along the slideway and connected to the slideway at one of the at least two slideway fixing points, so that a cross-section state of the truss boom section is changeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: XUZHOU CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dandan Cui, Li Sun, Qinwei Yu, Yong Yang, Fahao Zhu
  • Patent number: 11396924
    Abstract: A belt element for a vehicular transmission belt is designed to be supported by the bands such that the head portion is located on an outer side of the bands. The base, head and connecting portions define two slots for engagement with the respective annular bands, and the base portion has an edge extending in its width direction. The edge includes a first edge located inwardly of widthwise ends of the head portion and functioning as a fulcrum of the belt element upon rocking of the belt element, and second edges located outwardly of the widthwise ends. The base portion has a smaller thickness on an inner side of the edge than on an outer side of the edge, and the second edges are located nearer to the head portion than the first edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daisuke Kikukawa
  • Patent number: 11390494
    Abstract: A wave-induced motion compensating crane includes a hoist assembly. At least two departure sheaves are mounted at opposite lateral sides of the jib. The object suspension device is supported both by two hoist cables extending laterally from the jib and a third hoist cable that runs via another departure sheave. The hoist assembly is adapted to hoist and/or lower the object suspension device with an object connected thereto, between a lower position and a position at a height up to the departure sheaves while the hoist cables together define a reverse pyramid, diverging upwards in between the object suspension device and the departure sheaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: ITREC B.V.
    Inventors: Terence Willem August Vehmeijer, Joop Roodenburg, Marc Louis Brinkman
  • Patent number: 11377329
    Abstract: It is provided a sensor trolley for use in a container crane. The sensor trolley includes: a sensor arrangement being usable to determine a position of a target for landing or picking up a container; and the sensor trolley is configured to be movable along a horizontal trolley support of the container crane for the sensor arrangement to cover a plurality of vehicle lanes under the container crane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Björn Henriksson, Uno Bryfors
  • Patent number: 11352240
    Abstract: A crane includes a crane pillar supported rotatably about an axis, and a radial bearing for supporting the rotatable crane pillar in a crane base. The radial bearing is lower in an installation position of the crane pillar, and an upper radial bearing likewise supports the crane pillar in the crane base. The upper radial bearing is spaced apart at a distance from the lower radial bearing along the axis. At least one chamber can be filled with oil and is provided for lubricating the upper radial bearing. A drive unit is provided for the crane pillar, and the drive unit drives the crane pillar between the upper radial bearing and the lower radial bearing. A driven region on the crane pillar is lubricated with oil by the chamber that can be filled with oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: PALFINGER AG
    Inventors: Eckhard Wimmer, Hannes Steindl, Juergen Winkler, Christoph Roeck, Walter Haberl
  • Patent number: 11352239
    Abstract: A portable hoist system has an adjustable support strut mechanism, allowing for compact storage and portability, with the entire assembly retained as one unit. In one embodiment the support strut mechanism, which is connected on one end to a boom and at another end to a bracket, is foldable and adjustable using an adjustment pin and holes along the two-piece support strut mechanism. In one preferred form of the invention a winch of the hoist system is field-adjustable as to position on the hoist's boom, to overcome problems of space constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Inventor: Michael Spitsbergen
  • Patent number: 11326671
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transmission comprising two circulating elements and a transmission element, such as a toothed belt. At least one circulating element comprises a number of contact elements for contact with the transmission element which determine a running radius of the transmission element, a radial guide for the contact elements, along which the latter are radially displaceable, displacement means for displacing the contact elements in the radial direction, wherein the transmission element has engagement elements such as teeth. Each of the contact elements comprises a base part which is in contact with the radial guide and with the displacement means, and an engagement member which is connected to the base part and is radially movable with respect to the base part, wherein the engagement member of at least one of the number of contact elements of the respective circulating element is in positive-locking contact with the transmission element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Drive Technology Holland Ltd.
    Inventors: Marinus Johannes Cornelis Van Tilburg, Henricus Josephus Maria Essens, Johannes Constant Maria De Wijs, Hubertus Hendrikes Adrianus Van Kasteren
  • Patent number: 11325815
    Abstract: The invention relates to a telescopic boom comprising a coupling section, on the side of which at least two luffing-cylinder mounts are provided for fastening luffing cylinders to the telescopic boom. The bearing plates of the luffing-cylinder mount transition into a metal-plate box structure, the metal-plate box structure being composed of three partial luffing-cylinder boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: LIEBHERR-WERK EHINGEN GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Brzoska, Mario Helbig
  • Patent number: 11319142
    Abstract: A cable carrying case, in one embodiment, includes a first halve and a second halve that are coupled together by a fastener. The first and second halves pivot between an open and a closed position around the fastener. The cable carrying case has a releasable support member that is configured to support the weight of a spool of cable. The spool of cable may rotate about the support member to dispense the cable from within the case through a slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: PPC BROADBAND, INC.
    Inventors: Carl Crossett, Cary Lynne Mullin, Jacqueline Busco, Brian Keith Hanson
  • Patent number: 11319196
    Abstract: An intermediate support holder includes right and left guy line retaining units, right and left intermediate support line retaining units, and a connecting unit. The intermediate portions of the guy lines can be attached to the guy line retaining units. The intermediate support line retaining units are disposed so as to be aligned in the right-left direction with respect to the guy line retaining units, and base end portions of the intermediate support lines can be attached to the intermediate support line retaining units. The connecting unit couples and fixes the pair of right and left guy line retaining units and the pair of right and left intermediate support line retaining units to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Daisuke Takaoka
  • Patent number: 11319194
    Abstract: A pipelayer includes a frame, a plurality of ground engaging members movably supporting the frame, a prime mover, and a boom assembly and a counterbalance assembly supported on the frame. The boom assembly includes a boom. The counterbalance assembly including a counterweight, the counterweight being movably supported on the frame to counterbalance the boom assembly. The counterweight includes a battery box including at least one battery. A control strategy is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Codey R. Seaman, David D. Tallon
  • Patent number: 11319021
    Abstract: A bicycle rear derailleur includes a base member, a chain guide, a movable member and a first link member. The base member is configured to be mounted to a bicycle frame at a frame mounting axis. The chain guide includes a first pulley rotatably arranged around a first pulley axis in a first pulley plane. The movable member pivotally supports the chain guide about a pivot axis. The first link member moves the chain guide between first and second lateral positions. The first lateral position is closer to a bicycle center plane. The first pulley plane intersects the first link member in a state where the chain guide is located at the second lateral position. The frame mounting axis is spaced from the pivot axis by a distance equal to or larger than eighty-nine millimeters when the chain guide is at the first lateral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Shouta Suyama, Atsuhiro Emura, Kenta Nakamura