Patents Examined by Karin L. Ferriter
  • Patent number: 4779880
    Abstract: A four-wheel steering system in a wheeled vehicle the front wheel steering mechanism of which is drivingly interconnected to a rear wheel steering mechanism to steer the rear road wheels in either the same or the opposite direction as the front road wheels in dependence upon the turn-angle of the steering wheel of the vehicle. In the steering system, the rear wheel steering mechanism includes an operation rod operatively connected at the opposite ends thereof to the rear road wheels, and a connecting mechanism is assembled in combination with the rear 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 displacement direction of the operation rod in dependence upon the turn-angle of the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Youichi Hyodo
  • Patent number: 4779892
    Abstract: A ski binding adapted to releasably hold the front of a ski boot on a ski. The front of the boot includes front-end zone spaced from the lateral edges of the boot. The binding includes a jaw, a support, and a support zone means on the jaw. The jaw is adapted to hold the front of the boot and adapted to laterally pivot in response to pivoting of the boot. The support, which is positioned on the ski, includes two upwardly converging lines of support. The jaw is adapted to laterally pivot around either one of these upwardly converging jaw lines of support. The support zone means which is positioned on the jaw supports the front-end zone of the boot when the boot is held by the jaw. As a result, when the boot experiences a torsional force and a frontward force on the boot, the boot laterally pivots and the front of the boot is pressed downward against the ski and against the support zone means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Salomon S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Dimier, Joel Bourdeau
  • Patent number: 4778197
    Abstract: The ski includes a forebody, waist and tail section, with a running surface extending from an upturned front tip to the tail. The ski has sidecuts formed with a continuous, constant radius of curvature along the entire length of the running surface. A ski binding area is provided on the top surface of the ski with the toe of the boot of the ski binding area rearward of the median of the length of the running surface, with the running surface rearward of the heel of the boot providing approximately less than 20% of the total length of the running surface of the ski. A chamber in the front section of the ski is filled with flowable material; and there is also provided concave undersurface toward the tail of the ski.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignees: Richard Floreani, Eleanor Floreani
    Inventor: Adrian J. Floreani
  • Patent number: 4778198
    Abstract: An automotive wheel suspension in which forces acting transversally of a strut comprising, in telescoping relationship, a shock absorber and an elongated spring element, as a result of substantially vertical movement of the wheel are compensated by positioning the spring element substantially eccentrically relative to the axis of the shock absorber so that it substantially conforms to the direction of the resultant or sum of the forces causing vertical movement of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Henning Gold
  • Patent number: 4776611
    Abstract: An automatic seat belt apparatus capable of automatically applying a webbing around an occupant of a vehicle. This seat belt apparatus has a reinforcement member which is disposed near the end of a guide rail along which a slider is guided, the slider being accommodated in the reinforcement at the stroke end. The apparatus also has a holder at which a limit switch for detecting the stroke end of the slider is attached and which covers the reinforcement member, and an anchor pin for supporting a load caused at the time of an emergency, the holder and the anchor pin encircling the reinforcement member. The position of the anchor pin varies in accordance with the adjustment of the stroke end of the slider so as to constantly correspond to that of the slider while the webbing is being fitted around the occupant's body. At the time of an emergency, the tensile force of the webbing is positively transmitted to the body of the vehicle via the anchor pin, the holder and the reinforcement member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichi Tamura, Noritada Yoshitsugu, Motonobu Sugiura
  • Patent number: 4775167
    Abstract: A device for controlling an extendable equipment part of a power vehicle such as a safety belt includes a guide member displaceable between two end positions. In order to enable a passenger in the car to easily adjust the safety belt the guide member is held on a stationary hinge by means of which the movement of a drive aggregate is translated into the pivoting motion of the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Schiller, Eckhard Ursel
  • Patent number: 4773675
    Abstract: A supporting frame for a driving apparatus of a four wheeled buggy having a steering wheel and operated by a seated driver, comprises an oblique frame, an engine supporting frame, a removable rear frame, a removable lower frame, and to enclose an accommodating space for a driving apparatus. The driving apparatus accommodated in accommodating space is prevented from being damaged even when the buggy runs on a severely irregular land and the driving apparatus can be removed from the buggy to facilitate maintenance of the driving apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyoshi Kosuge
  • Patent number: 4772046
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for tensioning a seat belt in an automotive vehicle in the event of a collision. The belt extends through a slot in a displaceable and rotatable drum. One end of a tensioning strap is inserted into the slot and connected to a wedge located therein. The other end of the tensioning strap is attached to the chassis of the vehicle. When the drum is rotated, by means of a drive means intended herefor, both the tensioning strap and the belt strap are reeled onto the drum, therewith causing the drum to be displaced downwards while reducing the effective length of the belt strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: AB Volvo
    Inventors: Ove Salomonsson, Sture Alm
  • Patent number: 4768807
    Abstract: A motor vehicle wheel suspension has a composite leaf spring arranged transversely supporting a wheel support. A pivot retainer and tuneable rubber bushing arrangement supports the spring on the vehicle frame so that the spring is positively retained thereon while elastically supported with a tuneable fore/aft, vertical and lateral compliance and while also being pivotal about an axis intersecting at right angles with the neutral shear plane of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Avelaino McGibbon, Richard C. Jaxtheimer
  • Patent number: 4768611
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement for an engine drive unit, especially for use in motor vehicles, comprises an inner wedge-shaped metal member and an outer frame-like metal member which is symmetrically spaced apart from the wedge-shaped metal member, with separate elastomeric elements arranged between the inner and outer metal members. The elastomeric elements are offset from each other with respect to their effective axes to increase local damping of the vibrations in the low-frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Egon Schmitt
  • Patent number: 4766968
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a pressure plate cooperates with a fixed portion of a vehicle body to clamp therebetween one end portion of an elastic body, and the elastic body has an opposite end portion received by a space defined by a first wall and a second wall which are fixed to a radiator to be resiliently attached to the vehicle body. The opposite end portion is clamped by the first and second walls. Disposed between the one end opposite end portions is a middle portion which is subject to a shearing stress during vibration of the radiator relative to the vehicle body. The middle portion is subject to a compressible load when the radiator is forced to move toward the fixed portion of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 4767129
    Abstract: Disclosed is an actuator for steering the rear wheels in front and rear wheel steering device for vehicle in which the external forces, such as the self aligning torque of the rear wheels and irregularities of the road surface, which may be applied to the rear wheels are prevented from being transmitted to the actuator for controlling the steering angle of the rear wheels. Thereby, the steering angle of the rear wheels are determined solely by the control action of the front and rear wheel steering device and the motion of the vehicle is not affected by external forces. As a result, the vehicle motion is stabilized. When the force for steering the front wheels is transmitted to the rear wheels to steer them, elimination of the reaction from the road to the actuator prevents undesirable variation in the force required to steer the vehicle or the force required to hold a steering angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimichi Kawamoto, Yoshimi Furukawa, Tetsuro Hamada, Mitsuya Serizawa
  • Patent number: 4765651
    Abstract: An adjustable seat belt system having a plurality of anchor fittings where one or more anchoring slide block fittings comprise a gear mounted to the anchoring slide block for positioning the anchoring slide block along a track by a manual rotation device or electric motor for rotating the gear interacting with a rack located on the track. The anchoring slide block fitting can also be repositioned by rotating a screw which repositions the anchor. A double-pole double-throw switch is activated to energize the motor to move the block to a selected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: American Safety Equipment Corporation
    Inventor: Hans Unger
  • Patent number: 4765649
    Abstract: In this system for vehicle roll control, a suspension device or an actuator is provided corresponding to each wheel of a vehicle, and resiliently suspends it from the vehicle body. Each such suspension device can alter its hardness or softness characteristics according to a control signal, while similarly the actuators are adapted to alter the suspended height of their wheels. A vehicle speed detecting device senses road speed, a steering angle detecting device senses steering angle, and a device detects the total vehicle body weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ikemoto, Nobutaka Oowa, Yasutaka Hayashi, Shunichi Doi
  • Patent number: 4763922
    Abstract: A steel rod body is fixedly fitted, at its end, with a metallic coupling member manufactured independently of the rod body. A solid section having a free end is formed either at the end of the rod body or the coupling member, while a tube section having an opening at its end is provided on the corresponding end of either the rod body or the coupling member. Circumferential and axial grooves are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the solid section. At least the free end of the solid section is inserted into the opening of the tube section, and the tube section is crimped by means of dies. Thus, part of the metal material of the tube section creeps into indentations on the solid section so that the tube section and the solid section are firmly linked together for integration. A waterproof sealant is provided either on an inner surface of the tube section or on an outer surface of the solid section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1988
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiko Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 4763924
    Abstract: A safety device is disclosed which is incorporated in a seat for a motor vehicle. The seat includes a seat frame and is slidably mounted for forward and backward movement. The seat is retained in a predetermined position by retaining means which are adapted to be released when the seat is subjected to predetermined deceleration forces is that the seat may then slide forward. The safety device has actuating means which are adapted to actuate the safety device as the car seat slides forward subsequent to the release of the retaining means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1988
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB.
    Inventors: Mats A. Karlin, Per O. Weman
  • Patent number: 4758018
    Abstract: A rear wheel suspension arrangement of trailing arm type for motor vehicles includes a trailing arm for supporting a rear wheel, and a pair of upper and lower lateral arms. The trailing arm is split into a vehicle body side arm and a wheel side arm, which are coupled to have a degree of displacing freedoms within a horizontal plane of the vehicle body. The vehicle body side arm is formed shorter than the lateral arms, whose pivotally securing portion to the vehicle body is disposed at the front side from the coupling portion to the wheel side arm, and disposed in the inside in the lateral direction from the wheel side arm. The lower lateral arm is pivotally secured at least to the wheel side arm via a ball joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1988
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shozo Takizawa, Kazuyoshi Kobayashi, Kazuo Fukuyama, Masanori Tani, Shoji Yamamoto, Masayoshi Nishimori, Hiroaki Yoshida, Shinichi Eto
  • Patent number: 4756554
    Abstract: A clamping device for a motor vehicle safety belt comprising a housing (2) traversed by the safety belt strap (1) coming from a strap winding device, respectively, from its winding shaft, as well as a first and a second wedge (3,4) arranged in the housing (2). The first wedge (3) forms a deviation member for the strap (1) on the side opposite to the strap winding device, respectively, to its winding shaft, and is provided with two skewed surfaces (12,13) delimiting a sharp angle and differently inclined with respect to the medial plane (16) of the first wedge (3) parallel to the strap (1) in the housing (2). By means of the inclined surface (13) delimiting with the medial plane (16) a larger angle, the first wedge (3) bears against a correspondingly inclined surface (15) of the housing (2) and, by means of the other inclined surface (12), against a correspondingly inclined surface (14) of the second wedge (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Tibbe KG
    Inventor: Gunter Tibbe
  • Patent number: 4754991
    Abstract: A method and buffer apparatus for preventing corrosion in a dynamic load bearing assembly. A resilient buffer material is compressively adjustably positioned between a pair of dynamic adjacent load bearing components in a machine such that the amount of electrical resistance between the load bearing components can be varied without having to disassemble the machine. The buffer material is maintained in position between the load bearing components by compressing the buffer material an amount equal to 5 to 30% of its length to outwardly expand surfaces of the buffer material against the load bearing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1988
    Inventor: Robert O. Jordan
  • Patent number: 4752085
    Abstract: A powered tilt steering arrangement for a vehicle using a motor which rotates unidirectionally. The powered tilt steering arrangement basically comprises: a steering column having an upper shaft and a steering wheel assembly; a tilt bracket pivotally mounted on a mounting bracket fixed to a vehicle body and on which the steering wheel assembly is mounted; a drive source such as the motor; an actuator in response to a rotational force of the motor for actuating the tilt bracket to pivot through a predetermined angular width with respect to the mounting bracket in a reciprocatory motion; and a lock mechanism for locking the steering assembly when the actuator is stopped so that the steering wheel assembly is placed and held at a desired optimum driving position within the predetermined angular width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1988
    Assignee: Fuji Kiko Company, Limited
    Inventor: Yoshimi Yamamoto