Patents Examined by Kelly E. Campbell
  • Patent number: 6848526
    Abstract: A quick release hub for the outer tires and wheels of dual wheel assemblies on a vehicle such as a mortar buggy to enable the vehicle to move through a narrow doorway or other passageway having a width less than the total distance between the outermost surfaces of the outer tires. The quick release hub includes a two component hub secured together by a single fastening device which enables quick and easy removal and replacement of the outer tires and wheels. A combination engine electrical control switch for the mortar buggy engine automatically controls a fuel supply valve to open and close the fuel valve in response to the engine control switch. An operator's platform and brake actuator are mounted at the rear of the mortar buggy with the brake actuator extending transversely at the forward portion of the platform to enable an operator to use either foot to operate the brake actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Stone Construction Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Burt, Guy W. Boor
  • Patent number: 6846003
    Abstract: A folding trailer has pivotally connected front, main and rear sections movable from an unfolded condition to a folded condition, in which the rear section pivots 270° to lie atop the main section, and the front section pivots 90° to nest within the main section. This provides a folded compact arrangement approximately 48?×80?. When unfolded, the trailer produces an inside dimension of approximately 60?×96?, enabled by the front section thin walls that are interiorly nearly as wide as the main and rear sections. An extensible handle facilitates folding and unfolding the rear section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Inventor: Donald Austin Thompson
  • Patent number: 6843335
    Abstract: A positive side conductor and a negative side conductor of an input terminal electrically connected to semiconductor elements, are electrically insulated from each other, and are laminated with each other, and the input terminal having such a laminated structure, an output terminal and substrates mounted thereon the semiconductor elements are arranged in a checkered pattern in a container. Further, the semiconductor elements mounted on the substrates, the input terminal and the output terminal are electrically connected to one another so as to obtain a loop-like electric path on a conductive member, thereby it is possible to aim at miniaturizing the power conversion apparatus and lowering the inductance thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Shirakawa, Akira Mishima, Keiichi Mashino, Toshiyuki Innami, Shinichi Fujino, Hiromichi Anan, Yoshitaka Ochiai
  • Patent number: 6840523
    Abstract: A dog powered and human controlled vehicle comprising a frame structure having a horizontally oriented opening within which will be positioned at least one dog. The frame structure comprises a pair of frame members transversely spaced apart by forward and rearward transversely extending means. The front of the frame is supported by means which includes a steerable member adapted to have contact with the ground. The rear end of the frame is supported by means adapted to have contact with the ground, the frame structure being thus supported a preselected distance from the ground. Manually operable steering means are provided at the rear end of the structure and is connected to a steerable member at the front end so as to change direction of travel of the vehicle. Means are provided for tethering a dog to the frame structure and for connecting a dog harness on a dog to the frame structure so that forward directed longitudinal pulling force produced by the dog is applied to the frame structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Inventor: Philip J. Kortuem
  • Patent number: 6832768
    Abstract: In a shopping cart comprising a rear gate, which has two leg openings, and a child seat, which comprises a seat base, a seat back, and a seat panel, the seat base includes a cupholder, which is covered when the seat panel is pivoted to a position wherein the seat panel covers the seat base but not when the seat panel is pivoted to a position wherein the seat panel rests against the rear gate and covers the leg openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Unarco Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Val-Jean Duchene, Taft O'Quin
  • Patent number: 6830119
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided comprising a net, which can be attached to an automobile so that the net covers a substantial portion of a front grill of the automobile to prevent insects or debris from entering the front grill. A first side of the net may be attached to a hood of the automobile and a second side of the net may be attached to a front license plate of the automobile. The net may be attached to a pocket section, and the net can be detached from the automobile and rolled up into the pocket section. The net may be attached to a material having substantially the size and shape of a license plate. The net may flare outward from a first side attached to the material to a second side, which is opposite the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Inventor: Troy Whitworth
  • Patent number: 6827173
    Abstract: An exhaust system provided with a tail pipe arrangement which extends adjacent to a wall part of a body of a motor vehicle, so that the exhaust system or the tail pipe arrangement, on the one hand, has sufficient space for relative movements and, on the other hand, is integrated in the visible dimensional structure of the vehicle body, viewed in the driving direction, the tail pipe arrangement is situated by a free end in front of the wall part, and, viewed from the rearward side of the motor vehicle upon the tail pipe arrangement, a first countour of an end area of the wall part corresponds basically at least in sections with an exterior second contour of the tail pipe arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventor: Pinky Lai
  • Patent number: 6827164
    Abstract: An industrial truck having a drive portion including wheels being connected to an electric motor being connected to a power source and a trailer portion having wheels. The industrial truck includes a steering system positioned on the drive portion connected to the trailer portion to provide articulated steering of the industrial truck. The industrial truck further including a control device to vary the speed of the motor to vary the speed of the industrial truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Inventors: Anthony J. Palumbo, Richard A. Hallett, Jeffrey T. Major
  • Patent number: 6827167
    Abstract: A method of distributing a torque demand in a hybrid electric vehicle having an internal combustion engine 200 and an electric motor 202 is provided. In hybrid operation, the motor 202 initially starts the vehicle. When the vehicle desired power demand reaches a first vehicle operational parameter, a controller 214 switches the torque demand to the engine 200. An accelerator pedal 220 has a position sensor 222 which determines a non-fixed pedal 220 first position during transition between the motor 202 and engine 200. The accelerator pedal 220 also has a preset second position wherein a maximum of engine 200 torque is requested. The controller 214, cognizant of the accelerator pedal 220 first and second positions, linearly scales the accelerator pedal 220 to provide a uniform torque-responsive accelerator pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Susan Rebecca Cikanek, Kathleen Ellen Bailey, Natarajan Sureshbabu, Barry Kay Powell
  • Patent number: 6820708
    Abstract: A cooling system for an engine transmission in a saddle type vehicle such as an all-terrain-vehicle. In one embodiment, the cooling system has an induction duct, connected to a belt case that houses a transmission, for inducting cooling air into the belt case. The system further includes a discharge duct connected to the belt case for exhausting the cooling air from the belt case, the discharge duct extending toward a rear fender of the vehicle. In addition, the system has an air exhaust aperture through which the cooling-air exits the discharge duct, the exhaust aperture located at an end of the discharge duct, the discharge duct generally forming an inverted “U” shape as viewed from a rear end of the vehicle, and the air exhaust aperture positioned so that the cooling air exiting the discharge duct does not directly strike the rear fender of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Eiichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6814367
    Abstract: Interface plate (1) intended to be secured to the upper face of a ski and capable of accommodating the toe piece and the heel piece of a safety binding, characterized in that it has a longitudinal recess forming a slideway capable of holding projecting parts situated under the toe piece and under the heel piece, while allowing the toe piece and the heel piece to slide inside the slideway with a view to adjusting the binding to the length of the boot, and in which the profiles (10, 11; 12, 13) of the zones of the slideway respectively holding the toe piece and the heel piece are geometrically identical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Skis Rossignol S.A.
    Inventors: Michel Mercier, Jean-Marc Hillairet, Frédéric Chonier
  • Patent number: 6805366
    Abstract: A portable shopping cart apparatus for allowing a user to transport all consumer items including hanging clothes through a department store. The portable shopping cart apparatus includes a base assembly including a base member, and also including a wheel assembly upon which the base member is mounted; and also includes an elongate upright support member being attached to the base member and extending upwardly therefrom; and further including a basket assembly being mounted about the elongate upright support member; and also including a hanger support assembly being attached to the basket assembly for supporting hanging clothes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Inventor: Albert Seara
  • Patent number: 6802535
    Abstract: The invention relates to a support device for semi-trailers comprising a leg which has a receiving device, on its lower end. The support leg has a base element with a base plate, which is mounted by means of two vertical plates on the base receiving device so that it can move vertically and can pivot. Between the base plate and the base receiving device there is a damping element. To achieve an improved pivoting capability of the support base, whereby the damping element is subjected to a small deformation, the damping element is located on the underside of the base receiving device so that cannot pivot, and is supported on a curved plate which is fixed to the base plate and the contour of which is adapted to the pivoting movement of the base plate in relation to the supporting leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Jost-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: José Manuel Alguera Gallego, Gerald Muller, Steffen Pfister
  • Patent number: 6793236
    Abstract: A motorized game cart having a frame with wheels mounted to an axle. A portable power drill is mounted to the frame with the chuck of the power drill mounted to a gear box connected to the axle for rotating the axle when the power drill is operated. A drive sprocket is fixedly mounted to a ball bearing assembly mounted for free rotation about the axle. The ball bearing assembly further having a female portion of a socket coupler. A male portion of the socket coupler is secured to the axle to rotate with the axle but is movable longitudinally along the axle. A control rod is provided for moving the male portion into coupling relation with the female portion. A follower sprocket is mounted on a differential mounted to the axle between the two wheels. An endless chain connects the drive sprocket with the follower sprocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Inventor: Ervin A. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 6786291
    Abstract: A motor vehicle with a forward-mounted engine and a forward-situated air intake has a tubular chassis element running in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Between the air intake and the chassis element there is a guide arrangement for leading air into and through the chassis element past at least one major vehicle component, advantageously the vehicle's gearbox, situated inside the chassis element. Downstream from that major vehicle component there is an air outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Scania CV AB (Publ)
    Inventors: Michael Linden, Fredrik Modahl, Ola Logdberg
  • Patent number: 6780215
    Abstract: The belt driven vacuum pump is provided on a work vehicle to supply the vacuum needed for the engine intake air pre-cleaner. The vacuum pump is driven at or proportional to the engine speed to ensure proper vacuum for the intake airflow. Preferably, the vacuum pump is integrated into an accessory support bracket that carries other belt driven components such as the alternator, etc. The support bracket forms the vacuum pump housing to reduce the number of components required for the vacuum pump. Air outlet passages are formed in the support bracket and are preferably directed toward accessories or engine components that can benefit from additional cooling provided by the vacuum pump exhaust air. The vacuum pump can also be equipped with a hose at the inlet and/or the exhaust sides of the vacuum pump to provide a vacuum cleaner or a blower for use on or about the work vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Eric A. Keen, Brent A. Lyman, Dennis A. Bowman
  • Patent number: 6779622
    Abstract: To cool a power drive unit for controlling the operation of a motor-generator connected to an engine and function as either a motor or a generator, an electric power drive unit-accommodating chamber is defined outside a side frame disposed on a side of an engine room with the engine accommodated therein in a widthwise direction of a vehicle, and is separated from the engine room. The electric power drive unit is accommodated in the power drive unit-accommodating chamber. A cooling device is integrally provided on the electric power drive unit to use cooling water to perform heat exchange with travel wind, and a heat shield plate is mounted between the engine room and the electric power drive unit-accommodating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takafumi Mizorogi
  • Patent number: 6767025
    Abstract: A two-wheeled trailer which can transported, when empty, in a folded position with its wheels off of the ground. Particularly useful for hunters who want to get into the back country without having to pull a trailer, it can be rapidly deployed when needed to haul game. The folding trailer is also handy for do-it-yourselfers who want to move lumber, plants, fertilizer, and the like. The trailer includes a rectangular frame which is mounted on a pair of wheels and a “T”-shaped member. Hinged to a transverse cross brace which generally bisects the rectangular frame are two arms. Disposed perpendicularly to the transverse cross brace, the arms terminate forwardly proximate with the distal ends of the “T”-shaped member to which they are pivotally connected. When the trailer is unfolded, the leg of the “T”-shaped member extends in front of the wheeled frame so as to define a tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Inventor: Earnest G. Hagen
  • Patent number: 6764082
    Abstract: Shoes with various configurations of rollers secured to one region of their soles for rolling, while leaving another sole region exposed for walking. The rollers are mounted to rotate about an axle defining a primary axis of rotation extending at an angle of between about zero and 45 degrees to the walking direction, as viewed from above the shoe, for rolling sideways along a support surface. This provides a combined running-rolling method of locomotion, by running on the exposed sole surfaces, and then jumping into a “surfing” stance for rolling. In some cases, the rollers are mounted on steerable truck assemblies. One particularly small truck assembly includes wedge-shaped bushings for steering compliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Mearthane Products Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Roderick
  • Patent number: 6758483
    Abstract: A scooter device for providing a swingable skateboard device. The scooter device includes a first panel having a top side and a bottom side. The first panel is rigid. Each of a plurality of wheels is rotatably attached to the bottom side of the first panel. A handle is attached to the first panel. A second panel has an upper surface and a lower surface. The second panel is rotatably coupled to the first panel such that the lower surface of the second panel is facing the top side of the first panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Inventor: Robert J. Sypniewski