Patents Examined by L Lum
  • Patent number: 6886646
    Abstract: A self-propelled operating machine has a power source, a hydraulic CVT for varying power outputted from the power source, and a transmission mechanism connected to the hydraulic CVT for transmitting power outputted from the hydraulic CVT. A stand is mounted between the transmission mechanism and the power source so as to enclose the hydraulic CVT. The stand has an oil passage through which hydraulic oil of the hydraulic CVT flows. A cooling fan cools the oil passage of the stand to thereby cool the hydraulic oil of the hydraulic CVT flowing through the oil passage. The cooling fan is disposed between the power source and the hydraulic CVT so as to be enclosed by the stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sugimoto, Hiroshi Sueshige
  • Patent number: 6886861
    Abstract: A trunk mounted fuel tank assembly including a cradle, a fuel tank, and at least one retention strap is disclosed. The cradle includes a back portion and bottom portion with a fuel feed passage that is placed over a surface of a trunk. The fuel tank includes a fuel line that is placed about the back portion and bottom portion of the cradle. The fuel line extends through the fuel feed passage and a passage in the surface of the trunk. The at least one retention strap includes a first leg and a second leg that is placed over a top portion of the fuel tank for retaining the fuel tank to the cradle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent J. Marsala, Gregory E. Rich
  • Patent number: 6886843
    Abstract: A seating frame for wheelchairs in which a bottom and a back pivotally connect for selectively angling the back relative to the bottom, with the bottom and the back each defining elongate slots for receiving fasteners that connect cushioned pads to the bottom and the back in selected positions relative to the bottom and the back upon moving the fasteners along the respective slots between a first extent of the slots to a distal second extent. A method of moving a seat cushion relative to a support therefore is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Plain Sense Wheelchairs, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. Papac
  • Patent number: 6883822
    Abstract: A hitch ball assembly includes a mounting element secured to a vehicle and having an upright post with a cylindrical end portion provided with a key structure and a hitch ball that is keyed to be mated on that end portion in one rotational state. The hitch ball may be rotated to a second rotational state wherein the key structure is trapped in a cavity in the ball. A latch notch is provided in either the ball or the post, and a latch element in provided the other of them. The latch element can move between a latch position to prevent rotation of the ball thereby to maintain engagement and an unlatch position to permit rotation and thereby separation of the ball from the post. A spring clip may be used to hold the latch element in the latch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Inventor: Jerry R. Smith
  • Patent number: 6883635
    Abstract: An isolation system for a ball-screw assembly including: a ball-screw; a ball-screw nut wherein the ball-screw is configured to engage the ball-screw nut, the ball-screw nut is enclosed in a ball-screw nut container; and a member disposed between the ball-screw nut and the ball-screw nut container, the member having selected properties. A method of providing a degree of freedom to a steering mechanism, the method including: selecting a member, the member having selected properties; and interposing the member between a ball-screw nut and a ball-screw nut container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy R. Lynn, Joel Edward Birsching, David E. King, Anthony J. Champagne
  • Patent number: 6883819
    Abstract: This invention constitutes a lightweight wheeled chair forming a companion rider device formed of hollow tubular frame members. A tow bar can be attached to the tow bar attachment with a pin coupling assembly. The tow bar attachment is mountable to the front ends of the lower side frame of the chair or it may also be permanently fixed there. The tow bar is downwardly curved from its middle and it has a feet rest. The height of the wheelchair may be adjusted by mounting the back wheels and the castor wheels in different adjusting holes provided in the chair frames and in castor wheel attachement. The present invention is to provide a lightweight wheelchair that can be used as a standalone wheelchair, as well as for a recreational use coupled to a motorized vehicle, such as an electric wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Inventor: Marvin Byrd
  • Patent number: 6880845
    Abstract: A wheelchair footrest retractor (10) is disclosed for use with a footrest (16, 18) in a wheelchair (14) to allow the wheelchair user or caregiver to readily manipulate the footplates (20) between an upper retracted position and a lower use position by simply manipulating a handle(56) located to the side of the knee of the wheelchair user. The wheelchair footrest retractor (10) can be mounted to the wheelchair with little or no modification of the wheelchair. The rod (58) in the wheelchair footrest retractor (10) can be adjusted in length to fit a particular wheelchair and also adjusted when the length of the footrest(16, 18) is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Inventors: William H. Broyles, Daniel F. Boone
  • Patent number: 6880669
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus that performs steering assist by transmitting a driving force produced by an electric motor to a steering mechanism. The electric power steering apparatus is provided with a driving target value setting section for setting a driving target value of the electric motor, a first factor setting section for setting a first factor on the basis of the driving target value, a temperature sensor for sensing the ambient temperature of the electric power steering apparatus, a second factor setting section for setting a second factor on the basis of an output of the temperature sensing section, a driving target value correction section for correcting a driving target value on the basis of the first and second factors, and a motor driver for driving the electric motor on the basis of the driving target value thus corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Matsuoka, Yoshifumi Obata
  • Patent number: 6877573
    Abstract: A multi-wheel-driving vehicle including at least three parallel axles each of which is provided on both ends thereof with respective drive wheels and including power dividing means for permitting the rotary speed among the axles, is improved in its effect of braking so that the braking force of fewer brakes is effectively transmitted to all drive wheels of a vehicle according to a simple braking operation by a driver. The power dividing means, for example, a differential gear unit, includes an input member and a pair of output members, like differential side gears, each of which interlocks with at least one of the axles so as to differentially share a driving force received by the input member between the pair of output members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 6874805
    Abstract: A receiver cover includes a stationary member that is configured to be secured to an end of a receiver of a trailer hitch. The receiver cover also includes a door which is hingedly connected to the stationary member. A biasing element, such as a spring, causes the door of the receiver cover to be biased in a closed position over the stationary element of the receiver cover. Thus, when the receiver is not in use, the door automatically closes and is secured in a closed position over a receptacle in a receiver with which the receiver cover is used. When access to the receptacle of the receiver is desired, such as for coupling a trailer hitch therewith, the door may be manually opened against the bias of the biasing element so as to expose the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Uara Services
    Inventor: Wes Bagley
  • Patent number: 6874592
    Abstract: An electrically assisted bicycle includes a human power drive mechanism for transmitting human power from a pedal to a rear wheel, a motor drive mechanism for auxiliarily driving a front wheel or the rear wheel by a motor, a battery for supplying the motor with electric power, a brake lever operated by a driver, a brake mechanism for braking the front or rear wheel that is not driven by the motor drive mechanism, by human power transmitted from the brake lever, and a motor control circuit for controlling the motor so that the motor is regeneratively braked to act as a power generator when the brake lever is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunobu Yokotani, Hideaki Aoki
  • Patent number: 6871720
    Abstract: A steering device for a motor vehicle has a stationary steering wheel rim, a measurement transducer integrated into the steering wheel rim and provided for generating an electric or electronic signal, and an actuator that can be actuated as a function of the electronic signal in order to adjust steerable wheels. The measurement transducer comprises touch-sensitive sensors on the circumference of the steering wheel rim which detect a position and movement of the hands of a driver touching the steering wheel rim and generate the electric or electronic signal that corresponds to the position and the movement of the hands. An electronic unit for detecting the signal and converting it into a steering signal for controlling the actuator is associated with the measurement transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Constantin Hauer, Axel Wulf
  • Patent number: 6866108
    Abstract: A vehicle for use on a battlefield, having a hull with at least one endless track unit mounted underneath, and with a plurality of selectively vertically moveable wheels. The endless track unit may cover substantially all of the bottom side of the vehicle and may wrap upward to cover a portion of the front of the vehicle. The vehicle may be operated with only the wheels, the wheels and the endless track unit in combination, or only the endless track unit in contact with the ground. The vehicle has a height variable suspension element, which may be a hydro-pneumatic spring, coupled to each wheel. The suspension elements are connected with a power unit and a control unit to allow selective controllability of suspension height, and corresponding extension or retraction of the wheels. The wheels may also be provided with a resilient suspension mechanism that is either separate or formed by the height variable suspension elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: United Defense, L.P.
    Inventors: Dennis W. Borgwarth, Brad J. Breeggemann
  • Patent number: 6866275
    Abstract: A support assembly for a ground-engaging component of a vehicle which includes a base section, a column which is mounted for movement relative to the base section between a traveling position and a storage position, and a locking assembly for holding the column. The locking assembly is capable of locking the column in the traveling position or in a storage position. The assembly also includes an actuator which, when the column is in the traveling position, is movable from a rest position along a release path to initiate a release of the locking assembly, and thereby allow the column to be moved from the traveling position to the storage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Roydon Puzey
  • Patent number: 6863291
    Abstract: A computer controlled suspension system is provided for a bicycle, which can effectively absorb shock and provide stability on rough surfaces regardless of the speed of the vehicle. The suspension system has a control unit, a front suspension, a rear suspension, a front wheel terrain sensor, and a rear controller. The rear suspension is selectively adjustable by the control unit to change stiffness of the rear suspension. When the front suspension hits a bump or a depression in the surface of the ground, a signal is sent to the rear controller so that the rear suspension can react appropriately. In one embodiment, a pedaling torque sensor is operatively coupled to the control unit to input a signal that is indicative of pedaling force, and the rear controller adjusts stiffness of the rear suspension in response to the pedaling force via the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 6860353
    Abstract: An off-road motorcycle incorporating a swingarm assembly for pivotally supporting a rear wheel relative to a main frame portion of the motorcycle. Preferably, the swingarm includes right and left arms extending rearwardly from a forward connecting portion. Right and left rear wheel mount members are secured to the right and left arms, respectively, to rotatably support the rear wheel of the motorcycle. Preferably, the arms from the swingarm assembly are formed at least partially by a hydroforming process wherein the center of the arms has a width that is greater than the width of either a forward or rearward end of the arm. In addition, the forward ends of each of the right end left arms are bent inward such that the forward portion of the swingarm assembly is narrower than the rear portion of the swingarm assembly. Desirably, the hydroforming process permits the inner wall of the arms to be vertical and substantially planar, even along the region where the arms are bent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shidehiko Miyashiro
  • Patent number: 6860512
    Abstract: A miniaturized four wheel vehicle includes a forwardly located compartment for transporting articles. Robust side mounted footrests, in combination with a forwardly canted steering handlebar urges a driver to lean into a turn to enhance stability during turns. The motor and related heavy components are mounted low on the frame to maintain the center of gravity close to the ground. A drive train of cog wheels and cog belt ensure corresponding rotation of the motor and rear axle to maintain affirmative control over forward and rearward movement. If an electric motor is used, soft start circuitry prevents abrupt starts. By mounting the front and rear axles at different heights relative to the frame, the frame will cant forwardly downwardly for better control and maneuverability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Inventor: William M. Lawson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6860503
    Abstract: A retractile trailer hitch has a tube shaft fixed on a motor-vehicle frame and an arm having a tubular inner end pivotal on the shaft and an outer ball end. The arm is limitedly axially displaceable on the shaft between locked and unlocked positions. Formations on the frame and on the inner end angularly arrest the arm in its end positions in the locked position of the inner end. The formations are unengageable with each other in the unlocked position of the inner end. A bolt is axially displaceable inside the shaft between a holding position and a freeing position. Balls inside the inner end are coupled to the bolt for axially displacing the arm into the locked position on displacement of the bolt into the holding position and for displacing the arm axially into the unlocked position on displacement of the bolt into the freeing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Westfalia-Automotive GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Reinhold Aufderheide, Friedrich Domke, Alexander Giesbrecht, Gerhard Hermbusch, Andreas Mersch, Jürgen Peitz, Dirk Vahle, Burkhard Weniger, Martin Wyrwich
  • Patent number: 6860349
    Abstract: A cooling system for a fuel cell and a fuel cell powered vehicle are disclosed. The cooling system and the fuel cell powered vehicle have a primary circulation passage adapted to circulate primary coolant for cooling the fuel cell, and a secondary circulation passage adapted to circulate secondary coolant for cooling a heat generating source including at least an electric vehicle motor. The primary coolant and the secondary coolant are driven by primary and secondary circulation pumps that are circulated by a single common drive motor, with the primary coolant being cooled with the secondary coolant in a common heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Ogawa, Mitsuharu Imaseki, Takeshi Ushio, Katsumi Saitou, Mamoru Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6857649
    Abstract: The system includes a back panel that attaches to the backrest of the wheelchair. The back panel is ornamented and/or decorated in a selected motif. A top element and side panel elements are provided that attach to the back panel. The top element extends above the occupant of the wheelchair and the side elements protrude from the side of the wheelchair. Both the top element and the side elements are ornamented and/or decorated in the same motif, as is the back panel. Decorative wheel attachments are also provided. The decorative wheel attachments attach to at least two of the wheels of the wheelchair, wherein the decorative wheel attachments share the same ornamentation motif as do the other elements in the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Inventor: Prudence R. Patton