Patents Examined by Lesley Morris
  • Patent number: 7870921
    Abstract: An electric bicycle having a front cover unit for housing a controller having an indicator is provided. The front cover unit is attached to the body of the electric bicycle substantially near a steering shaft. The controller can be attached to an interior portion of the front cover unit. The indicator can be attached to the controller and can be exposed through a window in the front cover unit. The front cover unit can comprise a front surface cover member and a rear surface cover member. The front surface cover member can be attached to and detached from the rear surface cover member. The rear surface cover member can have a first recessed portion having a first window for exposing the indicator and a second recessed portion having a second window for exposing a power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junji Terada, Tomohiro Ono, Masaya Fujishiro, Motokuni Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 7870920
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to snowmobiles. More particularly, the present invention relates to the components of a snowmobile such as the frame, skis, motor, and endless belt assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Lyle Jay Dahlgren, Richard H. Bates, Jr., Guy L. Sibileau
  • Patent number: 7870926
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a front wheel, a rear wheel, an engine, and a jack shaft. The engine is coupled with the rear wheel and the jack shaft. The jack shaft is configured to selectively couple the engine with the front wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: David W. Arnold, Michael Bury
  • Patent number: 7871097
    Abstract: A hitch assembly that comprises a coupling tongue with a first end and a second end, a substantially U-shaped clevis that is substantially flat in cross section, pivotally coupled to the second end of the coupling tongue by a hitch pin, and an opening formed by the coupling tongue and the clevis, sized to receive a towing member. The hitch assembly is particularly suited for connecting a tow strap or belt to a commercially available tubular trailer hitch receiver, for use in towing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Inventors: Vernon W. Sparkes, William J. D. Shaw
  • Patent number: 7870914
    Abstract: This invention relates to a traction assembly for a vehicle which uses an endless traction band and a plurality of wheels for propulsion. More particularly, the traction assembly comprises a sprocket wheel which has a different size and number of sprocket teeth depending on whether the traction kit replaces the front wheels or the rear wheels of the vehicle. The sprocket wheel of the traction kit can also be configured such that its sprocket teeth are laterally offset. The traction kit can also comprise an anti-torque system that prevent physical contact between the traction kit and the vehicle and that can bias the position of the traction kit in order to improve the steering performance. Finally, the traction assembly can comprise a pivotable extension which lengthens the traction assembly and improves its traction capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Soucy International Inc.
    Inventors: André Todd, Robert Handfield, Robert Bessette, Chad Olson
  • Patent number: 7870924
    Abstract: A saddle-riding type vehicle includes a vehicle body, a pivot frame that supports a swing arm for rear wheel suspension, and a rear master cylinder disposed rearwardly of the pivot frame. A reservoir tank supplies hydraulic fluid to the rear master cylinder, and the reservoir tank is disposed between the pivot frame and the rear master cylinder. A portion of the swing arm, adjacent to the reservoir tank, is configured with a concave recess formed therein extending inwardly towards a longitudinal center line of the vehicle body. The reservoir tank is situated closer to a vehicle body inner side, and is deeper in the recess than the rear master cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Fujita, Yuzuru Ishikawa, Shinichi Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 7871094
    Abstract: A modular wheelchair assembly is adapted to be reconfigured between a fixed angle of tilt, a dynamically adjustable tilt-in-space configuration with the tilt axis being near the user's knees and a dynamically adjustable tilt-in-space configuration with the tilt axis being near the user's center of gravity. The reconfiguration is achieved by modifying a limited number of selectively removable components of the support assembly or the pivot assembly of the wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: PDG, Inc.
    Inventors: Nancy Balcom, Louis Belanger, Torr Brown, Janusz Krawczynski, Phil Mundy, David Harding, David Cheng Cheng
  • Patent number: 7866071
    Abstract: A vehicle lock box with a weather-proof compartment and a license plate holder that mounts to the license plate bracket. An outer frame is comprised of a pair of hinged, rigid panels that is secured closed by the locking mechanism. Each panel has a raised lip that forms a hollow in the panel. The rear panel includes holes for mounting to the license plate bracket. The license plate is placed inside the front panel adjacent to a cutout that exposes the license plate face. The weather-proof compartment is composed of a pair of mirror image, resilient, water-impermeable sheets, each of which fits within the hollow of one of the panels. Both sheets have a raised rim that forms a depression in the sheet. The sheet in the front panel holds the license plate against the cutout. When the frame is closed, the sheet rims abut, forming a weather-tight compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Inventor: Philip L. Downey
  • Patent number: 7866430
    Abstract: A vehicle with two parallel wheels according to the invention has split steps (2L, 2R), a vehicle body, a pair of wheels (4L, 4R) coaxially parallelly arranged, a pair of wheel drive units for independently driving the wheels (4L, 4R), and a pair of step run-on assisting mechanisms (8L, 8R) arranged corresponding to the wheels (4L, 4R) and changing the degree of dependency of step run-on operation. The step run-on assisting mechanisms (8L, 8R) each have an assisting turning member (15) having a circular arc support surface with a curvature radius greater than the radius of the wheel (4L, 4R) and having its turning center in front, in the travel direction, of the rotation center of the wheel, a link member (16) rotatably supporting the assisting turning member (15), and a damper (25, 26) for changing, according to the speed at which the assisting turning member (15) collides with a step, force retaining one end of the link member (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takekazu Kakinuma, Ikuo Yamano, Yoshihiro Kawarasaki
  • Patent number: 7866436
    Abstract: A planet gear mechanism 19 interposed between a steering 2 and steerable wheels 4L and 4R is interposed. A torque controlling motor 25 for controlling a torque acting on the steering 2 and a transmission-rate varying motor 20 for driving the planet gear mechanism 19 are arranged coaxially (on an axial A) with the planet gear mechanism 19. This eliminates the need for arranging each motor 20 and 25 on the both ends of the axis A to face each other, and also reduces a space occupied by the motors 20 and 25 with respect to a radial direction of the axis A. As a result, reduction in the size of an apparatus can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 7866429
    Abstract: A coaxial two-wheeled vehicle includes a plurality of wheels disposed in parallel, a vehicle body, at least one of a step plate and a seat, an operating member, and a mechanism. The vehicle body supports plurality of wheels rotatably. The step plate is coupled to the vehicle body to carry a driver in an upright attitude. The seat is coupled to the vehicle body to seat the driver. The operating member is coupled to the vehicle body and operated by the driver for inputting driver's operation including an accelerating operation and a decelerating operation. The mechanism is configured to move at least one of the step plate and the seat in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body in accordance with an operation of the operating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Ishii, Ikuo Yamano
  • Patent number: 7866434
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes an axle housing rotatably supporting a wheel hub on which a steered road wheel is installed, and a lower suspension-system control arm adapted to be oscillatingly supported at one end on a vehicle body and having a turning portion provided at the other end for pivotably supporting the axle housing by the turning portion. An electric motor is installed on the lower arm for turning the axle housing by a driving force produced by the motor. A rotation axis of the motor and a pivot of the axle housing are arranged to be offset from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohtaro Shiino, Akira Takahashi, Toshiro Yoda
  • Patent number: 7866072
    Abstract: A game animal tagging apparatus includes a substantially transparent flexible plastic strip having a front side, a back side, and predetermined dimensions, with a pocket member disposed on a portion of the front side. The plastic strip has at least one wing portion and an adhesive covers at least 20 percent of the front side of the plastic strip, and a removable protective member covers at least all of the adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Inventors: Silvio A. Diliscia, Ronald E. Mooney, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7866424
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle with an internal-combustion engine and an electric motor has a tank ventilation system that includes a fuel tank and a suction pipe leading from a filtering device, which can be regenerated, to the intake path of the internal-combustion engine. A control device is configured to actuate different valve devices for flushing the filtering device, so that ambient air can be fed to the internal-combustion engine through the filtering device and the suction pipe. In addition, the control device is configured such that, during purely electric operation of the hybrid vehicle, it connects the internal-combustion engine as a function of the loading condition of the filtering device or of the flushing gas concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Nils Sauvlet, Thomas Rauner
  • Patent number: 7862064
    Abstract: A recumbent bicycle includes a boom that telescopes within one end of a center tube in the main frame of the bicycle, and a boom clamp that encircles the center tube of the main frame at a location overlying at least a portion of the boom. The boom clamp has a locator tab which extends into a notch formed in the center tube, and within a slot formed in the boom while the boom telescopes within the center tube. The location of the slot in the boom, and the location of the tab relative to the center tube, are chosen to ensure that throughout the telescoping movement of the boom it is retained in a desired orientation with respect to the main frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Big Cat Human Powered Vehicles, LLC
    Inventor: Paulo Camasmie
  • Patent number: 7861442
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to food-product preparation kits and food-product preparation apparatuses. In one embodiment, a food-product preparation kit includes at least one support including a plurality of support slots, a food-product preparation apparatus, and at least one recipe card. The food-product preparation apparatus includes a base and walls attached to the base. The base and walls define receiving spaces for receiving food product. The food-product preparation apparatus includes at least one flange portion extending from the base. The at least one flange is configured to be received by at least one support slot and cooperate therewith so that the food-product preparation apparatus is supported in an upward fashion at a convenient viewing angle. The at least one recipe card is configured to be received by at least one of the support slots and cooperate therewith so that the at least one recipe card is oriented in an upward fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ravensforge Coneg, LLC.
    Inventors: Russell H. Ford, Marion L. Ford, Larry A. Balley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7861820
    Abstract: A steering system for an industrial vehicle includes a drive wheel configured to steerably align with a first radius of curvature. The steering system further includes an electronically controlled idler wheel configured to steerably align with a second radius of curvature different than the first radius of curvature. The first and second radii of curvature share a common center point of turning radius. A controller is configured to command the electronically controlled idler wheel to steerably align with the second radius of curvature according to a determination of the first radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: NMHG Oregon, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher J. Goodwin, Gregory S. Roman
  • Patent number: 7861816
    Abstract: A motorcycle includes a main frame having left and right main frame members which each extend obliquely downwardly and rearwardly from a forward end to a rearward end. The forward end of the main frame includes a steering interface and the rearward end of the main frame includes a swingarm interface. An engine is attached to the main frame. A swingarm is attached to the swingarm interface and supports a rear wheel. A seat is attached to the main frame at an attachment location. The main frame, the swingarm, and the seat together at least partially define an open space of sufficient size to facilitate substantially complete access to the second cylinder head when the motorcycle is fully assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nagao, Kenji Tamura
  • Patent number: 7862065
    Abstract: An adjustable length bicycle mountable hand pump. The pump includes a barrel having an internal cylinder within which a piston is reciprocatingly moveable. A piston rod connects to a piston at a proximal end and to a handle at a distal end. The handle is selectively, longitudinally, adjustably lockable relative to the barrel. The end of the handle is contoured to mate with a bicycle frame member. A head having a contoured portion mates with an opposing spaced bicycle frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Bicycle Tools Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric Hawkins, Pierre A. G. Ostor, John Krawczyk
  • Patent number: 7861443
    Abstract: An identification tag that is adapted to be attached to a collar ring. The tag has a molded tag body that defines a pair of recesses, and a pliable clip having spaced arms that are adapted to be releasably received into the tag body recesses, the clip further adapted to be coupled to the collar ring, to releasably couple the tag body to the collar ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventor: Robert Hill