Patents Examined by Marlon Arce
  • Patent number: 11958558
    Abstract: Systems for controlling the speed and direction of vehicles, including vehicles that have low to zero turning radius capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventor: Peter Buchanan
  • Patent number: 11958548
    Abstract: An adjustable trailer hitch and king pin assembly that may be moved longitudinally to adjust the position and weight distribution of a trailer relative to a truck. The disclosed assembly may allow a trailer to be utilized with various different sized and configured trucks while maximizing the cargo carrying capability and efficiency thereof. In one example, an adjustable trailer hitch is provided having a slidable king pin assembly that may be adjusted forwards or backwards to move the king pin to the desired location relative to the truck and trailer. In another example, a removable king pin may be provided that may be removed and moved to a different location according to the weight and desired weight distribution of a truck and trailer combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MAC TRAILER MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Scott A. Kibler, Allen Gordon
  • Patent number: 11958536
    Abstract: An improved trailer chassis assembly primarily constructed from extruded components including an extruded chassis rail component, a cross member component and a connector component. The component has a wall surface defining an interior channel and an opening in the wall surface extending through the wall surface to the interior channel. The connector component has a first region adapted to engage with the interior space of the chassis rail component, and a second region adapted to engage with the cross member component. The interior space of the chassis rail component is adapted to capture movement of the first region of the connector component in vertical and horizontal planes, and yields movement in the axial plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: FUTURA IP LIMITED
    Inventor: Glen Reid
  • Patent number: 11952063
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a trailer having a frame suitable for transporting an item, such as an oil drilling pipe. The trailer includes a plurality of stabilizers for supporting the frame over a surface, at least one axle attached to a plurality of wheels. The trailer further includes an axle pin group includes first and second axle pins interconnected to respective hydraulic cylinders. The trailer further includes leaf springs connected to respective sides of the frame and mounted to the axle. Retraction of the axle pins away from the leaf springs enables movement of the frame with respect to the axle due to the weight of the frame, if the stabilizers are retracted. In this configuration, the frame can be raised and lowered with respect to the surface. Methods of use are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: CW10K40 LLC
    Inventor: Torsten Leines
  • Patent number: 11951786
    Abstract: A hitch alignment system includes a hitch alignment tool with a flexible plastic body. The tool body includes a pair of side panels interconnected by a base. A pair of tapered rods extend inwardly from the side panels. A hitch alignment method of the present invention utilizes the tool for aligning the hitch pin holes in a hitch receiver tube with the hole of a connecting shaft. With the receiver tube and connecting shaft holes properly aligned, a hitch pin can be inserted through the aligned holes for securely retaining the connecting shaft of the ball mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Inventor: Charles Patrick Hillen
  • Patent number: 11952075
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosed embodiments, an apparatus for a vehicle includes a locking plate configured to be coupled to a first shaft of a suspension rod. A housing is configured to be coupled to a second shaft of the suspension rod that moves relative to the first shaft. The housing extends along a first longitudinal axis. A pin is configured to rotate about a second longitudinal axis. A locking mechanism is configured to lock the pin in starting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Turn 14 Distribution, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley J. Smith, Paul Perebijnos, Scott Boyer
  • Patent number: 11945526
    Abstract: An electric vehicle that comprises a vehicle main body, a driving apparatus that includes a motor unit which includes a motor and a reduction gear which is attached to the motor unit, and a travel unit configured to drive by a driving force of the driving apparatus. The travel unit includes a plurality of wheels that at least includes a front wheel arranged on the side of a front end portion of the vehicle main body and a rear wheel arranged on the side of a rear end portion of the vehicle main body, and a crawler belt wound around the front wheel and the rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Kohigashi, Tsuyoshi Yoshigasaki, Naoki Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 11945523
    Abstract: A sensor device for a monitoring of a coupling state of a coupling element, in particular a coupling bolt, preferably a kingpin, of a trailer, in particular a semitrailer, with a corresponding coupling element of a towing vehicle, in particular a semitrailer tractor, with at least one sensor which is at least configured for a recognition, in particular a detection, of a relative position of the coupling elements with respect to each other, wherein the sensor is realized as an ultra-wideband sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ETO MAGNETIC GMBH
    Inventors: Benjamin Bönisch, Helmut Schuster
  • Patent number: 11945267
    Abstract: A sensor device for a towing vehicle coupling or forming part of a towing vehicle coupling with which a trailer vehicle can be coupled to a towing vehicle wherein the towing vehicle coupling has a coupling element for releasably coupling a coupling mating element, which can be secured to the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle, and when coupled together can rotate relative to one another about at least one joint rotational axis, forming a joint, where the sensor device has a follower mounted on a bearing body such that it can rotate relative to the coupling element about a follower rotational axis; can be rotatably carried about the follower rotational axis, by the rotation of the coupling mating element about the at least one joint rotational axis, to sense a rotation of the coupling mating element relative to the coupling element about the at least one joint rotational axis, and the sensor device has at least one sensor for sensing a respective rotational position of the follower relative to the bearing
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: WESTFALIA-AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Jürgen Peitz, Kevin Stieben
  • Patent number: 11945542
    Abstract: Disclosed is an express tricycle target object, falling within the field of intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) test equipment. A base plate, vehicle body support plates, two lateral support plates, a vehicle head support plate, several locking mechanisms and skins are included. The vehicle body support plates, the lateral support plates and the vehicle head support plate are assembled into the shape of the express tricycle target object via the locking mechanisms, and different parts of the skins are arranged with wave-absorbing sponges to reduce a radar cross section or with metal substances to enhance a radar cross section, to solve the problem of the insufficient coverage of traffic accident scenes in current tests of the active safety performance of ICVs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: China Automotive Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd., Intelligent Connected Technology of CAERI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xinming Wan, Qiang Zhang, Xin Zhang, Yu Tang, Tao Chen, Wei Pan, Yi Li
  • Patent number: 11938856
    Abstract: The powered kayak storage rack comprises a kayak lifter that may be coupled to the front of a car hauler trailer. The kayak lifter may be operable to transport one or more kayaks. The kayak lifter may be operable to elevate the one or more kayaks above a trailer deck of the car hauler trailer such that one or more hauled vehicles, cargo, or both may be carried on the trailer deck beneath the one or more kayaks. The kayak lifter may comprise an upright support and a rack. The upright support may be a vertically oriented structure that couples to the front of the car hauler trailer. The rack may be a carrier for the one or more kayaks. The rack may be pivotably coupled to the upper half of the upright support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventor: Wade R. Kasper
  • Patent number: 11932324
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus having a wiring structure effective for simplification. A power supply circuit board 23, a power conversion circuit board 24, and a control circuit board 25 are stacked and disposed in three stages in which the power supply circuit board 23 is disposed in a middle with a first flexible portion 34 and a second flexible portion 35 as a bend portion. A power supply circuit board connection terminal 42B and a control circuit board connection terminal 52B provided in a connector terminal assembly are electrically connected to a receiving terminal 42C of the power supply circuit board 23 and a receiving terminal 52C of the control circuit board 25, respectively, by being inserted and press-fitted thereinto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Kanno, Haruaki Motoda
  • Patent number: 11932064
    Abstract: A convertible hitch apparatus may include a mount structure for mounting on a hitch receiver tube and an upper hitch structure mounted on the mount structure. The upper hitch structure may have a deployed condition and an inactive condition, with an upper ball mount being movable between a deployed position corresponding to the deployed condition and a storage position corresponding to the inactive condition. The hitch apparatus may also include a lower hitch structure mounted on the mount structure at a position below the upper hitch structure, and a ball hitch assembly removably mountable on at least one of the ball mounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: Danny Wipf
  • Patent number: 11919436
    Abstract: A mobile fitness plaza configured to be coupled to or integrated into a vehicle to provide mobile fitness stations to one or more users. The mobile fitness plaza includes one or more alcove compartments providing a storage space for exercise equipment and one or more awnings configured to be selectively adjusted between a stowed position and a deployed position to provide shelter and protection for equipment stowed therein and users positioned beneath the one or more awnings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Fit Truk LLC
    Inventor: Joshua E. Guffey
  • Patent number: 11919602
    Abstract: A rear suspension system for bicycles, such as freeride, downhill and trail-style mountain bikes. The suspension system includes a rear suspension for coupling the rear wheel of the bicycle to the bicycle frame, a rear shock absorber disposed entirely in front of the seat tube of the frame and a linkage for operatively coupling the rear suspension to the rear shock absorber. The linkage intersects the longitudinal axis of the seat tube for transmitting rear suspension forces around the seat tube to the rear shock absorber. The seat tube is preferably continuous and is disposed so that the bicycle seat is adjustable over a full range of seat positions. Additionally, the seat tube and rear suspension system are configured so that the rear wheel and rear suspension will not contact the seat tube, seat, or bicycle rider even when the rear suspension system is in a fully compressed, forward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: KNOLLY BIKES, INC.
    Inventor: Noel Buckley
  • Patent number: 11919343
    Abstract: A breakaway mitigation system is provided for addressing breakaway between a tractor and a trailer unit of a truck. The breakaway mitigation system can include a spool assembly, a sensor, and a controller. The spool assembly has a spool body configured to deploy a length of a tether coupled with the spool body and configured to couple with an energy source supply conduit and to retract the length of the tether. The energy source supply conduit is configured to convey a source of energy for use by a motor or by a fuel cell. The sensor is configured to detect the length of the tether that has been deployed. The controller is configured to receive an input corresponding to the detected length and to implement a countermeasure when the detected amount exceeds a threshold value. Mitigation can be provided by a coupler that decouples under a load over a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: Hexagon Purus North America Holdings Inc., Agility Fuel Systems LLC
    Inventors: Ethan J. McKibben, Jordan C. Foster, Chris Forsberg, Andrew Taylor Gordon, Momchil Yordanov, Adam Attila Bosze, Aaron Heffelfinger
  • Patent number: 11912350
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes an automatic steering mechanism to automatically steer a vehicle body so that the vehicle body travels on a target travel path. The automatic steering mechanism includes a motor to drive a steering shaft to rotate, and is in a steering tower. The motor is under a steering wheel and laterally adjacent to the steering shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Misaki
  • Patent number: 11912370
    Abstract: A frame for an electric bicycle, such as a long-tail electric cargo bicycle, is described. The bike frame, in some embodiments, includes cross members that connect a rear rack of the bicycle to a head tube of the bicycle via a seat tube of the bicycle. Via the multiple connection points, the cross members mitigate side to side movement, such as waggling, of the rear rack of the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: RAD POWER BIKES INC.
    Inventors: Mike Radenbaugh, Taubon Djamtorki, Joe Gray
  • Patent number: 11904980
    Abstract: A vehicle propellable by a human comprising a front assembly having a front wheel and a pair of hand pedals connect thereto; a rear assembly having a first rear wheel and a second rear wheel rotatably connected thereto; a chest rest located between the front assembly and the rear assembly, the chest rest configured to support the chest of a rider lying forward on the vehicle; and a first foot support structure operatively coupled to rotate the first rear wheel, and a second foot support operatively coupled to rotate the second rear wheel wherein the first rear wheel and second rear wheel are independently rotated by opposite feet of a rider when said feet are within said first and second foot support, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventors: Dylan Weitz, Ashraf Elghandour, Gabriel Elghandour
  • Patent number: 11897556
    Abstract: The present invention reduces motor size in a steering device. To this end, this steering device (1) to be installed in a vehicle has: a power steering unit (12) positioned below the floor section (7) of the vehicle compartment (2); and a coaxial motor (20) which is provided directly above the power steering unit (12) and in a manner such that the output shaft thereof is coaxial with the input shaft of the power steering unit (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Junpei Okutani, Haruyuki Hosoya, Kousuke Kawakami