Patents Examined by Michael Mansen
  • Lifting system
    Patent number: 8851238
    Abstract: Apparatus for raising and lowering objects. In accordance with some embodiments, a winch motor is adapted to rotate a winch member in opposing first and second directions to wrap/unwrap a portion of a cable on/from the winch member to raise and lower a lifting platform assembly, respectively. A tension detection switch assembly includes an on/off switch connected to the winch motor and a biasing member which exerts a bias force upon the winch member to nominally deflect the winch member to a first position which sets the switch to deactivate the winch motor in an absence of tension in the cable from the lifting platform assembly. A presence of tension in the cable from the lifting platform assembly deflects the winch member to a second position which sets the switch to facilitate activation of the winch motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas L. Byers
  • Foldable lifting apparatus
    Patent number: 8844738
    Abstract: The present invention is a self-locking folding crane apparatus that can be installed onto any pivot shaft and held in place by small positioning devices such as clamps, slip-rings, bolts, shaft collars, pins, and other mechanical means; a substantial base is not needed to support the hoist as long as the pivot shaft is able to do so. The resulting hoist can be recoverably installed and optionally left on a vehicle or cart while it is in either an operative or stowed state. Unlike all other portable cranes that were found in prior art either singly or in combination, the present invention requires no assembly or disassembly between uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Inventor: Scott R Thompson
  • Pressure oil lubrication of the gear wheels of a planetary gear set
    Patent number: 8840508
    Abstract: A planetary gear set with a planet stage revolving in a gear set housing has a planet carrier which is connected in particular to a rotor and has planet web cheeks which are connected to one another by means of webs, and a plurality of planet gears which are mounted in planet gear bearings, which are connected to the planet carrier, and are in engagement on one side with a sun gear and on the other side with a ring gear. The gear set housing is provided with an oil supply channel which is connected to at least one oil-guiding channel in the planet carrier. The lubrication of the meshing engagements is facilitated in the planetary gear set by providing dry sump lubrication. This is achieved in that at least one channel connected to the oil-guiding channel is embedded in each web, said channel being aligned with the meshing engagements between sun gear and planet gear and/or planet gear and ring gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ansgar Floren, Gerhard Bauer, Dirk Strasser
  • Vibration isolation assembly for an elevator system
    Patent number: 8839912
    Abstract: An exemplary vibration isolation assembly for use with elevators includes a first rigid member having an outer wall at least partially surrounding a central opening. A second rigid member is at least partially received within the central opening of the first rigid member. A resilient layer between the first and second members substantially isolates the first member from vibrations of the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Franck Dominguez, Frederic Beauchaud, Nicolas Guillot
  • Suspension and traction media interface for elevators
    Patent number: 8827045
    Abstract: A system for coupling a suspension medium to a load carrying structure of an elevator installation includes a frame and a hitch plate. The frame has two spaced apart side walls, wherein the side walls are positionable to receive a part of the load carrying structure between the side walls. Each side wall has a receptacle having a longitudinal shape. The hitch plate has at least one fixture configured to couple to a sheave arrangement for the suspension medium. Each receptacle is sized to movably receive a section of the hitch plate so that the hitch plate extends between the side walls and is rotatable about a vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Danny William Girgis, Alessandro Cercone
  • Control device and control method for continuously variable transmission
    Patent number: 8827850
    Abstract: When the vehicle is stationary, the gear ratio is shifted to a Low side by controlling the position of a shift actuator such that a shift control valve is controlled to a position in which a first oil pressure shifts toward a neutral position side by a predetermined amount from a maximum discharge side position and a controlling secondary pulley pressure control unit to increase a second oil pressure to a predetermined oil pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignees: JATCO Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kodama, Kazuya Okamoto, Hiroki Iwasa, Hiroyasu Tanaka
  • Elevator machine support
    Patent number: 8820483
    Abstract: An exemplary elevator system comprises a machine support (30) including a first portion (32) situated in a generally horizontal position at least partially within a hoistway (24). A second portion (34) is oriented generally perpendicular to the first portion. The second portion has one end supported by a support surface (52) adjacent the hoistway such that a portion of a load of the machine support is transferred to the support surface. One end of the first portion (32) is supported by the second portion (34) and another end of the first portion is supported by a structural member at least partially in the hoistway such that a remainder of the load of the machine support is transferred to the structural member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Ericson, Harold Terry, Leandre Adifon, Stephen R. Nichols, Robin Mihekun Miller, Daryl J. Marvin, John Ferrisi
  • Tensioning device with a damping means comprising a minimum capacity
    Patent number: 8814734
    Abstract: A tensioning device for a flexible drive means, such as a chain or a belt, includes a housing, a tensioning piston movably arranged in the housing and provided with a hollow space, a pressure chamber for hydraulic fluid arranged between the housing and the tensioning piston, a vent opening arranged in the tensioning piston, and a damping means in flow communication with the vent opening and with the pressure chamber. A packing element is arranged in the hollow space of the tensioning piston and is at least a component of the damping means, such that the damping means comprises a capacity for hydraulic fluid which corresponds to at least 30% of the volume of the pressure chamber added in a 1 mm stroke of the tensioning piston in the extension direction. The device relates to a series of tensioning devices as well as a transmission and a series of transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Iwis Motorsysteme GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Renzo Perissinotto, Tobias Schmid, Thomas Englbrecht, Ulrich Schelzig
  • Elevator device and method of inspecting same
    Patent number: 8807285
    Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, an operation control section controls an operation of a car. Further, a safety monitoring section detects an abnormal state of targets to be monitored during running of the car to stop the running of the car. A safety-monitoring-function inspection section inspects a function of the safety monitoring section. The safety-monitoring-function inspection section causes the safety monitoring section to detect a transition of a state of the targets to be monitored to the abnormal state regardless of an actual state of the targets to be monitored while the car is running under control of the operation control section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takuo Kugiya, Hiroshi Kigawa, Masunori Shibata, Rikio Kondo
  • Low profile wheelchair lift with direct-acting hydraulic cylinders
    Patent number: 8783419
    Abstract: A wheel chair lift device includes a pair of upside-down, vertically-oriented hydraulic cylinders having their closed ends attached to opposing sides of a lift car, and their piston rods secured to a base resting on the floor. The cylinders extend into the hollow internal channels of two fixed vertical guide members as the lift car is lowered. The vertical guide members may be received within the side walls of the lift car as the lift is lowered to the ground. Rollers on the lift car engage the vertical exterior walls of the vertical guide members to stabilize the lift car. No moving parts are exposed apart from the lift car itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: AGM Container Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Zuercher
  • Mobile crane
    Patent number: 8777027
    Abstract: The present application relates to a mobile crane comprising a telescopic boom which has a hinged section and at least one telescopic section which can be telescoped out of it, or to a crawler-mounted crane. In accordance with one embodiment, as a position detection device, it has at least one transducer in the form of an inductively operating transponder, a receiver unit for the sensing of the position of the transducer, a control device for control in dependence on a signal of the receiver unit, as well as a signal transmission device in the form of a databus for the transmission of the signal data from the receiver unit to the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH
    Inventor: Erwin Morath
  • Tensioner
    Patent number: 8734279
    Abstract: A tensioner comprising a sleeve, an adjuster cooperatively engaged with an inner surface of the sleeve, a pivot arm pivotally engaged with the sleeve, a pulley journalled to the pivot arm, a torsion spring engaged with the sleeve for urging the pivot arm, an elastomeric damping ring connected to the arm and in compressive frictional contact between the sleeve and the arm whereby a tangential friction force damps a pivot arm movement, the elastomeric damping ring exerting a radial force on the sleeve, and a retaining member connected to the adjuster and cooperatively engaged with the sleeve whereby the adjuster and sleeve are kept in a predetermined relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Ward, Juergen Hallen, Holger Schever
  • Belt tensioning device
    Patent number: 8721479
    Abstract: A belt tensioning device (10) prevents excess belt tension when installing a belt (16) between a driver axis (28) and a spindle axis (22). A clutch (48) supported on a fixed structure (14, 46) includes an engagement member (52, 64) and a rod (32). Rotating the engagement member (52, 64) in a first direction moves the rod (32) and the driver axis (28) in a direction away from the spindle axis (22), until further rotation causes the engagement member (52, 64) to disengage preventing further movement of the driver axis (28) in the direction away, and subsequent rotational movement of the engagement member (52, 64) in a second rotational direction moves the driver axis (28) toward the spindle axis (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Setco Sales Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. Hoeting, Brian P. Schloemer
  • Rotation urging mechanism and pulley device
    Patent number: 8715123
    Abstract: A rotation urging mechanism includes an outer member which includes an outer raceway surface on an inner periphery thereof and is rotatable about a first axis, an inner member which includes, on an outer periphery thereof, an inner raceway surface disposed on a radially inner side of the outer raceway surface and is rotatable about the first axis, and a ball disposed rollably between the outer raceway surface and the inner raceway surface. One of the outer and inner raceway surfaces is formed about a second axis which is inclined with respect to the first axis, and the other raceway surface is formed about a third axis which is inclined with respect to the second axis and is disposed so as to cross the one raceway surface. The ball is disposed at a portion of intersection between the outer and inner raceway surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Fujiwara
  • Electric mining shovel hoist rope impact-reduction box
    Patent number: 8708315
    Abstract: Disclosed is an impact-reduction box through which the hoisting ropes of a mining shovel or other machine pass. The impact-reduction box includes a roller frame subassembly and spring box subassemblies attached thereto on either side. The impact-reduction box is configured so that when the hoisting cables impact the box during undesirable whipping, the roller frame subassembly will move in reaction while the spring box subassemblies will remain essentially motionless. The mining shovel will feel less of the impact of the jolting hoisting rope, and the rope will not suffer the wear and tear of frequent slapping against the machine such that the rope will be less likely to completely break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Premier Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig A. Wilcox
  • Tensioning device
    Patent number: 8708848
    Abstract: To increase the pressing force on a chain as the chain undergoes greater elongation. [Resolving Means] Provision is made for: a tensioner arm 2 in which a through-hole 21a is formed at a free end 21 which can pivot about a pivoting end 20; a hydraulic tensioner 3 for causing the tensioner arm 2 to pivot about the pivoting end 20; a lever arm 4 having a boss part 40 which is rotatably supported in the through-hole 21a at the free end 21 and comprises a pin insertion hole 40a at a position which is offset from the center O of the through-hole 21a, said lever arm also having a lever part 41 which extends from the boss part 40 toward the hydraulic tensioner 3 with the tip end of a piston 3a of the hydraulic tensioner 3 in abutment against it; and a pin 5 of which one end is fitted in a fixed wall 50, and of which the other end is inserted into the pin insertion hole 40a of the boss part 40 of the lever arm 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Junichi Wake
  • Elevator arrangement and method in elevator maintenance
    Patent number: 8708106
    Abstract: An elevator arrangement, comprising an elevator car arranged to move in an elevator shaft or equivalent, preferably along car guide rails, and an element which is disposed in the elevator shaft or equivalent and is shiftable between an activated state and an inactivated state, and an activating device for shifting the said element between the activated and inactivated states. The activating device includes a flexible element, such as e.g. a rope or equivalent, movably attached to a fixed structure of the elevator shaft or equivalent, and the said flexible element is connected to the said shiftable element in a manner permitting the shiftable element to be shifted by means of the flexible element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Matti Räsänen, Teemu Tolonen, Jaakko Kahila, Mauno Mattila, Jouni Lappalainen
  • Tape winding apparatus
    Patent number: 8702028
    Abstract: A tape winding apparatus includes: a rotating device configured to rotate a wind-up core for winding a tape into a roll which defines a tape roll; a push roller configured to be pressed against the tape roll, the push roller contacting with and rolling on an outer periphery of the tape roll at a tape feeding position where the tape is fed onto the tape roll; a feeding direction control guide arranged upstream from the push roller as viewed in a running direction of the tape and configured to control a tape-feeding direction of the tape that is fed onto the tape roll; and a movement device configured to move at least one of the push roller and the feeding direction control guide such that the tape-feeding direction conforms with a tangential direction of the tape roll at the tape feeding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takahisa Izumida, Hiroki Ohtsu
  • Chain transmission mechanism
    Patent number: 8696502
    Abstract: The invention provides a chain transmission mechanism capable of alleviating impact and impact noise caused when a chain engages and contacts with a sprocket, of not increasing the impact and impact noise even if the chain transmission mechanism is driven in heavy load and in high speed, of reducing vibrations, breakage, wear and others of the chain and the sprocket and of improving its durability. Tooth bottoms of the sprocket are formed so as not contact any pin, bush or drive roller when the chain is wound around the sprocket as guide rollers rotatably supported coaxially with a pin of the chain rolls on a track along the guide rail provided on the side of teeth of the sprocket. The invention provides a guide rail around the sprocket to engage the chain and lighten its impact with the sprocket as the mechanism operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
    Inventor: Makoto Fujiwara
  • Vibration isolator for the sliding rail guide of an elevator or the like
    Patent number: 8657076
    Abstract: An elevator car sliding guide includes a shoe configured to slide on one or more rails, a first bracket connected to the shoe, a second bracket for connecting to a car assembly, and a plurality of elongated elastomeric members arranged generally from a first end of the sliding guide to a second end of the sliding guide and connected between the first bracket and the second bracket. The shoe and the first bracket are substantially surrounded on three sides by the second bracket. Each of the plurality of elongated elastomeric members is configured for deflection under loads of increasing magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Bruce F. Beaudry