Patents Examined by Michael R Stabley
  • Patent number: 11872882
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for a transmission for a rear mid-engine vehicle. The transmission comprises a power transfer portion for receiving torque from the engine and a gearbox for providing conversions of rotational speed and torque. First and second side output portions conduct torque from the gearbox to the rear wheels. A forward output portion conducts torque to front wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle. An air clutch comprising each output portion controls the degree of torque transferred to each wheel. The output portions are each coupled to a rear wheel by a rear axle, bevel gears, and rear portal gears. The rear axles are aligned with, and positioned above, the trailing arms to protect the rear axles from damage due to rocks and debris. The length and alignment of the rear axles cause CV joints to articulate in the same direction as the trailing arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Inventor: Robby Gordon
  • Patent number: 11872866
    Abstract: A two-wheeled vehicle includes a frame assembly, a plurality of ground-engaging members for supporting the frame assembly, and a cooling assembly positioned below a head portion of the frame assembly and intermediate vertically-extending frame tubes of the frame assembly. A lower end of the cooling assembly is coupled to a lower end of the vertically-extending frame tubes, and an upper end of the cooling assembly is frictionally retained at an upper end of each of the vertically-extending frame tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Indian Motorcycle International, LLC
    Inventors: David L. Bagnariol, Shane K. Pearson
  • Patent number: 11857472
    Abstract: A wheelchair includes a seating portion on which a wheelchair user sits, a body frame that supports the seating portion, a pair of rear wheels and a pair of front wheels rotatably supported by the body frame, and a seat back portion capable of changing the inclination angle with respect to the seating portion. The wheelchair includes push-along handle portions as engaging portions capable of fixing the seat back portion to a side sill as a vehicle body member that forms a door opening of the vehicle when the seat back portion is tilted backward of the wheelchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Iwase, Isao Toda
  • Patent number: 11850456
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a chassis defining a longitudinal axis, a cab coupled to the chassis, a front axle coupled to the chassis, a rear axle coupled to the chassis, a body assembly coupled to the chassis, and a ladder assembly. The body assembly defines a recess that includes a plurality of angled portions. The plurality of angled portions extend laterally outward at a downward angle away from the longitudinal axis. The ladder assembly has a proximal end disposed within the recess. The plurality of angled portions at least partially facilitate the ladder assembly in traveling through at least one of a sweep angle range or a depression angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Eric D. Betz, David W. Archer
  • Patent number: 11840310
    Abstract: A human-powered vehicle control device for a human-powered vehicle includes an electronic controller that controls an electric brake device and a component of the human-powered vehicle that differs from the electric brake device. The electric brake device and the component are supplied with electric power from a common battery. The electronic controller gives actuation priority to the electric brake device over the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Takayama
  • Patent number: 11833088
    Abstract: A kit of parts which when assembled will provide a wheeled chair and include a central frame member to which all other elements are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventor: Jay Foonberg
  • Patent number: 11834122
    Abstract: A straddle type vehicle comprises: a detection unit configured to detect a situation of a detection area on one of a rear side and a lateral side of a self-vehicle; a distance determination unit configured to determine a change in a relative distance between the self-vehicle and another vehicle detected in the detection area and a notification control unit configured to make a notification to a driver based on one of a detection result of the detection unit and a determination result of the distance determination unit. The notification control unit makes the notification by first notification output if the other vehicle is detected in the detection area by the detection unit, and makes the notification by second notification output if it is determined by the distance determination unit that the relative distance to the other vehicle has become short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Tetsuka, Tsubasa Fukuoka, Hiroaki Uchisasai
  • Patent number: 11827309
    Abstract: A ride-along vehicle may include both handles and foot rests each capable of providing power to the pump arm. An improved pumper arm and steering mechanism may include a pivot joint that is provided by rods, pins, or bolts attached to opposite sides of the pumper arm. The universal joint between the steering arm and the pumper arm can be aligned with the center of the pivot point to prevent rocking of the steering arm as the pumper arm is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Columbia-Inland Corporation
    Inventor: Micheal D. Jones
  • Patent number: 11814192
    Abstract: An aircraft transport trailer having a frame, a wheel assembly, a lower bracket, and an upper bracket. The wheel assembly is rotationally installed on the frame to support and move the frame. The lower bracket is fixedly installed on the frame, and the top of the lower bracket is provided with a body slot. The preset first surface of the inner wall of the body slot is fitted with the part of the lower surface of the body, the aircraft body can be partially seated in the aircraft body slot under the action of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: AUTOFLIGHT (KUNSHAN) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Tian
  • Patent number: 11814129
    Abstract: The present invention is in connection with the field of the cycling industry, and in particular it refers to a front suspension system of a bicycle, of the single-stem type, thus adapted to be arranged inside the steering head tube and specially conceived, thanks to its compactness, to equip road “racing” bikes but not exclusively intended for this category of bicycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: HIRIDE SUSPENSION S.R.L.
    Inventors: Domenico Borgese, Luca Ceresoli, Fabio Noce
  • Patent number: 11807338
    Abstract: A drive unit is configured to be provided to a human-powered vehicle. The drive unit includes a base on which a crankshaft is provided, and a holder mount provided on the base. The holder mount is configured to selectively mount a battery holder, which is configured to hold a battery unit, at a plurality of positions in a predetermined linear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kameda, Shinichiro Noda, Kento Mitsuyasu, Toshio Tetsuka
  • Patent number: 11801718
    Abstract: A trolley that couples to a tow saddle is provided. The trolley includes an upper plate and a lower plate. The upper and lower plate are secured against a rear portion of a tow saddle. One or more support bars are coupled to the upper plate. The bars provide structural support for the upper plate and deflect a chain that transits apertures in the upper plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: ATC Transportation LLC
    Inventor: Donald W. Schuettenberg
  • Patent number: 11793693
    Abstract: Provided is a steering mechanism (8) including a swing bar (81a) which swings in response to input from a rider, a cam guide (83c) slidable on a peripheral surface of a column section (5a), a ball joint (82a) which slides the cam guide (83c) in response to the swinging of the swing bar (81a), a cam follower (83b) vertically provided on the peripheral surface of the column section (5a) to rotate the column section (5a) in response to the sliding of the cam guide (83c), and a coil spring (83e) which returns the cam guide (83c) to a predetermined rotation angle. The cam follower (83b) comes in contact with a cam surface (83c4) of the cam guide (83c) which has a recess surface shape, at two positions on the peripheral surface, in a state where the column section (5a) is located at a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Takado, Hiroshi Gomi, Yasushi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 11794838
    Abstract: The present invention provides a straddle type vehicle, comprising: a storage unit arranged at a rear portion of a vehicle to be capable of storing an article; and a detection unit configured to detect a surrounding situation in a rear side of the vehicle, wherein the storage unit includes an outer case and an inner case which defines a storage space capable of storing the article, and wherein the detection unit is arranged between the outer case and the inner case, at a rear portion of the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Hagimoto, Yoshiyuki Kuroba, Kiyoshi Katagiri, Hiroshi Maeda, Tsuyoshi Kumasaka
  • Patent number: 11794837
    Abstract: There is provided with a straddle type vehicle. A direction indicator is formed to project outward in a vehicle width direction and shows a traveling direction of the vehicle. A sensing device detects an obstacle around the vehicle using an ultrasonic wave. The sensing device is arranged in a distal end portion of the direction indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Katagiri, Yoshiyuki Kuroba, Tsuyoshi Kumasaka, Hiroshi Maeda
  • Patent number: 11787496
    Abstract: A bicycle includes a frame, a suspension assembly and a steering assembly. The frame includes a head tube that rotatably receives a front fork assembly. A steerer tube extends axially away from a fork crown of the front fork assembly. The suspension assembly includes an upper tubular support longitudinally slidable relative to a lower tubular support. The upper and lower supports receive a first positive biasing means and a first negative biasing means. The lower and upper supports are respectively connected to the steerer tube and a stem of the steering assembly such that the upper support slides longitudinally relative to the lower support adjacent the stem and above the fork crown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher P. D'Aluisio, Jean-Luc Callahan, Tyler Kraus, Conner Swarthout, Michael McAndrews
  • Patent number: 11786420
    Abstract: A drive device for a wheelchair includes a control element, a chassis and a support frame. A fixing arrangement is mounted on the support frame and can be fixed to a wheelchair frame of the wheelchair. The fixing arrangement is designed such that it can be automatically connected to and released from the wheelchair frame of the wheelchair by a fixing drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventor: Rainer Küschall
  • Patent number: 11780327
    Abstract: A vehicle canister mounting structure for a vehicle, the vehicle including a frame and an upper structure, such as a cabin, mounted on the frame, includes a primary bracket and a secondary bracket. The primary bracket is fastened to the frame by a primary fastener. The secondary bracket is fastened to the primary bracket by a secondary fastener and is attached to a canister. One of the primary fastener and the secondary fastener is configured to allow fastening to be performed from above the frame. The other of the primary and secondary fasteners is configured to allow fastening to be performed from below the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Yagi, Norihiro Kondo, Yoshihiro Yasuda
  • Patent number: 11781698
    Abstract: A modular pipe-crawling robot for in-pipe maintenance operations in aspects of the present disclosure may have one or more of the following features: (a) at least two locomotion modules, (b) each module has feet which can extend outward to grip a wall of a pipe while simultaneously reducing its length or disengaging its feet from the inner wall while increasing its length, (c) a gear mechanism built into mechanical linkage, wherein each module's feet are held perpendicular with respect to the inner wall of the pipe, and (d) a joint coupling the at least two modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: SOUTH DAKOTA BOARD OF REGENTS
    Inventors: Hadi Fekrmandi, Phillip Hillard, Skye Rutan-Bedard
  • Patent number: 11772736
    Abstract: The embodiments show an efficient, flexible, durable, lightweight and portable (12) electromechanical apparatus (12) that a cyclist can easily and safely operate. The design allows for the remote positioning of a visible elongated object, (12) safety sleeve/arm (12), from a secured vertical stowed position, to a secured horizontal active position without stopping during the ride. The elongated, aerodynamically shaped (12) safety sleeve (12) will have (12) LED strip lights (12) along the trailing edge, along with a (12) wing tip light (12) at the end of the member. Also included are reflective materials at both ends and on the leading edge of the (12) safety sleeve (12). The purpose of a (12) safety sleeve/arm (12) in the active horizontal position is to provide oncoming motorists with a dimensional frame of reference to clear the pedal vehicle when passing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventor: Raymond J. Foucher