Patents Examined by Michael Riegelman
  • Patent number: 11198599
    Abstract: In a vehicle lift device, an undulating link device of each of the raising/lowering devices has each link displaced along the left-right direction orthogonal to an approach direction of a vehicle, and keeps a vehicle support table in a horizontal state to be raised and lowered only in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: YASUI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihide Horimizu, Tadashi Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 11198592
    Abstract: A stairlift may include a rail, a chair with an armrest, a carrier that has a drive motor and is drivable along the rail, a control unit, and a first input device located at the at least one armrest and configured to provide a signal to the control unit to transport a user in a first driving direction. The control unit may start or stop a movement of the carrier in the first direction based at least on the signal of the first input device. The stairlift may also include a second input device that is separate from the first input device, and configured to provide a signal to the control unit to transport the user in the first driving direction. Further, the control unit may be adapted to start or stop the movement of the carrier based on the signal of the second input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: TK Home Solutions B.V.
    Inventor: Wilco van Eijgen
  • Patent number: 11198589
    Abstract: An illustrative example elevator system includes a hoistway that establishes a vertical pathway. The hoistway has an interior border established by a plurality of stationary boundaries. The interior border defines a first area. An elevator car is within the hoistway and has an exterior border that defines a second area that is smaller than the first area. At least one hoistway liner assembly is situated in the hoistway. The hoistway liner assembly includes a plurality of bumpers that collectively establish a protected area that is smaller than the first area and larger than the second area such that the elevator car can move through the protected area. The protected area prevents contact between the load bearing assembly and the interior border of the hoistway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: George Scott Copeland, Patricia Derwinski, Richard K. Pulling, Randy Roberts
  • Patent number: 11199091
    Abstract: A cageway connecting device and connecting method thereof is invented, the device includes a connecting cageway, an upper cannula, a lower cannula, two first steel angles, a fixed block, a pin boss and a fixed pin. The connecting cageway is set between the upper cageway and the lower cageway. The upper cannula is fixed in the connecting cageway. The lower cannula is fixed in the connecting cageway. The two first steel angles are fixed on the connecting cageway. The fixed block is fixed on the upper cannula. The pin boss is fixed on the lower cageway. The fixed pin is passed through the first pin bore and inserted into the second pin bore. The invention improve the accuracy of the initial installation of the cageway and facilitate the replacement of the cageway. The first cageway beam is determined and controllable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignees: Hefei Design & Research Inst. Of Coal Industry Co., LTD., Hefei University, Xuzhou Coal Mine Safety Equipment Manufacture Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Qiang Qin, Hongxin Yan, Changhua Hu, Qingyong Du, Jianguo Ding
  • Patent number: 11198593
    Abstract: A stairlift for conveying a load along a staircase includes a stairlift guide (stairlift rail), a carriage carried by the stairlift guide and moveable along the stairlift guide, the carriage comprising a carriage drive to drive the carriage along the stairlift guide. A stairlift carriage with reduced energy consumption comprises a body of revolution mounted hingably about a first axis to a frame of the stairlift carriage, while being able to rotate about an axis of rotation at a distance from said first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: DEVI-GROUP BV
    Inventors: Dennis Vroegindeweij, Thijmen Johannes Groot
  • Patent number: 11198588
    Abstract: A counterweight slack detection switch including a body, a first belt guide mounted to the body and configured to engage a first side of a tension member, a second belt guide mounted to the body and configured to engage the first side of the tension member, a lever arm having a first end and a second end, the first end pivotally mounted to the body, a deflectable member biasing the lever arm relative to the body, a third belt guide mounted to the second end of the lever arm and configured to bias the tension member from a tension position to a slack position, and a switch mounted to the body and configured to contact the tension member when the tension member is in at least one of the tension position and the slack position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: TK Elevator Innovation and Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Justin Charles Morse, Jeffrey Duvall, Jonathan Ashley Brothers
  • Patent number: 11192750
    Abstract: A handrail assembly, a car and an elevator. The handrail assembly includes a fixing portion and a moving portion, the fixing portion comprises a plurality of first vertical posts arranged in a vertical direction, wherein the first vertical posts are configured to be hollow; the moving portion comprises: a plurality of lifting portions each comprising a plurality of second vertical posts movable into the first vertical posts and horizontal posts attached between the second vertical posts, wherein each lifting portion is configured to move at least between the extended position and the retracted position, the horizontal post is adjacent to the fixing portion when in the retracted position, and the horizontal post is away from the fixing portion when in the extended position; a limiting component to make each lifting portion ascend or descend in sequence in the vertical direction; and a sensing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: PengFei Zhao
  • Patent number: 11174124
    Abstract: An elevator car has a pivotable balustrade mounted on a roof of the elevator car and which can be pivoted between a folded-down position and an erected position. To secure the erected position, the balustrade has a locking mechanism by which the balustrade can be locked via a latching connection during a pivoting movement to produce the erected position. The balustrade includes a two-part post with a lower post part and an upper post part, the upper post part being pivotably fastened to the lower post part and on which the locking mechanism is arranged. A latching element of the locking mechanism is mounted vertically on the lower post part so as to be displaceable to a limited degree. The locking mechanism further has an actuating element in the form of a foot pedal or a lever for unlocking the locking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventor: Christoph Schuler
  • Patent number: 11174988
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a lubricant level sensing system for an actuator is provided. The lubricant level sensing system includes a pressure port in an outer housing of the actuator, a pressure sensor, and a pathway from the pressure port to the pressure sensor. The pathway establishes fluid communication between the pressure sensor and a free volume of an internal cavity of the outer housing relative to a lubricant level in the internal cavity such that the pressure sensor detects a pressure of the free volume used to derive the lubricant level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Claude G. Matalanis, Ulf J. Jonsson, John D. Cannata, Brian E. Wake
  • Patent number: 11174755
    Abstract: An oil tank filling system for filling the oil tank of a gas turbine engine. The system includes an oil tank located within the core of the engine, an engine oil filling port located on a bifurcation below the core of the engine, and an oil tank filling pipe that leads from the engine oil filling port to a tank filling port on the oil tank. The engine oil filling port is detachably connectable to an off-engine oil pump that when connected to the engine oil filling port and supplied with oil pumps oil into the engine oil filling port and through the oil tank filling pipe to the tank filling port to fill the oil tank. A method of filling the oil tank of a gas turbine engine and a gas turbine engine that includes the oil tank filling system are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Samuel W. White, William A. Malewicz, Sebastian Ray, Cristina Diaz Garcia
  • Patent number: 11167968
    Abstract: A materials handling vehicle including a power unit supported on wheels, and a mast assembly supported on the power unit. The mast assembly includes four or more telescoping sections defined by pairs of laterally spaced rails. An operator compartment is supported on the mast assembly for vertical movement relative to the mast assembly and includes a front wall defining a side of the operator compartment adjacent to the mast assembly. The laterally spaced rails have a height that is generally equal to the height of the front wall. A dash is located adjacent to the operator compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: James V. Kraimer, Christoph Babel
  • Patent number: 11168782
    Abstract: A lubrication system for a transmission includes a flow-metering device and a controller. The controller is operatively associated with the flow-metering device to cause the flow-metering device to intermittently issue lubricant from the flow-metering device into a transmission based on an operating parameter of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Dylan I. Dziuba, John J. Baldyga, Guy Juan Montoro, David Ramonas
  • Patent number: 11162419
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a lubricant system defining a lubricant circuit through which a lubricant flows in fluid communication with a bearing assembly of the engine. The lubricant system selectively bypasses thermal communication of the lubricant and a heat sink based at least on a temperature of the lubricant within the lubricant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Manoj Nayani, Praveen Sharma, Narayanan Payyoor, Shuvajyoti Ghosh
  • Patent number: 11161715
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a car and a counterweight which are connected to one another via a support element. The elevator system has a compensation element for compensating the weight of the support element, wherein this compensation element includes at least one belt. The at least one belt was previously used as a support element for a car of an elevator system. A method for recycling support elements of elevator systems uses the discarded support elements as the compensation element in an elevator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Christian Studer, Andrea Cambruzzi
  • Patent number: 11155440
    Abstract: A governor assembly is provided including a sheave rotatably mounted on a shaft and a ratchet disc mounted on the shaft. Rotation of the ratchet disc is restricted. An overspeed assembly includes a swing jaw mounted to the sheave. The swing jaw is movable between a normal position and a tripped position. The swing jaw is biased into the tripped position. When the swing jaw is in the tripped position, rotation of the sheave in a first direction is restricted. A tripping lever is pivotally mounted to the sheave and is configured to cooperate with the swing jaw. Rotation of the sheave in a second, opposite direction is configured to automatically move the swing jaw against its bias to the normal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Randall S. Dube, Aayush Desai
  • Patent number: 11155284
    Abstract: A rail port insert is provided. The insert comprises an outer casing comprising a tubular sidewall and a base, the sidewall and base defining a spatial volume therein, the base defining an inlet passage that extends through the base and that is fluid communication with the spatial volume, and an elastomeric body having a first end and a second end, the elastomeric body disposed within the spatial volume and affixed to an inner surface of the tubular sidewall, the base, or both an inner surface of the tubular sidewall and the base. The elastomeric body comprising a flow passageway having a length extending from the first end to the second end, the first end in fluid communication with the inlet passage of the base, the second end further comprising a depth-length and defining an orifice along the depth-length, the orifice moving from a closed position in the absence of any applied pressure within the flow passageway, to an open position when pressure is applied within the flow passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: L.B. FOSTER RAIL TECHNOLOGIES, CORP.
    Inventors: Joel Vandermarel, David Elvidge
  • Patent number: 11155444
    Abstract: An illustrative example elevator door interlock includes a base, a plurality of interlock bumpers supported on the base, and a latch supported on the base for movement relative to the base between a door locking position and a released position. The plurality of interlock bumpers are supported on the base with a gap between the plurality of interlock bumpers. Each of the interlock bumpers includes a contact surface configured to contact at least one vane supported on an elevator car door. Each of the interlock bumpers remains rotationally fixed relative to the base. The latch includes a latch bumper that is situated relative to the gap such that the at least one vane contacts the latch bumper and urges the latch into the released position when the at least one vane is at least partially in the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Yunyi Wang, Suresh Dharmaraj
  • Patent number: 11135694
    Abstract: A minimum quantity lubrication system for accurately measuring and controlling a volume and pressure of a lubricating fluid provided to a machining tool during minimum quantity lubrication machining operations. The minimum quantity lubrication system can further include measuring and controlling a volume and pressure of air provided during machining such that atomization of the lubricating fluid with the air can be controlled. Use of a continuous volumetric flow pump provides a continuous flow of lubricating fluid to the tool during machining operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Unist, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy John Bangma, Charles W. Boelkins
  • Patent number: 11136221
    Abstract: A radial flux permanent magnet elevator motor includes a motor frame forming the stator frame having fixing points to be fixed to an elevator guide rail, which frame has a back wall facing and/or abutting with the guide rail, which motor frame includes an axially extending flange protruding away from the back wall in the direction of the rotor, and which motor frame includes at least one axially extending first wall section in a defined radial distance from the axis of the motor frame, which first wall section is configured to support a stator winding of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tuukka Korhonen, Mika Virnes, Perttu Luukkonen
  • Patent number: 11136219
    Abstract: An elevator car has a connecting device and at least one wall element, wherein the connecting device connects the at least one wall element with a bare ceiling of the elevator car. The connecting device includes a rail element with two legs, of which a first leg bears in the mounted state against the bare ceiling and a second leg has a mounting surface for the at least one wall element. The mounting surface has a first hole for suspending the at least one wall element. The at least one wall element has a suspension element at an edge which faces upwardly in the mounted state for engaging into the first hole of the connecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Adrian Steiner, Alessandro D'Apice, Oliver Notter, Simon Ottiger