Patents Examined by Myles A Harris
  • Patent number: 11738796
    Abstract: A recirculating ball power steering system includes an electric motor. The system also includes a ball screw rotatably driven by the electric motor. The system further includes a ball nut translatable along the ball screw in a linear direction during rotation of the ball screw. The system yet further includes a sliding joint in sliding contact with an outer surface of the ball nut, the sliding joint moveable in a non-parallel direction relative to the linear direction of the ball nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Eric D. Pattok, Travis L. Palmer, Caleb S. Palmer, Bruce M. Collier
  • Patent number: 11713091
    Abstract: A straddle type electric vehicle comprises a main frame, a motor unit including an electric motor, a battery that supplies power to the motor unit, and a control unit that executes drive control of the motor unit. The main frame includes a left and right pair of portions, and at least a portion of the motor unit is disposed at a position overlapping the main frame in a side view of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takamori Shirasuna, Makoto Fujikubo, Kazuya Atsumi, Yoshihiro Nomura, Yoshimi Numazaki
  • Patent number: 11712933
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices and apparatuses for a retractable tow rope system. The retractable tow rope system includes a tow rope. The tow rope has a first end, a second end, a notch in between the first end and the second end, and an anchoring device. The anchoring device is positioned at the first end of the top rope and configured to couple with an object. The retractable tow rope system includes a reel apparatus. The reel apparatus is coupled to the second end of the tow rope and has a rope hook. The rope hook is configured to latch onto or unlatch from the notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Alexander T. Boraggina
  • Patent number: 11667346
    Abstract: A bicycle includes a chainstay protector having an upper surface including a valley, a first peak, and a second peak. The first peak extends upwardly from the valley toward the chain and has a first contact surface positioned to contact the chain a first height above the valley. The second peak extends upwardly from the valley toward the chain and has a second contact surface positioned to contact the chain a second height above the valley. The first contact surface is spaced from the second contact surface by a gap that is at least 5 times the first height. Each of the first and second contact surfaces has a length that is less than the length of the gap and less than two times a pitch of the chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan James McDonald, Jason Scott McDonald, James Michael Stafford
  • Patent number: 11661100
    Abstract: A rack assist electric power steering apparatus. Shock between a rotary support member and a housing is absorbed. Backlash and friction in the rotary support member are reduced. The length of a ball nut is minimized, and the rotary support member is supported by a portion in which the ball nut and a rack bar are coupled, so that noise is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: In Hwan Jeon
  • Patent number: 11654998
    Abstract: Front forks for bicycles are described herein. An example front fork includes an upper fork including a first leg and a second leg, a lower fork including a third leg disposed along the first leg and a fourth leg disposed along the second leg, a first set of links rotatably coupled between the first leg and the third leg, and a second set of links rotatably coupled between the second leg and the fourth leg. The first and second sets of links enable the lower fork to swing relative to the upper fork. The front fork also includes a steerer tube coupled to the front fork and a spring in the steerer tube. The spring is configured to bias the lower fork away from the steer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Charles Dunlap, III
  • Patent number: 11643136
    Abstract: An improved power steering assembly is provided. The power steering assembly includes an end-of-travel mechanism and a valve cartridge that is actuated by left and right actuator rings of the end-of-travel mechanism, the actuator rings extending partially around an output shaft. The actuator rings can be individually set for the desired end-of-travel relief to limit the maximum system pressure when the steering assembly approaches the desired axle stop setting. The valve cartridge provides an end-of-travel function and a pressure relief function and is in fluid communication with the left and right pressure chambers to recirculate hydraulic fluid in the event of a power off condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: R.H. SHEPPARD CO., INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Tipton, Manjunath Terwad, Jared Pitzer
  • Patent number: 11623711
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a seat rail structure for a motorcycle having a seat rail on a vehicle body. In this structure, the seat rail has a side member being a bent product of continuous fiber reinforced resin, the side member has: a side wall at an outer end in a width direction of a vehicle body; and an upper flange at an upper end of the side wall to protrude from the side wall inward in the width direction, the side wall has an upper fastening portion at an upper end section of a front end region, fastened to a main frame, the upper fastening portion has an upper corner edge portion straddling front edge and upper edge portions, the upper corner edge portion is arcuate, and a rear end of the upper corner edge portion is frontward relative to a front edge portion of the upper flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Hatano, Kyohei Ikoma
  • Patent number: 11623684
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydraulic steering unit (1) including a housing (3), a spool, a sleeve (12) arranged between spool and housing (3), and a measuring motor (14) having a number of working chambers (15), wherein a first commutation geometry (18) and a second commutation geometry (19) are arranged between the sleeve (12) and the housing (3), wherein the commutation geometries (18, 19) are connected to the working chambers (15) of the measuring motor (14) and the housing includes a first direction port (4), a second direction port (5), a pressure port (6), and a return port (7). The object is to have a good steering behavior. To this end one of the commutation geometries (18) is directly connected to the first direction port (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Danfoss Power Solutions ApS
    Inventors: Mogens Frederiksen, Niels Arbjerg, Poul Ennemark
  • Patent number: 11607956
    Abstract: A traction control system for a trailing vehicle includes an electric machine, a ground engaging apparatus in contact with a ground surface, and a disconnect device connected between the electric machine and the ground engaging apparatus. The traction control system includes one or more speed sensors to determine a differential speed of the disconnect device. The traction control system includes a controller determines when to disengage the disconnect device based in part upon the speed of the ground engaging apparatus exceeding an upper threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: William J Vande Haar
  • Patent number: 11608111
    Abstract: In a power steering system employing an end of travel system including valve actuating rings disposed about a Pitman arm shaft, a device is provided for setting the positions of the rings on the shaft. The device includes a fixed member positioned about, and fixed against movement along, a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the shaft's rotational axis and a movable member that moves along the longitudinal axis relative to the fixed member. The movable member defines a pin at one end configured for engagement with the circumferential ends of the actuating rings. A positioning force applied to one of the members causes the movable member to move between set and reset positions in which the pin engages corresponding ends of the actuating rings during rotation of the shaft and a running position in which the pin remains disengaged from the ends of the actuating ring during rotation of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: R.H. Sheppard Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Jared Pitzer, Jeffrey Edward Tipton
  • Patent number: 11584175
    Abstract: A remotely releasable tow line is provided. The tow line has a releasable latch at a distal end that is removably connected to a race car. The releasable latch is operatively associated with a cable handle adjacent to a proximal end of the tow line. Accordingly, a user disposed on a tow vehicle, to which the proximal end is connected, may manipulate the cable handle so that the release latch disconnects from the race car, in such a way that while the race car is still being towed it is unhooked from the tow vehicle, thereby saving time in getting the race car in a pit area where the race car can be tended to before its soon-approaching next race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: NitroSew LLC
    Inventor: David George Brown
  • Patent number: 11541960
    Abstract: A man-machine interaction somatosensory vehicle includes a vehicle body and two wheels provided on the vehicle body. The wheels are able to rotate around the vehicle body in a radial direction. The vehicle body further comprising a supporting frame, two pedal devices provided on the supporting frame, a control device, and a driving device for driving the wheels. The supporting frame is of an integral structure and being rotatably connected to the wheels. The pedal devices includes a pedal foot board and a first position sensor located between the pedal foot board and the supporting frame and used for sensing the stress information on the pedal devices. The control device controls, according to the stress information on the two pedal devices, the driving device to drive the wheels to move or steer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: HANGZHOU CHIC INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Jiawei Ying, Keping Xiao
  • Patent number: 11459027
    Abstract: A hydraulic steering arrangement 1 is described comprising a supply port arrangement having a pressure port (4) and a tank port (5), a working port arrangement having two working ports (6, 7), a steering unit (2) arranged in a flow path (9) between the supply port arrangement (4, 5) and the working port arrangement (6, 7), and a second flow path (13) in form of an amplification flow path bridging the steering unit (2) and having an amplification orifice (AU1) which is controlled as function of the steering unit (2). Such a steering arrangement should have a possibility to change the steering behaviour. To this end at least a third flow path (14) in form of an amplification flow path is arranged in parallel to the second flow path (13), wherein the second/or the third flow path (13, 14) comprise an valve (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Danfoss Power Solutions ApS
    Inventor: Abdul Karim Rahimzai
  • Patent number: 11459054
    Abstract: A foldable bicycle (100) having a riding configuration and a folded configuration includes a first wheel (102) and a second wheel (104) interconnected by a frame (106). At least the first wheel (102) has an open centre (108) and includes an annular rotor (110) engageable with the ground in the riding configuration of the bicycle (100) and an annular stator (114) carrying the annular rotor (110), and the frame (106) has a pivotal connection with the stator (114) of the first wheel (102) whereby the frame (106) is pivotable relative to the first wheel (102) for folding the bicycle (100). The frame (106) and the second wheel (104) connected thereto are together so dimensioned and arranged to fit within the open centre (108) of the first wheel (102) in the folded configuration of the bicycle (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Alan Rallings
  • Patent number: 11452649
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a leg rest release mechanism (1) for a wheelchair, wherein the leg rest release mechanism (1) comprises: a base member (3) having a base portion (3a) and an elongated axle portion (3b) extending from the base portion (3a), a leg rest swivel frame (5) in swivel connection with the axle portion (3b) to enable swivelling of the leg rest swivel frame (5) relative to the axle portion (3b), wherein the leg rest swivel frame (5) is configured to be connected to an elongated foot rest mounting member (9) provided with a foot rest (5), and a release member (7) having a lifting handle (7a), wherein the release member (7) extends through the leg rest swivel frame (5) and wherein the release member (7) is biased to engage with the base portion (3a) to thereby lock the leg rest swivel frame (5) in a fixed position relative to the base member (3), wherein the release member (7) is configured to disengage from the base portion (3a) by pulling of the lifting handle (7a), whereby the leg rest
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: PERMOBIL AB
    Inventor: Hakan Bergman
  • Patent number: 11433967
    Abstract: A motorcycle includes left and right side cases respectively configured to be attachable to and detachable from left and right portions of a body frame, left and right rotation supporters that respectively support upper portions of the left and right side cases, and left and right rotation attenuation mechanisms that respectively attenuate rotations of the left and right side cases about first and second axes. The left and right rotation attenuation mechanisms respectively include bolts that respectively extend in directions of the first and second axes, rotation members respectively connected to lower portions of the left and right side cases and being supported by the bolts to be rotatable about third and fourth axes that are different from the first and second axes, and inner outer cylindrical dampers respectively provided between the bolts and the rotation members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Sugawara, Tomoki Onoue, Shinya Yamada, Akiyoshi Endo, Akihiro Suzuki, Yoshinori Teramoto
  • Patent number: 11427044
    Abstract: A trailer coupler lock assembly has a rigid protective case that receives an interlock adapter for interlocking a trailer coupler within the rigid protective case. The rigid protective case has a compartment dedicated for securing a safety chain assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: DYNAMIC MANUFACTURING GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald James Lee, II, Anthony Francis Sansone
  • Patent number: 11426313
    Abstract: A wheelchair including a frame and a suspension system. The suspension system may have at least one front caster arm pivotally connected to the frame, a front caster connected to the front caster arm, a first link, and a second link. The first link is pivotally connected to the frame, and the second link is slidably connected to the front caster arm and pivotally connected to the first link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: MOTION CONCEPTS L.P.
    Inventors: David Ciolfe, David Headrick, Son Ma
  • Patent number: 11325435
    Abstract: An offset hitch bale accumulator hitch for connecting a hay baler to a bale accumulator including a pitch axle based pitch movement assembly, a roll movement assembly using a long channel twisting joint, a yaw limiting movement assembly use double arm connections and an offset movement assembly including a beam in tube linear joint controlled by an extension actuator perpendicular the forward and backward towing forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventor: Les Riddle