Patents Examined by Patricia L. Engle
  • Patent number: 7744144
    Abstract: A device for activating a rear window of a motor vehicle is provided that includes a control lever designed as a 3-point link, which is pin-jointed at one end with the rear window. The device further includes a driving link, which can be driven rotatably about a first fixed bearing, and a coupling link, which is guided pivotably about a second fixed bearing. At least the first fixed bearing is arranged on a roof element of the motor vehicle, while the control lever is coupled to the driving link and the coupling link in a restricted guidance, such that a rotation of the driving link about the first fixed bearing shifts the linking point of the control lever to the rear window substantially vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Edscha Cabrio-Dachsysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Haberl, Klaus Obendiek
  • Patent number: 7744141
    Abstract: A retractable grip assist handle assembly provides an extendable support for a passenger during ingress to or egress from the vehicle. The retractable grip assist handle assembly includes a handle, and a body portion having a first end connected to the handle and the handle and body portion are extendable relative to the vehicle. A mechanical energy storage device is connected between a second end of the body portion and the vehicle. The mechanical energy storage device provides a return force that returns the handle to a retracted position from an extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Saionji, Saori Nakano, Masaya Koyama, Toyoshi Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 7740305
    Abstract: An enclosed freight body of a van-style cargo vehicle for transporting cargo comprises a side wall assembly, an end wall assembly and a roof assembly, and a multi-piece corner cap assembly interconnecting converging portions of the side wall assembly, the end wall assembly and the roof assembly together. The multi-piece corner cap assembly includes a rigid reinforcing member structurally interconnecting the side wall assembly and the end wall assembly, and a protective cover member attached to each of the side wall assembly, the end wall assembly and the roof assembly so as to cover the rigid reinforcing member from outside of the freight body. Also, the protective cover member is made of a flexible impact resistant material, while the rigid reinforcing member is made of a high stiffness and high strength material. The multi-piece corner cap system provides a combination of stiffness, strength, impact resistance and cost effectiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Morgan Trailer Financial Management, LLP.
    Inventor: William Kroppe
  • Patent number: 7740323
    Abstract: In a hydraulic drive device for vertical pivoting movement of a load carrying platform, a first directional control valve has only three switchover positions, including a neutral position relating to operation of stopping and holding a load carrying platform, a switching position relating to operation of lifting the load carrying platform, and a switch over position relating to operation of forced lowering of the load carrying platform. A second directional control valve has only three switchover positions, including a neutral position, a switching position, and a switchover position relating to operation of allowing the load carrying platform to fall by its own weight. The device includes a first on-off valve, a second on-off valve, and a third on-off valve that are proportional control solenoid valves for switching an appropriate one of the first and second directional control valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Kaneko, Tomohiko Yasuda, Takashi Yagyu, Yasuo Tanaka, Michio Fushiki
  • Patent number: 7740299
    Abstract: A lid is formed with a domed underside that faces the internal space of a vehicle console. The console includes an operating mechanism disposed within an end face of the console basic body and that lies in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis underneath the lid. The operating mechanism can be used universally both for individual lids as well as for lid wings. The operating mechanism requires as little usable space as possible to accommodate the operating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Lisa Dräxlmaier GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Reischer, Michael Windl
  • Patent number: 7735903
    Abstract: A utility vehicle includes a vehicle body frame having a left side portion and a right side portion, a front seat affixed to the vehicle body frame, a rear seat affixed to the vehicle body frame provided to the rear of the front seat, and a rear floor affixed to the vehicle body frame provided between the front seat and the rear seat. A first roof support structure includes a first left pipe member and first right pipe member that extend generally in the vertical direction from the vehicle body frame, a second roof support structure includes a second left pipe member and a second right pipe member that extend generally in the vertical direction from the vehicle body frame, and a third roof support structure includes a third left pipe member and third right pipe member that extend generally in the vertical direction from the vehicle body frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignees: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha, Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America
    Inventors: Takashi Yamamura, Craig Smith
  • Patent number: 7735896
    Abstract: An all-terrain vehicle has a cargo deck provided above rear wheels and a folding rear seat disposed on a front portion of the cargo deck. A seating surface covers an opening portion of an article storage area when the seating surface is set to allow an occupant to be seated on the seating surface. A backrest is rotated forward about rear rotation axes to cover the opening portion when the seating surface is rotated forward about the front rotation axes, thereby covering the opening portion of the article storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Kubota
  • Patent number: 7735907
    Abstract: A stamped metal panel used as part of a pillar of a motor vehicle includes a main wall, an outer side wall, an inner side wall and a transitional portion. The outer side wall extends from one side of the main wall. The inner side wall extends from an opposite side of the main wall and forms a generally U-shaped cross section with the main wall and the outer side wall. The inner side wall has a first wall that extends from the main wall and a second wall that extends from an end of the first wall opposite from the main wall. The transitional portion extends arcuately between the first wall and the second wall. The transitional portion is substantially tangential with at least the first wall of the first side wall to facilitate removal of the panel from between upper and lower halves of a stamping tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaime Nicole Moore, Stuart W. Bailey, Nobiaki Kitaura
  • Patent number: 7736103
    Abstract: A lawn mower cover device for storing and securing a lawn mower for storage or transport includes a container receiving the lawn mower to protect the lawn mower. The container has an open rear end to permit the lawn mower to be inserted into the container. A handle is coupled to the container. The handle is graspable to facilitate relocation of the container. A door is hingedly coupled to the handle. The door is selectively pivoted over the open rear end of the container to close the open rear end. A plurality of wheels is rotatably coupled to the container. The wheels roll along a support surface to facilitate relocation of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Inventor: Carl R. Leon
  • Patent number: 7736106
    Abstract: A locking system for locking a container to a vehicle includes a locking assembly mounted to a hoist frame and a striker assembly mounted to the vehicle chassis. The locking assembly has at least one hook for hooking over a frame member of the container. The hook has a center of mass that biases the hook to an unlocked position. The striker assembly strikes the hook at a location to move the hook against the bias of the hook's center of mass into a locked position in which the hook is hooked over the frame member of the container. As the hoist frame supporting the container is lowered, the striker assembly contacts the hook and rotates the hook against the bias of the hook's center of mass into the locked position. As the hoist frame is raised, the hook rises as well and loses contact with the striker assembly, thereby falling away from the hoist frame and unlocking the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Wastequip Manufacturing Company LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Talbot, Edward N. Haddad, Jr., Greg L. Mosdell
  • Patent number: 7735889
    Abstract: An all-terrain vehicle has a folding rear seat. The rear seat has a seating surface disposed between a pair of tire houses, a backrest disposed in a vehicle lateral direction at the rear of a front end portion of the seating surface, and a partition wall coupled with the backrest to define a front wall of the cargo deck. A lower end portion of the backrest supported to be rotatable forward with respect to the all-terrain vehicle about lower rotation axes arranged in the vehicle lateral direction. A partition wall is supported to be rotatable forward with respect to the all-terrain vehicle about upper rotation axes located above the lower rotation axes. The upper rotation axes are rotatably supported by the backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yamamura, Kaoru Haruna
  • Patent number: 7735906
    Abstract: A reinforcement member and reinforcement system for an article of manufacture (e.g., an automotive vehicle) are disclosed. The reinforcement member includes a carrier member and a reinforcement material and the carrier member includes one or multiple portions. The one portion or at least one of the multiples portions includes a reinforced portion that is divided into multiple sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Zephyros, Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Takahashi, Alex Mangiapane
  • Patent number: 7735892
    Abstract: A vehicle front portion structure having a storage portion for facilitating maintenance for a vehicle front portion includes a first storage portion that includes a bottom portion extending in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, left and right walls extending upwardly from the bottom portion, a ceiling portion connecting the left and right walls and a back wall closing the respective backs of the bottom portion, left and right walls and ceiling portion. The first storage portion is provided with a maintenance opening formed to be spanned among the back wall, a left wall continuous with the back wall and the bottom portion continuous with the back wall, and with the lid body which covers the maintenance opening in an attachable and detachable manner. A key cylinder arrangement structure for a vehicle is provided that can significantly enhance operability of a key cylinder while preventing tampering or theft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Sakamoto, Sadamichi Enjo, Hideo Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7731460
    Abstract: A self-adjusting loading guide and restraint for guiding and restraining aircraft unit load devices includes a base and an arm substantially upwardly extending from the base. The arm includes a vertical restraint portion and guide member having at least one substantially planar guide surface that is pivotally connected to the arm, and is movable between a first guide position and a second guide position. When the vertical restraint portion is engaged with a stowed first unit load device, the guide member assists in guiding a second unit load device away from the first unit load device and the loading guide and restraint and into a stowage location that is adjacent to the first unit load device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: James R. Brown, Wallace H. Larson, Justin W. Smith
  • Patent number: 7731264
    Abstract: An overlay for a motorcycle inner fairing including a conformal overlay that conforms to dimensional features of an inner fairing substrate, the inner fairing substrate includes a plurality of associated peripheral edges defining an inner surface, an outer surface, and an associated thickness t.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Inventor: Derik T. Jones
  • Patent number: 7726724
    Abstract: An aerodynamic device is disclosed for limiting aerodynamic drag on the rear surface of various types of trucks with trailers. The aerodynamic device includes a plurality of rigid members and a flexible sheet designed to create a pyramid-shaped projection pointing away from the rear surface of the trailer. The device members can be quickly disassembled and the flexible sheet collapses so that the aerodynamic device lies flat against the rear surface of the trailer. The aerodynamic device can be attached directly to doors on the rear surface of a trailer or to a mounting frame that may rotate around to the side of the trailer where a roll-up style door is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Stephen Kohls
  • Patent number: 7726709
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper structure includes a pipe member that extends along the vehicle-width direction. A bumper shock absorbing member extends along the vehicle-width direction, and has a loading space in which the pipe member is placed. A fixing member has a first end portion which is fixed to a vehicle body and a second end portion to which the bumper shock absorbing member is fixed. A bumper cover may be provided on the outer side of the bumper shock absorbing member, and cover the bumper shock absorbing member, the pipe member, and the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sergio Sampaio
  • Patent number: 7726921
    Abstract: A stanchion containment systems and method for securely storing and for safely accessing large and/or heavy items. The present stanchion containment system is particularly suited for use in dynamic locations. The stanchion assemblies includes a ceiling assembly releasably engaged with holes in the ceiling plate, and a deck assembly releasably engaged with holes in the deck plate. At least one linkage assembly connects the two or more of the stanchion assemblies. The linkage assembly substantially supports the stanchion assembly for translation from a first location to a second location, to provide access to the items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: McNally Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Lombardi, Steven T. Dorsey
  • Patent number: 7726721
    Abstract: A displaceable roof in a vehicle, in particular a folding top in a motor vehicle, with a front first roof section for connecting to the frame of the windshield of the vehicle, a second roof section disposed after it, and two link configurations which are mounted on both sides of the center of the vehicle, connect the roof sections to each other. The link configurations contain at least two links which couple the two roof sections to each other in such a manner that the first roof section moves over the second roof section during closing or opening of the roof. The roof link configurations are mounted on both sides of the center of the vehicle in bearings fixed on the vehicle body and are articulated on the second roof section. Each roof link configuration is coupled to a link of the link configuration disposed on the same side of the vehicle, for the purpose of displacing the roof sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Mathias Fröschle
  • Patent number: 7722108
    Abstract: A windshield device for obtaining a favorable screen effect with respect to an air flow from the sides of a screen while suppressing large-sizing of the screen in the vehicle width direction. In a front cowling which includes a screen unit which is mounted on a front portion of a vehicle body and has a screen, an air introducing opening is formed in a front portion of the screen unit and opens forwardly. An air blow-off opening is formed in an upper portion of the screen unit that opens upwardly. An air duct allows the screen unit and the air blow-off opening to communicate with each other. Air discharge ports which open outwardly and to the sides from the vehicle are formed in a side of the air duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukiya Ueda, Yukinori Kurakawa, Yohei Kawasaki