Patents Examined by San Aung
  • Patent number: 8757332
    Abstract: Ventilated heat shields and methods are disclosed. The ventilated heat shield can use varying patterns of insulating material with ventilation regions arranged in one or more two-dimensional (2D) and/or three-dimensional (3D) patterns to provide thermal insulation and air channels that allow for dissipation of heat and the inflow of cooling air. The ventilated heat shield can be used in applications where two surfaces are required to be in very close proximity or contact with each other to reduce the transfer of heat from one surface to the other. An example application for the ventilated heat shield is in a vehicle braking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Hard Brakes, Inc.
    Inventors: T. Alan Keahey, James P. Lill
  • Patent number: 8752678
    Abstract: A disc brake is arrangeable in a space that accommodates a brake caliper having an application device. The brake caliper is held slidably with guiding elements on a brake carrier, which is fastened with screws to an axle connection at the vehicle. The caliper straddles a brake disc, against which brake pads can be pressed on either side while braking. At least the brake pad on the application side is mounted movably in the direction of the brake disc in a pad shaft of the brake carrier. A device for the visual identification of the wear of a brake pad and/or brake disc is constructed so that for identifying wear, a pointer element, extending in the opposite direction to the brake disc, is connected at least at one screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Gruber, Thomas Reno
  • Patent number: 8746404
    Abstract: Gas turbine engines systems and methods involving oil flow management are provided. In this regard, a oil pressure analysis system for a gas turbine engine is operative to: receive information corresponding to measured oil pressure and rotational speed during a start up of the engine; correlate the information into data sets, each of the data sets containing a measured oil pressure and a corresponding rotational speed; and determine whether the oil flow valve is functioning properly based on the information contained in the data sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Mahdy A. Allam
  • Patent number: 8746661
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydro-pneumatic piston accumulator (1), particularly for vehicle suspension systems, consisting of an accumulator housing (2) and a separating piston (6), which is disposed free-floating inside the accumulator housing in a displaceable manner in the direction of the movement axis (4). The separating piston separates an accumulator area (8) for a hydraulic medium from a pressure area (10) that is filled or is to be filled with a compressible medium, and is guided with an interior guide opening (30) on an elongated guide element (32), which is axially fixed within the accumulator housing (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Hemscheidt Fahrwerktechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Walter Runkel
  • Patent number: 8746420
    Abstract: Cut-in-cut-out valves for hydraulic circuits. The hydraulic circuits include a hydraulic pump outputting a variable pressure controlled by a slaving line, an accumulation circuit, a return line to the reservoir, a cut in-cut-out valve. The hydraulic circuits also include a cut-in-cut-out valve having four orifices, a first orifice connected to the supply line, a second orifice connected to the slaving line, a third orifice connected to the return line leading to the reservoir, and a fourth orifice connected to the accumulation circuit. The cut-in-cut-out valve alternates between two positions as a function of the pressure in the accumulation circuit, a cut-in position in which the first, second and fourth orifices are connected to each other, and a cut-out position in which the first and fourth orifices are closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Poclain Hydraulics Industrie
    Inventor: Dominique P Costaz
  • Patent number: 8740196
    Abstract: A linkage comprises a first rounded end providing a complimentary profile configured to mate with an inner radius of a loop element in a first drawbar spring, and a second rounded end opposite the first rounded end. The second rounded end provides a complimentary profile configured to mate with an inner radius of a loop element in a second drawbar spring. The linkage is configured to be positioned between the loop element in the first drawbar spring and the loop element in the second drawbar spring such that the first rounded end is mated with the loop element in the first drawbar spring and the second rounded end is mated with the loop element in the second drawbar spring to mechanically couple the first drawbar spring in series with the second drawbar spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Inventor: Jay Rodger Elrod
  • Patent number: 8739948
    Abstract: A valve assembly for a shock absorber includes a valve body defining a fluid passage. A valve disc engages the valve body to close the fluid passage. A fulcrum disc engages the valve disc at a first position and a second position radially outward from the first position. The fulcrum disc is designed such that the second position is closer to the valve body. In one embodiment, the fulcrum disc is concave with respect to the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: John Patrick McGahey
  • Patent number: 8733515
    Abstract: There is provided a caliper body for a two system-type disc brake for a vehicle, which is reduced in size and has an improved air bleeding property by employing a simple structure. In the caliper body for the two-system disc brake for the vehicle, a communication path, which connects cylinder holes for a first brake system, and a first bleeder hole are formed rectilinearly on an outside, in a disc radius direction, of an imaginary line IL1 which rectilinearly connects inner edges, in the disc radius direction, of cylinder holes for a first brake system and a cylinder hole for a second brake system is provided on an outside, in the disc radius direction, of the communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Hiramori, Toshihiro Kusano
  • Patent number: 8733512
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electric disc brake capable of reducing noise and vibration while expanding the life span of the product. The electric disc brake includes a caliper housing to press friction pads provided at both sides of a disc against the disc, a cylinder installed in the caliper housing, a piston moving back and forth in the cylinder to press the friction pads, a driving device generating driving force with respect to the piston, and a volume compensation part communicated with the cylinder to compensate for an increment of a volume of the cylinder according to movement of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Jin Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 8733848
    Abstract: A vehicular braking apparatus including a shut-off valve for shutting off, as needed, a flow of oil from a wheel cylinder to a master cylinder; a pressure increase-decrease control valve increasing and decreasing a pressure in the wheel cylinder; a reservoir receiving and storing in a reservoir chamber the oil from the wheel cylinder when the pressure increase-decrease control valve is in a pressure decrease position; a pump sucking in and pressuring the oil from the reservoir chamber and supplying the oil to the wheel cylinder via the pressure increase-decrease control valve when the pressure increase-decrease control valve is in a pressure increase position; and a communication control valve controlling communication between the master cylinder and the reservoir chamber. The communication control valve is a normally-closed valve and is opened by a suction pressure of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isono, Yasuji Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8733513
    Abstract: Provided is a disk brake in which a rotation control part for controlling relative rotation of a cartridge and a cylinder of a parking brake mechanism is formed at the cartridge and includes convex parts having curved surfaces and concave parts formed at the cylinder and having curved surfaces, and a spacer formed of stainless steel, resiliently fitted into an inner circumference of the cylinder and including arc part having the same shape as the concave parts is disposed between the convex parts and the concave parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Takahashi, Shigoru Hayashi, Yorihito Miura
  • Patent number: 8727081
    Abstract: A restraint device for being secured on a telescopic suspension comprising a first portion, which may be a fork band comprising a first restraining hook, a second portion comprising a body, a trigger, at least one magnetic member, and a second restraining hook, wherein the first restraining hook and the second restraining hook are configured to selectively engage one another to secure the suspension in a compressed position, and wherein the at least one magnetic member is configured to retract the second restraining hook when the device is disengaged to permit normal operation of the suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Works Connection, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Phipps
  • Patent number: 8727453
    Abstract: A hydraulic pressure control apparatus has an electromagnetic valve having a valve body forced to one side by an elastic member and a coil driving the valve body to the other side; a hydraulic pressure control section for calculating a command current value to drive the electromagnetic valve and controlling a hydraulic pressure in a hydraulic circuit by opening/closing the electromagnetic valve; a current detection section detecting a value of the current passing through the coil; and a command current value correction section. The command current value correction section detects a change of an inductance of the coil when the valve body moves from the one side to the other side or from the other side to the one side through the current detection section, and corrects the command current value using the detected inductance change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Saita, Taichi Shibata, Masamichi Imamura, Shinichiro Nishida, Satoshi Doi, Tadaharu Yokota
  • Patent number: 8708430
    Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle brake system includes first and second groups of wheel brakes belonging, respectively, to first and second brake circuits having first and second compressed air storage tanks for providing first and second stored pressures. At least one first circuit brake cylinder is a combined spring-store/diaphragm cylinder with a spring store part for providing a parking brake and a diaphragm part for providing a service brake. If the first circuit fails, the spring store part is deaerated to engage the parking brake. A pressure sensor for measuring the first stored pressure is connected to a control unit that controls a modulator for aerating and deaerating the spring store part. The control unit generates a signal for an electrically actuatable modulator solenoid valve if the value measured by the sensor falls below a minimum value, such that the spring store part can be aerated and deaerated via the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Bensch, Jörg Helmer, Bernd-Joachim Kiel, Hartmut Rosendahl
  • Patent number: 8708110
    Abstract: The invention relates to a brake device for braking a moving brake body (2) by means of pressing a brake element (3, 4) onto the brake body (2), wherein a conversion device (7) is provided for converting a rotational movement of a brake drive shaft (9) into a translational movement of the brake element (4) in the direction of the brake body (2), wherein a rotary percussion mechanism (8) is connected between the brake drive shaft (9) and the conversion device (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: S.B. Patent Holdings ApS
    Inventor: Erik Skjaerbaek
  • Patent number: 8701845
    Abstract: A suspension device (S) comprises: an actuator (A) including a motion conversion mechanism (T) for converting rotational motion of a screw nut (1) to linear motion of a threaded shaft (2), and a motor (M) connected to the screw nut (1); and a fluid pressure damper (D) connected to the threaded shaft (2), wherein the threaded shaft (2) is formed in a cylindrical shape, a connecting shaft (30) for connecting a rod (31) or a cylinder (32) of the fluid pressure damper (D) to the threaded shaft (2) is inserted into the threaded shaft (2), and the connecting shaft (30) is connected to an end, opposite to the fluid pressure damper, of the threaded shaft (2). Accordingly, the connection between the actuator and the hydraulic damper is facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuhiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 8701846
    Abstract: A shock absorber includes a hydraulic compression stop. The hydraulic stop includes a pressure tube surrounding the pressure tube of the shock absorber and a piston in hydraulic communication with the interior of the pressure tube. The piston can be disposed within the pressure tube and can be attached to the pressure tube or to the shock absorber. The hydraulic stop can also include a hydraulic fluid chamber and the piston can be disposed within the hydraulic fluid chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc
    Inventors: Koen Reybrouck, M'Hand Nait Oukhedou, Simon Anne de Molina
  • Patent number: 8702179
    Abstract: A brake system for a vehicle includes brake cylinders operated by pressurized fluid for actuation of brakes by means of pressurized fluid on at least one first axle of the vehicle. The brakes on at least one other, second, axle can be actuated exclusively electromechanically in response to an electrical braking request signal. The pressure of the pressurized fluid can be modulated indirectly or directly and the electrical braking request signal can be generated indirectly or directly in response to actuation of a brake pedal of a brake pedal device. A service brake function is provided by means of hybrid use of the brakes on the first axle(s) together with the brakes on the second axle(s). The brake cylinders operated by pressurized fluid are pneumatically operated brake cylinders. The pressure modulated by the brake pedal device is a pneumatic pressure, and the pressurized fluid is compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Beier, Henning Förster, Hartmut Rosendahl, Gerhard Bruns, Olaf Jantz, Wolfgang Strache
  • Patent number: 8672106
    Abstract: A self-regulating suspension includes a first suspension member movable relative to a second suspension member, a fluid reservoir having a volume, the volume variable in response to a relative movement between the first and second suspension members, and a fluid flow circuit having a first end in fluidic communication with the fluid reservoir and a second end in fluidic communication with an isolated suspension location, the fluid flow circuit comprising a first valve, a second valve and a third valve, wherein said first and third valves are in parallel with each other and the second valve is in series with each of the first and third valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Laird, William Becker
  • Patent number: 8662483
    Abstract: A shock absorber for vehicle seat is provided. The shock absorber is suspended on a seat frame so as to elastically support a pad. The shock absorber includes: a plurality of wires that are disposed in parallel to the seat frame, both ends of the wires being locked to the seat frame; and a resinous member that connects the wires to each other, the resinous member having a bent portion, wherein the resinous member is elastically deformable in a direction in which the wires are opposed each other in accordance with a deformation of the bent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetomo Yamaguchi, Masayuki Kitou, Toshiyuki Ario, Ryuji Hayashi