Patents Examined by Stephen Bowes
  • Patent number: 9920810
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a damping valve for a shock absorber, comprising a base body with a first support body and with a second support body and comprising one or more valve spring discs which separate a first damping fluid space from a second damping fluid space, wherein the valve spring discs are supported against the first support body via an inner edge support, and against the second support body via an outer edge support, and which control a passage of damping fluid in both directions by virtue of the fact that the valve spring discs lift-off either from the inner edge support or from the outer edge support, by elastic deflection. According to the invention, a stroke movable control body is provided which is prestressed against the valve spring discs, so that the control behaviour of the valve spring discs can be adjusted via the edge supports by the prestress of the control body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP BILSTEIN GMBH
    Inventors: Dmitrij Smeljanskij, Klaus Schmidt, Ole Götz, Wolfgang Hamers, Freddy Woenarta
  • Patent number: 9908515
    Abstract: A drive assembly has a drive motor at least in part contained in a housing and having a rotor rotating an output shaft. A selector mechanism is movable into one of a plurality of orientations corresponding to one of a plurality of drive motor settings. A brake assembly is configured to couple to the rotor of the drive motor and is moveable between a braked position in which the brake assembly impedes rotation of the rotor and a released position in which the brake assembly allows rotation of the rotor. An actuator is arranged in the housing to engage the brake assembly at least when the brake assembly is in the braked position and to engage the selector mechanism at least when the brake assembly is in the released position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Darren J. Ziskovsky, Austin B. Stephens
  • Patent number: 9890827
    Abstract: Architected materials with superior energy absorption properties when loaded in compression. In several embodiments such materials are formed from micro-truss structures composed of interpenetrating tubes in a volume between a first surface and a second surface. The stress-strain response of these structures, for compressive loads applied to the two surfaces, is tailored by arranging for some but not all of the tubes to extend to both surfaces, adjusting the number of layers of repeated unit cells in the structure, arranging for the nodes to be offset from alignment along lines normal to the surfaces, or including multiple interlocking micro-truss structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias A. Schaedler, Alan J. Jacobsen, Zak C. Eckel, Sophia S. Yang, Adam E. Sorensen, Jacob M. Hundley, William Carter, Jie Jiang
  • Patent number: 9874259
    Abstract: An adjustment device is provided for adjusting the wear of brake pads and a brake disk of a disc brake, in particular of a pneumatically actuated disc brake. The disc brake includes a brake application device actuated by a rotary lever, which brake application device has an adjusting spindle into which the adjustment device is insertable. The adjustment device is attached to a brake caliper of the disc brake by way of a bearing disk. The adjustment device is provided with a spindle and at least one friction pairing, each friction pairing having two contact surfaces. The friction pairing has a curved cross-section of at least one of its two contact surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Tropp
  • Patent number: 9855940
    Abstract: A vehicle brake monitor assembly for an air disk brake includes a brake actuator having a pushrod projecting from inside a chamber of said brake actuator. The pushrod releasably actuates a lever arm of a caliper thereby moving the disk brake into a braking position when the pushrod is in an extended position and releasing the disk brake from the braking position when the pushrod is in a retracted position. The pushrod includes a pushrod shaft and a contact member biased in a telescoping relationship relative to the pushrod shaft and the lever arm of the caliper abuts the contact member counteracting the bias of the contact member. A sensor is integrated with the assembly proximate the contact member and detects movement of the pushrod relative to the lever arm and to the pushrod shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Indian Head Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Wallace, Richard J. Rink, Glenn Singletary, Mark David Chandler, Andrew P. Schartner
  • Patent number: 9828009
    Abstract: Provided is a hand brake, comprising a hand wheel (4), a chain (5), an enclosure (1), a drive shaft assembly (3) which is disposed in the enclosure (1), bull gear (13), and base assembly; the hand wheel (4) is connected to the drive shaft assembly (3), one end of the chain (5) is fixed to the bull gear (13) by means of rivets, and the main shaft of the bull gear (13) is a chain winding shaft (2). The hand brake further comprises a limiting device disposed on the chain winding shaft (2) between the bull gear (13) and the base (22); the limiting device comprises a first bearing (10), a torsion spring (11), a guide plate (9), and a guide plate holder (23). Installing the hand brake not only prevents the problem of the chain interfering with the movable pulley when the hand brake is deployed and thus affecting the performance of the hand brake, but also provides for a better appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: CRRC QINGDAO SIFANG ROLLING STOCK RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jingquan Bi, Chaoheng Wang, Xiangrui Li, Jigang Zhou, Xin Zhang, Chao Lin
  • Patent number: 9829114
    Abstract: A pressure regulator configured to regulate a pressure of a working fluid by two pilot pressures, including: a spool valve mechanism having a spool; a first biasing mechanism configured to bias the spool toward the other end of the pressure regulator in its axial direction by a first pilot pressure in a first-pilot-pressure chamber; a second biasing mechanism configured to bias the spool toward the other end of the pressure regulator by a second pilot pressure in a second-pilot-pressure chamber; and a counter biasing mechanism configured to bias the spool toward one end of the pressure regulator by a pressure of the working fluid in a regulated-pressure chamber, wherein the counter biasing mechanism has a counter biasing piston configured to push the spool toward the one end of the pressure regulator by the pressure of the working fluid in the regulated-pressure chamber applied to the counter biasing piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Isono
  • Patent number: 9796367
    Abstract: A vehicle brake device includes a hydraulic pressure generating device, a valve device, a pump and an accumulation section forming an accumulation chamber connected to a fluid passage between the valve device and the hydraulic pressure generating device or to a master chamber. A dead band is set in which the change of force of the magnitude corresponding to the hydraulic pressure in the master chamber does not substantially act on a brake operating member. A characteristic representing the relation between the pressure and the brake fluid quantity in the accumulation chamber is set based on a characteristic representing the relation between the pressure and the brake fluid quantity in a wheel cylinder and the dead band so that, when brake fluid is flowing into and from the accumulation chamber, a force of the magnitude corresponding to the master chamber hydraulic pressure does not act on the brake operating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Miyata, Yasuhiro Hineno, Keita Nakano, Takanori Iida
  • Patent number: 9791005
    Abstract: A brake pad assembly having a table and a web. The web may extend from the table and include a flange that may be disposed opposite the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Peter Moss
  • Patent number: 9791004
    Abstract: A disc brake includes a pair of end-side connector parts that connect a pair of cylinder parts across over a disc rotor, and an intermediate connector part that is installed between the end-side connector parts and that connects the pair of cylinder parts across over the disc rotor and brake pads. The brake pads are provided with protrusion segments that are formed at positions that are outer end sides in a rotor radial direction and that protrude in directions separated from middle portions of the brake pads in a rotor rotational direction, and the end-side connector parts are provided with pad engaging faces on which inner regions in the rotor radial direction of the protrusion segments are oppositely disposed and which are formed of the same member as a caliper main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Keisuke Nanri
  • Patent number: 9776605
    Abstract: A brake control device includes a pilot-type pressure-increasing device. A pilot unit of the pressure-increasing device is connected to a power hydraulic pressure generating device via a pilot input passage. A linear control valve that is also used for adjusting a hydraulic pressure of a wheel cylinder is provided on the pilot input passage. A brake ECU checks whether the pressure-increasing device is normally activated or not based on a hydraulic pressure outputted from the pressure-increasing device when the linear control valve is energized for an activation check. Thus, the brake ECU can perform the activation check of the pressure-increasing device without requiring a driver's operation on a brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Miyazaki, Kazunori Nimura
  • Patent number: 9765841
    Abstract: A damper assembly includes a tubular member, an outer cylinder positioned at least partially within the tubular member, an inner cylinder positioned at least partially within the outer cylinder, a cap coupled to the inner cylinder, a plunger received within the inner cylinder and coupled to an end of a rod extending at least partially within the inner cylinder, an annular piston fixed to the inner cylinder where the annular piston extends between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and a barrier extending between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder. The rod has an outer diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the inner cylinder. The plunger, the cap, and an interior of the inner cylinder at least partially define a first chamber. The barrier, the annular piston, an exterior surface of the inner cylinder, and the outer cylinder at least partially define a second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Erik Ellifson, Darin Rosenboom
  • Patent number: 9752634
    Abstract: The electric braking device is provided with: a pressing member, which has a thread portion with either an internal thread or an external thread and which applies a pressing force on a frictional member; a shaft member, which is rotated by an electric motor and is threadedly engaged with the thread portion; a first spherical surface member, which is separated from the shaft member, being capable of rotating relative to the shaft member around the axis of rotation of the shaft member, and the end surface of which is a spherical surface; and a second spherical surface member, which is in sliding contact with the spherical surface of the first spherical surface member, receives the reaction force of the pressing force, and is restrained from rotating with respect to the axis of rotation of the shaft member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Shinichiro Yukoku, Satoshi Hirata, Yasukuni Ojima, Eiichiro Iwase
  • Patent number: 9719573
    Abstract: A shock absorber includes: a communication passage configured to cause a working fluid chamber formed in a cylinder to communicate with a reservoir for reserving a working fluid therein; a damping force generating mechanism configured to apply resistance to the working fluid passing through the communication passage; a low-speed compression-side damping adjuster configured to change a damping force when a stroke speed is in a low-speed range during compression; a high-speed compression-side damping adjuster configured to change the damping force when the stroke speed is in a high-speed range, the high-speed range representing higher speed than the low-speed range during compression; and an extension-side damping adjuster configured to change the damping force during extension. The low-speed compression-side damping adjuster, the high-speed compression-side damping adjuster, and the extension-side damping adjuster are attached to a tank side of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: KYB Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9694800
    Abstract: A secondary parking apparatus is provided for a vehicle having components of a parking brake system, components of an anti-lock brake system (ABS), and a manually-operable device. The secondary parking apparatus comprises an electronic controller arranged to (i) monitor the manually-operable device to detect an operator intent signal to apply parking brakes of the parking brake system, (ii) receive a combination of one or more signals indicative of a fault condition of the vehicle, and (iii) provide one or more control signals to be applied to components of the ABS to selectively exhaust air pressure from components of the ABS to atmosphere so that parking brakes of the parking brake system are applied to park the vehicle when both the operator intent signal and the combination of one or more signals indicative of a fault condition of the vehicle are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Daniel P. Zula, David J. Taneyhill
  • Patent number: 9688259
    Abstract: A boost arrangement for pressurizing a master cylinder of a vehicle braking system of a vehicle includes a housing, a primary piston and a secondary piston. The housing defines a boost chamber filled with brake fluid. The primary piston is disposed in the boost chamber and defines an opening extending therethrough. The secondary piston has an end extending into the opening defined by the primary piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: Suat Ali Ozsoylu, Karen Ann Boswell
  • Patent number: 9689455
    Abstract: A modular piston assembly is associated with an air spring assembly that has a bellows rolling over a surface of the piston assembly. The modular piston assembly includes a first piston portion adapted to fasten to an associated air spring bellows. A second piston portion separate from the first portion, is adapted to fasten to an associated mounting component. Interlocking members are provided to secure the first and second piston portions together, and/or any desired intermediate piston portions. Discrete air reservoirs may also be included in the modular piston assembly to increase the volume of the air spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
    Inventor: Joshua R. Leonard
  • Patent number: 9676264
    Abstract: An active engine mount has a liquid chamber for keeping liquid in a housing. The active engine mount includes a separation plate that is disposed in the liquid chamber, has a space at its center, and divides the liquid chamber into an upper liquid chamber and a lower liquid chamber. At least one primary flow path connects the upper liquid chamber and the lower liquid chamber. An orifice plate is disposed under the space at the center of the separation plate and has at least one bypass flow path connected with the lower liquid chamber. An air chamber is disposed between the orifice plate and the space at the center of the separation plate, and is configured to open or close the at least one bypass flow path by changing its size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Seung-Won Kim
  • Patent number: 9670904
    Abstract: A hydraulic actuation device (1) for a brake device of a wind turbine including a hydraulic control line (10), which runs from a hydraulic system circuit (P) of a wind turbine to at least one brake cylinder (2) of a brake device. At least one restrictor (13) is arranged in the control line (10). At least one branch line (14) includes a pressure regulating member (15) that branches off from the control line (10) upstream of the restrictor (13) in the pressure build-up direction, bypassing the restrictor (13), and leads back into the control line (10) downstream of the restrictor (13). The pressure regulating member (15) open when the pressure present on the output side is low, but closes when the pressure at the pressure regulating member (15) on the output side of the pressure regulating member (15) exceeds a preset closing pressure (PS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Senvion SE
    Inventor: Karsten Warfen
  • Patent number: 9655793
    Abstract: A surgical patient support includes a foundation frame, a support top, and a brake system. The foundation frame includes a first column and a second column. The support top is coupled to the first column and the second column for rotation about a top axis extending along the length of the support top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Allen Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ben Hertz