Patents Examined by T. Scott Fix
  • Patent number: 12263588
    Abstract: A section of a continuum arm robot including a pair of pivot points at a first and second end of the joint, the section further having a first and second connecting rod connected to the section and joining at the centre of the section, the connecting rods has a plurality of gear teeth at the peripheral ends of the connecting rod that intermesh at a central point on the section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Liam D Harrison, Andrew D Norton
  • Patent number: 12264737
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic shift range switching device (10) which is configured to control a shift range of a vehicle, the device comprising: a housing unit (100); a shifting knob unit (200) exposed at one end thereof to the outside of the housing unit (100) and disposed at the other end thereof within the hosing unit (100) in such a manner as to be rotatable with respect to the housing unit (100); and a locking correction integrated unit (300) configured to control whether or not to interrupt the rotation of the shifting knob unit (200) and to return a position of the shifting knob unit (200) to a P shift range in a self-correction manner under a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: LS AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Won Lee, Hyun Seong Cho, Jin Han Park
  • Patent number: 12251832
    Abstract: A continuum arm robot comprising: a tool, a tip section comprising a number of sections a manipulatable robotic section having multiple degrees of freedom, a stiffening section comprising a passive core with an inflatable section surrounding the passive core and a valve for allowing a fluid into the inflatable outer; and a passive section comprising a length of flexible conduit, wherein the core of the passive section and the stiffening section contain the cables for manipulating the tip section and the fluid conduit for supplying the fluid to the inflatable outer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Andrew D Norton, Xin Dong, Dragos A Axinte
  • Patent number: 12251815
    Abstract: An intelligent flexible biomimetic facial-expression robot is provided and includes a model head, a skeleton, a drive means, and an epidermal layer. The skeleton defines two first slide slots and two first notches. The drive means includes a mounting bracket, an eyebrow drive module, and an eyelid drive module. The eyebrow drive module includes a first drive source, a first crank, and a first rocker. The eyelid drive module includes a second rocker. The epidermal layer defines two first areas and two second areas. Each of the first crank and the second crank passes through the two first slide slots. A distal end of the first crank drives the two first areas, asynchronous with respect to the second crank driving the two second areas, and the two first areas and the two second areas flexibly deform to generate expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Inventor: Quansheng Wang
  • Patent number: 12252011
    Abstract: A driveline system and driveline operating method are provided herein. In one example, the driveline system includes a hydraulic coupling designed to rotationally couple to a prime mover and an output interface designed to rotationally couple to a downstream driveline component, and a power take-off (PTO) assembly. The PTO assembly includes a first pump gear rotationally coupled to an input gear that is directly coupled to the output interface, where the first pump gear is designed to rotationally couple to a first pump via a first pump shaft interface and a first pump adapter designed to mount to the first pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: DANA BELGIUM N.V.
    Inventors: Kurt Cattoor, Filip D. Schacht
  • Patent number: 12246444
    Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure provides a strain wave gear device including an internal gear, an external gear and a wave generator. The wave generator has a cam and a fourth bearing. The cam has a non-circular outer peripheral surface, and the fourth bearing is positioned between the inner peripheral surface of the external gear and the outer peripheral surface of the cam. The fourth bearing has an outer ring, an inner ring, a plurality of balls, and a retainer. The strain wave gear device includes a restricting portion provided such that the restricting portion can avoid touching the retainer. The restricting portion can restrict the fourth bearing from moving in the direction extending along the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
    Inventor: Yuta Wanaka
  • Patent number: 12246443
    Abstract: An arm joint for a manipulator having a motor with a transmission, comprising a gear wheel that can rotate about a transmission axis of rotation, wherein the gear wheel is rotatably mounted in a housing of the arm joint and has an adapter on at least one of its end sides, and wherein the adapter has an opening that is central relative to the transmission axis of rotation on the side facing away from the end side of the gear wheel The central opening has an internal thread for the purpose of a simple construction, easy assembly and a great number of variation possibilities in terms of construction and application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Raak, Felix Berger
  • Patent number: 12246441
    Abstract: A robot in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present technology includes a torso having a superior portion, an inferior portion, and an intermediate portion therebetween. The robot further includes two legs connected to the torso via the inferior portion of the torso, two arms connected to the torso via the superior portion of the torso, and a protrusion also connected to the torso via the inferior portion of the torso and extending anteriorly from the torso. The robot is configured to move an object toward the torso at least partially via contact between the object and at least one of the arms. The robot is further configured to support a weight of the object at least partially via the protrusion while the robot ambulates via the legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Agility Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Abate, Jonathan Hurst
  • Patent number: 12228959
    Abstract: A manual activation system includes a housing and a pulley arranged within the housing. The pulley is movable between an inactive position and an active position. A tension member is wrapped about the pulley and has a tensile force acting on the pulley. At least one link arm is rotatably mounted within the housing. The at least one link arm is operably coupled to the pulley to selectively oppose the tensile force acting on the pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: KIDDE-FENWAL, LLC
    Inventor: Karen Bouchard
  • Patent number: 12205427
    Abstract: A compensating element having first and second modules is disclosed. A locking mechanism which can be switched between a first and a second operating state is provided. The first module is connected firmly to the second module in the first operating state. The first operating state defines a zero position between the first and the second module. The first and the second module are connected to one another in the second operating state by a spring mechanism in such a way that they are movable relative to one another. The compensating element has a midaxis, and the first and the second module are arranged at least partially next to one another in the direction of the midaxis. A measuring system is also disclosed with which the relative position between the first and the second module can be measured. The first or second module includes an externally visible luminous surface. A luminous state of the luminous surface is dependent on the relative position measured by the measuring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Efim Kuhn, Andreas Rueb, David Geissler, Fan Yang, Floria Krusche, Markus Groganz, Michael Danzberger, Peter Schlegel, Sebastian Siedler, Thomas Dickmann, Tobias Wolf
  • Patent number: 12196294
    Abstract: A crank device or crank drive is disclosed which has a crankshaft, into which a variable first force can be introduced by way of a transmission element over a variable first lever spacing. Here, the first variable force has a predefined profile and/or predefined change. A profile of the first variable lever spacing is designed in a manner which is dependent on the predefined profile of the first variable force in such a way that an effect of change in the first variable force on the crankshaft is at least partially compensated for. The compensation is provided over a rotational range of the crankshaft, which is preferably less than one revolution of the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Schneider, Sebastian Amend
  • Patent number: 12188556
    Abstract: A blocking component includes a body, arranged fixedly, a slidable member, slidably connected to the body and movable relative to the body, an elastic member, arranged between the body and the slidable member and configured to apply an elastic reset force to the slidable member so that the slidable member tends to move towards the outside of the body and a blocking member, rotatably connected to the slidable member and having a stop surface facing away from the body, a transition surface facing the body, and an abutting surface facing the slidable member. When the blocking member is in a natural state, the abutting surface is in contact with a surface of the slidable member, and the natural state includes at least a state in which no external force away from the body is applied to the transition surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: FICOSA INTERNATIONAL TAICANG CO. LTD
    Inventors: Kan Xu, Feng Zhang, Cheng Huang
  • Patent number: 12188543
    Abstract: A speed reducer-equipped motor includes a motor, first gear, eccentric shaft, and stopper protrusions. The speed reducer-equipped motor also includes a transmission gear, an output member, a rotation stopper, and an interference avoider. The transmission gear revolves around an axis of the first gear following rotation of the first gear along with the eccentric shaft. The output member rotates following the revolution of the transmission gear. The rotation stopper works to stop the transmission gear from rotating the center thereof in response to sliding motion of the stopper protrusions on the rotation stopper. The interference avoider is arranged between the rotation stopper and the transmission gear and works to avoid physical or mechanical interference of corners of the rotation stopper which are located close to the stopper protrusions with base end portions of the stopper protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuki Maruo
  • Patent number: 12181039
    Abstract: Disclosure relates to a vehicle gear knob replacing a transmission structure including an R button, a D button, and an N button, with a gear rod method or a rotary jog/shuttle method, the vehicle gear knob including: a lower support including a pair of first grooves to which the R button and the D button are guided, respectively, and a second groove to which the N button is guided; an upper support provided above the lower support and blocking the R button, the D button, and the N button from being exposed; a press operation part coupled to the upper support and operating the N button by a pressing force; and a grip part provided above the press operation part and selectively operating the R button or the D button by using the lever principle, if a driver grips the grip part and applies force thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Inventor: Jae Yong Bang
  • Patent number: 12179344
    Abstract: The invention relates to a robot arm having at least two limbs (2), which are connected to one another at their ends via an articulated joint (10) so that they can be pivoted relative to one another about a rotation axis (A), the two limbs (2) each comprising at least one joint portion (3) and a transition region (4) adjoined thereto and each extending in a longitudinal direction (L). According to the invention, the transition region (4) of at least one of the limbs (2, 2a) has a circumferential edge (6) which, when viewed from a direction running transverse to the rotation axis (A) and transverse to the longitudinal direction (L), crosses a parting line (9) between the two joint portions (3) and runs at a predefined distance radially outside the joint portion (3) of the other limb (2), the circumferential edge (6) running at a distance, in relation to the rotation axis (A), of less than 25 mm outside the surface of the joint portion (3) of the other limb (2) arranged beneath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Agile Robots SE
    Inventor: Daniel Mark Dürr
  • Patent number: 12179348
    Abstract: A bi-directional robotic crawler includes a first drive system having a first drive member, a second drive member, and a support member. The first drive member includes a first pair of wheels and the second drive member includes a second pair of wheels. A second drive system includes a third drive member and a fourth drive member. The third drive member includes a first drive element and the fourth drive member includes a second drive element. A linking member selectively pivots the third drive member and the fourth drive member relative to the support member. A motor is mounted to the first drive system. The motor selectively operates the first and second pairs of wheels to move the bi-directional robotic crawler along a first axis and the first and second drive elements to move the bi-directional robotic crawler along a second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Honeybee Robotics, LLC
    Inventors: Shazad Sadick, Jack Wilson, Jonathan Bohren
  • Patent number: 12181025
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mechanical linkage device including a ground link comprising an inverse center linked to one end of the ground link. The mechanical linkage device further includes a movement link connecting the ground link to a control point. The mechanical linkage device further includes two or more linkages having a first link of the two or more linkages including a first end linked to the control point and a second link of the two or more linkages including second end linked to an end point. The end point, the control point, and the inverse center of the ground link remain co-linear. The control point and the end point have an inverse relationship such that movement of the control point is inversely translated to the end point. The ground link, the movement link, and at least one of the two or more linkages do not all he in a plane throughout an entire range of motion of the mechanical linkage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: University of Washington
    Inventor: Jeffrey Lipton
  • Patent number: 12181024
    Abstract: A speed reducer-equipped motor includes a motor, a helical gear, an eccentric shaft, a stationary gear with a second stopper, a transmission gear, an output gear unit, and a lock gear with a first stopper. The first stopper mechanically contacts with the second stopper, thereby stopping the lock gear from revolving and rotating to stop the rotation of the output gear unit. A physical load which is generated by the contact of the first stopper with the second stopper and acts on that contact and a physical load which is generated by the contact of the first stopper and the second stopper and acts on meshed portions of teeth of the first stopper and the second stopper are oriented in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuki Maruo
  • Patent number: 12157522
    Abstract: An actuator for rear-axle steering system of a motor vehicle comprises a threaded spindle (2) which is surrounded by planets (21), each provided with a corresponding profiling (8), wherein the planets (21) are guided in a driven cage (13) and, via further profiling (25), contact a nut (4) that surrounds areas of the planets (21) provided with said profiling (8) and is supported with respect to the cage (13) by rolling bearings (14), and wherein the cage (13) is mounted in a housing (20) by means of further rolling bearings (30, 31, 32, 33) and is non-rotatably connected to an output-side component (12, 34) of a further transmission (10, 11, 12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Wuebbolt-Gorbatenko, Daniel Faber, Alexander Hausmann
  • Patent number: 12138788
    Abstract: A mechanism (30) and a method for inserting an elongate member (35) through an aperture of a body, along a longitudinal axis (35), the mechanism comprising a feed portion (42) comprising a feed actuator (43) configured to engage with and drive the elongate member along the longitudinal axis; and, a twist portion (44) comprising a twist actuator (82) configured to engage with the feed portion and rotate the elongate member about the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: James Kell, David Alatorre Troncoso