Patents Examined by Thomas Diaz
  • Patent number: 7665382
    Abstract: A bicycle shift control device is provided with a shift winding member, a winding pawl, a winding member return element, a gear shifting mechanism and a winding pawl biasing element. The winding member is movably arranged between a rest position and a shifting position. The winding pawl moves in response to movement of the winding member. The winding member return element biases the winding member to the rest position and to bias the winding pawl to a pawl engagement position when the winding member is moved from the rest position towards the shifting position. The gear shifting mechanism includes winding teeth that are engaged with the winding pawl. The winding pawl biasing element applies a biasing force to the winding pawl that urges the winding pawl to the pawl engagement position when the winding member is in the rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawakami
  • Patent number: 7647849
    Abstract: A starter 1 with an intermediate gear is disclosed having a housing 12 formed with first and second bearing portions 17, 18 between which an intermediate shaft 5 is supported. The second bearing portion 18 has a mounting aperture 22 to which a retainer 13 is inserted. The retainer 13 includes a screw having a distal end, formed with a male threaded portion 13a, and an engagement portion 13c formed between a head portion 13b and the male threaded portion 13a. The intermediate shaft has one end formed with a cutout surface 5a. With the intermediate shaft 5 having both ends supported by the first and second bearing portions 17, 18, the engagement portion 13c of the retainer 13 is inserted to the mounting aperture 22 into abutting engagement with the cutout surface 5a to retain the intermediate shaft 5 in a fixed place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Shinya Miyake
  • Patent number: 7644643
    Abstract: A steering shaft (12) has an end toward a driver of the vehicle and is arranged to turn about an axis (27) to steer a vehicle. A hub (14) of a steering wheel assembly (13) is fastened to that end of the shaft. A spoke pattern of one or more spokes (15) extends away from the hub to a rim (17) that when grasped by the driver and turned, turns the shaft to steer the vehicle. With the rim turned to a position that steers the vehicle in a straight line of travel, the spoke pattern assumes a position of at least approximate symmetry with respect to a vertical plane through the axis. An escutcheon (24, 26) covers the one or more spokes to prevent the driver from having an unobstructed view of the one or more spokes and is positionable within a range of positions relative to the one or more spokes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony D. Sutton
  • Patent number: 7640830
    Abstract: A locking adjustment turret for rifle scopes includes a stationary portion mounted on an outer tube of the scope, a rotating adjustment portion supported in the stationary portion and including an adjustment knob such that rotation of the knob results in axial motion of a shaft toward and away from an inner tube of the scope, and a locking mechanism on the rotating adjustment portion that locks the shaft in a desired position. The locking mechanism includes a pin that engages a detent mechanism in the rotating adjustment portion, preventing rotation of the rotating adjustment portion. The locking mechanism is operated with a lock knob that sits atop the adjustment knob and is accommodated by a recess in the top of the adjustment knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Inventor: James G. Bonis
  • Patent number: 7628095
    Abstract: A bicycle shifting mechanism is provided with a wire takeup member and a positioning mechanism. The wire takeup member rotates about a rotational axis to wind and release an inner wire of a shift cable. The positioning mechanism selectively maintains the takeup member in one of a plurality of predetermined shift positions. The positioning mechanism has a first movable positioning member, a second movable positioning member separately movable relative to the first positioning member, a first toothed segment that moves with the takeup member, a second toothed segment that moves with the takeup member. The first and second movable positioning members alternately engage and disengage one of the first and second toothed segments, respectively, as the first and second movable positioning members are moved to perform a shifting operation between sequential shift positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Shingo Funai
  • Patent number: 7603930
    Abstract: A small-sized, lightweight rotary table apparatus is provided. The rotary table apparatus has: a support rest for rotatably supporting a rotary table; and a base for turnably supporting, in a cantilever fashion, the support rest by a shaft element, which is protrudingly formed on the support rest, being inserted into a hole provided in the base. The shaft element has formed therein a hollow section for accommodating at least a portion of a drive mechanism for rotating the rotary table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Sankyo Seisakusho Co.
    Inventors: Heizaburo Kato, Masaaki Hori, Katsuyuki Iida
  • Patent number: 7578096
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for operating an optionally rotatable and parkable divider element which may be displaced in a linear and/or curved manner, fixed to at least two running gears, provided with support rollers which run in a running track, of which at least the first running gear is provided with a drive shaft arranged in a direction perpendicular to the running direction thereof, by means of which a drive wheel may be rotated which engages in a toothed element arranged along an inner wall of the running track. According to the invention, the first running gear is provided with an electric motor, arranged between the support rollers, the motor shaft of which is fixed to the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Hawa AG
    Inventors: Gregor Haab, Hans Wüthrich, Cornel Füglistaller
  • Patent number: 7574944
    Abstract: Disclosed is a high-durability cam wheel assembly, which includes a fixed member, which has a center axle hole and one pair of first interference members symmetrically disposed at one side thereof, and a movable member, which has a center mounting hole axially aimed at the center axle hole of the fixed member, a pair of guide axially symmetrically extending from one side of the periphery of the center mounting hole and inserted into the center axle hole of the fixed member for guiding rotation of the movable member relative to the fixed member, and a pair of second interference member arranged on one side thereof around the guide rods and the center mounting hole and disposed in contact with the first interference members of the fixed member for causing a torsional force upon rotation of the movable member relative to the fixed member through an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Jarllytec Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Chieh Yang
  • Patent number: 7568407
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pedal apparatus for a vehicle, which makes it possible to reduce the driver's fatigue by reducing the pedal effort when operating the pedal arm and also allows the driver to be able to easily recognize the maximum operational position of the pedal arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Donghee Industrial Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyungmin Kim, Hojong Oh, Wonyoung Heo
  • Patent number: 7562595
    Abstract: A sliding device for use with a variety of machines is reduced in overall length, thereby being compact in construction. The sliding device has a drive train enclosure made airtight and is acceptable for use in a clean environment. The sliding device includes an elongated sliding unit enclosure of airtight construction, a sliding table and a driving motor that is coupled to the drive train enclosure in parallel with the sliding unit enclosure. The drive train enclosure receives a drive train to carry power from the driving motor to the sliding table. The drive train enclosure is mounted with the driving motor while maintaining airtightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masataka Kato
  • Patent number: 7530289
    Abstract: A manual adjustable pedal assembly includes a throttle pedal assembly having a throttle pedal adjustment mechanism and a brake pedal assembly having a brake pedal adjustment mechanism. The manual adjustable pedal assembly also includes a manual adjusting means having a rotatable adjustment means, an outer ring gear disposed in a center portion of the rotatable adjustment means, and a first inner gear and a second inner gear operatively in communication with the outer ring gear. The manual adjustable pedal assembly further includes a throttle drive cable, wherein one end of the throttle drive cable is operatively secured to the first inner gear, and the other end of the drive cable is secured to the throttle adjustment mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: KSR Technologies Co.
    Inventors: Larry G. Willemsen, Daniel O'Neill
  • Patent number: 7497144
    Abstract: A brake pedal structure according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a pedal hanger fixed to a dash panel, a brake pedal whose upper end is pivotally installed directly at the pedal hanger via a pin, a release bracket fixed to a fixing bracket mounted on to a cowl cross bar, a mounting bracket fixed at an upper surface of the pedal hanger, an upper portion of the mounting bracket being placed between the fixing bracket and the release bracket; a triangular link having a right-angled triangular shape configuration, and a linear link whose lower end is pivotally connected to corner of vertical side of the triangular link, an upper end of the linear link being pivotally and releaseably coupled to the pin, and the linear link being configured to separate from the pin when a vehicle collision occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jung-Yong Yoon
  • Patent number: 7475609
    Abstract: The power ratchet wrench has a body, a planet gear device and a mounting bracket. The body has an outer thread and an annular flange. The planet gear device is connected to the body and has three transmitting gear wheels, a rotating bracket, a bearing and a mounting cover. The transmitting gear wheels are mounted in the chamber of the body. The rotating bracket is rotatably mounted in the chamber of the body, is connected with the transmitting gear wheels and has a bottom plate, three mounting posts and an extending rod. The mounting cover is connected to the body around the rotating bracket and has an inner thread and a resisting flange. The mounting bracket is connected to the planet gear device and the body and receives an operating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Rea Lee Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jian-Shiou Liaw