Patents Examined by Thomas Neubauer
  • Patent number: 9909345
    Abstract: A door stop includes a base with a first side member and a second side member extending parallel relative to the first side member; and a joining member integral with the first side member and the second side member that form a c-shaped configuration with an opening. The door stop further includes an elongated rigid body pivotally attached to the first side member and the second side member, the elongated rigid member is configured to fit within the opening; a first groove extending a partial length of a thickness of the first member; a second groove extending a partial length of a thickness of the second member; a first tab extending from the elongated rigid body and configured to rest within the first groove; a second tab extending from the elongated rigid body and configured to rest within the second groove; and a pivot joint having a rod that extend through the first member, through the elongated rigid body, and through the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Inventor: Stephen Mason
  • Patent number: 9895969
    Abstract: A push-push latch includes a slider slidably disposed on a frame. A resilient element is to urge the slider toward an extended state. The slider or the frame defines a cam-track. A pin member is connected to the frame or the slider. The pin member selectably engages a closed course in the cam-track to cause the slider to alternate between a retracted state and the extended state in response to alternating application and removal of an actuating force on the slider. An interference member is on the frame to selectively prevent the pin member from engaging the closed course thereby locking the slider in the retracted state. A pivotable catch is rotatably on the slider to open in the extended state and to close in the retracted state. A shape memory alloy actuator selectively causes the interference member to selectively prevent the pin member from engaging the closed course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Paul W. Alexander, Roger Herbert Culver, Robert Dallos, Jr., Aragorn Zolno, James Holbrook Brown
  • Patent number: 9896867
    Abstract: Latch assembly including a latch arm, having first and second length edges and first and second width edges. The latch arm includes a latch pawl, a pivot connector, and a stabilizing member, positioned in a plane. The latch pawl connected to the first width edge and providing spring force resisting deflection non-parallel to the plane. The pivot connector and stabilizing member formed within an area of the latch arm. The stabilizing member extending distally relative to the second width edge to the pivot connector, and providing spring force resisting deflection parallel to the plane. The component and latch assembly including a component having first and second faces being adjacent and perpendicular. The latch arm rotatably mounted on the second face between latched and unlatched positions. Assembly including an embossment positioned to deflect the latch pawl during latching so the latch arm sits raised upon the embossment in the latched position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric A. Eckberg, Jessica R. Eidem, James D. Gerken, Rebeccah J. Vossberg, Daniel A. Wright
  • Patent number: 9879555
    Abstract: Respective seals (54, 78) for the upper and lower spans (48A, 48B) of an exit frame (48) of a turbine combustion system transition piece (28). Each seal has a first strip (55, 79) and a second strip (66, 88) of a sealing material. The two strips of each seal are attached together along a common edge. The second strip is flexible, generally parallel to the first strip, and has a bead (72, 90) along its free edge. This forms a spring clamp that clamps a rail (68, 86) of the exit frame between the bead and the first strip of each seal. A tab extends axially aft from the first strip of each seal for insertion into a circumferential slot (58, 82) in a turbine inlet support structure (52, 76), thus sealing the transition piece (46) to the turbine inlet for efficient turbine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Moehrle, Andrew R. Narcus, John Carella, Jean-Max Millon Sainte-Claire
  • Patent number: 9863170
    Abstract: A structure of a hood latch may include a base plate attached to a front side of a vehicle body having a fixation groove to allow a striker coupled to a hood to enter the fixation groove, a latch in which a first end is hinge-coupled to a first side of the base plate and a hook is formed at a second end of the latch so as to hook the striker, a pawl in which a first end is hinge-coupled to a second side of the base plate, a second end is connected to and elastically supported by a second spring, and an engagement protrusion is provided to restrict movement of the latch, a bracket to be rotated in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction, and an actuator connected to a first side of the bracket to move the bracket in left and right directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Daedong Door Incorporated
    Inventors: Jung-Hun Park, Seung-Jun Yang, Jeong-Min Eom
  • Patent number: 9851745
    Abstract: A latch is disclosed. The latch has a hook that rotates to engage with a case for a computer. The hook has one side fabricated from a ferrous material. The hook is unlatched by placing a magnet near the ferrous material thereby causing the hook to rotate and disengage with the top case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Lev, Chia-Ming Tsai, Hui Leng Lim
  • Patent number: 9845878
    Abstract: A sealing structure enables easy fitting of an endless backup ring and includes: tank main body having filling chamber body with filling chamber and mouthpiece portion formed in cylindrical shape integrally with filling chamber body; valve body having insertion portion inserted in mouthpiece portion; O-ring provided between mouthpiece portion and insertion portion; and first backup ring endless and disposed on one side of O-ring to restrict movement of O-ring, wherein annular housing groove is formed on inner circumferential surface of mouthpiece portion such as to be recessed outward with respect to radial direction in order to house O-ring and first backup ring, wherein mouthpiece portion is provided with first cylindrical portion integral with filling chamber body and second cylindrical portion attachable/detachable along axial direction to/from first cylindrical portion, and wherein housing groove is divided along axial direction to face outward when second cylindrical portion detaches from first cylindri
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taneaki Miura, Koichi Takaku, Koichi Kato, Saneto Asano, Hiroyasu Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9834963
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lock module. The aim of the invention is to provide a lock module which can contribute to a reduction in the complexity of assembly. In order to achieve said aim, the lock module comprises a plurality of components, that is to say at least two components, which are selected from the following: a lock having a locking mechanism consisting of a pawl and a rotary latch, in particular a servolock; a drive, in particular an electric drive for the lock, particularly preferably for the servolock; an actuating lever system; a locking lever system; and a handle module having an opening handle, in particular an outer opening handle. The lock includes at least one drive which is movably mounted within the lock module. The drive can therefore be moved relative to the other one or more components of the lock module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Thorsten Bendel, Bernhard Drost
  • Patent number: 9810325
    Abstract: A mechanical seal includes an elastomeric member, a spring biasing device, a longitudinally floating first member having a seal face, a longitudinally non-floating second member and a longitudinally floating third member. The elastomeric member is in sealing engagement with the first member, second member and third member and the spring biasing device is longitudinally positioned between the first member and the second member. One of either the first member or the second member is provided with at least one protruding male portion and the other member of either the first member or the second member is provided with corresponding female portion into which the male portion locates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: AES Engineering Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Broadbent, Steven Cox
  • Patent number: 9803752
    Abstract: A sealing assembly for a shaft includes: a first sealing component; a first spring energizer associated with said first sealing component; an annular support member configured for supporting said first sealing component; a second sealing component; a second spring energizer associated with said second sealing component, said first and second sealing components each having a pair of seal lips, said pairs of seal lips facing each other, said first and second spring energizers each configured for energizing respectively said first and second sealing components, each said spring energizer being respectively between one said pair of seal lips, said annular support member being disposed about the shaft and positioned between said first and second sealing components and said first and second spring energizers, said annular support member including two outwardly facing protuberances each of which interfits with a respective said pair of seal lips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Trelleborg Sealing Solutions US, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry J. Castleman, Gregory D. Jones, Brian Bowen
  • Patent number: 9797170
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an automobile door handle (10), comprising: an interior fitting (2), said interior fitting (2) comprising at least one metal or metallized element; an intermediate means (11) connecting said interior fitting (2) to a reference potential; an attachment means (13, 14) for retaining said interior fitting (2) on said door handle (10); said door handle (10) being characterized in that said intermediate means (11) and said attachment means (13, 14) are arranged such that the attachment of said interior fitting (2) by means of said attachment means (13, 14) involves connecting said interior fitting (2) to said reference potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: U-SHIN ITALIA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Fiorenzo Savant, Daniele Fornengo, Marco Savant, Antonio Rocci, Vittorio Giaccone, Anthony Guerin, Guillaume Lesueur
  • Patent number: 9791046
    Abstract: A rotary machine has a housing that houses a fluid in a supercritical state, a rotary shaft that penetrates the housing, rotation rings that rotate integrally with the rotary shaft, and stationary rings that contact the rotation rings when the rotary shaft is stopped, the stationary rings being positioned in a state in which sealing gaps are defined between the rotation rings and the stationary rings when the rotary shaft rotates, a circulating pipe path that supplies a portion of the fluid to inlet portions of the sealing gaps, a temperature-adjusting device that adjusts a temperature of the fluid in the circulating pipe path, and a control unit that controls operation of the temperature-adjusting device so as to heat the inlet portions of the sealing gaps to a predetermined temperature before the rotary shaft is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takumi Hori, Hiroshi Funakoshi, Manabu Maeda, Hidekazu Uehara, Kazuhiko Yamashita, Zenichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9765893
    Abstract: A ball joint dust cover is provided. The ball joint dust cover is made of a rubbery elastic material and is provided with a small diameter opening part with which a hard ring is formed. The hard ring is sandwiched by a retainer having a three-sided box shape. The retainer includes a plurality of gaskets contacting the hard ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuro Hosen
  • Patent number: 9758994
    Abstract: A lid lock device includes: a housing including a first housing and a second housing assembled to the first housing and fixed to a vehicle; a lock member movably supported by one or both of the first and second housings and moving between a lock position and a lock releasing position; a surrounding sidewall protruding toward the second housing from the first housing and surrounding a surface of the first housing; a support hole provided in a front side portion of the first housing; a passage port provided in a portion of the surrounding sidewall; a blocking portion protruding toward the first housing from the second housing and blocking the passage port; and an overlapping portion formed in an opening edge of the passage port and overlapping an outer surface of an edge portion of the blocking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshichika Ito, Toshihiro Kitamura, Takumi Niwa, Tatsuya Shimizu, Masayuki Nomura
  • Patent number: 9759331
    Abstract: A mechanical face seal includes a rotating counter ring having a sealing surface and two radial planes. Each of the radial planes is associated with a clamping cam. A stationary face seal ring has a sealing surface opposite from the sealing surface of the counter ring. The sealing surfaces of the counter ring and the face seal ring bear against each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: CARL FREUDENBERG KG
    Inventors: Martin Kirchhof, Armin Laxander, Guenther Lederer, Thomas Keller
  • Patent number: 9752448
    Abstract: A brush seal includes a bristle part formed by multiple bristles such that the multiple bristles arranged in a direction of pressure difference between a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side are mutually fixed between a base end and a free end to form planar bristles, wherein these planar bristles are arranged continuously in layers in a circumferential direction to form a circular bristle part. Multiple dynamic-pressure generating grooves that generate dynamic pressure by turning and sliding relative to a rotational part are formed independently in the circumferential direction, on the sliding surface of the bristle part on the free end side, in a manner open to the high-pressure side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: EAGLE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 9756743
    Abstract: A lock mechanism adapted to an electronic device with a base, a first casing and a second casing includes a sliding member, a push button, a latch member, a first guiding structure and a second guiding structure. The sliding member is disposed on the base in a slidable manner. The push button is combined with the sliding member for driving the sliding member to slide relative to the base. The latch member is disposed on the base in a slidable manner. The first guiding structure is disposed on the sliding member. The second guiding structure is disposed on the latch member. The second guiding structure cooperates with the first guiding structure for sliding relative to the first guiding structure when the sliding member slides relative to the base, so as to guide the latch member to a locking position for locking the first casing and the second casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventor: Yuangqing Liu
  • Patent number: 9752682
    Abstract: O-ring/back-up ring systems that are suitable for use in high pressure applications, including those of 70 MPa automotive hydrogen storage applications, to form a seal between first and second connector bodies. Such sealing systems comprise a back-up ring having a base portion and a flange portion, wherein such ring is configured to prevent extrusion of an O-ring into a gap existing between the back-up ring and a groove into which the back-up ring and O-ring are disposed. High pressure gas storage systems comprising such sealing systems, and methods of sealing a connection in a high pressure hydrogen storage system using such sealing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Holger Winkelmann, Stefan Slavik
  • Patent number: 9726031
    Abstract: A seal assembly for separating a relatively high pressure area from a relatively low pressure area includes a first seal carrier having a circumferential body that has a land thereon and a seal. The seal has a circumferential body located within the first seal carrier, the seal having a first surface for sealing against the first land and a second surface and wherein one of the first surface or the first land has an unmachined wear coating that resists fretting and vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maria Cusack, Arnold Zandonella
  • Patent number: 9689183
    Abstract: A lid lock device includes: a housing fixed to a vehicle; a lock member assembled to the housing and movable between a lock position and a lock releasing position; a motor assembled to the housing and driving the lock member; a worm gear and a worm wheel assembled to the housing and engaged with each other to transmit power of the motor to the lock member; a wheel sidewall provided in the worm wheel, formed by bending a band plate in an arc or circular shape, having a gear portion engaged with the worm gear on the wheel sidewall, and having a gear rear side surface facing a center side of the worm wheel on the wheel sidewall; and a deformation restriction protrusion provided in the housing, the deformation restriction protrusion restricting movement toward the inside of the wheel sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshichika Ito, Toshihiro Kitamura, Takumi Niwa, Tatsuya Shimizu, Masayuki Nomura