Patents Examined by Thomas Williams
  • Patent number: 7086505
    Abstract: A disc brake has a support with a first end separated from a second end by first and second side walls that retain actuation members to move the first and second friction members into engagement with a rotor and effect a brake application. First and second perpendicular projections that extend from the support are aligned with the first wall and third and fourth perpendicular projections that extend from the support and are aligned with the second wall. The first and second friction members have first and second radial projections located between a first end and a second end. Beams connect the radial projections with the perpendicular projections to align the first and second friction members with the rotor and pivot on the perpendicular projections to carry reaction forces created during a brake application into the first end of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: John Edmund Mackiewicz
  • Patent number: 7083163
    Abstract: A suspension system for a vehicle includes a frequency dependent damper (FDD) or shock absorber defining a first pressurized working chamber and an air spring assembly defining a second pressurized working chamber. A booster enables pressure communication between the first pressurized working chamber and the second pressurized working chamber. The booster includes a resilient member that effects booster performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Luc Lemmens, Jacobus Schel
  • Patent number: 7077250
    Abstract: A viscous damper for a machinery mount having a damping member disposed intermediate a top support engageable with at least a portion of a load and a bottom plate disposed beneath the support and spaced therefrom to thereby decrease or deaden vibrations. The damper includes a receptacle for vertical disposition, which is closed at the bottom and opened at the top, and is adaptable for containing a viscous fluid. A plunger of smaller lateral dimensions is arranged concentrically and co-axially within the receptacle, and depends downwardly from the horizontally disposed support, and is of such a longitudinal dimension as to be spaced from the closed bottom of the receptacle so as to be submerged partially in the viscous fluid and is therefore free to move vertically. A perforated plate is affixed at the bottom of the plunger, and provides fluid communication between the receptacle and the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Vibro/Dynamics Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry D. Folkens, Harold E. Reinke, Steven M. Veroeven, Joseph L. Bastl
  • Patent number: 7077483
    Abstract: In an anti-lock brake system mounted on a vehicle wherein when the vehicle is braked in an emergency during running, an increase in the road surface friction force or road surface friction coefficient owing to an increase in the brake pressure is detected by a road surface friction force detecting device or road surface friction coefficient detecting device. The optimum control start point associated with an increase in the signal value of the road surface friction force F or road surface friction coefficient ? provided by the road surface friction force detecting device or road surface friction coefficient detecting device is decided by using a decrease in the wheel speed, i.e., by using the wheel speed ? or d?/dt. Thereafter, from the point where the specified value of control based on F or ?, or dF/dt or d ?/dt, the brake pressure is moved from the pressure increasing mode to the pressure retaining or decreasing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Japan Electronics Industry, Limited
    Inventor: Nagao Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7073638
    Abstract: A high efficiency drivetrain for an agricultural irrigation system is described. The drivetrain includes a ball ramp brake to inhibit movement of a wheel tower when the drive gear motor is not engaged. In one embodiment, the ball ramp brake is a bi-directional ball ramp brake disposed between the drive gear motor and the gearbox of the drivetrain. Utilizing a ball ramp brake such as this, the gearbox can incorporate much more highly efficient gearing mechanisms, such as for example only, involute gears, beveled gears, hypoid gears, planetary gears or the like. The ball ramp brake is enclosed and includes an oil bath that functions to lubricate the components of the brake, preventing corrosion and dissipating heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Inventor: Jeffrey K. Daniel
  • Patent number: 7070247
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling an automotive vehicle includes determining a forward direction and reverse direction of the vehicle and applying brake-steer in a forward position as a function of a first threshold and applying brake-steer in the reverse position as a function of a second threshold different than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy G. Offerle
  • Patent number: 7066307
    Abstract: A hydraulic dashpot for motor vehicles, with a cylinder and a primary piston. The cylinder (1) is charged with shock-absorption fluid. The primary piston (2) is mounted on the lower end of a piston rod (8) and partitions the cylinder into two chambers (3 & 4). The piston rod travels axially into and out of the cylinder. The primary piston is provided with breaches, with shock absorption valves (5) that can vary the cross-section of the breaches, and with a bypass system comprising at least two mutually dependently controlled bypasses between the two compartments. The object of the present invention is to improve a hydraulic dashpot of the aforesaid genus to the extent that the at least two bypass channels, although they can be opened and closed mutually dependently, need not be opened and closed sequentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Bilstein GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Adamek, Dirk Feist
  • Patent number: 7059456
    Abstract: Internally ventilated brake disk in the form of a circular ring disk with cooling channels in the interior of the disk which extend, respectively, from the inner circumference to the outer circumference of the circular ring disk, wherein the channel cross section and the channel course within the brake disk as well as the branching of the channels is designed such that the cooling effect by means of air flow is as efficient as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: SGL Carbon AG
    Inventors: Peter Winklemann, Florian Zapf
  • Patent number: 7059453
    Abstract: An electromagnetic brake interposed between a fixed housing and a rotating member. The electromagnetic brake includes a multiplate brake mechanism, a ringlike core member fixed through an annular brake guide inside the fixed housing, an exciting coil accommodated in an annular groove formed on the core member, and a ringlike armature member arranged radially outside of the core member. Each of the core member and the armature member has a plurality of tapering surfaces. The tapering surfaces of the core member are respectively complementary in shape to the tapering surfaces of the armature member. The electromagnetic brake further includes a cylindrical pressure member movable in a direction of pressing the multiplate brake mechanism. The cylindrical pressure member has one end fixed to the armature member and another end engaged with the multiplate brake mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichiro Yamamoto, Katsuhiro Kitamura, Rikiya Kunii, Keiichi Ooiso, Kenji Honda, Akihiro Iwazaki
  • Patent number: 7059457
    Abstract: The present invention is a unique motor comprising a containment chamber having thick walls surrounding a thin wall, is created when a plug is fusible joined. An inlet port and preferably a purging port are located in the thick walls. A motion is created when said expansion wall expands as said containment chamber is pressurized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Inventor: Lanny R. Lee
  • Patent number: 7055656
    Abstract: A pull cable can restrain cable curvature by the use of cable links configured to provide a limit to a range of an angular relationship between neighboring cable links. By limiting the angular variation between links, a minimum radius of the pull cable can be provided. The cable links can inhibit kinking of the inner cable by restricting the cable from reaching a small radius that could induce kinking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Delta Cycle Corporation
    Inventor: Errol Drew
  • Patent number: 7048096
    Abstract: An incremental braking apparatus and method includes a first rotating member having a plurality of rigid stops spaced circumferentially around an outer cylindrical surface of the first rotating member, and a plurality of flexible stops arranged in a plurality of rows on a stationary member. The flexible stops are selectively movable toward the first rotating member from a disengaged position into an engaged position in which the flexible stops engage the rigid stops to provide a braking action on the first rotating member. An actuator with a beveled edge for engaging the outer ends of the flexible stops is operable to move a selected number of rows of the flexible stops into their engaged positions to provide an incremental braking effect. The rows of flexible stops are staggered such that the flexible stops in adjacent rows are not in circumferential alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Inventor: Russell Ozechowski
  • Patent number: 7048265
    Abstract: A mount assembly having a support structure mounted to a frame of a vehicle and a carrier mounted to a vehicle body. The support structure is displaceable relative to the carrier along a line of travel. An insulator is disposed between the support structure and the carrier for coupling the carrier to the support structure. The insulator has a first portion defining a first resistance for isolating the vibrations of the support structure during an application of a first force along a line of travel. The insulator also has a second portion defining a second resistance with the second resistance being greater than the first resistance for controlling the maxiumum displacement of the support structure after the application of the first force and during an application of a second force along the line of travel wherein the second force is greater than the first force. The insulator also provides for tunability of the nature and location of the transition between the first resistance and the second resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventor: Anand Huprikar
  • Patent number: 7040715
    Abstract: A digital multi-point electronic load weigh system is used with a railcar truck control unit to provide a digital all electrical/electronic system, which will perform the brake load weigh function for an electro-pneumatic brake system. The digital multi-point electronic load weigh system is primarily to be used with a distributed electronic control system using neuron style communication/control microprocessors. However, the digital multi-point electronic load weigh system can also be integrated with existing electro-pneumatic brake control components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Wood, Richard J. Mazur
  • Patent number: 7040608
    Abstract: A bearing for wheel suspensions in a motor vehicle includes a metallic housing with a pot-shaped vertical section, a rubber buffer arranged in the housing, and an inner part. The inner part can be connected to a piston-and-cylinder unit and is fixed in the rubber buffer. A reinforcing part, which is supported axially and/or radially at the inner wall of the housing, is arranged in the rubber buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Boge Elastmetall GmbH
    Inventor: Christof Schāfer
  • Patent number: 7036640
    Abstract: An axle assembly that uses brakes that require cooling includes a brake cooling system that uses at least one hydraulic pump that supplies cooling oil to the brakes. Means for driving of the hydraulic pump using rotation of a component of the axle assembly such as a transmission or other mechanism is provided, thereby eliminating reliance on a towing vehicle. A heat exchanger cools the heated oil exiting from the brakes and recirculates the cooled oil back to the brakes for continued cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Towhaul Corporation
    Inventor: Harold W Spielman
  • Patent number: 7032722
    Abstract: A brake assembly has a caliper with a first brake pad and a second brake pad. The first brake pad is moveable relative to the caliper. A brake actuator moves the first brake pad and has a first threaded member and a second threaded member. The first threaded member has first thread characteristics for moving the brake actuator at a first speed and a first force. The second threaded member has a second thread characteristics for moving the brake actuator at a second speed and a second force. The first speed is greater than the second speed while the first force is lower than the second force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Dennis A. Kramer, Frederick A. Jelley, Joseph A. Kay, James R. Brichta, Dennis G. O'Reilly, Christopher S. Keeney, Jaeho Kwak
  • Patent number: 7032719
    Abstract: A bicycle hub comprises a hub shaft structured to be rotatably mounted to a bicycle frame, a hub shell rotatably supported relative to the hub shaft, and a brake force control mechanism housed by the hub shell. The brake force control mechanism includes a brake force adjusting mechanism that can be accessed for adjustment while the brake force control mechanism is housed within the hub shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Takachi
  • Patent number: 7028996
    Abstract: A height control valve for controlling the relative height between a vehicle frame and a trailing arm suspension. The height control valve comprises a housing defining an interior chamber and having an inlet port fluidly connecting to a source of pressurized air. An air spring port is provided in the housing for fluidly connecting to an air spring. Additionally, an exhaust port is provided in the housing for fluidly connecting to the atmosphere. A valve is disposed within the interior chamber and is selectively operable between a fill position, an exhaust position, and a neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Haldex Brake Corporation
    Inventor: Victor A. Plath
  • Patent number: 7025342
    Abstract: In an actuator drive control device for an active vibration isolation support system, accumulated time of eight time intervals tn of crank pulses which are outputted at every 15 degrees of a crank angle in a vibration period corresponding to 120 degrees of the crank angle, and average accumulated time shown by a straight line connecting a start point and an end point of the line of the accumulated time are calculated. Eight deviations ?tn are calculated by subtracting the average accumulated time from the accumulated time. A variation waveform of the deviations ?tn corresponds to a variation waveform of the time interval tn of the crank pulses attributable only to the engine vibration with the influence of a variation in the engine rotational speed Ne being eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotomi Nemoto, Atsushi Abe, Takashi Matsuura, Kenichi Yoshimura