Patents Examined by Toan C To
  • Patent number: 11643140
    Abstract: A steerable vehicle suspension can include an axle, at least one retractor having a length that decreases in response to a pressure increase applied to the retractor, and at least one wheel spindle. Resistance to rotation of the wheel spindle relative to the axle increases in response to the pressure increase applied to the retractor. A method of operating a steerable vehicle suspension of a vehicle can include allowing steering knuckles rotatably mounted at opposite ends of an axle to rotate relative to the axle while the vehicle moves forward, and applying an inwardly directed force simultaneously to each of the steering knuckles. Another steerable vehicle suspension can include two rotatably mounted steering knuckles, and two retractors connected to the steering knuckles. An inwardly directed force is applied by each retractor to a respective one of the steering knuckles in response to pressure applied to the retractors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Watson & Chalin Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Gottschalk
  • Patent number: 11641972
    Abstract: There is described a beverage preparation machine comprising a centrifugal brewing unit (2) for preparing a beverage by centrifugation of an ingredient contained in a capsule and mixed with a carrier liquid, the centrifugal brewing unit (2) comprising a centrifugal cell (3) for receiving such a capsule (2A, 2B, 2C); driving means (5) for rotating the centrifugal cell (3); a regulator for regulating a rotation speed of the centrifugal cell (3) by controlling the driving means (5) based on a feedback signal representative of a difference between a desired rotation speed and a measured rotation speed of a capsule (2A, 2B, 2C) rotated in the centrifugal cell (3); the machine further comprising: liquid supply means (6, 4) for supplying carrier liquid to the centrifugal brewing unit (2); an optical reading arrangement (100) for reading a code on a periphery of a capsule (2A, 2B, 2C) while the capsule (2A, 2B, 2C) is rotated relative to the optical reading arrangement (100) in the centrifugal cell (3) and generating
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventor: Alexandre Perentes
  • Patent number: 11640508
    Abstract: Recommended installation position and posture of a stationary code reader can be proposed to a user to facilitate installation work of the code reader by the user. An installation support device for the stationary code reader acquires camera information including a camera parameter of the code reader, code information to be read, and environment information including a conveying speed of a line, determines required field of view and depth of the code reader required to read a code under an environment specified by the environment information, and determines an installation pattern which is recommended installation position and posture of the code reader that can satisfy the required field of view and depth based on the camera information and the code information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidezumi Nagata, Taichi Tajika, Takashi Hirano
  • Patent number: 11639080
    Abstract: A multi-purpose shock absorber for a vehicle suspension having an absorber body with an outer surface, and a movable piston having a first end disposed within the absorber body and a second end configured to couple with a part of the vehicle. There is a magnet assembly disposed around and external of the movable piston at the second end. The absorber has a sensor assembly having a sensor body coupled with the outer surface. An inner sensor body has a sensor disposed therein configured to detect a linear change in a position of the magnet assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Inventor: Larry G. Keast
  • Patent number: 11623493
    Abstract: A suspension system for a land vehicle is provided with at least one actuator connected to a chassis and an axle of a land vehicle spaced apart from a pivotal connection of the axle. A suspension circuit is in cooperation with the at least one actuator. A controller is in operable communication with the suspension circuit and is programmed to receive input indicative of a travel speed of the land vehicle. The suspension circuit is closed at a low speed travel range to permit the axle to pivot in response to variations in an underlying support surface. The suspension circuit is opened to permit selective actuation of the at least one actuator at a higher speed travel range in response to variations in the underlying support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Terex South Dakota, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Clark, Miles Alton
  • Patent number: 11623492
    Abstract: A fluid suspension system for a land vehicle is provided with an actuator connected to a chassis and an axle of a land vehicle spaced apart from a pivotal connection of the axle. A fluid pressure circuit is in cooperation with the at least one actuator. A controller is in operable communication with the fluid pressure circuit and is programmed to receive input indicative of a travel speed of the land vehicle. The fluid pressure circuit is adjusted to limit fluid flow rate or reduce fluid pressure at a low speed travel range to permit the axle to pivot in response to variations in an underlying support surface. The fluid pressure circuit is adjusted at a higher speed travel range for selective actuation of the at least one actuator or for a higher fluid pressure actuation of the at least one actuator, in response to variations in the underlying surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Terex South Dakota, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Clark, Miles Alton, Alessandro Fasi
  • Patent number: 11623488
    Abstract: An axle mounting unit for commercial vehicles a surrounding element, an end element, at least one fastening element and a securing device, configured for mounting a first chassis part that comprises an axle, with a second chassis part that comprises a control arm, wherein a surrounding element is arranged on the first chassis part, an end element is arranged on the second chassis part, wherein the surrounding element has at least two legs extending in a leg direction, the end element extends between the two legs, the fastening element braces the end element with the surrounding element, the securing device creates a form-fit securing device that limits and/or prevents a displacement of the separated part in the leg direction in a positive-locking manner in the event of mechanical failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SAF-HOLLAND GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Brunsch
  • Patent number: 11618294
    Abstract: An active-passive dual mode switchable vehicle suspension system is provided. The suspension system includes a filter, a hydraulic pump, a one-way valve, a power takeoff, a servo valve, a suspension cylinder, an overflow valve, an energy accumulator, a reversing valve, a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, a controller, an oil tank and a displacement sensor. Further related is a switching method for the active-passive dual mode switchable vehicle suspension system. When the active and passive dual-mode switchable vehicle suspension system is switched between modes, an oil pressure in the rodless cavity of the suspension cylinder and an oil pressure in the energy accumulator are adjusted to be equal in advance, so that the stable switching of the active-passive suspension system can be realized, and the vibration of the vehicle body is eliminated when the existing active-passive suspension system is switched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: YANSHAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Dingxuan Zhao, Mingde Gong, Shuang Liu, Zhuxin Zhang, Zhiguo Sun, Tao Ni, Zhaoyang Yan, Qinghe Guo
  • Patent number: 11618295
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for configuring suspension ratios in a multi-rear axle vehicle, the vehicle having a drive axle suspension and at least one tag axle suspension, each suspension having one or more air springs. The timing of the performance of an adjustment cycle series of steps for adjusting the suspension height and air spring pressure readings is optimized by monitoring the acceleration of the vehicle and conducting the adjustment cycle steps when the vehicle acceleration is below an acceleration threshold. Additionally, air spring pressure adjustments may be scaled based on a confidence factor of the air spring pressure readings. Finally, a method is provided for configuring suspension ratios in a multi-rear axle vehicle, the vehicle having a drive axle suspension and at least one tag axle suspension, and for adjusting the air suspension pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Valid Manufacturing Ltd.
    Inventors: Justin Paul Scherba, Jack William Fenkhuber, Luke Wilfred Heckrodt
  • Patent number: 11618527
    Abstract: A control device is configured to control a damping force of a damping device using a difference between a front-rear acceleration of a vehicle main body and a rotational acceleration of a vehicle wheel, the damping device being configured to dampen a force generated between the vehicle main body and the vehicle wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Tokuhara, Kimitoshi Sato, Yosuke Murakami
  • Patent number: 11620632
    Abstract: A wearable device receives ticket information for an event and information indicating a quantity of funds allocated from an account, associated with a user of a user device, to the wearable device, and stores the ticket information and the information indicating the quantity of funds. The wearable device utilizes a wireless component to pair the wearable device and the user device, and provides, to the user device and via the wireless component, the ticket information and information indicating access privileges for the event. The wearable device generates a token for a PoS device for a charge incurred at the event during an offline transaction with the PoS device, and provides, via a NFC component, the token to the PoS device. The wearable device provides, to the user device and via the wireless component, information indicating that that the token was provided to the PoS device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventor: Adam Koeppel
  • Patent number: 11618491
    Abstract: A dolly for indoor and outdoor use including a supporting frame extending along a main axis of extension and a loading platform mounted above said frame. The dolly also includes at least one steering and drive wheel coupled to the bottom of the frame and at least one pair of idle wheels coupled to the bottom of the frame and positioned symmetrically relative to the main axis of extension. The dolly also includes a control structure including a plurality of sensors configured for measuring a plurality of operating parameters of the dolly and for generating respective signals representing operating parameters and a processing unit configured to receive the representative signals and to impart a steering command to the at least one steering and drive wheel at least as a function of the representative signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MATERIAL HANDLING MANUFACTURING ITALY S.P.A
    Inventor: Francesco Mastroianni
  • Patent number: 11615400
    Abstract: In some implementations, a transaction card may receive transaction data from a transaction terminal based on initiation of a transaction with the transaction terminal; generate a tokenized primary account number, for use with the transaction, based on the transaction data and an actual primary account number of the transaction card; and transmit the tokenized primary account number to the transaction terminal for processing the transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: James Zarakas, Tyler Locke
  • Patent number: 11613152
    Abstract: An electric suspension apparatus includes electric actuators provided for a plurality of wheels, respectively, an acceleration sensor disposed in each of the electric actuators, the acceleration sensor detecting a first acceleration, and an electric suspension control ECU controlling each of the electric actuators based on the first acceleration, and the electric suspension control ECU decreases a control amount to the electric actuator, in a case where a first speed based on the first acceleration in an up-down direction is equal to or less than a predetermined speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoya Toyohira, Takafumi Kato
  • Patent number: 11610088
    Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for verifying that an image includes a complete code of a time-varying visual marker that displays codes sequentially on a display. In some implementations, the verification determines that the image include a complete code rather than combinations of sequentially-displayed codes that may be included in an image based on use of a rolling shutter (e.g., in a camera of a detecting electronic device). In some implementations, the verification involves comparing a first verification portion of an image to a second opposing verification portion of an image. Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for modifying image capture parameters (e.g., frame rate) to ensure capture of all codes of a time-varying visual marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anselm Grundhoefer, Arun Srivatsan Rangaprasad
  • Patent number: 11610194
    Abstract: A card reader includes a digital connector such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug or an Apple® Lightning® plug. The digital connector includes a corresponding connector interface, which provides voltage to at least a card reader interface and an integrated circuit (IC) of the card reader. The card reader interface outputs an analog transaction information signal upon reading the card. The IC generates a digital version of the analog transaction information signal, encrypts the digital version, converts that into an analog audio signal. The audio signal can then be sent to the connector interface, which converts it into a digital signal such as a USB or Apple® Lightning® signal that is sent by the digital connector to a mobile device. Alternately, the audio signal can be sent to a microcontroller that converts the audio signal to a digital format such as USB, and then to the digital connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Mani Razaghi, Joseph Laucks, Jeremy Martin
  • Patent number: 11608114
    Abstract: A vehicle chassis platform including: a frame having a front frame end, a rear frame end, a longitudinal frame axis, an upper frame surface, a bottom frame surface, a first longitudinal lateral frame surface and a second longitudinal lateral frame surface, wherein the upper frame surface is substantially flat; and two or more mechanical connection assemblies each coupled to one of the first and second longitudinal lateral surfaces, each of mechanical connection assemblies to couple a vehicle corner module (VCM) to the frame and to transfer mechanical loads between the frame and the VCM when the VCM is coupled to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: REE AUTOMOTIVE LTD
    Inventors: Ahishay Sardes, Eran Starik, Ran Dekel, Tomer Segev, Amit Aknin, Eylon Avigur, Amos Boaz
  • Patent number: 11603129
    Abstract: A vehicle knuckle 1 includes a main body 10, a strut junction 11 that is positioned at a first side in an extending direction of an axle supported by the main body and fastens a strut damper, and an arm 12 that couples the main body to the strut junction. The vehicle knuckle has a continuous space 17 formed inside the strut junction and the arm. The arm has a first through-hole 17a on a wall 12a that couples an end 10d at the first side of the main body to the strut junction. The first through-hole is formed, with being adjacent to the end at the first side, at the side of the main body with respect to the center of a coupling position of the wall and the main body and a coupling position of the wall and the strut junction and is communicated with the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA RIKEN, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cakrawala Anang, Tadaaki Kanbayashi, Norikazu Kurosu
  • Patent number: 11602971
    Abstract: A mechanical bypass for a shock assembly is disclosed herein. The assembly has a damper chamber having a compression portion and a rebound portion. There is further an external reservoir in fluid communication with the rebound portion of the damper chamber via a flow path. A valve is coupled with the flow path, the valve to meter a flow of the working fluid through the flow path. A bypass port to the external reservoir is provided in the flow path and bypasses the valve. A mechanical relief valve is provided in the bypass port to block a fluid flow though the bypass port until a blow-off pressure that is higher than a normal operating pressure and less than a burst pressure of the damping chamber is provided thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Rick Strickland, Jeff Halper, Mike Labbe
  • Patent number: 11603078
    Abstract: An embodiment relates to a machine including a prime mover, a drive pulley, a chassis, a subframe, a drive device, a drive belt, and a pulley arrangement. The drive pulley is coupled to the prime mover. The chassis is configured to support at least an operator and the prime mover. The subframe is pivotally coupled to the chassis about a pivot axis. The subframe is further coupled to the chassis via a suspension device. The drive device is configured to drive wheels of the machine. The drive device is configured to be driven by the prime mover. The pulley arrangement is configured to direct the drive belt from the drive pulley to a driven pulley on the drive device. The pulley arrangement comprises at least one idler pulley having a diameter and a rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Erik R. Slegelis, Travis Rasch