Patents Examined by Tony H. Winner
  • Patent number: 12227237
    Abstract: A track assembly for a vehicle includes: a frame; a plurality of track-contacting wheels; an endless track disposed around the track-contacting wheels; a rotation limiting device for limiting rotation of the track assembly relative to a vehicle frame; a connection bracket for connecting the rotation limiting device to the frame; and a bushing assembly slidably connecting a device connecting end of the connection bracket to an elongate support of the rotation limiting device. The bushing assembly includes an inner bushing slidably mounted to the elongate support, an outer bushing affixed to the device connecting end, and a resilient element connected between the bushings. The resilient element is resiliently deformable such that: the inner bushing is rotatable relative to the outer bushing such that an inner bushing axis can be angled relative to an outer bushing axis; and the inner bushing is axially movable relative to the outer bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Charles Roy, Kevin Poirier
  • Patent number: 12221186
    Abstract: A straddled vehicle, including a vehicle frame structure, a drive unit including a drive motor that receives electric power and outputs driving power, a driving wheel that receives the driving power, and an electric power generation unit. The electric power generation unit includes an electric power generation engine configured to output engine power, and an electric power generator that is fixed to the electric power generation engine and is electrically connected to an electric power transfer medium having flexibility. The electric power generator is configured to convert the engine power into the electric power, and supply the electric power to the drive motor via the electric power transfer medium. The straddled vehicle is series-hybridized by the drive unit and the electric power generation unit. The electric power generation engine is swingably supported, independently of the drive unit, by the vehicle frame structure, such that the engine power is not mechanically supplied to the driving wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kyohei Kaneko, Naoki Kitamura, Yasushi Takemoto
  • Patent number: 12214841
    Abstract: Various electric balance vehicles are described. In some embodiments, the vehicle has first and second housings with platforms to support a user's feet. The first and second housings can be rotatable relative to each other. The vehicle can have first and second wheel assemblies. A support member can extend within tapered portions of the first and second housings. In some embodiments, one of the first and second housings can rotate relative to the support member and the other of the housings can be rotationally fixed relative to the support member. The vehicle can balance and provide locomotion to the user. The vehicle can be light, compact, and/or have a low center of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: RAZOR USA LLC
    Inventors: Ian Desberg, Robert Hadley, Robert Chen
  • Patent number: 12208856
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a snow vehicle including an engine mounted on a frame, a drive track in contact with the frame, a drive train operatively interconnecting the engine with the drive track for delivering propulsive power to the drive track, a fork connected to the frame, one or more skis connected to the fork, a drop fork component positioned between a fork and handlebars, and an exhaust system. The drive train includes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) positioned within a CVT housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Arctic Cat Inc.
    Inventor: David L. Vigen
  • Patent number: 12195079
    Abstract: A vehicle (2) is provided for use for movement across a surface (18). The vehicle (2) includes a body (4), steering means to allow the selective steering of the vehicle (2) via first and second sets of a plurality of drive wheels (11, 12), a first set (11) mounted on one side (14) of the body (4) and a second set (12) mounted on the opposing side (16) of the body (4) so as to contact with the surface (18). At least one wheel in each set (11; 12) is provided so as to be in greater traction and/or grip with the said surface (18) than the other wheels (11; 12) in the set (12) to thereby achieve an improved steering system which requires low power consumption to achieve the steering and thereby reduce the power demand on the batteries of the vehicle (2) which are provided to drive the vehicle (2) and prolong the time of usage of the vehicle (2) between battery charging being required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Aqualand Industries Limited
    Inventor: Stuart Lomax
  • Patent number: 12187364
    Abstract: A track assembly for a vehicle includes: a frame; a plurality of track-contacting wheels; an endless track disposed around the track-contacting wheels; a rotation limiting device for limiting rotation of the track assembly relative to a vehicle frame; a connection bracket for connecting the rotation limiting device to the frame; and a bushing assembly slidably connecting a device connecting end of the connection bracket to an elongate support of the rotation limiting device. The bushing assembly includes an inner bushing slidably mounted to the elongate support, an outer bushing affixed to the device connecting end, and a resilient element connected between the bushings. The resilient element is resiliently deformable such that: the inner bushing is rotatable relative to the outer bushing such that an inner bushing axis can be angled relative to an outer bushing axis; and the inner bushing is axially movable relative to the outer bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Charles Roy, Kevin Poirier
  • Patent number: 12187085
    Abstract: A hitch system includes an upper hitch portion that is configured to couple to a trailer coupler portion and to a vehicle coupler portion to provide multiple degrees of rotational freedom as well as longitudinal coupling for towing the trailer by the vehicle. A weight distributing lower hitch portion couples to the upper hitch portion about a transverse axis. The weight distributing lower hitch portion includes spring bars extending to rearward points on a frame of the trailer between a tongue of the trailer and the axle of the trailer. The upper hitch portion and lower hitch portion are biased away from each other and hence bias the spring bars away from the trailer frame. The spring bars may then be coupled to the trailer frame by using respective levers to transfer weight distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Inventor: Gregory Alan Russell
  • Patent number: 12187382
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a snowmobile including an engine mounted on the chassis, a drive track in contact with the chassis, and a drive train, operatively interconnecting the engine with the drive track for delivering propulsive power to the drive track. The drive train includes a driveshaft, comprising a tubular driveshaft including two or more interior channels, the channels positioned in a substantially longitudinal orientation, two or more sprocket driving features on an exterior surface of the tubular driveshaft, and one or more fitting components, positioned at one or more distal ends of the driveshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Arctic Cat Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin David Thompson, Gary D. Homme, Devin Joseph Danielson, Andrew Jon Ellsworth
  • Patent number: 12187339
    Abstract: A vehicle (10) comprising: a vehicle body (12) defining a longitudinal axis “L”; a suspension system (40) mounted to the vehicle body (12) and connected to a drive wheel (32A, 32B) defining a drive wheel axis “A”, the suspension system (40) being configured to allow displacement of the drive wheel axis “A” relative to the vehicle body (12) with a component of the displacement occurring in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis “L” of the vehicle body (12); a sensor (110) for providing an output indicative of a level of displacement provided by the suspension system (40); and a torque control device (120) for automatically varying torque supplied to the drive wheel (32A, 32B) in dependence upon the output of the sensor (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: DEREGALLERA HOLDINGS LTD
    Inventor: Martin Hugh Boughtwood
  • Patent number: 12186250
    Abstract: A movable body control system includes: a movable body on which a user is capable of riding; a support device that supports a body of the user in a lying posture; a body detection device that detects a state of the user supported by the support device; a periphery monitor device that monitors a periphery of the support device; and a determination part that determines whether or not the movable body is capable of approaching the support device based on a detection result of the periphery monitor device. In the movable body control system, in a case where the body detection device detects that the user is in a predetermined state and the determination part determines that the movable body is capable of approaching the support device, the movable body approaches the support device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taiki Iimura, Takayuki Nakagawara, Takeshi Echizenya, Tomokazu Sakamoto, Etsuko Takasugi, Shinichiro Kobashi
  • Patent number: 12179866
    Abstract: A steering column for a motor vehicle having a steering shaft mounted in a steering column tube so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis and a damping device. The damping device has an element which is stationary in relation to the steering column tube and a rotatable element which is coupled in terms of rotation to the steering shaft. The rotatable element is rotatable relative to the stationary element about an axis of rotation. A damping fluid is arranged between the rotatable and the stationary element. The steering column thus permits operationally reliable damping of the steering shaft in a steering system. At least two surfaces of the rotatable element are provided, which are parallel to the axis of rotation, are in contact with the damping fluid, and are arranged so as to be spaced apart coaxially from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventor: Robert Galehr
  • Patent number: 12179851
    Abstract: An electromechanical power steering system for a vehicle may include a worm that can be driven rotationally about a drive axis by an electric motor, that interacts with a worm gear that is coupled to a steering shaft, and that is mounted such that it can be rotated about the drive axis in a bearing that is held in a holder. The holder may be movable relative to the worm gear. To make a decreased development of noise possible, the holder has a core element that is made from a core material and is connected to at least one contact element. The contact element may be made from a soft material that can be deformed elastically more easily and is softer relative to the core material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Christian Kohler, Felix Vonier
  • Patent number: 12172728
    Abstract: Adjustable suspension comprising a suspension body having a bottom, a piston disposed in the suspension body and comprising a piston head, the bottom and the piston head delimiting a main chamber inside said suspension body, the piston being movable in translation in the suspension body; and a fluid distribution device comprising a main fluid inlet configured to inject a fluid into the suspension and a fluid outlet, the piston being able to assume a first position in which the fluid distribution device is configured to bring the fluid injected through the main fluid inlet into the main chamber so as to deploy the piston and a second position in which the fluid distribution device is configured to guide the fluid injected through the main fluid inlet to the fluid outlet in order to evacuate the fluid out of the suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Inventors: Pablo Ortuno Ayuso, Zigor Garate
  • Patent number: 12172713
    Abstract: A fifth-wheel coupling arrangement includes, a plurality of wear sensors, a fifth-wheel coupling plate, a lock claw mounted on the fifth-wheel coupling plate configured to be movable in a first closing direction, a locking mechanism, with a stop, configured to be mounted on the fifth-wheel coupling plate configured to be movable in a second closing direction, wherein the fifth-wheel coupling plate has an insertion opening for a king pin, wherein the lock claw positively prevents the king pin from moving out of the insertion opening in a closed state of the fifth-wheel coupling arrangement and allows the king pin to move out of the insertion opening in an open state of the fifth-wheel coupling arrangement, wherein the wear sensor is configured to monitor a wear parameter of the fifth-wheel coupling arrangement, and wherein the wear sensor has a data output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: SAF-HOLLAND GmbH
    Inventor: Mario Sebastian Köster
  • Patent number: 12172731
    Abstract: An electric power assist device includes a housing for attaching to a frame structure of a bicycle; an electric motor provided in the housing; a rotating member rotatably supported by the housing, rotationally driven by the electric motor, and connected to a crankshaft/crankarm of the bicycle in a torque transmitting relationship; a rotational angle sensor provided in the housing and configured to detect a rotational angle of the electric motor or the rotating member; and a control unit for controlling operation of the electric motor based on the rotational angle detected by the rotational angle sensor, wherein the electric power assist device has a tilt angle detector for detecting a tilt angle with respect to a direction of gravity, the control unit having a calibrator for determining an absolute angle of the rotational angle detected by the rotational angle sensor based on an output signal from the tilt angle detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 12172729
    Abstract: An air spring assembly is disclosed. The air spring assembly includes an upper fork tube having a base lug on one end, a lower fork tube having an opening to receive the upper fork tube in a first axial end, and a fork tube gas seal to form a gas seal between the upper fork tube and the lower fork tube. A partial cartridge tube within a portion of the upper fork tube, the partial cartridge tube including a partial cartridge tube gas seal between an outer diameter (OD) of the partial cartridge tube and an inner diameter (ID) of the upper fork tube. An annular volume formed between the ID of the upper fork tube, the OD of the partial cartridge tube, the partial cartridge tube gas seal, and the base lug of the upper fork tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. Brown, IV, Daniel McCormick
  • Patent number: 12172876
    Abstract: Described is a rotary telehandler (1) comprising a carriage (10) movable on wheels, which mounts a tower (11), which in turn mounts a drivers cab (12) and an operating arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: MANITOU ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventor: Marco Iotti
  • Patent number: 12168487
    Abstract: A propulsion arrangement for a self-powered dolly vehicle unit, the propulsion arrangement comprising a first electric machine, a second electric machine, a gearbox, and an open differential for driving first and second wheels of a driven axle, wherein the first and second electric machines are arranged in parallel and connected to the open differential via the gearbox at respective gear ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jesper Blomstrand, Leo Laine
  • Patent number: 12162554
    Abstract: A seat post assembly for a bicycle has a first tube with a first distal end and a second tube with a second distal end. The first and second tubes are movable relative to one another to establish a distance between the first and second distal ends. A first pressure chamber has a loaded pressure proportional to a load applied along the tube axis. A second pressure chamber has a second pressure not proportional to the load. A flow path connects the first and second pressure chambers. A valve is disposed along the flow path and is configured to move between a closed position closing the flow path and an open position opening the flow path between the first and second pressure chambers. An isolator of the valve is configured to nullify any resultant force produced by the loaded pressure of the first pressure chamber acting on the isolator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Shipman, Brian Jordan
  • Patent number: 12162563
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a snow vehicle, comprising an engine mounted on a frame, a drive track, a drive train operatively interconnecting the engine with the drive track for delivering propulsive power to the drive track, and exhaust system. The exhaust system is positioned within an interior of the frame of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Arctic Cat Inc.
    Inventor: David Vigen