Patents Examined by Xuan Lan Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9868425
    Abstract: An interlocking brake system structure provides braking force in response to a force caused by operation of brake levers even when disk brakes are used for both front and rear wheel brakes. A saddle riding type vehicle includes an interlocking brake lever on a second handle from among the left handle and the right handle to interlock a front wheel brake device and a rear wheel brake device. An operation force distributor distributes operation force, caused by an operation of the interlocking brake lever, between the front wheel brake device and the rear wheel brake device. An interlocking wire receives and transmits the operation force distributed at the operation force distributor to the front wheel brake device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takanobu Fushimi
  • Patent number: 9863495
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a vibration isolator comprises a housing having a base portion and a wall portion. A plurality of bearings are disposed within the housing. The bearings are arranged in a configuration comprising a plurality of layers. A first layer comprises a bearing and a second layer comprises a plurality of bearings. Each bearing in the second layer contacts the wall portion of the housing. Each bearing comprises a plurality of contact points in contact with another portion of the vibration isolator, and no two contact points of a bearing are diametrically opposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: STILLPOINTS LLC
    Inventors: Paul J. Wakeen, Bruce Jacobs, Craig Shirley
  • Patent number: 9863541
    Abstract: A sleeve has a female thread, which is formed in an inner peripheral surface of the sleeve. An adjust screw adjusts a spring load of a spring, which is placed in an inside of the sleeve. The adjust screw has a male thread, which is formed in an outer peripheral surface of the adjust screw and is threadably engaged with the female thread. The sleeve has at least one protrusion that is formed integrally with the rest of the sleeve and is urged against the adjust screw toward the spring in an axial direction to urge the male thread against the female thread and thereby to provide a predetermined degree of sealing between the male thread and the female thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori Hirano
  • Patent number: 9834187
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a speed sensor that generates a vehicle speed signal. A sway detection sensor generates an oscillation signal. A brake control is coupled to a vehicle brake and is associated with a trailer brake. A controller is coupled to a stability control system and brakes one or more of the vehicle brake and the trailer brake and in response to the oscillation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kirk Englert, Doug Marsden, Erik Chubb, David Messih, Paul Schmitt
  • Patent number: 9827968
    Abstract: A normally closed port valve seals a hydraulic hose connection port of a hydraulic bicycle component. Connection of an end of a hydraulic hose assembly to the port opens the valve, placing the assembly's hydraulic fluid chamber in fluid communication with the interior of the hose assembly. A hydraulic cylinder of the assembly is in fluid communication with the chamber. A spring may be used to bias the valve to a closed condition and simultaneously to bias a brake actuating piston to a non-actuated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Bradley, Paul Gallagher
  • Patent number: 9822839
    Abstract: A hydraulically damping rubber bearing has a substantially hollow-cylindrical inner portion and an outer portion disposed with a predetermined spacing relative to the inner portion. A resilient connection portion is disposed between the inner portion and the outer portion and connects the outer portion to the inner portion. The resilient connection portion has a first hydraulic damping circuit with at least two first fluid chambers which are in fluid communication with each other by means of a first flow connection. The first hydraulic damping circuit has a damping action in a predetermined direction. A second hydraulic damping circuit provides a damping action in the same predetermined direction as the first hydraulic damping circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: BOGE ELASTMETALL GMBH, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Volker Ludwig, Stefan Loheide, Thomas Conrad, Wolfgang Unger
  • Patent number: 9821880
    Abstract: A bicycle rim brake comprises a first shaft, a second shaft, a first brake arm, a second brake arm, and a reinforcing member. The first shaft includes a first fixed end part fixedly provided with respect to a bicycle body. The second shaft includes a second fixed end part fixedly provided with respect to the bicycle body. The first brake arm is pivotally provided on the first shaft around a first pivot axis. The first brake arm has an opposite surface opposite to the first fixed end part. The second brake arm is pivotally provided on the second shaft around a second pivot axis. The reinforcing member couples the first shaft to the second shaft. The reinforcing member is provided such that the first brake arm is at least partially arranged farther from the first fixed end part than the reinforcing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kakimoto, Tatsuya Matsushita, Masahiro Nakakura, Shinya Hirotomi
  • Patent number: 9783017
    Abstract: A suspension coil spring, when assembled to a suspension device, in which a spring reaction axis (AR) is positioned coincident with or sufficiently close to a load input axis (AA), and the design and manufacture of coil springs are facilitated. Namely, a suspension coil spring (10) in a free state is formed so that a coil axis (AC) is bent in V-shape at bend point (PB) and the distance from the end turn center (CU) of the upper seating surface (38) to an imaginary coil axis (AI) is an upper inclination amount (VU), and the distance from the end turn center (CL) to the imaginary coil axis (AI) is a lower inclination amount (VL). When the suspension coil spring (10) is interposed between spring seats (22, 24) in the suspension device and compressed along a strut axis, the spring reaction AR axis of the suspension coil spring (10) is inclined and offset with respect to the imaginary coil axis (AL) according to the inclination amounts (VU, VL).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI STEEL MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junji Ogura, Yukihiro Sugimoto, Masahiko Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9776241
    Abstract: An automotive disk brake assembly installed in an automobile having a wheel. The assembly includes a floating caliper supporting an inner and outer brake pad and a brake rotor having a disk, and a hat, and wherein the hat is bolted to the wheel. A hydraulic cylinder is adapted to push the inner brake pads into the disk surface, causing the floating caliper to move bringing the outer brake pad into contact with the disk. Finally, the rotor is made such that a complete 100 kilometer per hour, 0.9 gross vehicle weight braking causes the disk to expand in thickness by at least 0.15 mm and to cool to shrink in thickness, relative to its expanded thickness, by at least 0.1 mm within 60 seconds of the cessation of braking, in an ambient temperature of less than 30° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventors: Xiaodi Huang, Xiaobin Song, Nannon R. Huang
  • Patent number: 9771995
    Abstract: A silent block comprises a first basic element and a rubber body at least partially surrounding the first basic element. The rubber body has, on its bearing side oriented toward a fastening side, at least one projection that projects beyond the bearing side in a direction of the fastening side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Georg Figura
  • Patent number: 9744958
    Abstract: A pneumatic brake valve unit for a rail vehicle, includes: a main device (20) designed for selective control of a communication path between a brake pipe connector (18) and either an atmospheric exhaust line (19) or an auxiliary reservoir connector (16), such that the pressure at the brake pipe connector (18) is k times the difference between the pressure at a control reservoir connector (14) and the pressure at a main brake pipe connector (12), k being a proportionality factor; and a reset device (23) designed for selective control of a communication path between an air discharge member (54) and the control reservoir connector (14) between an open position when the pressure at the brake pipe connector (18) is atmospheric pressure and a closed position when the pressure at the brake pipe connector (18) is above atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: FAIVELEY TRANSPORT AMIENS
    Inventors: Mickael Marechal, Gilbert Le Gall
  • Patent number: 9744826
    Abstract: A wrench and nut combination, including: a wrench lug including: a wrench lug feature that substantially mates with a nut feature of a nut of a shock absorber during a first rotation of said nut, relative to external body threads on a body of the shock absorber, in a first direction, wherein the wrench lug feature and the nut feature release during a second rotation of said nut, relative to the external body threads, in a second direction, wherein at least one of the first rotation and the second rotation causes an adjustment to a compressive coil spring pre-load of a set of coil springs disposed in the shock absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Paul Cox
  • Patent number: 9726246
    Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] To provide an antivibration device that can realize low dynamic spring characteristics in a high vibration region while securing a damping force in a low vibration region. [Solution] In the case where a load input in the axial direction of a coupling member is a predetermined value or smaller, the dynamic spring constant of a first bush 10 is set larger than that of a second bush 20, and the loss factor of the second bush 20 is set larger than that of the first bush 10. On the other hand, in the case where the load input in the axial direction of the coupling member 30 exceeds the predetermined value, the dynamic spring constant of the first bush 10 is set smaller than that of the second bush 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshifumi Sakata
  • Patent number: 9708851
    Abstract: A retarding device is used to retard movement of a cord of a window shade. The retarding device includes a support frame and a retarding unit. The support frame includes a base part having a base slot formed therethrough, and a side plate disposed at one side of the base part and having a securing portion formed therethrough. The retarding unit includes a cord retarding module, and a rod member disposed at the base slot. The cord retarding module has a mounting seat secured to the securing portion, and a retarding shaft rotatably supported on the mounting seat. The rod member and the retarding shaft are parallel to each other and extend in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Taicang Kingfu Plastic Manufacture Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Szu-Chang Huang
  • Patent number: 9701288
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake system is configured such that a pressure of a working fluid from a high-pressure-source device is adjusted by electromagnetic pressure-increase and pressure-decrease linear valves and such that a brake device generates a braking force having a magnitude that depends on the pressure adjusted by the linear valves, wherein the following controls are selectively executable, as a control of the energizing currents supplied to the linear valves, a feedback control based on a difference between an actual braking-force index and a target braking-force index; and a feedforward control based on the target braking-force index executed by placing each valve in a valve equilibrium state, wherein, in the feedforward control, an energizing current is supplied to at least one of the two linear valves, the energizing current being larger than that according to a preset relationship between a braking-force index and an energizing current in the valve equilibrium state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Okano, Yusuke Kamiya, Kiyohito Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9694803
    Abstract: A parking brake for a body mounted brake cylinder having either a single locking mechanism cooperates with a threaded shaft that is centrally mounted within the brake cylinder or with multiple locking mechanisms that are positioned symmetrically about the centerline of the brake cylinder push rod so that the push or piston rod can still accommodate arcuate motion of the level of the braking system. The locking mechanism may be controlled by a mechanical linkage or through a pneumatic circuit. Activation of the locking mechanisms prevents axial movement of the brake piston. As a result, engagement of the locking mechanism may be used to prevent a release of the brakes after then have been applied to provide an automatic parking brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: NEW YORK AIR BRAKE, LLC
    Inventors: Howard Huber, Robert Neulieb
  • Patent number: 9657794
    Abstract: A composite disc rotor includes a disc main body, a coupling bracket and coupling units. Each of the coupling units includes a bobbin, a clip and a coupling bolt. A head part of the bobbin includes a torque receiving portion inserted in the notch and a projection projected in a circumferential direction from an end of the torque receiving portion. A pipe part of the bobbin is extended from the head part and is fitted in a coupling through hole of the disc main body. The clip includes a connecting portion between the torque receiving portion and the notch and a pressing portion extended from the connecting portion between the head part and the coupling bracket. The coupling bolt is inserted into each of through hole of the bobbin to fix the coupling bracket to the coupling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takefumi Morio, Shinjiro Masuko, Takaaki Sasaki, Tomoki Yachi
  • Patent number: 9656646
    Abstract: An integrated electro-hydraulic brake system includes a power source unit storing a pressure, discharging oil from a reservoir to an accumulator, and a motor driving the pump; and an integrated hydraulic control device including a master cylinder and generating a hydraulic pressure, a reservoir connected above the master cylinder and storing oil, an in-valve and an out-valve controlling pressure delivered from the accumulator to a wheel cylinder. The power source unit is provided as a separate unit to isolate operating noises, and the integrated hydraulic control device and the power source unit are connected by an external pipe, and the out-valve is provided as a normally open type-solenoid valve that is used at low current ranges, normally maintains an open state in order to reduce heat generation, but is closed when a close signal is received, compared to a normally close type-solenoid valve that normally maintains a close state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hyun-Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 9644694
    Abstract: A wheel locking or parking brake assembly for a vehicle. In one embodiment, the wheel locking or parking brake assembly includes a plate member affixed to a wheel or axle having a plurality of closely spaced holes in a circular configuration or a circumferential flange with a peripheral extension or lug; an electrically powered pin advancing and retracting device; the pin adapted to engage and pass into any of the holes or advance in the path of the extension or lug; electric power supply and electric current polarity reversing device, wherein in operation, the pin remains in either an advanced or retracted position depending on the direction of the current when the electric power was switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Inventor: Mark Andrew Smeeton
  • Patent number: 9630679
    Abstract: In a spring leg of a front fork, the capacity of a rebound air spring chamber is expanded and a stable rebound reaction force is ensured, and the spring leg of the front fork is provided with a sub-tank including an air chamber communicating with a rebound air spring chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Aoki