Patents by Inventor Brian K. Gray
Brian K. Gray has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9228819Abstract: A wheel clamp attaches to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The wheel clamp has a body for supporting a target or measuring head, and three elongated arms mounted to the body. Each arm has a gripping portion for gripping the tire's tread surface. A self-centering linkage has enmeshed gears that, when rotated, cause the elongated arms to simultaneously proportionally move relative to the clamp body. An attachment interface mechanically connected to the self-centering linkage is configured to engage with a rotational actuator. Alternatively, the wheel clamp includes an actuator mechanically coupled to the self-centering mechanism. Activation of the actuator causes the gripping portions of the arms to engage and grip the tire tread surface and tighten the clamp onto the tire.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2013Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Carl W. Pruitt, Brian K. Gray, David Cox
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Patent number: 9134125Abstract: A wheel clamp attaches to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The wheel clamp has a body for supporting a target or measuring head, and three extendable arms slidably mounted to the body. Each arm has a gripping portion for gripping the tire's tread surface and a sidewall contact portion for contacting the tire sidewall such that the clamp body is substantially parallel to the vehicle wheel and the wheel clamp has no contact with the rim. A self-centering linkage has enmeshed gears and link arms respectively connecting the arms to the gears, such that when the gears are rotated, the arms simultaneously proportionally slide relative to the clamp body, so the gripping portions of the arms engage and grip the tire tread surface and tighten the clamp onto the tire, while the sidewall contact portions of the arms contact the tire sidewall.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2012Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Brian K. Gray, Rodney Harrell, David A. Jackson, Ronald D. Swayne, Ronald D. Edgmon
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Publication number: 20150049188Abstract: A portable vehicle alignment system is provided having two base tower assemblies, each having a pedestal, a columnar tower removably attachable to the top of the pedestal, and a camera pod movable along a length of the tower; and a data processor with a wireless communication device for processing image data from the camera pods. Each camera pod includes a camera for capturing image data of a target mounted on a vehicle, and a communication device for wirelessly communicating with the data processor. One pod has a calibration target and the other pod has a calibration camera for capturing images of the calibration target. The pedestals each have a manually-operated clamp for removably fixedly attaching the tower to the pedestal in one of a plurality of positions such that the orientation of the camera pod to the pedestal is angularly adjustable, allowing horizontal rotation of the camera pod.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2014Publication date: February 19, 2015Inventors: Rodney HARRELL, Brian K. GRAY, David A. JACKSON, Ronald D. SWAYNE, Darwin Y. CHEN, Bryan C. MINOR
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Publication number: 20140115906Abstract: A wheel clamp attaches to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The wheel clamp has a body for supporting a target or measuring head, and three elongated arms mounted to the body. Each arm has a gripping portion for gripping the tire's tread surface. A self-centering linkage has enmeshed gears that, when rotated, cause the elongated arms to simultaneously proportionally move relative to the clamp body. An attachment interface mechanically connected to the self-centering linkage is configured to engage with a rotational actuator. Alternatively, the wheel clamp includes an actuator mechanically coupled to the self-centering mechanism. Activation of the actuator causes the gripping portions of the arms to engage and grip the tire tread surface and tighten the clamp onto the tire.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2013Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Carl W. PRUITT, Brian K. GRAY, David COX
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Publication number: 20140070474Abstract: A wheel clamp attaches to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The wheel clamp has a body for supporting a target or measuring head, and three extendable arms slidably mounted to the body. Each arm has a gripping portion for gripping the tire's tread surface and a sidewall contact portion for contacting the tire sidewall such that the clamp body is substantially parallel to the vehicle wheel and the wheel clamp has no contact with the rim. A self-centering linkage has enmeshed gears and link arms respectively connecting the arms to the gears, such that when the gears are rotated, the arms simultaneously proportionally slide relative to the clamp body, so the gripping portions of the arms engage and grip the tire tread surface and tighten the clamp onto the tire, while the sidewall contact portions of the arms contact the tire sidewall.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2012Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Brian K. GRAY, Rodney Harrell, David A. Jackson, Ronald D. Swayne, Ronald D. Edgmon
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Publication number: 20120117812Abstract: A lightweight wheel clamp assembly is provided for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The assembly comprises a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a handle rotatably mounted to the second bracket; and a rod having a threaded portion and an attachment portion near a first end of the rod. The first bracket is attachable to the attachment portion of the rod, and the handle is threaded to engage the threaded portion of the rod, such that when a user grasps and rotates the handle, a distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2012Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: Snap-On IncorporatedInventors: Brian K. Gray, David A. Jackson, Ronald D. Swayne
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Patent number: 8104185Abstract: A lightweight wheel clamp assembly is provided for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The assembly comprises a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a handle rotatably mounted to the second bracket; and a rod having a threaded portion and an attachment portion near a first end of the rod. The first bracket is attachable to the attachment portion of the rod, and the handle is threaded to engage the threaded portion of the rod, such that when a user grasps and rotates the handle, a distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2010Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Snap-On IncorporatedInventors: Brian K. Gray, David A. Jackson, Ronald D. Swayne
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Publication number: 20110146089Abstract: A lightweight wheel clamp assembly is provided for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The assembly comprises a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a handle rotatably mounted to the second bracket; and a rod having a threaded portion and an attachment portion near a first end of the rod. The first bracket is attachable to the attachment portion of the rod, and the handle is threaded to engage the threaded portion of the rod, such that when a user grasps and rotates the handle, a distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2010Publication date: June 23, 2011Inventors: Brian K. GRAY, David A. Jackson, Ronald D. Swayne
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Patent number: 7870677Abstract: A lightweight wheel clamp assembly is provided for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. Examples include a wheel clamp having an upper sliding bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel, a lower sliding bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel, a guide bar simultaneously slidably engagable with the upper and lower brackets, and a lead screw threadingly engagable with the upper and lower brackets for adjusting a distance between the upper and lower brackets to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel. The lower bracket has a plurality of measuring device mounting locations for adjustably mounting a wheel alignment element. The mounting locations are disposed such that when the wheel alignment element is mounted to one of them, the wheel alignment element can sight to a second wheel alignment element on the opposing side of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2007Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignee: Snap-On IncorporatedInventors: Brian K. Gray, David A. Jackson
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Publication number: 20080296857Abstract: A lightweight wheel clamp assembly is provided for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. Examples include a wheel clamp having an upper sliding bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel, a lower sliding bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel, a guide bar simultaneously slidably engagable with the upper and lower brackets, and a lead screw threadingly engagable with the upper and lower brackets for adjusting a distance between the upper and lower brackets to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel. The lower bracket has a plurality of measuring device mounting locations for adjustably mounting a wheel alignment element. The mounting locations are disposed such that when the wheel alignment element is mounted to one of them, the wheel alignment element can sight to a second wheel alignment element on the opposing side of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2007Publication date: December 4, 2008Inventors: Brian K. Gray, David A. Jackson
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Patent number: 6574877Abstract: An alignment head for use in aligning the wheels of a vehicle. The alignment head includes left and right covers configured for engaging each other to establish a housing. A frame assembly is positioned within a central portion of the housing, and sensors are mounted on the frame assembly. First and second transceivers are positioned respectively within front and rear portions of the housing. The sensors and transceivers provide information that is used by certain control circuitry to generate alignment information that can be used to align the wheels of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2001Date of Patent: June 10, 2003Assignee: Snap-On Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Brian K. Gray, M. Todd Foreman
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Publication number: 20020095802Abstract: An alignment head for use in aligning the wheels of a vehicle. The alignment head includes left and right covers configured for engaging each other to establish a housing. A frame assembly is positioned within a central portion of the housing, and sensors are mounted on the frame assembly. First and second transceivers are positioned respectively within front and rear portions of the housing. The sensors and transceivers provide information that is used by certain control circuitry to generate alignment information that can be used to align the wheels of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2001Publication date: July 25, 2002Inventors: Brian K. Gray, M. Todd Foreman
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Patent number: D446732Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2000Date of Patent: August 21, 2001Assignee: Snap-On TechnologiesInventors: Brian K. Gray, M. Todd Foreman
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Patent number: D590279Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2007Date of Patent: April 14, 2009Assignee: Snap-On IncorporatedInventor: Brian K. Gray
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Patent number: D738179Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2012Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: SNAP-ON INCORPORATEDInventors: Brian K. Gray, Rodney Harrell, David A. Jackson, Ronald D. Swayne, Ronald D. Edgmon