Patents by Inventor Christopher J. Rixon
Christopher J. Rixon 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: 6314831Abstract: Various adjustable pedal assemblies (10, 110 and 210) include a pedal support (16, 116 or 216) slidably supported on a guide rod (12) with a pedal lever (18, 118 or 218) mounted on the support (16, 116 or 216) along the guide rod (12). The adjustable pedal assemblies (10, 110 and 210) are characterized by the screw (22) being external to and parallel to the guide rod (12). In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the pedal lever (18 or 118) is pivotally attached to the support (16 or 116) whereas in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the pedal lever (218) and the support (216) are defined by an integral member and the bracket (214) includes a connection (34) for rotatably supporting the bracket (214) on a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 1999Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: Teleflex IncorporatedInventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 6298745Abstract: An adjustable control pedal assembly for a motor vehicle. The pedal assembly includes an upper hub structure and a pedal arm extending downwardly from the hub structure and mounting the pedal pad. The hub structure is slidably mounted on a single hollow guide rod extending rearwardly from a transmission housing which in turn is rigidly secured to a pivot arm. The pivot arm is pivotally mounted to a bracket secured to the firewall of the vehicle. A nut is positioned slidably within the hollow guide rod and a screw shaft extends rearwardly from the transmission housing for threaded engagement with the nut. The upper end of the pedal arm extends upwardly through a slot in the bottom of the hub structure and through a slot in the bottom of the guide rod and the nut is positioned on the upper end of the pedal arm within the hub so that linear movement of the nut within the hollow rod as generated by rotation of the screw shaft results in forward and rearward movement of the pedal assembly along the guide rod.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1999Date of Patent: October 9, 2001Assignee: Comfort Pedals, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 6298748Abstract: An adjustable pedal assembly is adapted to be mounted on a body structure of a motor vehicle and is operative to control a vehicle system, such as a braking system or engine throttle control system, for example. The assembly includes a carrier, a support structure mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure, and a drive assembly for providing the fore and aft movement of the carrier along the support structure. A pedal is operatively connected to the carrier for movement relative to the carrier that is independent of the fore and aft movement of the carrier along the support structure. The assembly is characterized by a generator having an input associated with the pedal and an output adapted to be associated with the vehicle system.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2000Date of Patent: October 9, 2001Assignee: Teleflex IncorporatedInventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 6295890Abstract: An adjustable pedal assembly is adapted to be mounted on a body structure of a motor vehicle and is operative to control a vehicle system, such as a braking system or engine throttle control system, for example. The assembly includes a carrier, a support structure mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure, and a drive assembly for providing the fore and aft movement of the carrier along the support structure. A pedal is operatively connected to the carrier for movement relative to the carrier that is independent of the fore and aft movement of the carrier along the support structure. The assembly is characterized by a generator having an input associated with the pedal and an output adapted to be associated with the vehicle system.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2001Date of Patent: October 2, 2001Assignee: Teleflex IncorporatedInventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 6289763Abstract: An adjustable pedal assembly is adapted to be mounted on a body structure of a motor vehicle and is operative to control a vehicle system, such as a braking system or engine throttle control system for example. The assembly includes a carrier, a support structure mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure, and a drive assembly for providing the fore and aft movement of the carrier along the support structure. A pedal is operatively connected to the carrier for movement relative to the carrier that is independent of the fore and aft movement of the carrier along the support structure. The assembly is characterized by generator having an input associated with the pedal and an output adapted to be associated with the vehicle system.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 1999Date of Patent: September 18, 2001Assignee: Teleflex IncorporatedInventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Publication number: 20010015111Abstract: An adjustable pedal assembly is adapted to be mounted on a body structure of a motor vehicle and is operative to control a vehicle system, such as a braking system or engine throttle control system, for example. The assembly includes a carrier, a support structure mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement relative to the vehicle body structure, and a drive assembly for providing the fore and aft movement of the carrier along the support structure. A pedal is operatively connected to the carrier for movement relative to the carrier that is independent of the fore and aft movement of the carrier along the support structure. The assembly is characterized by a generator having an input associated with the pedal and an output adapted to be associated with the vehicle system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2001Publication date: August 23, 2001Inventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Publication number: 20010002556Abstract: Various adjustable pedal assemblies (10, 110 and 210) are disclosed and each include a pedal support (16, 116 or 216) slidably supported on a guide rod (12) with a pedal lever (18, 118 or 218) mounted on the support (16, 116 or 216). A screw (22) extends from a bracket (14 or 214) for driving the pedal support (16, 116 or 216) along the guide rod (12). The adjustable pedal assemblies (10, 110 and 210) are characterized by the screw (22) being external to and parallel to the guide rod (12). In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the pedal lever (18 or 118) is pivotally attached to the support (16) or (116) whereas in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the pedal lever (218) and the support (216) are defined by an integral member and the bracket (214) includes a connection (34) for rotatably supporting the bracket (214) on a vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 1999Publication date: June 7, 2001Applicant: HOWARD & HOWARD ATTORNEYS, P.C.Inventors: CHRISTOPHER J. RIXON, CHRISTOPHER BORTOLON
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Patent number: 6070489Abstract: A pedal assembly (12) for a vehicle (10) includes a bracket (16), a pedal arm (20) and a support mechanism (26). The bracket (16) is adapted to be mounted to a vehicle structure (18) such as firewall or vehicle dashboard assembly. The pedal arm (20) extends downwardly from the bracket (16) to a distal end (22) for supporting a pedal pad (24). The support mechanism (26) interconnects the pedal arm (20) and the bracket (16) for allowing pivotal movement of the pedal arm (20) in an operating plane (28) relative to the bracket (16) during normal operation and for guiding the pedal arm (20) out of the operating plane (28) in response to a predetermined force between the pedal arm (20) and the bracket (16).Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 1998Date of Patent: June 6, 2000Assignee: Teleflex IncorporatedInventors: Sundar Ananthasivan, Christopher J. Rixon
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Patent number: 5964125Abstract: An electronic adjustable control pedal assembly for a motor vehicle including a carrier, a guide rod adapted to be secured to the dash panel of the vehicle and mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement along the guide rod, a power drive operative to move the carrier along the guide rod, and a pedal structure including a pedal arm pivotally mounted on the carrier and a potentiometer mounted on the carrier and operative to generate an output electrical signal proportioned to the extent of pivotal movement of the pedal arm.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 1998Date of Patent: October 12, 1999Assignee: Teleflex IncorporatedInventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 5937707Abstract: An electronic adjustable control pedal assembly for a motor vehicle including a carrier, a guide rod adapted to be secured to the dash panel of the vehicle and mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement along the guide rod, a power drive operative to move the carrier along the guide rod, and a pedal structure including a pedal arm pivotally mounted on the carrier and a potentiometer mounted on the carrier and operative to generate an output electrical signal proportioned to the extent of pivotal movement of the pedal arm. The pedal assembly further includes a feedback apparatus for generating a feel in response to pivotal movement of the pedal arm.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 1998Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignee: Technology Holding Company IIInventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 5890399Abstract: An adjustable control pedal assembly for a motor vehicle. The pedal assembly includes an upper hub structure and a pedal arm extending downwardly from the hub structure and mounting the pedal pad. The hub structure is slidably mounted on a single hollow guide rod extending rearwardly from a transmission housing which in turn is rigidly secured to a pivot arm. The pivot arm is pivotally mounted to a bracket secured to the firewall of the vehicle. A nut is positioned slidably within the hollow guide rod and a screw shaft extends rearwardly from the transmission housing for threaded engagement with the nut. The upper end of the pedal arm extends upwardly through a slot in the bottom of the hub structure and through a slot in the bottom of the guide rod and the nut is positioned on the upper end of the pedal arm within the hub so that linear movement of the nut within the hollow rod as generated by rotation of the screw shaft results in forward and rearward movement of the pedal assembly along the guide rod.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1997Date of Patent: April 6, 1999Assignee: Technology Holding Company IIInventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 5884532Abstract: An adjustable control pedal assembly for a motor vehicle. The assembly includes an extensible module positioned on the lower end of the pedal arm of the pedal assembly and carrying the pedal pad. The module includes two screw jacks which may be selectively extended or contracted to vary the distance to the pedal pad from the lower end of the pedal arm and thereby accommodate drivers of various statures. The lower screw jack includes a coarser thread than the upper screw jack so that as the pedal pad is moved away from the lower end of the pedal arm in response to extension of the screw jacks the pedal pad is also pivoted upwardly to further accommodate drivers of small stature.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1997Date of Patent: March 23, 1999Assignee: Tecnology Holding Company IIInventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 5819593Abstract: An electronic adjustable control pedal assembly for a motor vehicle including a carrier, a guide rod adapted to be secured to the dash panel of the vehicle and mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement along the guide rod, a power drive operative to move the carrier along the guide rod, and a pedal structure including a pedal arm pivotally mounted on the carrier and a potentiometer mounted on the carrier and operative to generate an output electrical signal proportioned to the extent of pivotal movement of the pedal arm.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 1995Date of Patent: October 13, 1998Assignee: Comcorp Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 5722302Abstract: The pedal assembly includes an upper hub structure and a pedal arm extending downwardly from the hub structure and mounting the pedal pad. The hub structure is slidably mounted on a single hollow guide rod extending rearwardly from a transmission housing which in turn is rigidly secured to a pivot arm. The pivot arm is pivotally mounted to a bracket secured to the firewall of the vehicle. A nut is positioned slidably within the hollow guide rod and a screw shaft extends rearwardly from the transmission housing for threaded engagement with the nut. The upper end of the pedal arm extends upwardly through a slot in the bottom of the hub structure and through a slot in the bottom of the guide rod and the nut is positioned on the upper end of the pedal arm within the hub so that linear movement of the nut within the hollow rod as generated by rotation of the screw shaft results in forward and rearward movement of the pedal assembly along the guide rod.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Teleflex, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 5697260Abstract: An electronic adjustable control pedal assembly for a motor vehicle including a carrier, a guide rod adapted to be secured to the dash panel of the vehicle and mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement along the guide rod, a power drive operative to move the carrier along the guide rod, a pedal arm pivotally mounted on the carrier, a potentiometer mounted on the carrier and operative to generate an output electrical signal proportioned to the extent of pivotal movement of the pedal arm, and a resistance assembly to provide feedback or "feel" to the operator. The resistance assembly includes an annular friction surface defined on the carrier, a sleeve positioned over the friction surface, and a coil spring encircling the sleeve and arranged to be tightened in response to pivotal movement of the pedal arm to squeeze the sleeve against the friction surface and generate a friction resistance force.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 1996Date of Patent: December 16, 1997Assignee: Teleflex IncorporatedInventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon
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Patent number: 5632183Abstract: An adjustable control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle. The pedal assembly is slidably mounted at its upper end on a single hollow guide rod extending rearwardly from a transmission housing which in turn is pivotally mounted to a bracket secured to the firewall of the vehicle. A nut is positioned slidably within the hollow guide rod and a screw shaft extends rearwardly from the transmission housing for threaded engagement with the nut. A key extends from the nut to the pedal assembly so that linear movement of the nut within the hollow rod as generated by rotation of the screw shaft results in forward and rearward movement of the pedal assembly along the guide rod. The screw shaft is driven by a transmission positioned in the transmission housing and the transmission is in turn driven by a cable driven by an electric motor.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1995Date of Patent: May 27, 1997Assignee: Comfort Pedals, Inc.Inventors: Christopher J. Rixon, Christopher Bortolon