Patents by Inventor Darren K. Johnson

Darren K. Johnson 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).

  • Patent number: 7703751
    Abstract: A winch assembly includes a housing member, a drum rotatably coupled to the housing member, a drive shaft extending through the drum and into the housing member, a gear train located within the housing member, and an actuation mechanism. The gear train includes a sun gear driven by the drive shaft, a ring gear, and a planetary gear assembly driven by the sun gear and including a planetary gear rotatably coupled to a carrier plate and engaged with the ring gear. The actuation mechanism includes a locking member displaceable between first and second positions and a biasing member having a radially extending arm engaged with the locking member to provide displacement between the first and second positions. The locking member rotationally fixes the ring gear relative to the housing member in the first position and allows relative rotation between the ring gear and the housing member in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Warn Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Elliott, Darren K. Johnson, Bryon M. Borntrager
  • Patent number: 7588233
    Abstract: A winch assembly includes a housing member, a drum rotatably coupled to the housing member, a drive shaft extending through the drum and into the housing member, a gear train located within the housing member and driven by the shaft, a coupling member axially fixed to the shaft, and a clutch assembly including a clutch knob. The shaft is fixed for rotation with and axially displaceable relative to a drive input. The clutch knob is rotatably coupled to the housing member and includes an axially extending ramped surface that axially displaces the shaft in first and second axial directions upon rotation of the clutch knob in first and second rotary directions. Rotation in the first rotary direction rotationally couples the drum to the gear train through engagement with the coupling member and rotation in the second rotary direction disengages the drum from rotational engagement with the gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Warn Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik O. Roe, Darren K. Johnson, Bryon M. Borntrager
  • Publication number: 20080116431
    Abstract: A winch assembly includes a housing member, a drum rotatably coupled to the housing member, a drive shaft extending through the drum and into the housing member, a gear train located within the housing member, and an actuation mechanism. The gear train includes a sun gear driven by the drive shaft, a ring gear, and a planetary gear assembly driven by the sun gear and including a planetary gear rotatably coupled to a carrier plate and engaged with the ring gear. The actuation mechanism includes a locking member displaceable between first and second positions and a biasing member having a radially extending arm engaged with the locking member to provide displacement between the first and second positions. The locking member rotationally fixes the ring gear relative to the housing member in the first position and allows relative rotation between the ring gear and the housing member in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: WARN INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Elliott, Darren K. Johnson, Bryon M. Borntrager
  • Publication number: 20080116430
    Abstract: A winch assembly includes a housing member, a drum rotatably coupled to the housing member, a drive shaft extending through the drum and into the housing member, a gear train located within the housing member and driven by the shaft, a coupling member axially fixed to the shaft, and a clutch assembly including a clutch knob. The shaft is fixed for rotation with and axially displaceable relative to a drive input. The clutch knob is rotatably coupled to the housing member and includes an axially extending ramped surface that axially displaces the shaft in first and second axial directions upon rotation of the clutch knob in first and second rotary directions. Rotation in the first rotary direction rotationally couples the drum to the gear train through engagement with the coupling member and rotation in the second rotary direction disengages the drum from rotational engagement with the gear train.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: WARN INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Elliott, Darren K. Johnson, Bryon M. Borntrager
  • Patent number: D555874
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Warn Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Elliott, Darren K. Johnson, Bryan Yoder