Patents by Inventor David A. Britton

David A. Britton 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: 12509307
    Abstract: A synchronization device for synchronizing a hanging dolly assembly to a conveyor includes a first pole body assembly comprising a first pole body and a first spring that is configured to bias the first pole body in a first direction and a second pole body assembly with a second pole body slidably connected to the first pole body and a second spring that is configured to bias the second pole body in a second direction opposite the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2025
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: David A. Britton, Harrison W. Saunders, Jeffrey W. DeBruler, Michael S. Haggan, Jeffery S. Smith
  • Publication number: 20250263250
    Abstract: A synchronization device for synchronizing a hanging dolly assembly to a conveyor includes a first pole body assembly comprising a first pole body and a first spring that is configured to bias the first pole body in a first direction and a second pole body assembly with a second pole body slidably connected to the first pole body and a second spring that is configured to bias the second pole body in a second direction opposite the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2024
    Publication date: August 21, 2025
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: David A. Britton, Harrison W. Saunders, Jeffrey W. DeBruler, Michael S. Haggan, Jeffery S. Smith
  • Publication number: 20240034576
    Abstract: A docking plate apparatus is provided for motorized floor conveyor vehicles, such as conveyance tuggers, that is particularly structured to provide tactile feedback at a determined stop position for improved docking and/or stopping placement. The docking plate apparatus has a structure and dimensions to ensure that the motorized floor conveyor vehicle is docked exactly in a determined stop position that is deemed most optimal for interaction with a delivery system. The docking plate apparatus can comprise body, which is a flat panel structure, and a docking aperture that is structured in a portion of the body. The docking aperture receiving at least one wheel of a motorized floor conveyor vehicle to dock the motorized vehicle in a determined stop position for interaction with the delivery system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Friend, Brian McElroy, Robert Aaron Allex, David A. Britton, Billy D. Dooley
  • Patent number: 11796018
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel torque brace for inhibiting rotation of a vehicle wheel includes a brace body including a relatively thick stopper portion and a relatively thin wedge portion that is stepped down in thickness relative to the wedge portion. The wedge portion decreases in thickness from one side of the brace body to an opposite side of the brace body. A contact pad is carried by the wedge portion. The contact pad and wedge portion are shaped and sized to be wedged between a tire of the vehicle wheel and a strut assembly to inhibit rotation of the vehicle wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Friend, Robert Aaron Allex, Brian McElroy, David A. Britton, Billy D. Dooley
  • Publication number: 20230323924
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel torque brace for inhibiting rotation of a vehicle wheel includes a brace body including a relatively thick stopper portion and a relatively thin wedge portion that is stepped down in thickness relative to the wedge portion. The wedge portion decreases in thickness from one side of the brace body to an opposite side of the brace body. A contact pad is carried by the wedge portion. The contact pad and wedge portion are shaped and sized to be wedged between a tire of the vehicle wheel and a strut assembly to inhibit rotation of the vehicle wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Friend, Robert Aaron Allex, Brian McElroy, David A. Britton, Billy D. Dooley
  • Patent number: 11401146
    Abstract: A mobile assembly support unit that includes an assembly line sync mechanism having a line engagement unit coupled to a rotatable sync arm, a propulsion unit having a propulsion wheel and a propulsion motor, a translation arm coupled to the propulsion unit and engageable with the rotatable sync arm, and an air cylinder coupled to the propulsion unit. The air cylinder is actuatable between a retracted position and an extended position such that when the air cylinder is in the retracted position, the translation arm is engaged with the rotatable sync arm and the propulsion unit is in a lifted position and when the air cylinder is in the extended position, the translation arm is disengaged with the rotatable sync arm and the propulsion unit is in a descended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Britton, James C. Greenlee, II
  • Patent number: 11364961
    Abstract: A method of installing a seat belt buckle that includes inserting the seat belt buckle into a rear end of a seat belt opening, such that an engagement slot of the seat belt buckle faces a front end of the seat belt opening. The method further includes engaging the engagement slot of the seat belt buckle with a seat belt tongue of a seat belt buckle installation jig and translating the seat belt buckle from an embedded position within the seat belt opening to an extended position with the seat belt buckle installation jig, wherein the seat belt buckle is nearer to the rear end of the seat belt opening in the embedded position than in the extended position. The seat belt buckle installation jig comprises a body comprising a first distal end and a second distal end, and the seat belt tongue is coupled to the first distal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Britton, Joanna G. Palmerton, John Laden
  • Patent number: 11207737
    Abstract: An inline tool holder including a shaft collar, a mounting plate, a first enclosure, and a second enclosure. The mounting plate is concentrically arranged around the shaft collar and includes a first surface, a second surface, and an attachment mechanism. The first enclosure is removably coupled to the first surface of the mounting plate and the second enclosure is removably coupled to the second surface of the mounting plate. The attachment mechanism of the mounting plate extends radially beyond an outer edge of both the first enclosure and the second enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Britton, Charlie H. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 11180121
    Abstract: A terminal tractor includes a cabin and a parking brake system including a parking brake handle located in the cabin for activating a wheel brake. The parking brake handle has a lowered position where the wheel brake is disengaged and a raised position where the wheel brake is engaged. A parking brake setting device is located in the cabin that is configured to be located beneath a head of the parking brake handle with the parking brake handle in the raised position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Friend, Robert Aaron Allex, Brian McElroy, William T. Smith, David A. Britton
  • Publication number: 20210179407
    Abstract: A mobile assembly support unit that includes an assembly line sync mechanism having a line engagement unit coupled to a rotatable sync arm, a propulsion unit having a propulsion wheel and a propulsion motor, a translation arm coupled to the propulsion unit and engageable with the rotatable sync arm, and an air cylinder coupled to the propulsion unit. The air cylinder is actuatable between a retracted position and an extended position such that when the air cylinder is in the retracted position, the translation arm is engaged with the rotatable sync arm and the propulsion unit is in a lifted position and when the air cylinder is in the extended position, the translation arm is disengaged with the rotatable sync arm and the propulsion unit is in a descended position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Britton, James C. Greenlee, II
  • Publication number: 20210086855
    Abstract: A method of installing a seat belt buckle that includes inserting the seat belt buckle into a rear end of a seat belt opening, such that an engagement slot of the seat belt buckle faces a front end of the seat belt opening. The method further includes engaging the engagement slot of the seat belt buckle with a seat belt tongue of a seat belt buckle installation jig and translating the seat belt buckle from an embedded position within the seat belt opening to an extended position with the seat belt buckle installation jig, wherein the seat belt buckle is nearer to the rear end of the seat belt opening in the embedded position than in the extended position. The seat belt buckle installation jig comprises a body comprising a first distal end and a second distal end, and the seat belt tongue is coupled to the first distal end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Britton, Joanna G. Palmerton, John Laden
  • Publication number: 20210069840
    Abstract: An inline tool holder including a shaft collar, a mounting plate, a first enclosure, and a second enclosure. The mounting plate is concentrically arranged around the shaft collar and includes a first surface, a second surface, and an attachment mechanism. The first enclosure is removably coupled to the first surface of the mounting plate and the second enclosure is removably coupled to the second surface of the mounting plate. The attachment mechanism of the mounting plate extends radially beyond an outer edge of both the first enclosure and the second enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Britton, Charlie H. Reynolds
  • Publication number: 20210024043
    Abstract: A terminal tractor includes a cabin and a parking brake system including a parking brake handle located in the cabin for activating a wheel brake. The parking brake handle has a lowered position where the wheel brake is disengaged and a raised position where the wheel brake is engaged. A parking brake setting device is located in the cabin that is configured to be located beneath a head of the parking brake handle with the parking brake handle in the raised position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Friend, Robert Aaron Allex, Brian McElroy, William T. Smith, David A. Britton