Patents by Inventor David E. Grass

David E. Grass 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: 5941510
    Abstract: An air spring has a pair of spaced end members for mounting the spring at spaced locations on a structure. A flexible sleeve of elastomeric material is sealingly engaged with the end members and forms a pressurized fluid chamber therebetween. A post is mounted on one of the end members and extends into the fluid chamber. A shock absorbing two-piece bumper includes a rigid metal base which is formed as an inverted cup-shaped member with a cylindrical sidewall. The base is secured to one of the end members with the post extending into an open end of the base member. An elastomeric member is snap-fitted into a hole formed in an end closure wall of the base member and engages the opposite end member upon the air spring failing or experiencing a large deflection. In an alternate embodiment, a plurality of flexible fingers are formed from the cylindrical sidewall of the base and are snap-fit to the post to mount the base member on the post and on the one end member of the air spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Grass, Mark D. Hilburger, Daniel J. Leonard, Mohamad Taghizadeh, Michael K. Whitaker