Patents by Inventor George C. Stickles
George C. Stickles 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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Publication number: 20180297530Abstract: A control system incorporated with a power running board assembly. In particular, incorporating a radio frequency control system for a retractable power running board assembly to move the assembly between a stowed or retracted position and a deployed or extended position. The present invention uses a transmit/acknowledge scheme of door transceivers and receivers to reduce transmissions necessary to monitor door status changes and operation of the retraction and deployment of the running board, which significantly reduces the number of transmissions and wear on the door transceivers battery to extend battery lifetime.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2018Publication date: October 18, 2018Inventors: George C. Stickles, Frank A. Borke
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Publication number: 20180257469Abstract: A foldable roof assembly having a soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side bows are attached to a first bow member, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at a pivot point created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is a wireframe and engages with seals in the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Patent number: 10046630Abstract: A foldable roof assembly having a soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side bows are attached to a first bow member, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at a pivot point created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is a wireframe and engages with seals in the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Patent number: 10040396Abstract: A universally mountable articulating step for a vehicle which includes a bypass linkage set which is common to mounting in a plurality of vehicles. The linkage set includes front and rear casting members that enable the step to collapse on itself. An independent mounting adapter which is unique to a particular vehicle is provided including a mounting configuration adapted to be attached to a vehicle and attachment mounting locations on which the bypass linkage set is to be mounted.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2017Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: George C. Stickles, Frank A. Borke
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Publication number: 20180178639Abstract: A soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side rail linkage assemblies are attached to the header, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at pivot points created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is lightweight and has a sealing arrangement that engages with the hard top roof portion and existing seal of the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2018Publication date: June 28, 2018Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Publication number: 20180147981Abstract: An accessory lighting assembly for vehicles. The accessory lighting assembly includes at least one attachment portion for selectively attaching the assembly to the vehicle wherever lighting is desired. The accessory lighting assembly includes at least one integrated lighting portion for selectively providing lighting to the interior of the vehicle. The accessory lighting assembly incorporates a grab handle for attaching to the at least one attachment portion for allowing a vehicle occupant a grip/handle for grabbing onto inside of the vehicle when desired.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2017Publication date: May 31, 2018Inventors: Rick H. Troeger, Jose N. Vigil, George C. Stickles, Ronald Manzanares, Eric D. Getzschman
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Publication number: 20180141419Abstract: An articulating slanted back soft top assembly for 4-door and 2-door SUVs. A fabric cover is supported by a frame that is at least partially articulatable from at least a closed position to at least one open air position. The frame includes at least one forward fabric support bow member and at least one rearward fabric support bow member. The rear fabric support bow member being positioned when in the closed position in a manner which allows the fabric to clear a sport bar or “roll bar” member of a vehicle in the closed position such that a rear portion of the top is angled from the vertical when viewing the vehicle from the side.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2018Publication date: May 24, 2018Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, Eric D. Getzschman, Jose N. Vigil, Andy Waite, Rick H. Troeger, Blake A. Jensen, James A. Robertson, Ronald Manzanares, George C. Stickles
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Publication number: 20180126895Abstract: A tonneau cover assembly with a top cover connected to a cable tensioning system that eliminates the need for side rails to both locate and tension the top cover. The cable tension system seals out environmental elements and holds the tonneau cover and fabric management bows of the assembly in place. The assembly includes a front attachment assembly and rear attachment assembly connected to cables, where the front attachment provides a forward mounting location and seals a front bow to the vehicle. The rear attachment assembly holds the top cover in a closed tensioned state until the cover is opened by an operator. The tonneau cover assembly reduces weight and complexity, while eliminating the need for side rails.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2018Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Michael Beltowski, George C. Stickles, Rick H. Troeger, Richard Essig, Tavis Lutzka
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Patent number: 9950598Abstract: A cover assembly (10) for a vehicle having an integrated fiber windshield rod (14) that is connected to a windshield area and held in place using windshield footman loop portions (22) eliminating the need for a windshield channel or windshield header. The windshield footman loop portions (22) have a plate (24) with a snap stud (26) for attaching a snap eyelet (32) of a web strap (30) to secure the fiber windshield rod (14) in place, which is connected to a fabric cover. The cover assembly (10) has a plurality of straps (16, 20) to secure the sides and rear of the cover assembly to sport bars (18, 21) of the vehicle. The fabric cover assembly (10) creates a sun screen and/or soft top liner effect over at least the vehicle cockpit and is storable in the installed position while the vehicle roof hard top roof assembly or soft top roof assembly is also in installed position on the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: George C. Stickles, Jose N. Vigil, Dorothy N. Kohn
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Patent number: 9931921Abstract: A soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side rail linkage assemblies are attached to the header, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at pivot points created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is lightweight and has a sealing arrangement that engages with the hard top roof portion and existing seal of the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2016Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Publication number: 20180086184Abstract: A multi-piece door assembly including a first door portion and a second door portion, which are removable to create a partially open-air experience or fully open-air experience. A pin pocket design is provided for selectively attaching the first door portion to a variety of different types of second door portions. A blow-out tab is provided to keep the multi-piece door assembly from blowing outwardly away from the vehicle with the increase of internal pressures at high speeds or crosswind situations.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2017Publication date: March 29, 2018Inventors: George C. Stickles, Frank A. Borke
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Patent number: 9889789Abstract: A tonneau cover assembly with a top cover connected to a cable tensioning system that eliminates the need for side rails to both locate and tension the top cover. The cable tension system seals out environmental elements and holds the tonneau cover and fabric management bows of the assembly in place. The assembly includes a front attachment assembly and rear attachment assembly connected to cables, where the front attachment provides a forward mounting location and seals a front bow to the vehicle. The rear attachment assembly holds the top cover in a closed tensioned state until the cover is opened by an operator. The tonneau cover assembly reduces weight and complexity, while eliminating the need for side rails.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2016Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: Michael Beltowski, George C. Stickles, Rick H. Troeger, Richard Essig, Tavis Lutzka
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Publication number: 20180037098Abstract: A soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side rail linkage assemblies are attached to header, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at pivot points created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is lightweight and engages with the existing seal of the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2017Publication date: February 8, 2018Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Publication number: 20180029455Abstract: An articulating front top cover assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The articulating portion is operably connected to a frame. An articulating portion movable between at least a closed position over the front vehicle compartment and open position for an open air feel.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2017Publication date: February 1, 2018Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin, Stephen J. Lewis
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Publication number: 20170341585Abstract: A universally mountable articulating step for a vehicle which includes a bypass linkage set which is common to mounting in a plurality of vehicles. The linkage set includes front and rear casting members that enable the step to collapse on itself. An independent mounting adapter which is unique to a particular vehicle is provided including a mounting configuration adapted to be attached to a vehicle and attachment mounting locations on which the bypass linkage set is to be mounted.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2017Publication date: November 30, 2017Inventors: George C. Stickles, Frank A. Borke
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Publication number: 20170334257Abstract: A tow hook step assembly having a step and hook combination that attaches to current bumpers or other vehicle components with “D” ring brackets. When not in tow position, the assembly acts as a heavy duty step in a step mode position. When towing is desired, the assembly automatically rotates into the towing mode position. The step is adjustable to accommodate any vehicle applications. An accessory access area is also provided to connect any accessories when desired.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventor: George C. Stickles
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Patent number: 9815356Abstract: A soft panel top assembly for a vehicle in sealing engagement with a hard top portion of a roof. The soft panel top assembly has a fixed portion attached to the vehicle and a lightweight pivotal portion that folds back to provide the occupant a quick and easy open air effect. Two door rails of the soft panel top assembly are connected to the vehicle. Two side rail linkage assemblies are attached to header, which is secured to a windshield frame when in a closed position, and are connected at pivot points created with a bracket attached to the door rails to allow the pivotal portion to pivot to an open position. The soft panel top assembly includes a rear header that is lightweight and engages with the existing seal of the hard top roof portion to provide a weatherproof seal.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, George C. Stickles, Duane C. Junkin
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Patent number: 9764691Abstract: A universally mountable articulating step for a vehicle which includes a bypass linkage set which is common to mounting in a plurality of vehicles. The linkage set includes front and rear casting members that enable the step to collapse on itself. An independent mounting adapter which is unique to a particular vehicle is provided including a mounting configuration adapted to be attached to a vehicle and attachment mounting locations on which the bypass linkage set is to be mounted.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventors: George C. Stickles, Frank A. Borke
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Publication number: 20170197497Abstract: A cover assembly (10) for a vehicle having an integrated fiber windshield rod (14) that is connected to a windshield area and held in place using windshield footman loop portions (22) eliminating the need for a windshield channel or windshield header. The windshield footman loop portions (22) have a plate (24) with a snap stud (26) for attaching a snap eyelet (32) of a web strap (30) to secure the fiber windshield rod (14) in place, which is connected to a fabric cover. The cover assembly (10) has a plurality of straps (16, 20) to secure the sides and rear of the cover assembly to sport bars (18, 21) of the vehicle. The fabric cover assembly (10) creates a sun screen and/or soft top liner effect over at least the vehicle cockpit and is storable in the installed position while the vehicle roof hard top roof assembly or soft top roof assembly is also in installed position on the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2015Publication date: July 13, 2017Inventors: George C. Stickles, Jose N. Vigil, Dorothy N. Kohn
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Patent number: D825401Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Bestop, Inc.Inventor: George C. Stickles