Patents by Inventor Gregory A. Laarman

Gregory A. Laarman 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: 11059461
    Abstract: A powered landing gear mounted to a trailer includes an electrical connector mounted to the trailer that is configured to receive a jumper cable connected to a truck for supplying electrical power to the trailer, with a wiring harness mounted to the trailer that is electrically coupled to the connector. A landing gear includes a housing member, a telescoping leg member, a gear assembly configured to extend and retract the leg member relative to the housing member, and a drive system including a drive motor operatively engaged with the gear assembly, with the landing gear being operatively powered by electricity provided through the connector and wiring harness from the truck. The wiring harness may be operatively electrically coupled to the drive motor and/or a rechargeable power supply that is in turn electrically coupled to the drive motor, including through a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Jost International Corp.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Laarman, Brian E. Oestreich
  • Publication number: 20180141524
    Abstract: A powered landing gear mounted to a trailer includes an electrical connector mounted to the trailer that is configured to receive a jumper cable connected to a truck for supplying electrical power to the trailer, with a wiring harness mounted to the trailer that is electrically coupled to the connector. A landing gear includes a housing member, a telescoping leg member, a gear assembly configured to extend and retract the leg member relative to the housing member, and a drive system including a drive motor operatively engaged with the gear assembly, with the landing gear being operatively powered by electricity provided through the connector and wiring harness from the truck. The wiring harness may be operatively electrically coupled to the drive motor and/or a rechargeable power supply that is in turn electrically coupled to the drive motor, including through a controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Gregory A. Laarman, Brian E. Oestreich
  • Patent number: 9873410
    Abstract: A powered landing gear includes a housing member and a telescoping leg member connected with the housing member, an internal gear assembly located within the housing member is configured to extend and retract the leg member. A shaft extends into the housing member and is connected with the internal gear assembly, where the internal gear assembly includes a ring gear arranged to rotate about an axis that is transverse to the telescopic orientation of the leg member with the internal gear assembly configured to operate in a high speed setting and a low speed setting, and with the internal gear assembly automatically shifting from the high speed setting to the low speed setting. A drive system is attached to the housing member and includes a drive motor and a drive gear, with the drive motor configured to operatively drive the shaft via the drive gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Jost International Corp.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Laarman, Brian E. Oestreich
  • Publication number: 20150224838
    Abstract: A powered landing gear includes a housing member and a telescoping leg member connected with the housing member, an internal gear assembly located within the housing member is configured to extend and retract the leg member. A shaft extends into the housing member and is connected with the internal gear assembly, where the internal gear assembly includes a ring gear arranged to rotate about an axis that is transverse to the telescopic orientation of the leg member with the internal gear assembly configured to operate in a high speed setting and a low speed setting, and with the internal gear assembly automatically shifting from the high speed setting to the low speed setting. A drive system is attached to the housing member and includes a drive motor and a drive gear, with the drive motor configured to operatively drive the shaft via the drive gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Gregory A. Laarman, Brian E. Oestreich
  • Publication number: 20070007747
    Abstract: A slide rail for mounting on a frame member of a tractor for supporting a fifth wheel assembly movably thereon. The slide rail includes a vertical attachment leg configured for securing the slide rail to a vertically extending wall of the frame member and a horizontal first leg joined directly to and extending from the attachment leg. A channel member having a slide channel is integrated with the first leg and configured to being positioned above a horizontal top wall of the frame member when the attachment leg is secured to the vertically extending wall of the frame rail. A rack containing a plurality of teeth may be included on the channel member. A pair of slide rails may be mounted to the frame members of a tractor and a pair of stop assemblies may be adjustably movably mounted across the ends of the slide rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Applicant: Jost International Corp., a corporation of the State of Michigan
    Inventor: Gregory Laarman
  • Patent number: 6736420
    Abstract: A carrier assembly for a fifth wheel mounted on a semi-trailer tractor includes a pair of generally parallel spaced rail assemblies, each comprising a bed plate, a rack of teeth superimposed over the bed plate and a rack cover plate superimposed over the rack of teeth. Bolts extend through the rack cover plate, rack of teeth and bed plate. A slider assembly includes a pair of spaced generally parallel axial elements superimposed over respective bed plates and connected by a transverse element. The slider assembly supports a tooth engaging mechanism that selectively engages the rack of teeth and is spring biased and mechanically biased toward a locked position. Rear stops are removably attached to the carrier assembly. Projections on the bed plate and rack cover plate extend into apertures in the rack of teeth to resist shear forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Jost International Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory A. Laarman, Jose Alguera
  • Publication number: 20030001361
    Abstract: A carrier assembly for a fifth wheel mounted on a semi-trailer tractor in which there are a pair of generally parallel spaced rail assemblies. Each of these rail assemblies comprises a bed plate, a rack of teeth superimposed over said bed plate and a rack cover plate superimposed over said rack of teeth and a plurality of vertical axially spaced bolting means extending through said rack cover plate, rack of teeth and base bed plate. The carrier assembly also includes a slider assembly comprising a pair of spaced generally parallel axial elements each of which is superimposed over one of said bed plates. There is also a transverse element connecting said generally parallel axial elements, and said slider assembly supports a tooth engaging means for selectively employed the rack of teeth on the rail assemblies. Arrangements are disclosed which enable the carrier assembly to be attached to the tractor and rear stops to be attached to the rest of the assembly without welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Gregory A. Laarman, Jose Alguera
  • Patent number: 5904342
    Abstract: A landing gear crank handle for raising and lowering vehicle landing gear is provided that includes a first hand hold that is horizontal when the handle is in a full extended position, a second hand hold connected to the first hand hold by a central portion, and an arm connected to the first hand hold; and a jaw connector attached to the arm and adapted to connect the crank handle to a landing gear crank mechanism and adapted to allow the crank handle to lock into a collapsed position, a partially extended position, and a full extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Holland Hitch Company
    Inventor: Gregory A. Laarman
  • Patent number: D579759
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Jost International Corp.
    Inventors: Mickey L. Strait, Gregory A. Laarman, Ervin VanDenberg