Patents by Inventor Jerry L. Beck

Jerry L. Beck 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).

  • Publication number: 20020027726
    Abstract: A ball and toggle assembly for a prismatic interior rearview mirror of a vehicle comprises a ball and body member and a toggle member. The ball and body member and the toggle member are separately formed from separate polymeric materials and joined together. The flexural moduli of the separate materials are selected such that the ball and body member is substantially rigid while the toggle member is flexible. The toggle member is preferably molded over the body member and secured thereto via a mechanical interconnection of the toggle member material to the body member material. Preferably, the ball and body member comprises an engineering polymer, such as a glass-filled thermoplastic material, while the toggle member comprises a polyolefin, such as a homopolymer or co-polymer polypropylene material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: Donnelly Corporation, a corporation of the State of Michigan
    Inventors: Ralph A. Spooner, Jerry L. Beck
  • Patent number: 6318870
    Abstract: A ball and toggle assembly for a prismatic interior rearview mirror of a vehicle comprises a ball and body member and a toggle member. The ball and body member and the toggle member are separately formed from separate polymeric materials and joined together. The flexural moduli of the separate materials are selected such that the ball and body member is substantially rigid while the toggle member is flexible. The toggle member is preferably molded over the body member and secured thereto via a mechanical interconnection of the toggle member material to the body member material. Preferably, the ball and body member comprises an engineering polymer, such as a glass-filled thermoplastic material, while the toggle member comprises a polyolefin, such as a homopolymer or co-polymer polypropylene material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph A. Spooner, Jerry L. Beck
  • Patent number: 5576687
    Abstract: An information display for use in vehicles including a module or housing located behind, and attached to, a support for the interior rearview mirror assembly. The module includes a display which is observable around the profile of the mirror by the vehicle operator or passengers. An upper portion of the display module is attached to the mount used to support the mirror assembly on the vehicle windshield. The upper portion of the module may be detachably coupled to the mount by a snap-on clip, by a threaded fastener secured directly to the mount, or by a resilient S-clip. The information display of this invention lends itself to quickly and inexpensively adding a wide range of information displays such as a compass, trip computer, clock, warning light, temperature readout, or the like, to any vehicle, at a location readily seen by the vehicle operator within the forward field of vision without substantially interfering or impairing the operator's field of vision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Rodney K. Blank, Ken L. Schierbeek, Jerry L. Beck