Patents by Inventor John Rhein
John Rhein 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: 20110124266Abstract: Improved blow-molded wheels, methods for producing the same, and children's ride-on vehicles including the same are disclosed. The blow-molded wheels may include a blow-molded wheel body that is configured to rotate about an axis and has a tread surface that extends circumferentially around the wheel body and may have a circumferential profile that is defined as the locus of points at which the radial distance from the axis to the tread surface is greatest at each position around the circumference of the tread surface. The radial distance from the axis to the circumferential profile may change from a first radius to a second radius that is larger than the first radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the circumferential profile. The method for producing the blow-molded wheels may include providing a mold with pinch-off rings that have an opening configured to form the circumferential profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2011Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Christopher F. Lucas, John Rhein, Gerald P. Sitarski, Steven R. Drosendahl
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Patent number: 7938218Abstract: Children's ride-on vehicles having a drive assembly that is selectively configured between a plurality of drive configurations, such as responsive to user inputs via user input devices, and a ground detection system that is adapted to detect when at least one of a plurality of wheels loses contact with the ground surface. The ground detection system may be adapted to restrict the plurality of drive configurations responsive thereto. This restriction may be automatic responsive to loss of contact of the at least one of the plurality of wheels with the ground surface, and it may be made regardless, or independent, of user inputs that otherwise would select and/or enable one of the restricted drive configurations.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2009Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: William R. Howell, John Rhein, Gerald P. Sitarski, Richard A. Zirnheld, Jeffrey W. Reynolds
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Patent number: 7905305Abstract: Improved blow-molded wheels, methods for producing the same, and children's ride-on vehicles including the same are disclosed. The blow-molded wheels may include a blow-molded wheel body that is configured to rotate about an axis and has a tread surface that extends circumferentially around the wheel body and may have a circumferential profile that is defined as the locus of points at which the radial distance from the axis to the tread surface is greatest at each position around the circumference of the tread surface. The radial distance from the axis to the circumferential profile may change from a first radius to a second radius that is larger than the first radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the circumferential profile. The method for producing the blow-molded wheels may include providing a mold with pinch-off rings that have an opening configured to form the circumferential profile.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2006Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Christopher F. Lucas, John Rhein, Gerald P. Sitarski, Steven R. Drosendahl
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Publication number: 20090321168Abstract: Children's ride-on vehicles having a drive assembly that is selectively configured between a plurality of drive configurations, such as responsive to user inputs via user input devices, and a ground detection system that is adapted to detect when at least one of a plurality of wheels loses contact with the ground surface. The ground detection system may be adapted to restrict the plurality of drive configurations responsive thereto. This restriction may be automatic responsive to loss of contact of the at least one of the plurality of wheels with the ground surface, and it may be made regardless, or independent, of user inputs that otherwise would select and/or enable one of the restricted drive configurations.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2009Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: William R. Howell, John Rhein, Gerald P. Sitarski, Richard A. Zirnheld, Jeffrey W. Reynolds
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Patent number: 7591335Abstract: Children's ride-on vehicles having a drive assembly that is selectively configured between a plurality of drive configurations, such as responsive to user inputs via user input devices, and a ground detection system that is adapted to detect when at least one of a plurality of wheels loses contact with the ground surface. The ground detection system may be adapted to restrict the plurality of drive configurations responsive thereto. This restriction may be automatic responsive to loss of contact of the at least one of the plurality of wheels with the ground surface, and it may be made regardless, or independent, of user inputs that otherwise would select and/or enable one of the restricted drive configurations.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: William R. Howell, John Rhein, Gerald P. Sitarski, Richard A. Zirnheld, Jeffrey W. Reynolds
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Patent number: 7487850Abstract: Children's ride-on vehicles having improved shifter assemblies. The vehicles include a drive assembly comprising a velocity control assembly that selectively configures the drive assembly within a plurality of drive configurations and which includes a switch assembly adapted to be selectively configured between a plurality of velocity settings. Each velocity setting configures the drive assembly to a predetermined drive configuration. The velocity control assembly may include an actuator assembly that receives user inputs via a shifter handle moveable between a plurality of shift positions along a plurality of shift paths. Each shift position configures the switch assembly to a particular velocity setting. At least two of the shift paths have non-linear relative orientations.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2006Date of Patent: February 10, 2009Assignee: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: Christopher F. Lucas, John Rhein
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Publication number: 20080012406Abstract: This present invention relates generally to an infant seat and, in particular, to an infant seat that provides a stable, enhanced seating position for an infant and includes a sensory stimulus unit with a slide switch that, when actuated, effectuates a change in visual appearance of the stimulus unit and a corresponding change in the sensory output.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2007Publication date: January 17, 2008Applicant: MATTEL, INC.Inventors: Robert Piwko, John Rhein, Michael Kane
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Publication number: 20080011527Abstract: Children's ride-on vehicles having a drive assembly that is selectively configured between a plurality of drive configurations, such as responsive to user inputs via user input devices, and a ground detection system that is adapted to detect when at least one of a plurality of wheels loses contact with the ground surface. The ground detection system may be adapted to restrict the plurality of drive configurations responsive thereto. This restriction may be automatic responsive to loss of contact of the at least one of the plurality of wheels with the ground surface, and it may be made regardless, or independent, of user inputs that otherwise would select and/or enable one of the restricted drive configurations.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2006Publication date: January 17, 2008Inventors: William R. Howell, John Rhein, Gerald P. Sitarski, Richard A. Zirnheld
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Publication number: 20080006456Abstract: Improved blow-molded wheels, methods for producing the same, and children's ride-on vehicles including the same are disclosed. The blow-molded wheels may include a blow-molded wheel body that is configured to rotate about an axis and has a tread surface that extends circumferentially around the wheel body and may have a circumferential profile that is defined as the locus of points at which the radial distance from the axis to the tread surface is greatest at each position around the circumference of the tread surface. The radial distance from the axis to the circumferential profile may change from a first radius to a second radius that is larger than the first radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the circumferential profile. The method for producing the blow-molded wheels may include providing a mold with pinch-off rings that have an opening configured to form the circumferential profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2006Publication date: January 10, 2008Inventors: Christopher F. Lucas, John Rhein
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Publication number: 20070246271Abstract: Children's ride-on vehicles having improved shifter assemblies. The vehicles include a drive assembly comprising a velocity control assembly that selectively configures the drive assembly within a plurality of drive configurations and which includes a switch assembly adapted to be selectively configured between a plurality of velocity settings. Each velocity setting configures the drive assembly to a predetermined drive configuration. The velocity control assembly may include an actuator assembly that receives user inputs via a shifter handle moveable between a plurality of shift positions along a plurality of shift paths. Each shift position configures the switch assembly to a particular velocity setting. At least two of the shift paths have non-linear relative orientations.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2006Publication date: October 25, 2007Inventors: Christopher Lucas, John Rhein
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Publication number: 20070249260Abstract: A rotatable entertainment device includes a mobile arm rotatably coupled to the entertainment device, and a motion translation device coupled to the entertainment device and the mobile arm to convert an oscillatory motion of the entertainment device into a rotational motion of the mobile arm. The entertainment device is mountable to an oscillating device (e.g., a swing) that conveys the oscillatory motion from the oscillating device to the entertainment device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2007Publication date: October 25, 2007Applicant: Mattel, Inc.Inventors: David Bapst, Maarten Huystee, John Rhein, Robert Sonner
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Publication number: 20060079355Abstract: A toy ball is formed from two shells and a pair of lock mechanisms 220. During construction, the shells, which may be hemispherical, are mated together and then the lock mechanisms are secured to the shells to form a substantially smooth-surfaced sphere. The lock mechanisms provide a redundant locking feature to hold the two shells together to form the toy ball.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2004Publication date: April 13, 2006Inventors: Jerry May, John Rhein
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Publication number: 20050263038Abstract: A tray insert is adapted to be coupled to a support. A tray set includes a tray insert and a base tray or support.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2005Publication date: December 1, 2005Inventors: Ronald Asbach, John Rhein
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Publication number: 20050014443Abstract: A rotatable entertainment device includes a mobile arm rotatably coupled to the entertainment device, and a motion translation device coupled to the entertainment device and the mobile arm to convert an oscillatory motion of the entertainment device into a rotational motion of the mobile arm. The entertainment device is mountable to an oscillating device (e.g., a swing) that conveys the oscillatory motion from the oscillating device to the entertainment device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2003Publication date: January 20, 2005Inventors: David Bapst, Maarten Huystee, John Rhein, Robert Sonner