Patents by Inventor Michael James Wolohan

Michael James Wolohan 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: 5855451
    Abstract: A coupling between a motor vehicle steering shaft and a motor vehicle steering wheel including a first coupling element on the steering wheel having a cavity therein, a second coupling element on the steering shaft plugged into the cavity in the first coupling element, and a latch responsive to relative rotation between the first and the second coupling elements to couple together for unitary rotation the first and the second coupling elements with substantially zero lash therebetween. The latch includes a plurality of lugs on the second coupling element seated in extensions of the cavity in the first coupling element, a plurality of ramps in the cavity extensions operative to eject the lugs from the cavity extensions concurrent with relative rotation between the first and the second coupling elements, a plurality of sockets in the first coupling element, and a plurality of springs operative to thrust the lugs into corresponding ones of the sockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas James Milton, Michael James Wolohan