Patents by Inventor Michael R. Makin

Michael R. Makin 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: 10071692
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an article carrier system particularly adapted for use with a pickup truck. The system employs a first pair of support tracks secured to a roof surface of a pickup truck, and a rear spoiler portion coupled to each of the first support tracks and extending therebetween adjacent a rear area of the roof surface. A second pair of support tracks is secured to a pair of truck bed sidewalls. A combination spoiler/support subsystem is supported from the second pair of support tracks and is adjustably positionable to provide a variable spacing between the rear spoiler portion and the spoiler/support subsystem, to thus tailor the system to support articles of various lengths thereon. The rear spoiler portion and the spoiler/support subsystem provide an appearance of a single, integrated spoiler when positioned closely adjacent one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: JAC Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerard J. Kmita, Brandon T. McMahan, Noel v. Ranka, Jeffrey M. Aftanas, Gerald Gomes, Michael R. Makin
  • Publication number: 20160288724
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an article carrier system particularly adapted for use with a pickup truck. The system employs a first pair of support tracks secured to a roof surface of a pickup truck, and a rear spoiler portion coupled to each of the first support tracks and extending therebetween adjacent a rear area of the roof surface. A second pair of support tracks is secured to a pair of truck bed sidewalls. A combination spoiler/support subsystem is supported from the second pair of support tracks and is adjustably positionable to provide a variable spacing between the rear spoiler portion and the spoiler/support subsystem, to thus tailor the system to support articles of various lengths thereon. The rear spoiler portion and the spoiler/support subsystem provide an appearance of a single, integrated spoiler when positioned closely adjacent one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Gerard J. KMITA, Brandon T. MCMAHAN, Noel v. RANKA, Jeffrey M. AFTANAS, Gerald GOMES, Michael R. MAKIN
  • Patent number: 8528799
    Abstract: A vehicle article carrier system for use on an outer body roof surface of a vehicle to removably support articles above the outer body roof surface. The system may use a pair of support rails secured to the outer body surface generally parallel to one another. The system may also include at least one cross bar having a pair of end supports. Each support rail may include a decorative cover and metallic support element, with the decorative cover being positioned over the metallic support element, and secured thereto, to at least substantially cover the metallic support element. The metallic support element may include at least one aperture at each opposing longitudinal end thereof that allows the support rail to be secured to the outer body roof surface at only its opposing longitudinal ends, and to use pre-existing fastening elements mounted in the outer body roof surface as attachment points for the support rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: JAC Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon Michie, Jeffrey M. Aftanas, John Michael Heuchert, Eric Weber, Michael R. Makin, Gerald J. Drumm
  • Patent number: 8348111
    Abstract: A vehicle article carrier system for use on an outer body surface of a vehicle. The system may have a pair of support rails secured to the outer body surface. At least one cross bar having a pair of end supports extends between the support rails. Each end support has a housing and a rotatable locking component secured to the housing for rotatable movement. One of the housing and the rotatable locking component has a biased implement projecting therefrom, and the other has a plurality of structural elements arranged in a circumferential pattern. The biased implement engages with at least one of the structural elements to provide an additional holding force to the rotatable locking component when the rotatable locking component has been tightened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: JAC Products, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Heuchert, Eric Weber, Michael R. Makin, Gerald L. Drumm, Gordon Michie
  • Publication number: 20110192870
    Abstract: A vehicle article carrier system for use on an outer body roof surface of a vehicle to removably support articles above the outer body roof surface. The system may use a pair of support rails secured to the outer body surface generally parallel to one another. The system may also include at least one cross bar having a pair of end supports. Each support rail may include a decorative cover and metallic support element, with the decorative cover being positioned over the metallic support element, and secured thereto, to at least substantially cover the metallic support element. The metallic support element may include at least one aperture at each opposing longitudinal end thereof that allows the support rail to be secured to the outer body roof surface at only its opposing longitudinal ends, and to use pre-existing fastening elements mounted in the outer body roof surface as attachment points for the support rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: JAC Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon Michie, Jeffrey M. Aftanas, John M. Heuchert, Eric Weber, Michael R. Makin, Gerald J. Drumm
  • Publication number: 20100252595
    Abstract: A vehicle article carrier system for use on an outer body surface of a vehicle. The system may have a pair of support rails secured to the outer body surface. At least one cross bar having a pair of end supports extends between the support rails. Each end support has a housing and a rotatable locking component secured to the housing for rotatable movement. One of the housing and the rotatable locking component has a biased implement projecting therefrom, and the other has a plurality of structural elements arranged in a circumferential pattern. The biased implement engages with at least one of the structural elements to provide an additional holding force to the rotatable locking component when the rotatable locking component has been tightened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: JAC Products, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Heuchert, Eric Weber, Michael R. Makin, Gerald L. Drumm, Gordon Michie