Patents by Inventor Michael T. Tichvon

Michael T. Tichvon 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).

  • Steering wheel assembly
    Patent number: 6193267
    Abstract: A steering wheel assembly (10) mounts on a vehicle steering shaft (14) which has a threaded end portion (18). The steering wheel assembly (10) comprises a steering wheel armature (20), an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (80) supported on the steering wheel armature (20), an inflator (90) for providing inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (80), a hub (160) fixedly attached to the steering wheel armature (20) and for non-rotatable attachment to the steering shaft (14), and a rotatable fastener (180) rotatably supported on the hub (160) for axially forcing the hub onto the steering shaft (14) upon rotation of the fastener in a first direction. The fastener (180) has a first end portion (182) including gearing (190) for rotating the fastener and a second end portion (184) for threadedly engaging the threaded end portion (18) of the steering shaft (14) upon rotation of the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Tichvon, Peter C. Feldman, Patricia O. Stein, Anthony C. Burgi