Patents by Inventor Neal M. Lackritz
Neal M. Lackritz 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: 12097740Abstract: A support system includes a primary actuator that transfers force between a sprung mass and an unsprung mass. A control system operates the primary actuator to provide additional control when a damper exceeds a capacity threshold. The control system changes the capacity threshold according to the environmental condition.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2022Date of Patent: September 24, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Jonathan L. Hall, Matisse J. Milovich, Paul J. Keas, Neal M. Lackritz
-
Patent number: 11634167Abstract: In one aspect of the present disclosure, a combined suspension and steering module is disclosed that is positionable between an in-hub motor and a body of a vehicle. The module includes a housing, an actuator connected to the housing and including first and second components, and a steering system that is in mechanical cooperation with the actuator to rotate at least one of the first and second components in relation to the housing. The second component is axially movable in relation to the first component and is configured for connection to the in-hub motor to transmit rotational force from the actuator to the in-hub motor to cause angular displacement of the in-hub motor to thereby steer the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2019Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: James J. Dowle, Philipp J. Wolf, Dan-Sverker A. Fhyr, Neal M. Lackritz
-
Patent number: 11285773Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body, a wheel, a suspension system that supports the wheel relative to the vehicle body, a sensing system for determining an environmental condition ahead of the vehicle and a control system. The suspension system includes a primary actuator that transfers force between the wheel and the vehicle body, and a wheel hop damper that includes a moving mass and that transfers force between the wheel and the moving mass independent of the vehicle body to inhibit resonance of an unsprung mass formed by the wheel and a portion of the suspension system coupled thereto. The control system operates the primary actuator to provide additional secondary ride control when the wheel hop damper exceeds a capacity threshold. The control system changes the capacity threshold according to the environmental condition. The wheel hop damper may be a reaction mass actuator or a tuned mass damper.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2019Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jonathan L. Hall, Matisse J. Milovich, Paul J. Keas, Neal M. Lackritz
-
Patent number: 11173766Abstract: A suspension component includes a suspension spring, a screw actuator that is operable to compress and decompress the suspension spring upon supply of electrical power to the screw actuator, and locking structure that engages a portion of the screw actuator to restrain motion of the screw actuator to maintain a current degree of compression of the suspension spring.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jonathan L. Hall, Neal M. Lackritz, Troy A. Carter
-
Patent number: 11065931Abstract: A suspension system includes a primary actuator, an inertial actuator, and a controller. The primary actuator applies force between a sprung mass and an unsprung mass of a vehicle to control movement therebetween. The inertial actuator applies force between the unsprung mass and a reaction mass to damp movement of the unsprung mass. The inertial actuator has a threshold capacity. The controller controls the primary actuator and the inertial actuator. The controller determines a required damping of the movement of the unsprung mass, and apportions the required damping between the primary actuator and the inertial actuator.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2018Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Paul J. Keas, Jonathan L. Hall, Kan Zhou, Troy A. Carter, Neal M. Lackritz
-
Patent number: 10906370Abstract: A suspension actuator assembly includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator selectively applies a first force between an unsprung mass and a sprung mass of a vehicle to control movement therebetween. The second actuator selectively applies a second force between the unsprung mass and a reaction mass to damp movement of the unsprung mass. The second actuator is coupled to the first actuator to form the suspension actuator assembly as a singular unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jonathan L. Hall, Kan Zhou, Troy A. Carter, Paul J. Keas, Neal M. Lackritz
-
Patent number: 9417075Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2014Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: Bose CorporationInventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Publication number: 20150160021Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2014Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Patent number: 8948968Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2013Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Bose CorporationInventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Patent number: 8938333Abstract: An active wheel damper. An active suspension damps vertical displacement of an unsprung mass in a frequency range and reduces vertical displacement of a sprung mass in another frequency range.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2012Date of Patent: January 20, 2015Assignee: Bose CorporationInventors: Amar G. Bose, Paul Bender, Marco Giovanardi, Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, William R. Short, Wade P. Torres, Upendra V. Ummethala, David J. Warkentin
-
Publication number: 20140012467Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2013Publication date: January 9, 2014Inventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Publication number: 20140005888Abstract: An active wheel damper. An active suspension damps vertical displacement of an unsprung mass in a frequency range and reduces vertical displacement of a sprung mass in another frequency range.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2012Publication date: January 2, 2014Inventors: Amar G. Bose, Paul Bender, Marco Giovanardi, Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, William R. Short, Wade P. Torres, Upendra V. Ummethala, David J. Warkentin
-
Patent number: 8517395Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Bose CorporationInventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, William R. Short
-
Publication number: 20110160959Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2010Publication date: June 30, 2011Inventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Patent number: 7878510Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2007Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Bose CorporationInventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Patent number: 7434816Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle locations.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2006Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Bose CorporationInventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Patent number: 7195250Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2003Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignee: Bose CorporationInventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Publication number: 20040251643Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2003Publication date: December 16, 2004Inventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Publication number: 20040046335Abstract: An active suspension system for a vehicle including elements for developing and executing a trajectory plan responsive to the path on which the vehicle is traveling. The system may include a location system for locating the vehicle, and a system for retrieving a road profile corresponding to the vehicle location.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2003Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: Lawrence D. Knox, Neal M. Lackritz, James A. Parison, William R. Short
-
Patent number: 5410300Abstract: A switching array as described for connecting ones of a plurality of data sources to ones of a plurality of data sinks. The array includes source data busses which transmit from a connected source, data words, a connection mask and a connection designator. The connection mask has bit positions that map to individual data sinks. A multiplexer/control circuit module is associated with each individual data sink for controlling the interconnection of the data sink to a source data bus. Each multiplexer/control circuit module is connected to each source data bus and is responsive to an active state connection mask bit and a connection designator on a first source data bus, to establish a connection between an associated sink and the first source data bus. This configuration enables the multiplexer/control circuit module to establish a connection without reference to any other multiplexer/control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1993Date of Patent: April 25, 1995Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Joel M. Gould, Neal M. Lackritz