Patents by Inventor Roberto Ridolfi

Roberto Ridolfi 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).

  • Publication number: 20090044999
    Abstract: A steering wheel having a stationary portion supporting a DAB or similar module, comprises an armature (1) having a hub (2, H) directly mounted to a vehicle steering shaft and provided with an opening (3) through which a coiled element (5) passes. A non-rotating housing (41) is assembled with the hub (2) and the coiled element (5) connects the non-rotating housing (41) to a fixed part (61) of the vehicle and carries one or more electric wires to the DAB. The coiled element (5) is screwing or unscrewing itself to or from the hub (2, H) via the opening (3) when the steering wheel is rotated. A gear assembly is provided for supporting the stationary portion (41) when the steering wheel is rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Roberto Ridolfi, Valerio Poli, Adolfo Ridolfi
  • Publication number: 20080277178
    Abstract: A steering wheel assembly has a steering wheel armature, a hub portion and spokes. The hub portion is fixable to a conventional steering column shaft. The steering wheel assembly has a first drum supported on the steering column shaft, to freely rotate about only the axis of the steering column shaft. A second drum is freely rotatable with respect to the first drum only about a second axis. The second axis is parallel to and spaced apart from or incident to of the steering column shaft. Stationary means are provided for supporting the second drum on the first drum. Both the first drum and the second drum are rotated around their respective axes by the spokes engaging their sidewalls. The support provides a stationary support member onto which an airbag module or other devices can be mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Valerio Poli, Andrea Anselmi, Roberto Ridolfi, Adolfo Ridolfi
  • Patent number: 7398994
    Abstract: An assembly of an airbag module and a steering wheel of a vehicle has the airbag module moveable between a resting position and a working position, corresponding to the actuation of the horn of the vehicle. Advantageously, the retaining assembly drives the airbag module exclusively along parallel to the axis of rotation of the steering wheel, providing constant horn activation loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Valerio Poli, Roberto Ridolfi, Andrea Anselmi
  • Patent number: 7390018
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a steering wheel having a stationary hub mounted portion. The steering wheel has an armature with a hub and is coupled to a vehicle steering shaft. The hub is provided with an opening through which a coiled element passes. A non-rotating housing is assembled with the hub. The coiled element connects the non-rotating housing to a stationary component of the vehicle. The coiled element screwing or unscrewing itself to or from the hub via the opening when the steering wheel is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Ridolfi, Valerio Poli, Adolfo Ridolfi
  • Patent number: 7380817
    Abstract: As improved airbag module retention assembly for attachment to a steering wheel has an airbag module housing having an airbag cover, an internally stored airbag. The airbag module housing has two pairs of attachment legs. A base plate assembly has a base plate with a pair of mounting brackets pivotally attached at ends of the mounting brackets to the hinge supports projecting from the base plate and being linearly movable relative to the hinge supports. A resilient member such as a spring returns the airbag module housing to a resting position upon activation of a horn. The resilient member is interposed between one mounting bracket and the base plate. The pair of mounting brackets are connected by a pin and a slot. Each end of a mounting bracket is attached to an attachment leg of the airbag module housing. Movement of the airbag module housing assembly is constrained to a displacement parallel to the axis of rotation of the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Valerio Poli, Roberto Ridolfi, Andrea Amselmi, Adolfo Ridolfi
  • Patent number: 7350806
    Abstract: An assembly of a steering wheel with static airbag module has a rotor portion and a stator portion. A first gear and a second gear are at least partially superimposed. An intermediate supporting element is located between first and second gears with the gears directly axially coupled. An intermediate element has a portion that defines a path for the means for axially coupling said first and second gear to temporarily disengage them from the gears when a relative rotation between the intermediate element and the first and second gears occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Ridolfi, Valerio Poli, Adolfo Ridolfi
  • Publication number: 20070152428
    Abstract: As improved airbag module retention assembly for attachment to a steering wheel has an airbag module housing having an airbag cover, an internally stored airbag. The airbag module housing has two pairs of attachment legs. A base plate assembly has a base plate with a pair of mounting brackets pivotally attached at ends of the mounting brackets to the hinge supports projecting from the base plate and being linearly movable relative to the hinge supports. A resilient member such as a spring returns the airbag module housing to a resting position upon activation of a horn. The resilient member is interposed between one mounting bracket and the base plate. The pair of mounting brackets are connected by a pin and a slot. Each end of a mounting bracket is attached to an attachment leg of the airbag module housing. Movement of the airbag module housing assembly is constrained to a displacement parallel to the axis of rotation of the steering wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Valerio Poli, Roberto Ridolfi, Andrea Amselmi, Adolfo Ridolfi
  • Publication number: 20060220360
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a steering wheel having a stationary hub mounted portion. The steering wheel has an armature with a hub and is coupled to a vehicle steering shaft. The hub is provided with an opening through which a coiled element passes. A non-rotating housing is assembled with the hub. The coiled element connects the non-rotating housing to a stationary component of the vehicle. The coiled element screwing or unscrewing itself to or from the hub via the opening when the steering wheel is rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Roberto Ridolfi, Valerio Poli, Adolfo Ridolfi
  • Publication number: 20060125216
    Abstract: An assembly of a steering wheel with static airbag module has a rotor portion and a stator portion. A first gear and a second gear are at least partially superimposed. An intermediate supporting element is located between first and second gears with the gears directly axially coupled. An intermediate element has a portion that defines a path for the means for axially coupling said first and second gear to temporarily disengage them from the gears when a relative rotation between the intermediate element and the first and second gears occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Roberto Ridolfi, Valerio Poli, Adolfo Ridolfi
  • Publication number: 20050248135
    Abstract: An assembly of an airbag module and a steering wheel of a vehicle has the airbag module moveable between a resting position and a working position, corresponding to the actuation of the horn of the vehicle. Advantageously, the retaining assembly drives the airbag module exclusively along parallel to the axis of rotation of the steering wheel, providing constant horn activation loads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventors: Valerio Poli, Roberto Ridolfi, Andrea Anselmi
  • Patent number: 6722227
    Abstract: A horn actuating device for a steering wheel has a plurality of helical springs that return an airbag module to a raised resting position. Each helical spring has a free upper end that moves with the airbag module that also acts as a mobile electrical contact cooperating with the fixed electrical contact to bring about actuation of the horn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Massimo Rabagliano, Adolfo Ridolfi, Roberto Ridolfi, Luciano Verda
  • Publication number: 20030024342
    Abstract: A horn actuating device for a steering wheel has a plurality of helical springs that return an airbag module to a raised resting position. Each helical spring has a free upper end that moves with the airbag module that also acts as a mobile electrical contact cooperating with the fixed electrical contact to bring about actuation of the horn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventors: Massimo Rabagliano, Adolfo Ridolfi, Roberto Ridolfi, Luciano Verda