Patents by Inventor Ryan A. Delaney

Ryan A. Delaney 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).

  • Vehicle tailgate movement assist mechanism using plunger
    Patent number: 7552958
    Abstract: A vehicle tailgate movement assist mechanism including a tailgate configured to rotate between opened and closed positions and a tailgate lever arm fixedly connected to a bottom area of the tailgate. A drive lever may be pivotally connected at one end thereof to the tailgate lever arm and pivotally connected at an opposite end thereof to a bell crank. The bell crank may be pivotally anchored at one end thereof to a vehicle body, and a plunger damper may be anchored to the vehicle body adjacent the bell crank. With the mechanism configured as discussed above, rotation of the tailgate from a closed to an opened position simultaneously rotates the tailgate lever arm to impart movement to the drive lever and the bell crank to thereby contact and actuate a plunger of the plunger damper to reduce an opening speed of the tailgate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric L. Stratten, Ryan A. Delaney
  • VEHICLE TAILGATE MOVEMENT ASSIST MECHANISM USING PLUNGER
    Publication number: 20080197650
    Abstract: A vehicle tailgate movement assist mechanism including a tailgate configured to rotate between opened and closed positions and a tailgate lever arm fixedly connected to a bottom area of the tailgate. A drive lever may be pivotally connected at one end thereof to the tailgate lever arm and pivotally connected at an opposite end thereof to a bell crank. The bell crank may be pivotally anchored at one end thereof to a vehicle body, and a plunger damper may be anchored to the vehicle body adjacent the bell crank. With the mechanism configured as discussed above, rotation of the tailgate from a closed to an opened position simultaneously rotates the tailgate lever arm to impart movement to the drive lever and the bell crank to thereby contact and actuate a plunger of the plunger damper to reduce an opening speed of the tailgate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Eric L. Stratten, Ryan A. Delaney