Patents by Inventor Scott Sterbenz

Scott Sterbenz 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: 11124269
    Abstract: A bicycle derailleur apparatus for controlling bicycle speed includes a bicycle chain guide and a pair of moldable wires. The guide has opposite sides receiving a bicycle chain therebetween and is pivotally movable in a lateral direction toward and away from a bicycle frame portion mounting the guide. The moldable wires, disposed side-by-side and spaced apart, are mounted to the bicycle frame portion and have respective outer end portions attached to one guide side. By applying a predetermined electric current to the moldable wires at separate times their outer end portions deform from pliable states to respective acute and obtuse angular shapes relative to respective main portions thereof and thereby move the guide to shift the bicycle chain into engagement with one or the other of inner and outer derailleur sprocket gears of different diameter sizes to change the bicycle speed relative to the pedal cadence of a rider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Sterbenz, Eric MacLean
  • Publication number: 20200331556
    Abstract: A bicycle derailleur apparatus for controlling bicycle speed includes a bicycle chain guide and a pair of moldable wires. The guide has opposite sides receiving a bicycle chain therebetween and is pivotally movable in a lateral direction toward and away from a bicycle frame portion mounting the guide. The moldable wires, disposed side-by-side and spaced apart, are mounted to the bicycle frame portion and have respective outer end portions attached to one guide side. By applying a predetermined electric current to the moldable wires at separate times their outer end portions deform from pliable states to respective acute and obtuse angular shapes relative to respective main portions thereof and thereby move the guide to shift the bicycle chain into engagement with one or the other of inner and outer derailleur sprocket gears of different diameter sizes to change the bicycle speed relative to the pedal cadence of a rider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Sterbenz, Eric MacLean