Patents by Inventor Todd Meaney

Todd Meaney 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).

  • System and method for position sensing using inflection point position sensing of a sensor output
    Patent number: 7375509
    Abstract: A position sensor includes a magnet and a sensor element that are movable relative to one another. The sensor element is capable of providing an output in response to a position of the magnet relative to the sensor element. Relative position sensing between the sensor element, such as a Hall Effect sensor, and the magnet may be determined by way of circuitry for detection of an approximate inflection point in the output of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd Meaney
  • System and method using inflection point position sensing
    Publication number: 20060202676
    Abstract: A position sensor includes a magnet and a sensor element that are movable relative to one another. The sensor element is capable of providing an output in response to a position of the magnet relative to the sensor element. The position sensor also includes circuitry for providing an output in response to an inflection point in the output of the sensor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventor: Todd Meaney
  • Vehicle gear box actuator
    Publication number: 20060169084
    Abstract: A vehicle gear box shift actuator and apparatus including the same. The actuator includes a lead screw; a drive nut threaded on the lead screw; a plunger; a first spring disposed between the drive nut and a first end of the plunger; a second spring disposed between the drive nut and a second end of the plunger opposite from the first end. Non-contact position sensing of the actuator output is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventors: Todd Meaney, Thomas Schregardus, Robert Cicerchia, David Medina
  • Steering shaft lock actuator
    Publication number: 20060144184
    Abstract: A steering shaft lock actuator may include a motor having an output shaft, a drive train, and a lost motion device. The drive train may be coupled to the output shaft and may linearly urge a locking member to an unlocked position when the motor is energized. The lost motion device may be configured to store energy when the locking member is in the unlocked position and utilize the stored energy to drive the locking member toward a locked position with a steering shaft when the motor is de-energized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: William Farmer, Sumit Sharma, William Fort, Brian Ganter, Todd Meaney