Patents Issued in February 18, 2014
  • Patent number: 8651551
    Abstract: A windshield device for saddle-ride vehicles includes a front wheel, a front suspension, a steering handlebar, a windshield, a windshield stay, and a connecting structure. The front suspension includes left and right front forks and top and bottom bridges. The left and right front forks pivotally support the front wheel. The top and bottom bridges connect the left front fork to the right front fork and are steerably supported by a head pipe in a front portion of a vehicle body. The steering handlebar is connected to the top bridge. The windshield is detachably provided forward of the steering handlebar. The windshield stay is attached to the windshield. The connecting structure connects the windshield stay to an upper surface of the front suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Fukuda, Masayuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8651552
    Abstract: A support structure of a windshield of the present invention comprises a frame having an open section opening forward in a vehicle and a support member provided inside the frame and connecting an upper face portion and a lower face portion of the frame. The frame has a windshield support portion supporting a lower side portion of the windshield at part of the upper face portion. The support member includes a rear support portion attached to the upper face portion of the frame and a front support portion attached to a cowl panel at a specified location positioned in front of the rear support portion. The windshield support portion is positioned between the front and rear support portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shibutake, Toshiharu Ikeda, Yoshikazu Ide, Hiroshi Sogabe, Yasuhiko Nishida, Naoki Shibata, Kohji Hashida, Toshinori Toyohara, Nobuhiko Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8651553
    Abstract: A tank closure system intended for closing a filling opening of a tank includes a tank cap, which closes the filling opening, and a tank flap, which covers the tank cap. The sides of the tank cap and the tank flap that face each other are designed to engage with one another in a positive locking manner by way of a defined shape, when the tank cap is situated in a predetermined position, in which the filling opening is closed, relative to the tank flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Aulinger, Hauke Voges, Ulrich Schablitzki, Rainer Blottko, Hans-Ulrich Stahl
  • Patent number: 8651554
    Abstract: A vehicle shield is provided according to the invention. The vehicle shield is constructed to avoid excessive hood flutter. The shield includes a vehicle shield region and an attachment region. The vehicle shield region is constructed for extending across at least a portion of a vehicle hood for protecting the vehicle hood. The attachment region is constructed for attaching the vehicle shield region to a vehicle. Also provided is a method of installing the shield to a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lund, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Patelczyk, Mitch Fogle, Chris Morin, Greg Razor, Robert R. Chapman, Luis Serentill
  • Patent number: 8651555
    Abstract: An improved structure for car cover comprises a main unit with a compartment inside and multiple conduits for the external connectivity for the main unit, and a transmission component that can be driven by external power supply and is located inside the compartment of the main unit, and multiple passive components located at the peripheral of the transmission component inside the compartment to allow synchronous movement, and at least one wire duct on each passive component for a flexible elastic cable to wrap around, and an active end on each flexible elastic cable to pass through a conduit to outside of the compartment, and multiple link mechanisms that are composed of multiple links and use one end to connect to the main unit and the other end to connects to an active end of a different flexible elastic cable, and a soft piece of shield that is attached to the multiple link mechanisms and able to varies with the length of the multiple link mechanisms to change the coverage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventor: Wei-Hao Chan
  • Patent number: 8651556
    Abstract: A vehicle door check link mechanism comprises a vehicle mounting member, a vehicle door mounting member, a link member and a latch member. The vehicle mounting member and vehicle door mounting member can be mounted to a vehicle and vehicle door, respectively. The link member can be pivotally coupled to the vehicle mounting member and slidably coupled to the vehicle door mounting member, or vice-versa, to pivot through a pivotal movement range. The latch and link members can prevent the latch member from moving from a latched position that retains the link member to a released position that releases the link member while the link member is disposed within a first pivotal movement range angle, and permit the latch member to move to the released position while the link member is disposed within a second pivotal movement range angle that does not overlap the first pivotal movement range angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Cutting
  • Patent number: 8651557
    Abstract: A door frame for a vehicle includes a vertical portion fixed to an upper end portion of a door body, and a main frame portion connected to an upper end of the vertical portion and fixed to the upper end portion of the door body. The vertical portion includes an envelope portion and a fixing portion. The envelope portion includes a bottom wall, an outer wall extending in an outward direction of the vehicle from an end portion of the bottom wall at an outer side of the door frame, and an inner wall extending in the outward direction from an end portion of the bottom wall at an inner side of the door frame. The bottom wall of which a width in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle is greater in a vicinity of the door body than at an upper end side of the vertical portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunsuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8651558
    Abstract: A stiffener for a vehicle, may include a coupling stiffener part, an upper stiffener part extending integrally from an upper end of the coupling stiffener part, and protruding to a forward direction of the vehicle with a predetermined length, and a lower stiffener part extending integrally from a lower end of the coupling stiffener part, and protruding to the forward direction of the vehicle, with a predetermined length, wherein the coupling stiffener is secured to a bumper back beam, and wherein the upper stiffener part and the lower stiffener part are complementarily operated about the coupling stiffener part serving as a support shaft in a seesaw type manner to absorb shocks, in the event of a collision between the vehicle and a pedestrian.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jeong Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 8651559
    Abstract: A vehicle body front structure includes a pair of side members and disposed behind a front bumper; a bumper member; a clearance behind the bumper member; an absorber disposed in front of the bumper member, the absorber being configured to absorb an impact from the front of the vehicle; and an upper member disposed above the bumper member, a front end of the upper member being located, in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, slightly behind the bumper member, wherein the bumper member is formed of a single plate and forms a protrusion protruding toward the front of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiharu Kitaizumi
  • Patent number: 8651560
    Abstract: A cab mounting apparatus may include a back complete member forming a rear wall panel of a cabin of a driver's compartment and to which a member frame forming a grid structure may be added, a rear cab member coupled to a locker of an air suspension for supporting the cabin and absorbing and damping transferred vibrations, the rear cab member being coupled to the back complete member to which the member frame may be added to serve as a load input point of a load applied by the cabin, and a rear cab reinforcing member fixedly attached to the back complete member while overlapping the rear cab member and connected to an end of a rear sill member crossing a lower part of the cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Kyoon Choi
  • Patent number: 8651561
    Abstract: In a side vehicle body structure of a vehicle, which is provided with a shoulder anchor part 2 for a seat belt, a shoulder reinforcement 9 of the shoulder anchor part 2 extends to the joint portion of a side body outer panel 7 and a quarter panel 8, and the shoulder reinforcement 9, the side body outer panel 7, and the quarter panel 8 are jointed together in the state in which the three elements are lapped together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hayato Nakamura, Junji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8651562
    Abstract: The invention relates to a B-pillar reinforcement of a motor vehicle having an upper region for joining the B-pillar reinforcement to the roof region of the motor vehicle and a lower region for joining the B-pillar reinforcement to a floor support of the motor vehicle, which B-pillar reinforcement comprises at least one hollow profile made of metal, in particular steel, and the hollow profile forms the upper and lower regions of the B-pillar reinforcement. The object of providing an improved B-pillar reinforcement which, on the one hand, is optimised in respect of a load-appropriate configuration with a minimum weight, allows a very good integration of additional components of the B-pillar, is achieved in that the hollow profile has at least to some extent a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional surface in one of the regions and has an at least partly U-shaped cross-sectional surface in the other region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Markus Zörnack, Rolf Peter Röttger, Lothar Patberg
  • Patent number: 8651563
    Abstract: A bearing structure arrangement of a motor vehicle body is provided with a side panel structure adjoining a bulkhead, and a linking component secured thereto for accommodating a frame rail section located upstream from the side panel structure in the traveling direction. The linking component facing the frame carrier section includes, but is not limited to an attachment profile corresponding with the profile cross section of the frame rail section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Udo Mildner, Lothar Teske
  • Patent number: 8651564
    Abstract: A polygonal cross-sectional frame has an L closed cross-sectional shape such that the frame has an inwardly recessed section. A rear vehicle body structure includes a depressing member provided, along the lower surface of a rear frame extending rearward from a floor of a passenger compartment, in opposed relation to a predetermined vehicle-body-mounted component part disposed beneath the depressing member. As a rear section of the rear frame deforms due to a load input to the rear end of the rear frame, the depressing member deforms downward to depress and displace the predetermined vehicle-body-mounted component part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Fujii, Masayo Akiyama, Seiji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8651565
    Abstract: The invention relates to a carrier element for a motor vehicle made of steel, which comprises at least one closed cross-sectional area and at least one rolled profile produced from a tailored strip, which extends in longitudinal direction of the carrier element. In addition to this, the invention relates to a body of a motor vehicle. The object of making available a carrier element for a motor vehicle that cannot only be produced in a simple manner and can provide high strengths with same manufacturing costs is solved in that through the rolled profile a carrier element having at least one at least partially closed cross-sectional area is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Markus Zörnack, Stephan Drewes, Lothar Patberg
  • Patent number: 8651566
    Abstract: A vehicle reinforcing structure includes a roof member, a pillar member that has in its upper part an extension part that extends along the roof member, and a reinforcing member that is joined so as to bridge the extension part and the roof member. The reinforcing member has a first welded part welded to the extension part, and a second welded part welded to a front edge of the roof member. The first welded part and the second welded part are provided such that an imaginary area created with straight lines that connect the respective edges of the welded parts substantially fits within the area of the reinforcing member. The reinforcing member further has an open area on the vehicle interior side of the first welded part on the rear side of the second welded part, the open area being in contact neither with the pillar member nor with the roof member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Nakaaki
  • Patent number: 8651567
    Abstract: A folding chair is disclosed that meets and/or exceeds, for example, ANSI/BIFMA standards. The folding chair may be made from a material that includes, metal, wood, plastic, or the like. Independent of the particular material used in the folding chair, the disclosed folding chair includes a configuration that satisfies, or surpasses, for example, ANSI/BIFMA leg strength testing, among other tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Meco Corporation
    Inventor: Darren Aldred
  • Patent number: 8651568
    Abstract: The present invention relates to holding rack for a rifle comprising of a dining chair, a first hook attached to the backrest and extending rearward, and a second hook attached to the stretcher and offset laterally from the first hook, with both hooks being covered with a soft material to protect the rifle. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a dining chair having a seat, a strecher and a backrest, a first hook attached to the back rest and extending rearward thereform; and a second hook attached to the stretcher and extending rearward therefrom, the second hook offset laterally from the first hook; whereby the rifle is engaged in suspension by the first hook through its trigger guard and its barrel rests against the second hook. Both the first and second hooks are covered with a soft material to protect the rifle. The spacing and angle of the hook themselves and the angle at which the hooks attach to the chair being critical for the rifle to rest safely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas Ancona, Jr., Troy D. Stuart, Ralph H. Davis, Michelle R. Davis
  • Patent number: 8651569
    Abstract: An apparatus that supports a person in a variety of positions so that a tattoo artist can comfortably apply a tattoo to the skin of the supported person is herein disclosed. The apparatus can be articulated to cause a person's legs and arms to be optimally positioned and supported to receive a tattoo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: InkBed, Inc.
    Inventors: Cosmo J. Andoloro, Kevin Richardson
  • Patent number: 8651570
    Abstract: A protective headrest for land vehicles provides ergonomic support and protection against injury to a passenger's head and spine. The protective headrest has a back wall, sides, top and front wall. The front wall includes a head support segment co-joined and adjacent to a spine support segment. The head support segment has a semi-spherical concave curvature adapted and shaped to correspond with a passenger's head. The spine support segment is substantially shaped as a convex curvature adapted and shaped to correspond with the passenger's spine region at the neck-head interface. The spine support segment is located proximate and adjacent to the head support segment on a vertical plane. Preferably, the headrest includes a memory foam or other moldable insert within the head support segment and/or the spine support segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventor: Terri L. Brucato
  • Patent number: 8651571
    Abstract: A mountable child safety seat that can be mounted on a door and more preferably, either a bathroom stall door or a bathroom door. The child safety seat includes a number of support columns with adjustable inserts that can be used to accommodate bathroom doors of a wide variety of heights to allow an adult caregiver to secure the child safety seat to the door. The child safety seat includes a seat belt to ensure that the infant or toddler will be secure while using the child safety seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventor: Sheniynah Richardson
  • Patent number: 8651572
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a seat configured to swivel, recline, and raise to accommodate a child during feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: TOMY Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David Medeiros, Mike Y. Daikubara, Cindy Fine, Jorge Tomas
  • Patent number: 8651573
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat bottom having a seat cushion and a seat bottom frame subassembly adjacent the cushion. The seat bottom frame subassembly has a platform portion with an aperture, a first substantially rigid support member suspended from the platform portion across the aperture, and a second substantially rigid support member suspended from the platform portion across the aperture. The first support member and the second support member are configured to move between the retracted position and a deployed position when a load is applied to the cushion. The first support member and the second support member cooperate to support the cushion when the first support member and the second support member are in the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Giuseppe Ghisoni, Giorgio Ursino
  • Patent number: 8651574
    Abstract: An office chair (1) comprising a seat (2) and a backrest (3), wherein the backrest (3) includes a lumbar support (4), which is adjustable between an inactive position in which it follows the general shape of the backrest (3), and a fully active position in which it is curved outwards forwardly from the backrest (3) in order to support the lumbar back portion of a person seated on the seat (2) of the chair (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: LT Office Line AB
    Inventor: Lennart Tranback
  • Patent number: 8651575
    Abstract: A lumbar support plate which is supported movably in a front/rear direction in a back frame that supports a headrest, and a biasing member which supports the lumbar support plate, are provided. A clutch mechanism which enables an output member to rotate by a rotating operation of a handle shaft, and an adjustment member which is capable of adjusting the front/rear position of the lumbar support plate in relation with an output member of the clutch mechanism are also provided. Also provided is a linking release mechanism which temporarily releases linkage with the clutch mechanism and permits rearward movement of the lumbar support plate, when a load equal to or greater than a prescribed value is applied to the lumbar support plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Okamoto, Ryota Okimoto
  • Patent number: 8651576
    Abstract: A multi-position seat for a kayak or other watercraft includes a seat frame and a pivotally connected back support. A pair of side elevation adjusters engages the seat frame on its lateral sides. Each adjuster includes a thumbwheel adjuster within an elevator traveler within a side frame, the traveler engaging a threaded shaft that is held in a fixed rotational position. The frame includes a tunnel structure associated with a front cross member. A strap passes through the tunnel, exits at lateral sides of the front cross member, and connects to lateral sides of the pivotally connected back support. The strap is user-adjustable in length so that the angle of the back to the seat is adjustable. The seat is thereby adjustable in angle front-to-back, can be canted left-to-right, changed in elevation, and the back support can be adjusted in angle and elevation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Swiss Cargo Industries S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Farber
  • Patent number: 8651577
    Abstract: The adjustment device according to the invention for an adjustable element, in particular the backrest of a chair, has a guide rail and a sliding element which is movable in the guide rail along an adjustment axis. Furthermore, a blocking element is provided, which blocking element can be secured on the guide rail or on the sliding element in a latching position in which the sliding element can be moved along the adjustment axis at least in one direction between two end positions, wherein the blocking element comes into operative contact with latches spaced apart along the adjustment axis. During the installation of the adjustment device, the blocking element is secured on the guide rail or the sliding element in an installation position in which the sliding element can be introduced into the guide rail in the direction of the adjustment axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Wilkhan Wilkening & Hahne GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralph Baumann
  • Patent number: 8651578
    Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus for a vehicle, includes a first arm, a second arm rotatably supported by the first arm, a pawl including external teeth engageable with internal teeth, a cam portion and plural pawl-side cam surfaces arranged at the cam portion, a cam including a cam surface engaging with the cam portion formed at the pawl, and a biasing member biasing the cam to rotate and causing the cam surface to press the cam portion in a radial direction. The plural pawl-side cam surfaces or the cam surface is configured in a manner that the plural pawl-side cam surfaces and the cam surface are in contact with each other when the external teeth and the internal teeth are in an engaged state and in a manner that clearances generated between each of the plural pawl-side cam surfaces and the cam surface in the radial direction are all uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Naoaki Hoshihara, Hiroyuki Okazaki, Mikihito Nagura, Shinya Isobe
  • Patent number: 8651579
    Abstract: Panel assemblies designed and configured to be installed into cushioned and other occupant-supporting furniture to increase the support provided to one or more occupants of the furniture. Each panel assembly is composed of interconnecting components, such as panels and slats. The components are interconnected in any one or more of a variety of manners, including side-to-side, overlapped, and stacked, and combinations thereof. Each panel assembly can be made from one or more kits of components that can be provided along with instructions, such as assembly instructions and installation instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: HIP Innovations LLC
    Inventors: James Pettingill, Timothy George
  • Patent number: 8651580
    Abstract: A truck body that efficiently hauls oil sands, which typically coagulate and adhere together in one consolidated mass. The adhesion of this consolidated mass to the surface of the truck body is minimized and the buildup of “carryback” is effectively prevented during haul cycles. Hauled amalgamated materials are dumped from the truck body such that the amalgamation breaks down and is safely dumped. One typical material that displays such a coagulated conglomerate massing is “oil sands” from which oil is extracted. A non-stick surface is provided on the truck body to overcome the natural adhesiveness displayed by this material and, when being dumped from a truck body, provides a means to assist in releasing the material from the truck body without leaving significant “carryback” that tends to buildup over haul cycles. Plus, the body design encourages the material to break down as it is dumped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventor: LeRoy G. Hagenbuch
  • Patent number: 8651581
    Abstract: A safety device which detects personnel data of persons located in the detection zone thereof, said safety device operating continuously or in regular cycles and reporting to the central controller. The personnel data of all persons located in the longwall mine are stored in a central storage device of the central control and constantly compared to the detected personnel data. If a discrepancy arises between the saved personnel data and the detected personnel data, the central control unit executes a command which halts all functions of the excavation devices and interrupts all moving functions, said command being directed at the switching devices of the associated excavation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Tiefenbach Control Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Wilfried Weigel
  • Patent number: 8651582
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a brush head for a toothbrush head in which the bristle tufts that are already fixed to a bristle support of the brush head are cut at the free ends thereof such that a desired tuft end contour is generated. According to the invention, at least one bristle tuft is bent away at least in parts and held in a bent-away position while the tuft end contour of this at least one and/or of another bristle tuft is cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Georges Driesen, Roland Doerr, Thorsten Koch, Michael Schmid, Bernd Nootbaar, Michael Dümig, Wolfgang Schüppert, Christian Stief, Peter Scheurich, Roland Trombelli
  • Patent number: 8651583
    Abstract: A bicycle wheel spoke assembly includes a spoke and a spoke nut. The spoke has a rim attachment end and a hub attachment end. The spoke nut has a main body with a cylindrical shaped outer surface and a bore extending at least partially through the main body. The outer surface has at least one axially extending rib configured for engagement with a spoke aperture of a bicycle wheel hub. The bore of the main body of the spoke nut includes threads with the hub attachment end of the spoke being threadedly secured within the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Takanori Kanehisa, Masashi Goto, Seiji Mouri
  • Patent number: 8651584
    Abstract: A wheel rim 1 for a tire 2 including a rim portion 1A having a rim body 5 and a pair of flanges 6, the rim body 5 having seat portions 5a for seating bead portions 2c of the tire 2 at both ends of the rim body 5 in a rotation axis direction thereof, and the pair of flanges 6 being continuously provided on both sides of the rim body 5 and extending radially outward, wherein convex portions 9 which extend in a direction intersecting with a tire circumferential direction are provided at distances from one another in the circumferential direction on an outer surface 6o, which does not come into contact with the tire 2, of the flanges 6 in the rotation axis direction and/or on an inner surface of the rim body 5 in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidehiko Hino
  • Patent number: 8651585
    Abstract: An auxiliary braking system and method of controlling the braking a towed vehicle is provided that includes a remote control that is in selective communication with an auxiliary braking unit positioned in a towing vehicle. More specifically, it is often desirable for the operator of the towing vehicle to assess the performance of the auxiliary braking apparatus positioned in a towed vehicle. In addition, it is often advantageous for the operator to perform real time adjustments to the performance parameters of the auxiliary braking apparatus positioned in the towing vehicle without having to cease driving and physically access the auxiliary braking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Kaminski, Jonathan Gray, Vicki Sickler
  • Patent number: 8651586
    Abstract: In a braking device for a motor vehicle having a first group and a second group of brake circuits, each brake circuit being associated with one group of wheels, and at least the first group of brake circuit being implemented as hydraulic brake circuits, at least one group of wheels being connected to at least one operating unit, which may cause a deceleration of the wheels, the task of a comfortable connection of recuperation brake applications to conventional brake applications is achieved in that a control unit controls the brake application of the brake circuit or circuits of the second group and optionally the deceleration effect of the operating unit or assemblies, the first group of brake circuits being activatable directly by the driver using a brake operating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gebhard Wuerth, Volker Mehl, Michael Kunz, Matthias Leiblein, Werner Quirant
  • Patent number: 8651587
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake system equipped for anti-slip control and for active brake interventions has a self-priming pump. A pressure retention valve prevents the brake system's low-pressure accumulator and the wheel brakes from being evacuated below atmospheric pressure during a sensitive brake operation. A two-position valve deactivates the bias of the pressure retention valve by opening a fluid path from the low-pressure accumulator to the pump when it is desired that the wheel brakes be retracted farther to reduce drag and excessive wear of the brake friction elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Baechle, James John Rizzo, Yuji Nakayasu
  • Patent number: 8651588
    Abstract: An electro-pneumatic brake control device is provided for controlling the parking brake of a vehicle having compressed-air-actuated brake cylinders, at least one of which is a spring brake cylinder with a spring store part. Valve devices place the brake control device into various operating states. In a first operating state, the valve devices are at least partially supplied with current and switched such that a compressed air line to the spring store part of the spring brake cylinder is aerated. In a second state, the valve devices are at least partially supplied with current and switched such that the compressed air line is deaerated. In a third state, which can be activated in the event of failure of the electrical energy supply of the brake control device, the valve devices are switched to a currentless state such that the compressed air line is automatically deaerated in throttled manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Bensch, Henning Förster, Bernd-Joachim Kiel, Wilfried Menze, Hartmut Rosendahl, Otmar Struwe
  • Patent number: 8651589
    Abstract: A control device 10 of an industrial vehicle which performs the control of actuating a parking brake 7 during operator's absence in an industrial vehicle includes a seat switch 1, a vehicle speed sensor 2, and the parking brake 7 controlled by a parking brake solenoid 6, and a counter 11 which counts the elapsed time after the seat switch 1 detects the operator's absence. The control device sets the time corresponding to the time until the operator leaves the vehicle after the operator leaves the seat as a preset absence time. When the seat switch 1 has detected absence, a control signal which validates the parking brake 7 is output to the parking brake solenoid 6, thereby actuating the parking brake 7 if the vehicle speed shows a vehicle stopped state, and the elapsed time becomes equal to or more than the set absence time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Ishikawa, Katsumi Ueda, Masanobu Seki
  • Patent number: 8651590
    Abstract: A leveling assembly for an appliance door is described. The leveling assembly causes vertical movement of a decorative door panel relative to an appliance door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Wayne Wilson, Cory J. Tafoya, Matthew Keith Sease
  • Patent number: 8651591
    Abstract: A lock device for two-way travel drawers of a support body is provided with in combination a peg on a central portion of one side of the drawer; two two-way travel slides each on an outer surface of either side of the drawer; and a lock assembly including a groove member, a sliding member, a lock, and snapping members. The groove member has a rectangular section and includes front and rear flanges to be secured to a wall of the support body. The sliding member has a rectangular section, is slidably disposed in the groove member, and includes openings. The lock is disposed on an upper portion of the wall of the support body and capable of actuating to activate the sliding member. The snapping members are retained in the openings and capable of locking or unlocking the peg when the sliding member moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: E-MAKE Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kung-Cheng Chen, Lung-Chuan Huang
  • Patent number: 8651592
    Abstract: A housing for an electronic device includes a housing body, a bottom cover, and a locking member. The housing body includes an engaging slot and a through hole. The bottom cover includes an engaging hook for engaging the engaging slot. An inner surface of the housing body or the bottom cover is provided with a positioning element. The locking member extends through the through hole, and includes an engaging portion disposed on the inner surface of the housing body, and a control portion exposed from the through hole. The control portion is operable to move the engaging portion between a locking position where the engaging portion engages the positioning element and an unlocking position where the engaging portion is separated from the positioning element to thereby facilitate assembly and disassembly of the bottom cover to and from the housing body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Chun Fei Yang, Jung Chun Chen
  • Patent number: 8651593
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a hybrid modular furniture and container unit includes a base shell, a base core layer, and a set of base inner panels. The base shell has a shell bottom, a first shell wall, a second shell wall, a third shell wall, a fourth shell wall, and upper flaps associated with each of the respective walls. The base core layer has a core bottom, a first core wall, a second core wall, a third core wall, and a fourth core wall. The core layer is disposed within the base shell. The base inner panels include a first inner panel wall, a second inner panel wall, a third inner panel wall, and a fourth inner panel wall. The inner panel walls disposed within the shell and each upper flap is folded over a respective core wall and inner panel wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventors: Lara Bezich, Peter Castellucci
  • Patent number: 8651594
    Abstract: A bedside cabinet comprises a body (10) carrying two drawers (12) and (14) all made from synthetic plastics material by rotational molding. The body (10) comprises a proximal wall (16) and a distal wall (18) each extending upward from a generally horizontal platform (20), and a horizontal top (22) extending between the proximal wall (16) and the distal wall (18). An upstand (28) carries a horizontal shelf (30) extending partly over the top (22) and both the top (22) and the shelf (30) are directed towards the proximal side of the cabinet, having raised lips (32) and (34) respectively around their distal edges and their ends. The cabinet lacks dirt traps and is easily cleaned. In addition the drawers (12) and (14) are reversible so as to open forwards whether the cabinet is on the right-hand side or the left-hand side of a bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hospital Metalcraft Limited
    Inventors: Bryn Jones, Paul Open, Mark Bevis, Christopher Ian Thompson, Craig Ian Wightman
  • Patent number: 8651595
    Abstract: A safety cabinet has a body, a pair of doors each pivotal on the body about a respective axis between an open position and a closed position, respective spaced outer guides on the body juxtaposed with the doors, and respective elements displaceable along the guides and coupled to the doors for movement between outer positions when the respective doors are in the open position and inner positions when the respective doors are in the closed positions. A catch between the guides is engageable with the elements and shiftable therewith. A spring also between the guides is engaged between the catch and the body and biases the catch inward toward engagement with the elements. A release device secured between the catch and the body normally holds the catch in an outer position with the spring in a tensioned condition but can release the catch and thereby push the elements with the catch into their inner position to close the doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Dueperthal Sicherheitstechnik GmbH & Co.KG et al
    Inventor: Frank Backhaus
  • Patent number: 8651596
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus is provided with a housing, a rockable member rockably secured to the housing, and a lock mechanism including an engaging portion and an engageable portion. The rockable member is locked to the housing when the engageable portion is engaged with the engaging portion. The image formation apparatus is further provided with a displaceable guide member secured to the housing or the rockable member. A guiding member is provided to the housing or the rockable member. The guiding member slide-contacts the guide member when the rockable member rocks so that the state of the rockable member is changed from a rockable state to an unrockable state. The engageable portion is displaced to move closer to the engaging portion in a case where the guide member contacts the guiding member than in a case where the guide member does not contact the guiding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Fukui
  • Patent number: 8651597
    Abstract: A retracting device has a retracting main body including a case, a hook disposed in the case, an urging member, and a braking device including a cylinder and a piston rod; and a protruding portion engaging with and disengaging from the hook in a middle of a movement of a moving body relative to an enclosure. The hook is switched between a retracting position allowing the moving body to move in an engaged state with the protruding portion, and a standby position disallowing the moving body to move in a disengaged state. The hook is in the standby position when disengaged from the protruding portion in a state wherein the piston rod is entered with respect to the cylinder, and has reduced a protruding dimension, and is switchable to the retracting position from the standby position when the piston rod increases the protruding dimension relative to the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventor: Motohiko Kimura
  • Patent number: 8651598
    Abstract: A refrigerator capable of preventing a cool air from being released when a door is open by having an accommodation container, including a bottom wall, a front side wall, a rear side wall, and lateral side walls to form an accommodation space, stored in a storage compartment together with a food storage container while accommodating the food storage container, the lateral side walls being spaced from the food storage container to form a space that allows a cool air to remain around the food storage container, the front side wall having a height corresponding to a height of the food storage container to prevent the cool air around the food storage container from being released, and the rear side wall and the lateral side walls having heights lower than the height of the front side wall to allow the cool air to flow around the food storage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyoung Min Go, Sang Bum Kim, Hyun Sang Yoo, Man Soon Im, Sang Woon Jeon
  • Patent number: 8651599
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a heat-insulated housing having an interior space in which a pair of chilled-goods containers are disposed adjacent to one another at a spacing from the floor. Each chilled-goods container is mounted on extending elements that guide chilled-goods container into and out of the interior space. A longitudinal beam extends between the chilled-goods containers and each of the extractable elements is supported on sidewalls of the housing via at least one crossbeam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Benz, Alexander Görz, Karl-Friedrich Laible
  • Patent number: 8651600
    Abstract: A shelf and a refrigerator having such a shelf are provided. The shelf may include a support frame fixed to an inner surface of a storage compartment of the refrigerator, the support frame including body having a plurality of coupling holes formed along a longitudinal direction, spaced apart at predetermined intervals, and a cover coupled to the body to selectively open and close the plurality of the coupling holes. The cover may include a fixing portion for fixing the cover to the support frame body, and a plurality of opening/closing portions extending from the fixing portion, corresponding to the plurality of the coupling holes, to independently open and close the plurality of the coupling holes. One or more of the plurality of the opening/closing portions may be moved by the shelf plate to couple the shelf plate to the support frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Minho Cheong, Moonseok Lee, Seonkyu Kim, Daesung Lee, Woonkyu Seo, Youngnam Kim