Patents Issued in October 25, 2016
  • Patent number: 9475322
    Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface and a pair of side surfaces, a tape that is a print medium housed in the housing, a tape exit that discharges, from the housing, the tape guided in the housing along a predetermined feed path, at least a part of the feed path extending parallel to the front surface, and a type indicator portion provided adjacent to the tape exit and in a specified area of the front surface on an upstream side of the tape exit in a feed direction of the tape, the type indicator portion indicating a type of the tape and including vertical information sections and a protrusion formed in at least one of the vertical information sections, the vertical information sections being strip-shaped sections extending along a direction orthogonal to the feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi Nagae, Teruo Imamaki
  • Patent number: 9475323
    Abstract: A tape cassette includes a housing and a tape. An indicator aperture is formed on a front surface of the housing. An arm portion of the housing is defined by a section of the front surface and a first wall. An opening extends through the housing in a first direction perpendicular to a top or bottom surface of the housing. The opening is defined by the first wall, a second wall and a connection portion. The connection portion connects upstream ends of the first wall and the second wall in a feed direction. A first surface is provided in the connection portion. The first surface is disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface in the first direction. The housing has a first indentation extending from the bottom surface to the first surface. The first surface is parallel to the top surface or the bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Teruo Imamaki, Takashi Horiuchi, Akira Sago, Yasuhiro Shibata
  • Patent number: 9475324
    Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a front wall and a tape feed exit located on the front wall, a tape included at least partially in the housing and configured to be fed along a tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, and tape type indicator portions on the front wall. A combination of the tape type indicator portions forms a pattern corresponding to a type of the tape included at least partially in the housing. The tape type indicator portions are positioned to oppose corresponding ones of tape type detecting switches, with a first subset of the tape type indicator portions having a first elevation and a second subset of the tape type indicator portions having a second elevation. At least two portions from the second subset of the tape type indicator portions are located in a common trench in the front wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Takashi Horiuchi, Akira Sago
  • Patent number: 9475325
    Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front wall, a tape feed exit located on the front wall, and an arm portion formed by the front wall and an arm rear surface behind the front wall. The arm portion partially surrounds an opening extending from the top surface to the bottom surface behind the front wall, and a tape feed path passes through the arm portion from an upstream portion of the arm portion to a downstream end of the arm portion. The tape cassette also has a tape included at least partially in the housing and configured to be fed along the tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, and a first aperture formed on a bottom edge of the front wall and positioned downstream of an upstream end of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi Nagae, Teruo Imamaki, Takashi Horiuchi, Akira Sago, Yasuhiro Shibata
  • Patent number: 9475326
    Abstract: A stamp die assembly for a self inking stamp in which the die plate having printing indicia thereon is easily removable from the die frame. There is a movable latch on the die plate that is received by a catch or slot in the die frame to lock the die plate to the die frame. By pushing on a push button the catch is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position in which the latch is released from the catch. A spring returns the latch to the original or locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Trodat GmbH
    Inventor: Craig Petersen
  • Patent number: 9475327
    Abstract: The transfer inkjet printer device includes an intermediate transfer body including an intermediate transfer surface capable of moving along a rotation route; an inkjet head used to discharge ink including toner particles onto the intermediate transfer surface at a first area in the rotation route in a state where the toner particles are charged, so as to form an intermediate image composed of an ink layer on the intermediate transfer surface; a pressure device used to press the ink layer of the intermediate image on the intermediate transfer surface, onto a surface of a recording medium at a second area in the rotation route; and an electric field application device used to electrophorese the charged toner particles in the ink layer of the intermediate image toward the recording medium at the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Takao Namiki, Junichi Setoyama
  • Patent number: 9475328
    Abstract: A thermally responsive composition includes a dye and a developer that is free of polyhydric phenols having estrogenic agonist activity greater than or equal to that of bisphenol S. The thermally responsive composition can be used to make BPA-free thermally responsive record materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Valspar Sourcing, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Niederst, Richard H. Evans, Robert M. O'Brien, Kevin Romagnoli, T. Howard Killilea, Mark S. Von Maier, Lan Deng
  • Patent number: 9475329
    Abstract: A print medium surface treatment includes a first composition that includes a filler, and a polymer that is non-film forming until it is subjected to film forming conditions. The first composition has a charge density that is large enough to promote crashing of particulate colorants of an ink and low enough to avoid crashing of the filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gracy Apprisiani Wingkono, Xiaoqi Zhou, Christopher Cobbs
  • Patent number: 9475330
    Abstract: Provided is a composition for a printing medium and a printing medium that can be suitably used for a plurality of printing methods, including a plurality of plateless printing methods such as thermal transfer printing, electrophotographic printing, and inkjet printing methods. A coating layer is provided on at least one surface of a support body, and includes (a) a cationic urethane-based resin, (b) an olefin copolymer emulsion, and (c) an ethyleneimine-based resin. The solid mass of the coating layer on one surface of the support body may be 0.01-5 g/m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: YUPO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Zama, Yuta Iwasawa, Kazuyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 9475331
    Abstract: A plate printing method includes a repetition of a first step of depositing ink on a printing master to form a predetermined print pattern on it, a second step of transferring the ink to a blanket, a third step of pressing the blanket against a surface to be printed, a fourth step of pressing the blanket against a cleaning surface, a fifth step of pressing the blanker against an absorbent, a sixth step of blowing air to the blanket, and a seventh step of pressing the blanket against a dry surface. In the first step, the blanket with a proper amount of water or solvent impregnated into it is pressed against the printing master.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SHUHOU CO, LTD.
    Inventor: Kouji Muraoka
  • Patent number: 9475332
    Abstract: A punching blade can form a cut-and-raised piece provided with a wide width portion in a distal-end region, a cutting blade is provided with a first blade having a window with which the cut-and-raised piece is engaged and forming a first slit and a second blade for forming a second slit extending in a direction of a punched hole from the midstream of the first slit. It is also configured such that an edge from the wide width portion of the cut-and-raised piece to the base end can be engaged with the second slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Kokuyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Aoi
  • Patent number: 9475333
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a greeting card is disclosed that includes a plurality of panels connected such that the greeting card is reconfigurable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, at least one object positioned between the plurality of panels that is reconfigurable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, and an attachment member connecting the at least one object to the plurality of panels such that the at least one object can be detached from the plurality of panels. In various embodiments, the greeting card may further include a locking member that is configured and dimensioned to maintain the expanded configuration of the at least one object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Lawrence Seng Lung Yeh
  • Patent number: 9475334
    Abstract: Disclosed are security articles and methods and systems for authenticating security articles using a plurality of stimuli. According to one embodiment, an illustrative secured article includes an embedded feature wherein differential activation of phosphorescent or fluorescent materials creates a machine readable response through the simultaneous presence of a source of electromagnetic radiation and a specific gas environment. A detector detects a differential spectral emission across the security feature that results from the change in gas environment. The spectral emission may be compared to an expected emissive signature to determine authenticity of the security article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SPECTRA SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nabil Lawandy
  • Patent number: 9475335
    Abstract: The blank for making a file folder or mailer has side flaps that have a tab at each end. One tab serves to reinforce a bottom corner of the file holder to avoid popping out when filled to capacity and the other tab is rounded for extending above the front panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Comformer Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Marvin A. Makofsky, Robert Makofsky, Sari Makofsky McConnell
  • Patent number: 9475336
    Abstract: An electric pencil sharpener includes a body with an end cap connected to the front end thereof and an insertion hole is defined through the end cap. A blade assembly is located in the body and adjacent to the end cap. The blade assembly has a blade frame, a blade unit and two guide members. The blade frame has one end rotatably connected to the end cap and communicates with the insertion hole. The two guide members are connected to the front end and the rear end of the blade frame. The guide member on the rear end of the blade frame has a groove which guides pencil shavings to the collection portion. The driving unit is connected to the body to drive the blade assembly. The blade assembly is located adjacent to the insertion hole so as to reduce the length that the pencil is inserted into the sharpener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Tsung Wen Huang
  • Patent number: 9475337
    Abstract: The invention describes an embossing stamp comprising at least a base unit in which a retaining device is disposed on one side to retain a die plate holder and an operating device is disposed on a further side. The operating device is constructed such that it directly or indirectly acts on the retaining device, wherein a pivot of the operating device is disposed in the base unit. The base unit and/or the operating device are modular in construction, wherein the side walls are at least partially formed by panels which are positioned with respect to each other and fastened via half-shells and/or connecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Trodat GmbH
    Inventors: Konrad Riegler, Helmut Lindner
  • Patent number: 9475338
    Abstract: A textile printing method includes coating a printing surface of a fabric with a pretreatment liquid; ejecting an adhesive liquid onto the printing surface to form an adhesive layer, after the coating of the printing surface; and transferring metallic foil onto the adhesive layer by bringing a sheet, on which the metallic foil is formed, into contact with the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masakazu Ohashi
  • Patent number: 9475339
    Abstract: A process for dry flower craft includes cutting craft media (dry botanicals with stencils) and mounting the same on any surface or product in combination with other botanical elements like bamboo, grass, weeds, seed, stem, tendrils, fiber, sola wood in any desired manner including an artistic manner. The process includes reducing color loss while drying and storage of vegetation and also during crafting of the vegetation, making stencils of cheapest materials such as cardboard and paper, cutting out motifs, shaping petals in any desired shape, and pasting the same with known adhesives. The botanicals are dried prior to floral collage decoupage by drying while using a mixture of desiccant of silica gel+silversand+non iodized salts (1:1:1 ratio). Finally obtaining floral decoupage or only floral collage or a combination of both in design processing as application of the craft, by making the floral resin laminates by reducing the peroxide harder by 1%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Sahu Anuradha
  • Patent number: 9475340
    Abstract: A method of constructing a three dimensional decorative object from a foil sheet and a fabric overlay is the subject of the invention. The method includes shaping the foil sheet into a three dimensional configuration, providing the foil sheet with an adhesive coating and adhering a fabric overlay to the foil. In another aspect of the invention the foil sheet has a fabric overlay adhered to one side and is utilized to form a three dimensional decorative object by shaping the sheet into the desired three dimensional object and then providing a decorative finish to the fabric side of the sheet. The method may include applying a layer of plaster on top of the fabric overlay. An article useful in constructing a three dimensional object is also encompassed by the invention. The article comprises a foil sheet having a fabric overlay adhered to one side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: David L. Osment
  • Patent number: 9475341
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel rim having a wheel disk (3) made of a fiber composite and having fastener for fastening the wheel disk (3) to a wheel hub (5) of a vehicle, wherein the wheel disk (3) has at least one opening (8) for receiving the wheel hub (5) and the opening (8) is designed to have a conical centring surface (9) for the corresponding seat of a fastener. According to the invention the reinforcing fibers of the fiber composite are arranged in planar layers (10) and at least a part of the fiber layers (10) is arranged in an edge region (12) of the opening (8) perpendicular to the centring surface (9) of the wheel disk (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP CARBON COMPONENTS GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Hufenbach, Martin Lepper, Jens Werner, Christian Koehler
  • Patent number: 9475342
    Abstract: A wheel hub includes a support ring (1). The support ring(1) includes an integrally formed inner wheel rim (11), a large span dual bearing support frame (12), and a rotor protection frame support groove (13). A lateral end of the support ring (1) is detachably provided with a tire quick replacing ring (2). The inner wheel rim (11) is provided with a first tire sealing face (101). The tire quick replacing ring (2) is provided with a second tire sealing face (201). A wheel hub motor wheel uses the above mentioned wheel hub. An electric vehicle uses the wheel hub motor wheel. Through the above wheel hub motor wheel and the electric vehicle, rapid replacement of a tire or rapid removal of the tire from the wheel hub for maintenance can be implemented without removing the wheel hub of the wheel from a vehicle body; this allows the replacement or maintenance of the tire to be time-saving, effort-saving, and greatly convenient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: CHENGDU YOUYANG ELECTROMECHANICAL PRODUCT DESIGN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhaoping Feng
  • Patent number: 9475343
    Abstract: A sealing device includes a core metal that is fitted to the outer ring, and a sealing member that is fixed to the core metal. The core metal has a cylindrical portion that is fitted to the inner periphery of an end portion of the outer ring, an outer annular portion, and an inner annular portion. The sealing member has a covering portion that covers the outer annular portion and the cylindrical portion, and a space is formed between the covering portion and the flange. The sealing member further has an inner lip portion, and an outer lip portion. The covering portion has a deformed portion used to enlarge the space to suppress stagnation of water in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teruyuki Wakisaka, Kazuki Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 9475344
    Abstract: Inflatable article equipped with an elastomer layer impermeable to the inflation gases, said elastomer layer comprising at least, as the predominant elastomer, a thermoplastic stirene/isobutylene/stirene (SIBS) elastomer. Preferably the SIBS elastomer comprises between 5% and 50% by weight of stirene, its number-average molecular weight is between 30 000 and 500 000 g/mol, and its Tg is below ?20° C. Preferably the airtight elastomer layer also comprises, as a plasticizing agent, an extender oil for the SIBS elastomer with a content preferably between 5 and 100 phr. The inflatable article is, in particular, an inner tube or a pneumatic tire for a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignees: Micheliin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Pierre Lesage, Emmanuel Custodero
  • Patent number: 9475346
    Abstract: A tread band having at least one longitudinal groove bounded by a bottom wall, and by two sidewalls; each sidewall of the longitudinal groove has a continuous sequence of alternating projections and recesses, which extend crosswise so that, in plan view, the first longitudinal groove is zigzag shaped; each projection of one sidewall of the longitudinal groove always faces a recess in the other sidewall of the longitudinal groove; and, at all the projections, an outer portion of each sidewall slopes at a first obtuse angle to the bottom wall, and, at all the recesses, an outer portion of each sidewall slopes at a second obtuse angle, different from the first obtuse angle, to the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Davide Renis, Andrea Scatamacchia
  • Patent number: 9475347
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a pneumatic tire which is excellent in durability. [Solution] A tire has a large number of dimples 62 on sidewalls thereof. The contour of each dimple 62 is composed of a first circular arc 66, a second circular arc 68, a first connection line 70, and a second connection line 72. The curvature radius R2 of the second circular arc 68 is larger than the curvature radius R1 of the first circular arc 66. The first connection line 70 is a straight line. The first connection line 70 connects one end 78 of the first circular arc 66 to one end 80 of the second circular arc 68. The second connection line 72 is a straight line. The second connection line 72 connects the other end 74 of the first circular arc 66 to the other end 76 of the second circular arc 68.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ao Imamura
  • Patent number: 9475348
    Abstract: A method is provided to manage data transmitted between an RFID marker, which is mounted on a tire, and a wheel module, which is mounted on a rim. The wheel module includes a memory and at least one sensor. When the tire is mounted on the rim, a mounted assembly is formed, also known as a wheel, which is intended to be installed on a motor vehicle. According to the method, RFID data is transmitted between the RFID marker and the wheel module via an intermediate unit that is separate from the mounted assembly and the motor vehicle. The RFID data is stored in the memory of the wheel module. When the wheel module includes a sensor for detecting tire pressure, the RFID data stored in the memory of the wheel module is erased when a detected tire pressure is less than or equal to a predetermined pressure threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Marc Hammer
  • Patent number: 9475349
    Abstract: Each time a time corresponding to one period of an intermittent reception process in a vehicle-side device elapses, a transmission interval of a notification signal is controlled so that a transmission time of a preamble of the notification signal is shifted in a direction in which the transmission time is relatively delayed from an execution time of the reception process. Further, when the transmission time of the preamble passes through a range of the execution time of the reception process during this relative shift, the transmission interval of the notification signal is controlled so that the entire transmission time of the preamble is included in the range of the execution time of the reception process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ushida, Shinya Takahata
  • Patent number: 9475350
    Abstract: A tire pressure measurement apparatus is provided with a housing including a dome-shaped cavity on a rear end, bottom projections, and a channel communicating with the cavity; a valve including a curved head complimentarily disposed in the cavity, an internally threaded cylindrical member projecting out of the head through the cavity into the channel wherein the cylindrical member is limited by either side of the channel; and an externally threaded fastener driven through the channel into the cylindrical member to threadedly secure the housing and the head of the valve together. The housing is configured to rotate about the valve along a lengthwise axis of the valve. The housing is configured to pivot about the valve along a line passing through the channel. The pivot of the housing about the valve is stopped when the housing contacts either side of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Chi-Liang Lo
  • Patent number: 9475351
    Abstract: An intelligent tire system may include a bearing assembly enclosing a wheel rim and a sensor module installed to be relatively rotated with respect to the wheel rim by the bearing assembly and continuously sensing an inner surface of a tire contacting a road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Myung Ki Yeom
  • Patent number: 9475352
    Abstract: A valve assembly includes a body structure having a proximal inlet tube and a distal outlet tube separated by a valve cylinder portion, a flow control valve situated in the valve cylinder portion, the flow control valve including a valve plug and an actuator shaft, and an actuation control pivotally mounted to the body structure, wherein rotational movement of the actuation control exerts an axial force against the actuator shaft to move the valve plug through the valve cylinder portion and open fluid communication between the proximal inlet tube and the distal outlet tube. A bead seating system includes means for establishing fluid communication between a container of pressurized fluid and a valve assembly, means for transferring rotational movement of a actuation control pivotally mounted on the valve assembly into an axial force, means for establishing fluid communication between the container and a bead seating tool via the valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: BOSCH AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Jose Barrios, Robert Kochie
  • Patent number: 9475353
    Abstract: A swing-away hitch adapter system couples a vehicle hitch mounted device of a vehicle while maintaining the ability of the user to access the rear storage of the vehicle. The swing-away hitch adapter has a receiver insert, a base-member, a secondary-member, a hitch receiver, a hinge-pin, a swing-limiting pin, a restraining-pin, and a return limiting pin. Additional embodiments of a swing-away hitch adapter system may further include a wiring harness extension, a plug adapter, a handle attached to the secondary-member, a handle attached to the restraining-pin, and a wire attached to the restraining-pin. The swing-away hitch adapter system, in a folded condition, is ready for transportation of the vehicle. When in a swing-away condition, the swing-away hitch adapter system allows access to the rear entry of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: William Dean Mehlen
  • Patent number: 9475354
    Abstract: An IFS assembly having a single lower control arm having an inboard end pivotally secured to a chassis support structure, an air spring supported by an air spring seat relative to the lower control arm, a strut having an upper end pivotally secured to the chassis support structure and a lower end coupled to the lower control arm outboard end, and a steering knuckle fixed to the strut lower end, the steering knuckle disposed below the lower air spring seat and whose rotative movement about the strut axis is unconfined by proximity between the steering knuckle and the lower air spring seat, whereby available wheel cut is maximized. Also an IFS module including right and left side IFS assemblies and adapted for installation into a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Reyco Granning, LLC
    Inventor: John A Hinz
  • Patent number: 9475355
    Abstract: A tag axle suspension system can include a tire and at least one hanger bracket pivotable relative to a vehicle frame to deployed and lifted configurations. In the lifted configuration, the tire can be a lowest component of the suspension system, and can be a first component to engage a road surface. A tag axle suspension system can include an air spring and a travel limit device that limits compression of the air spring in a lifted configuration of a hanger bracket. A tag axle suspension system can include an axle, a suspension arm pivotably connected between a hanger bracket and the axle, and a travel limit device that limits displacement of the suspension arm in a lifted configuration of the hanger bracket. The travel limit device can limit displacement of the axle toward an air spring support in the lifted configuration of the hanger bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: WATSON & CHALIN MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Layne, Damon Delorenzis, Christopher Mlinarich
  • Patent number: 9475356
    Abstract: One variation may include a product comprising a top mount for a strut comprising a first shell portion and a second shell portion and a main resilient or elastomeric element housed by the first shell portion and the second shell portion, the resilient or elastomeric element being split into at least two pieces and construct and arranged to receive a portion of a strut rod. One variation may include a product for using in a strut top mount comprising an outer shell and a main resilient or elastomeric element received in the outer shell, the main resilient or elastomeric element being split into at least two pieces and being constructed and arranged to receive a portion of a strut rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Bryan D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9475357
    Abstract: An IFS assembly having a single lower control arm having an inboard end pivotally secured to a chassis support structure, an air spring supported by an air spring seat relative to the lower control arm, a strut having an upper end pivotally secured to the chassis support structure and a lower end coupled to the lower control arm outboard end, and a steering knuckle fixed to the strut lower end, the steering knuckle disposed below the lower air spring seat and whose rotative movement about the strut axis is unconfined by proximity between the steering knuckle and the lower air spring seat, whereby available wheel cut is maximized. Also an IFS module including right and left side IFS assemblies and adapted for installation into a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Reyco Granning, LLC
    Inventor: John A Hinz
  • Patent number: 9475358
    Abstract: A suspension bushing includes an inner cylinder, an intermediate plate, an outer cylinder and an elastic member. An axis of the inner cylinder is arranged vertically and the inner cylinder is provided with an expanded portion in an axially central region. The expanded portion is enclosed by a curved surface section formed in an axially central region of the intermediate plate. An axially outward expanded end section is provided on either side of the curved surface section. An inside annular recess and an outside annular recess are provided on an axially outward end of the elastic member. When the twist is inputted, the outer cylinder and the intermediate plate are changed relative to the inner cylinder. However, due to the provision of the expanded end section, a twist angle is increased so that the intermediate plate is hard to interfere with an end portion of the inner cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: YUSA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wendell Thomas Grim
  • Patent number: 9475359
    Abstract: A computing system for displaying hierarchical set of building management system information is shown and described. The computing system includes a processing circuit configured to render a shape for each software defined building object and to render the shapes for lower level software defined building objects as nested within the shapes for the higher level software defined building objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Douglas P. Mackay
  • Patent number: 9475360
    Abstract: A vehicle, a method and a vehicle safety arrangement are provided. The vehicle safety arrangement comprises a vehicle propellant amount determination unit, a vehicle passenger compartment, a vehicle motor, a communication unit and a vehicle occupant detection unit, arranged to detect at least one of a presence of at least one vehicle occupant and a vehicle occupant condition. The arrangement is arranged to initiate a communication indicative of the amount of propellant stored in the vehicle to an external recipient if the presence of at least one vehicle occupant is detected within the vehicle passenger compartment and the vehicle motor has been inoperative for a threshold amount of time, or a vehicle occupant condition is detected, which matches at least one predefined vehicle occupant condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Lucas Rolka
  • Patent number: 9475361
    Abstract: A vehicle heating and air conditioning system basically includes an interior/exterior air introducing structure, a heating device, a driving end time acquiring section and an interior/exterior air switching control section. The interior/exterior air introducing structure switches the flow of cabin intake air between an interior air recirculation mode and an exterior air introducing mode. The heating device heats the cabin intake air being introduced by the interior/exterior air introducing structure. The driving end time acquiring section estimates a driving end time corresponding to a point in time at which driving of a vehicle is predicted to end. The interior/exterior air switching control section switches the interior/exterior air introducing structure from the exterior air introducing mode to the interior air recirculation mode during a period of time from a prescribed point in time until the driving end time to restrict windshield fogging while in the interior air recirculation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fujio Arai, Yutaka Uematsu, Takayoshi Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 9475362
    Abstract: The invention relates to an HVAC device for a vehicle including an inlet casing, an air distribution casing, and a blower located in a blower casing for drawing air through the inlet casing and delivering the air into the air distribution casing. The device further includes an evaporator in the air distribution casing and a drainage system below the evaporator for draining off liquid condensed out of the air at the surface of the evaporator into the environment of the HVAC device. The inlet casing is positioned such that liquid penetrating the inlet casing accumulates in a lower area of the inlet casing. Between the lower area of the inlet casing and the drainage system of the liquid condensed out at the evaporator, a hydraulic connection is configured such that the liquid is drainable from the inlet easing past the blower casing and evaporator into the drainage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventor: Gerald Richter
  • Patent number: 9475363
    Abstract: A universal golf cart windshield assembly includes a pair of elongated rails and a bracket secured to each rail, where each bracket is configured to clamp over a vertical support member of a golf cart. A longitudinal slot is disposed on each rail and a flange is joined along a longitudinal edge of the longitudinal slot and extends generally at a right angle to the slot. A plurality of apertures are disposed on the flange of each rail. The assembly also includes a lower windshield pane and an upper windshield pane, where opposing edges of the upper windshield pane are slidingly engaged with the respective longitudinal slot of each rail. In addition, the assembly also includes a spring loaded latch secured to the upper windshield pane, where the pin is adapted to engage a desired aperture of the flange to restrain the upper windshield pane in a desired vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Ed Mauro
  • Patent number: 9475364
    Abstract: A slider window assembly for a vehicle includes a frame portion having an upper rail and a lower rail, with at least one fixed window panel fixed relative to the frame portion and defining an opening. A movable window panel is movable along the upper and lower rails between a closed position and an opened position. A perimeter seal is disposed at the at least one fixed window panel. The perimeter seal includes a single continuous sealing element that circumscribes the opening and that is configured to substantially seal against a surface of the movable window panel about a periphery of the movable window panel when the movable window panel is in its closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Troy F. Tooker, David K. Johnson, Michael J. Hulst
  • Patent number: 9475365
    Abstract: Clipped twin-shell sun visor assembly comprising a first shell (1) and a second shell (2) arranged to be joined together for forming a sun visor core, wherein said assembly comprises a plurality of clips (3A, 3B, 3C, 3D; 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D) arranged for interacting with corresponding complementary elements (4A, 4B, 4C, 4D; 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D) so as to join the shells. At least when the shells are joined together, the clips are arranged in groups (3), each group comprising at least a first clip (3A; 30A) and a second clip (3B; 30B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: GRUPO ANTOLIN INGENIERIA, S.A.
    Inventors: Ignacio Marcos Primo, Vincent Bernard
  • Patent number: 9475366
    Abstract: A door intrusion apparatus for a vehicle having a door and a rocker with a vertically extending wall defining a catcher opening. The apparatus includes a projection horizontally extending from the door and a projection trap attached to the vertically extending wall inside the rocker and below the catcher opening. In a side impact collision, the projection trap engages the projection thereby minimizing the door from intruding into a vehicle cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammed Omar Faruque, Michael M. Azzouz
  • Patent number: 9475367
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a vehicular door assembly that includes a door that is movable between the open and closed positions, and a window panel assembly that includes interior member, a frame member surrounding the interior member, and a plurality of connector assemblies. A interior member mount assembly includes a bracket, a spring guide, and a spring. The bracket includes a base portion rigidly connected to the door, and a flange portion that defines an aperture and that extends at an angle relative to the base portion. The spring guide is movable within the aperture. A first end of the spring is connected to the bracket, and a second end of the spring is connected to the spring guide. The spring guide is connected to one of the plurality of connector assemblies, such that the spring guide is movable within the aperture as the door moves between open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Robert T. Wilson, III, Noriyuki Muto
  • Patent number: 9475368
    Abstract: A sliding door device for a vehicle includes a front door or a rear door. A central rail is mounted on the front door or the rear door. A central slider is coupled to the central rail. A lower rail is mounted on a lower side of the vehicle. A lower slider is coupled to the lower rail to move along the lower rail. A central support structure has one end connected to the central slider and another end mounted on the vehicle to support the sliding movement of the central slider. A lower support structure has one end coupled to the lower slider and another end connected to a lower portion of the front door or the rear door to support the lower portion of the front door or the rear door. A hook locks and releases the central support structure to and from the central rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jae Hong Choi
  • Patent number: 9475369
    Abstract: A vehicle door opening and closing apparatus includes: a first detector installed in a vehicle, and detecting a foot portion of a detection target in the vicinity of a door of the vehicle a second detector detecting the detection target standing in a predetermined range from the door; and a control device determining whether the detection target has an intention of opening or closing the door based on whether a detection signal indicative of detecting the foot portion is input from the first detector, determining whether the door can be opened or closed based on the detection signal from the second detector, and determining whether a control unit outputs a drive signal for an opening or closing drive of the door to a door drive apparatus based on determination results from the first and second detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takehiko Sugiura, Hiroshi Kiriyama
  • Patent number: 9475370
    Abstract: A sunroof assembly for a vehicle includes first and second side rails adhesively attached at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle glass roof, which has an aperture formed therethrough and between the side rails. A movable glass sunroof panel is movable along the side rails between a closed position and an opened position. When the movable panel is in its closed position, the movable panel is disposed at the aperture and has its upper surface generally co-planar with the upper surface of the vehicle glass roof. When the movable panel is moved from its closed position towards its opened position, the movable panel moves downward and rearward along the side rails and along and below a portion of the vehicle glass roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Darin J. Snider, Linh Pham
  • Patent number: 9475371
    Abstract: A cargo area conversion assembly, system and method for converting a cargo area, e.g., a cargo area of a trailer or a pickup truck, between an open bed position, a bed cover position and a camper top position. Conversion between the three positions may be manually accomplished or mechanically/electronically accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Mitchell Glenn LaBiche
  • Patent number: 9475372
    Abstract: A sealing profile for a windowpane of a motor vehicle comprises a receiving section, a bottom lip and a supporting section. The receiving section essentially is U-shaped in cross section and has a first leg, a second leg and a base connecting the first leg and the second leg to each other. The supporting section, in the closed position, supports the bottom lip at the base. The bottom lip comprises a first end, which is arranged at the first leg, a second end, which is free, and a curved contact surface, which is arranged between the first and the second end. The contact surface form-fittingly encompasses a front face of the windowpane in the closed position. The bottom lip a cam section, which is adjacent to the contact surface and which prevents the windowpane from moving in a direction perpendicular to a lateral surface of the windowpane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Cooper Standard GmbH
    Inventors: Mircea Doniga-Crivat, Thomas Demmel