Patents Issued in September 12, 2017
  • Patent number: 9757968
    Abstract: Disclosed is a reveal substrate comprising: a) a top substrate layer comprising an opaque polymer sensitive to application of heat or pressure, and becoming transparent upon being heated to a predetermined temperature or subjected to a predetermined pressure, and b) a bottom substrate layer having one or more colored areas on a top surface thereof, disposed such that said one or more colored areas are obscured by the opaque polymer prior to being heated to the predetermined temperature or subjected to the predetermined pressure, and are revealed subsequent thereto, wherein: each of the one or more colored areas comprises at least two different colors, and comprises a two-dimensional matrix formed by a plurality of color blocks, each one of the plurality of color blocks having only one color, and the color blocks are arranged to have a repeating color pattern. A method of using the same is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Virtual Graphics, LLC
    Inventors: John V. Guzzo, Daniel F. Peters, Ricky L. Helton
  • Patent number: 9757969
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit configured to form a first image to be transferred to a sheet with a non-decolorizable material, and a second image forming unit configured to form a second image to be transferred to the sheet with a decolorizable material. At least a part of the second image transferred to the sheet is formed on the first image transferred to the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motonari Udo, Masahiro Ikuta, Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Takayasu Aoki, Takafumi Hara
  • Patent number: 9757970
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a gravure plate includes, setting a certain measurement area on a surface of the gravure plate, finding at least one of a spatial volume that is the total of the volume of a space formed by a plurality of cells located in the measurement area and an average depth obtained by dividing the spatial volume by a surface area of the measurement area, and adjusting, based on a relationship between at least one of the spatial volume and the average depth and an application thickness of a printing material after printing, at least one of the spatial volume and the average depth so as to fall within at least one of a specified value range for the spatial volume and a specified value range for the average depth determined in accordance with a target value range for the application thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunxian Cao, Yoshiharu Kubota
  • Patent number: 9757971
    Abstract: An adhesive application device that applies an adhesive onto each of sequentially conveyed paper sheets, includes: a device frame; a bonding member that delivers the adhesive for bonding the paper sheets to each other; a plurality of bonding units that is arranged in a sheet width direction and each has the bonding member; a support member that supports the bonding units on the device frame so as to be movable between a bonding position at which each bonding unit presses its bonding member to apply the adhesive onto the paper sheet and a separated position separated from the bonding position; and a moving member that moves the plurality of bonding units to the bonding position with timing shifted. Thus, it is possible to move the bonding units with a smaller drive force than in a case where the bonding units are moved simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Hisashi Osada, Akira Takei, Eiji Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 9757972
    Abstract: A novel security feature for a valuable and/or security product is formed by a pattern that is formed on at least one carrier surface and has a color progression structure that is formed with a digital printing method from pattern elements arranged in a grid. The color progression structure is produced with at least two luminescence media that exhibit spectrally different luminescences. The valuable and/or security product according to the invention has one or more product carriers and at least one security feature that is arranged on or in the product carrier or carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Bundesdruckerei GmbH
    Inventors: Franziska Peinze, Arthur Mathea
  • Patent number: 9757973
    Abstract: A film for decorative forming includes a layered structure in which a protective layer and a colored layer are arranged sequentially in this order on a base material film, wherein, when a storage elastic modulus of the protective layer at 100° C. is written as E?a(100) and a storage elastic modulus of the colored layer at 100° C. is written as E?b(100), E?a(100) and E?b(100) satisfy conditions (1) to (3): (1) E?a(100)/E?b(100) is less than or equal to 8, (2) E?a(100) is greater than or equal to 10 MPa, (3) E?b(100) is less than or equal to 12 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Minomo, Kentaro Mori
  • Patent number: 9757974
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a wood based board including a support board and a decor paper disposed on the support board. The method includes the steps of a) providing a support board, b) applying at least one layer of at least one impregnating resin onto the at least one side of the support board, c) providing the decor paper, d) applying at least one resin as impregnating agent onto the side of the decor paper opposite from the decor, and e) placing the decor paper with the side impregnated opposite from the decor onto the side of the support board provided with the impregnating resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Flooring Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Norbert Kalwa
  • Patent number: 9757975
    Abstract: A process of applying a surface finish to a material selects an insect for the surface finish, completely dries the insect and removes tissue from underneath a surface of the insect for the surface finish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF SUPPLEMENTARY OCCUPATIONS AND RELATED TECHNIQUES OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN SIRIKIT, THE CHITRALADA PALACE
    Inventor: Thanpuying Supornpen Luangthep
  • Patent number: 9757976
    Abstract: Assemblies and methods for applying painter's tape to a wall for painting stripes thereon wherein the assembly has a first elongated body with a first straight outer edge, a second elongated body having a second straight outer edge with a substantially transparent body and having a tape width guide marking substantially along the elongated body with a plurality of elongated markings parallel to the second straight outer edge, two or more arms each having ends rotatably coupled to the first and second elongated bodies respectively, each of the arms being spaced apart of another and coupled at different positions of the elongated bodies, and a coupling mechanism rotatably coupling an arm to one of the elongated bodies and having a locking feature selectively fixing the angular position of the coupling mechanism and preventing rotation of the rotatably coupled arm relative to the coupled elongated body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: John Menendez
  • Patent number: 9757977
    Abstract: A chalk line is disclosed herein. The chalk line may include a housing, a track, and a door. The housing may define a chalk chamber and an opening in communication with the chalk chamber. The track may be disposed adjacent the opening and may include a curved section. The door may be movable between a closed position preventing access to the chalk chamber through the opening and an open position allowing access to the chalk chamber through the opening, and the door may include one or more door segments pivotably connected to one another by one or more hinges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: IRWIN INDUSTRIAL TOOL COMPANY
    Inventors: Anthony DeLeo, Gregory David Parker
  • Patent number: 9757978
    Abstract: A universal traction device for movement over even and uneven supporting surfaces that includes an all-terrain wheel having a circular wheel assembly with a plurality of spoke-containing components arrayed around an outer perimeter wheel edge and control means for extending spokes from the spoke-containing units when encountering an obstacle that the vehicle is to traverse and retracting the spokes when the spokes are no longer required for traversing the obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: Jonathan D. Emigh
  • Patent number: 9757979
    Abstract: A rim (5) for a bicycle wheel having a body (20) with a substantially annular extension with a radially outer portion (22) shaped for coupling with a tire is disclosed. The radially outer portion (22) has a hole (39) for an inflation valve. The radially outer portion (22) also includes, at the hole (39) and/or in an area proximal to the hole (39), at least one cross section having a different shape from that at an area distal from the hole, so as to form at least one second surface discontinuity (35) along the annular extension of the radially outer portion (22). The second discontinuity (35) makes it easier to assemble to wheel and allows an optimal coupling to be made between the rim (5), inflation valve, and tire, in the case of a tubeless wheel, and between rim (5), air chamber and tire, in the case of a wheel with an air chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Mario Meggiolan, Paolo Saccardo
  • Patent number: 9757980
    Abstract: A swivel caster includes a swivel assembly having a swivel plate configured to be mounted to a vehicle and defining a swivel axis. A horn depends downwardly from the swivel assembly and a wheel is wheel coupled to the horn with a wheel axle. A slide mechanism couples the horn to the swivel assembly and enables the wheel to slide in a direction generally perpendicular to the swivel axis between first and second trailing positions. The slide mechanism swivels with the horn, the wheel, and the swivel plate about the swivel axis. A swivel limiter is operatively associated with the swivel assembly and limits a swiveling range of the wheel about the swivel axis so as to activate the slide mechanism to reposition the wheel from the first trailing position to the second trailing position when a direction of travel of the vehicle changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Hamilton Caster & Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Lester Jones, Patrick L. McCartney, Yefim Spektor, John Yater
  • Patent number: 9757981
    Abstract: A broken axle recovery apparatus that provides a temporary solution for a broken semi floating rear axle shaft has a wheel hub, a backing plate and a bearing. The wheel hub is rotatably engaged with the backing plate via the bearing in such a way that the broken axle recovery apparatus enables a rear wheel to be functionally mounted onto a vehicle. The backing plate is mounted to an axle housing of the vehicle, and the rear wheel is rotatably mounted to the wheel hub. The bearing enables the wheel hub and the rear wheel to freely rotate about the axle housing so that the vehicle can be safely driven into a safe location or a mechanic shop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: David L. Roseberry
  • Patent number: 9757982
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a rubber composition capable of producing a pneumatic tire with both satisfactory heat build-up reduction and excellent wet skid performance, and a pneumatic tire comprising the rubber composition. The rubber composition of the present invention contains a diene-based rubber containing from 5 to 40 mass % of a modified butadiene rubber and a white filler. The modified butadiene rubber is a modified polymer obtained by modifying an unmodified butadiene rubber (A) with a nitrone compound (B) having a carboxy group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Kato, Ryota Takahashi, Takahiro Okamatsu, Yoshiaki Kirino
  • Patent number: 9757983
    Abstract: This invention relates to a tire having a rubber component, such as a tread. with filler reinforcement containing surface modified graphene and precipitated silica which may be or may include pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Ling Du, Xiaoping Yang, Carl Trevor Ross Pulford
  • Patent number: 9757984
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a film for a tire inner liner including a base film layer including a copolymer or a mixture of a polyamide-based resin and a polyether-based resin, and an adhesive layer including a resorcinol-formalin-latex (RFL)-based adhesive, and having low shrinkage rate when elongated at a high temperature and then cooled to room temperature, and a method for manufacturing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: KOLON INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: So-Yeon Kwon, Young-Han Jeong, Il Chung, Ok-Hwa Jeon
  • Patent number: 9757985
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a gear selection indication for a vehicle that includes receiving an image of a gear shifting region of the vehicle from a vehicle camera system. The system and method also include processing the image of the gear shifting region into processed image data. Additionally, the system and method include determining a currently selected gear of a plurality of gears of a transmission unit of the vehicle based on the processed image data. The system and method further include outputting the currently selected gear of the plurality of gears. Outputting the determined currently selected gear includes at least one of: communicating the currently selected gear to a gear selection indicator that presents the determined currently selected gear, and communicating the currently selected gear to vehicle systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9757986
    Abstract: The invention relates to pneumatic tires having treads of a cap/base configuration where the outer tread cap rubber layer contains lugs with intervening grooves which extend to the running surface of the tread cap and wherein at least one of said grooves is contained in a rubber block within the tread. For this invention, the tread groove-containing rubber block joins the tire carcass and extends radially outward through the tread base rubber layer and into the outer tread cap rubber layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Junling Zhao, Roberto Cerrato Meza, Paulo Roberto Goncalves, Leandro Forciniti, Warren James Busch
  • Patent number: 9757987
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a tread comprising a radially outer cap layer and radially inner cap layer underlying the outer cap layer; the outer cap layer comprising a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr), from about 50 to about 90 phr of a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber having a glass transition temperature (Tg) ranging from ?65° C. to ?55° C. and functionalized with an alkoxysilane group and at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of primary amines and thiols; from about 50 to about 10 phr of polybutadiene having a cis 1,4 content greater than 95 percent and a Tg ranging from ?80 to ?110° C.; from 30 to 80 phr of a combination of a resin having a Tg of at least 30° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Claude Charles Jacoby, Luisa Fernanda Munoz Mejia, Nihat Ali Isitman
  • Patent number: 9757988
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a specified rotational direction and including land portions formed compartmentally on the tread of the pneumatic tire by disposing plural inclined grooves extending from both tread ends respectively toward the tire equator and inclined toward the rotational direction with respect to a tire width direction, and also including branch grooves on the tread, each of the branch grooves diverging from a portion of the inclined groove within an area till ¼ of the tread width from the tread, extending to the tire equator in the opposite tire circumferential direction of the inclined groove with respect to the tire width direction and terminating within the land portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Koyanagi
  • Patent number: 9757989
    Abstract: The invention relates to pneumatic tires with ribbed rubber treads which may be, for example pneumatic tires such as bus tires and truck tires. The rubber treads are comprised of a blend of specialized cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber and cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber containing reinforcing filler comprised of a combination of rubber reinforcing carbon black and precipitated silica together with silica coupler, wherein the tread rubber contains a cure package comprised of sulfur together with two sulfenamide primary sulfur cure accelerators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Roberto Cerrato Meza, Warren James Busch, Paul Harry Sandstrom
  • Patent number: 9757990
    Abstract: A tire is provided having a tread region that includes continuous ribs which extend diagonally across the transverse direction of the tire. Partial sipes are provided at the trailing edges of the ribs. Full sipes can also be provided with the partial sipes. The ribs may form various patterns such as e.g., an S-shaped pattern, chevron pattern, and others. The tire provides improved traction performance over non-diagonal ribs while still providing desirable rolling resistance performance and control of irregular wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Victor Abarotin, Daniel McEachern Hicks
  • Patent number: 9757991
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided in the tread portion with a central land portion between two crown main grooves. The central land portion is provided with notches each having a depth of 55% to 65% of the depth of the crown main groove and having a closed end and an open end opening to the crown main groove. The maximum axial length of the central notch is 10% to 15% of the maximum axial length of the central land portion, and the circumferential length of the opening is 10% to 15% of one circumferential pitch of the shoulder block row 7R. The circumferential length of the opening is 15% to 25% of one circumferential pitch of the central notches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masao Tagashira, Hiroyuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9757992
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to tires having multiple carcasses that wrap around multiple bead cores on a single side of the tire, and, more specifically, to a tire that has a bead core locking insert that eliminates a pullout step for one of the carcass plies or bands during fabrication, This step includes wrapping one of the plies or bands completely around said multiple bead cores that are found on a single side of the tire. In certain embodiments, the tire is an aviation tire that has bands of multiple plies that are wrapped about multiple bead cores found on each side of the tire. The bead core locking insert is found below the multiple bead cores found on each side of the tire and is adjacent to the bands that wrap around the inside and outside head cores, thereby locking these beads and associated bands together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Robert A. DeVincentis, Michael K. Landis
  • Patent number: 9757993
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring apparatus includes a frequency detection unit configured to detect a resonant frequency according to a tire pressure; a calculation unit configured to accumulate the resonant frequency and calculate an average frequency and a frequency variance; a coordinate system setting unit configured to locate a first average variance point corresponding to the average frequency and the frequency variance, on an average-variance plane, and locate second average variance points corresponding to average frequencies and frequency variances of resonant frequencies measured for types of tires, on the average-variance plane; a tire determination unit configured to determine a type of a tire in consideration of distances between the first and second average variance points; and a low-pressure frequency setting unit configured to set a low-pressure frequency according to the determined type of the tire, as a reference low-pressure frequency for determining whether the tire pressure is a low pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI AUTRON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae-Hun Kim, Seung-Hwan Shin
  • Patent number: 9757994
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for monitoring a communicative connection with a trailer. Messages transmitted between a tire pressure management module of a trailer and a controller of a vehicle may be monitored. A notification may be triggered when the controller has not received a message from the tire pressure management module during at least a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dilip B. Patel, Christopher Henderson, James Edwin Blatchford, Stavros Dionyssopoulos, James Edward Gregoire
  • Patent number: 9757995
    Abstract: A system includes a wheel, a hubcap coupled to the wheel and a tire pressure sensor coupled to the wheel. The system also includes a brake control unit (BCU) and an active hubcap circuit coupled to the hubcap. The active hubcap circuit is electrically coupled to the tire pressure sensor and the BCU and configured to receive an input signal from at least one of the tire pressure sensor or the BCU, generate an output signal by increasing a signal to noise ratio of the input signal and output the output signal to at least one of the BCU or the tire pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Stein, Paul L. Summers
  • Patent number: 9757996
    Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system including a monitoring unit positioned in a tractor, a first repeater positioned in the tractor, a plurality of second repeaters positioned in a plurality of trailers connected to the tractor, and a plurality of sensors positioned at tires of the tractor or the trailers. A first RF transceiving unit transceives data with the first repeater by a low power RF transmitting unit to the plurality of second repeaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Seetron Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Sun Uh, Byoum Youn Cho, Nanjapla Naveen, Jae Sung So
  • Patent number: 9757997
    Abstract: In a wheel position detecting device, a transmission angular position of a transmitter to transmit a frame from the transmitter to a receiver is changed by a predetermined angle each time the transmitter transmits the frame. A receiver acquires gear information indicating a tooth position of a gear rotating in association with a corresponding wheel, based on a detection signal of a wheel speed sensor. The receiver specifies to which wheels the transmitter is integrated, based on the tooth position of the gear at a reception timing of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Mori, Nobuya Watabe, Noriaki Okada, Takatoshi Sekizawa
  • Patent number: 9757998
    Abstract: In a wheel position detector for a vehicle, a transmitter on each wheel repeatedly transmits a data frame containing identification information when an angle of the transmitter reaches a transmission angle. A receiver for receiving the frame is mounted on a body of a vehicle and performs wheel position detection based on the frame to specify a target wheel from which the frame is transmitted. The receiver acquires a tooth position of a gear rotating with a corresponding wheel when receiving the frame and sets a variation allowable range based on the tooth position. The receiver specifies the target wheel by determining whether the tooth position falls within the variation allowable range. The transmitter changes the transmission angle at a predetermined time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Mori, Nobuya Watabe, Noriaki Okada, Takatoshi Sekizawa
  • Patent number: 9757999
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for monitoring a tire pressure using a speed section. The tire pressure monitoring apparatus using a speed section of the present invention includes a frequency measuring unit which measures frequency data for every wheel mounted on a vehicle; a frequency calculating unit which calculates a mean frequency for every speed section by accumulating the measured frequency data for every predetermined speed section to obtain a mean; a frequency calibration unit which performs the frequency calibration by calculating a deviation of the mean frequency for every adjacent speed section and comparing the calculated deviation of the mean frequency with the predetermined frequency range; and a low pressure determining unit which determines a low pressure by performing the frequency analysis in accordance with the speed section in which the frequency calibration is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Autron Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung-Hwan Shin, Seung-Geun Ham
  • Patent number: 9758000
    Abstract: A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube connected to a tire and defining an air passageway, the air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow an air tube segment opposite a tire footprint to flatten, closing the passageway, and resiliently unflatten into an original configuration. The air tube is sequentially flattened by the tire footprint in a direction opposite to a tire direction of rotation to pump air along the passageway to a regulator device. The regulator device regulates the inlet air flow to the air tube and the outlet air flow to the tire cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Daniel Paul Luc Marie Hinque
  • Patent number: 9758001
    Abstract: The invention provides an autoclave capable of creating a uniform temperature distribution inside a pressurized chamber and a method for manufacturing tires using the autoclave. The autoclave shaped as a cylindrical pressurized chamber has a heat source and a fan disposed on one end side thereof and ducts extending lengthwise on the inner peripheral wall surface thereof to discharge air blown by the fan to the other end side thereof. And the air outlets of the ducts are so designed as to discharge the air blown by the fan in a circumferential direction of the pressurized chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei Nakajima, Kai Honda
  • Patent number: 9758002
    Abstract: A standardization system for the manufacture of tires is provided. The same size tire components can be used in the summit of tires having different sizes i.e., tires having different section widths, sidewall heights, and/or aspect ratios. A matrix of tire sizes can be associated with one or more tire summit parameters. The matrix can be used for the manufacture of tires having one or more standardized components by holding substantially constant the value of one or more tire summit parameters across a diagonal of the matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: James Thomas Carter, M'Hamed Louzri
  • Patent number: 9758003
    Abstract: A hitch adapter device for a vehicle tow ball comprises a fastening device adapted to fixedly arrange the hitch adapter device to the vehicle tow ball in a releasable manner. The hitch adapter device further comprises a receiving tube adapted to receive an object to be hitched to a vehicle comprising the vehicle tow ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kristian Vernersson, Hakan Gerdsberg, Mikael Riski
  • Patent number: 9758004
    Abstract: A vibration damper for a vehicle is provided. The vibration damper includes at least one damping cylinder made from a fiber composite material; a guiding element for guiding a piston rod of a piston movably arranged in the damping cylinder. The guiding element is located in a guiding end region at one end of the damping cylinder. A fastening element for use in attaching the at least one damping cylinder to a vehicle is located at a fastening end of the cylinder. At least one of the two end regions of the damping cylinder is conical or wedge-shaped and its element has a corresponding external form that is conical or wedge-shaped. A conical or wedge-shaped clamping sleeve located around the conical or wedge-shaped end regions of the damping cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Eifflaender, Hubert Strobl
  • Patent number: 9758005
    Abstract: A suspension controller includes a wheel speed sensor that detects the wheel speed of each wheel, a basic input amount calculating unit that calculates the basic input amount of the vehicle on the basis of a wheel speed variation detected by the wheel speed sensor, a state amount calculating unit that calculates the state amount of the vehicle by inputting the basic input amount to a vehicle model representing the motion of the vehicle, and a damper controlling unit that controls the damping force of a damping-force-variable damper on the basis of the calculated state amount. If the wheel speed variation detected by the wheel speed sensor decreases below zero by a predetermined value or more on the minus side, the vertical load of the wheel is considered to be decreased, and the damping force is controlled to be greater than before the decrease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoma Kanda, Yukihiro Orimoto, Koichi Shibusawa, Tomohiro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9758006
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a driving unit and a robot cleaner having the same. The robot cleaner has a configuration in which an elastic member is supported so that an angle formed between the elastic member and a rotation shaft of the driving unit is provided in a predetermined range to offset a decrease in an elastic force generated while the robot cleaner is driving on a surface having steps and a driving wheel protrudes downward from the robot cleaner. Accordingly, there is the effect where a traction force is maintained at a predetermined level for maintaining the driving performance of the robot cleaner even while the robot cleaner is driving and the driving wheel is lowered to decrease the elastic force of the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyung Han Jeong, Byoung In Lee
  • Patent number: 9758007
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes: vehicle height adjustment units respectively provided to correspond to wheels of a vehicle body, and adjusting a vehicle height in response to the supply and discharge of a working fluid; a pressure tank storing the working fluid; a compressor pressure-feeding the working fluid; a valve body block formed by opening and closing valves, and interposed between the pressure tank and the compressor, and the vehicle height adjustment units; and a control unit adjusting a vehicle height by controlling the valve body block, wherein the valve body block is connected to the pressure tank, and working fluid outlet and inlet of the compressor, and upon the completion of the pressure feed of the working fluid, the control unit controls such that the working fluid outlet and inlet are communicated with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Kondo, Takanori Suzuki, Atsuto Ogino
  • Patent number: 9758008
    Abstract: In an air conditioning system, a control unit controls an adjusting unit to adjust a ratio between an amount of a first part of introduced air passing through a heater core and an amount of a second part of the introduced air bypassing the heater core to a first ratio at which the amount of the first part of the introduced air decreases from a maximized amount of the first part of the introduced air according to an increase in temperature of the heater core by a warming unit. When a setting temperature for air conditioning is increased by an input unit, the control unit controls the adjusting unit to change the ratio from the first ratio to a second ratio at which the amount of the first part of the introduced air increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Hashigaya, Kensuke Momose
  • Patent number: 9758009
    Abstract: An arrangement for maintaining an operating temperature of a battery (8) in a vehicle (1). A cooling system (12) with a circulating coolant. A radiator (14) to cool the coolant includes a heat-transfer region (12a) where the coolant is in contact with the battery (8). An AC installation with a circulating refrigerant includes a first circuit with a first evaporator (21) in which a refrigerant cools air in a driving cab space (2) of the vehicle (1), and a first condenser (17) where the refrigerant releases thermal energy; a second circuit with a second evaporator where the refrigerant cools the coolant in the cooling system (12), and a second condenser (24) where the refrigerant warms the coolant in the cooling system (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Zoltan Kardos, Ola Hall
  • Patent number: 9758010
    Abstract: A multi-mode vehicle thermal management system is provided that allows efficient thermal communication between a refrigerant-based thermal control loop and three non-refrigerant-based thermal control loops, where one of the non-refrigerant-based loops provides temperature control over the vehicle's passenger cabin, a second of the non-refrigerant-based control loops is thermally coupled to the vehicle's battery system and the third of the non-refrigerant-based control circuits is thermally coupled to the vehicle's drive train. The refrigerant-based control loop may be operated either in a heating mode or a cooling mode and is coupled to the vehicle's HVAC system using a refrigerant-air heat exchanger, and to the battery thermal control loop using refrigerant-fluid heat exchangers. A valve assembly is used to couple and/or decouple the battery and drive train thermal control loops, thereby allowing these two thermal control loops to operate either in parallel or in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: ATIEVA, INC.
    Inventor: Vincent George Johnston
  • Patent number: 9758011
    Abstract: A multi-mode vehicle thermal management system is provided that allows efficient thermal communication between a refrigerant-based thermal control loop and three non-refrigerant-based thermal control loops, where one of the non-refrigerant-based loops provides temperature control over the vehicle's passenger cabin, a second of the non-refrigerant-based control loops is thermally coupled to the vehicle's battery system and the third of the non-refrigerant-based control circuits is thermally coupled to the vehicle's drive train. The refrigerant-based control loop may be operated either in a heating mode or a cooling mode and is coupled to the vehicle's HVAC system using a refrigerant-air heat exchanger, and to the battery thermal control loop using refrigerant-fluid heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: ATIEVA, INC.
    Inventor: Vincent George Johnston
  • Patent number: 9758012
    Abstract: A multi-mode vehicle thermal management system is provided that allows efficient thermal communication between a refrigerant-based thermal control loop and two non-refrigerant-based thermal control loops, where one of the non-refrigerant-based loops is thermally coupled to the vehicle's battery system and the other of the non-refrigerant-based control circuits is thermally coupled to the vehicle's drive train. The refrigerant-based control loop may be operated either in a heating mode or a cooling mode and is coupled to the vehicle's HVAC system using a refrigerant-air heat exchanger, and to the battery thermal control loop using refrigerant-fluid heat exchangers. A valve assembly is used to couple and/or decouple the battery and drive train thermal control loops, thereby allowing these two thermal control loops to operate either in parallel or in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventor: Vincent George Johnston
  • Patent number: 9758013
    Abstract: Shaft horsepower output associated with a prime mover for driving a component of a transport refrigeration system may be selectively augmented through an auxiliary power apparatus. In an embodiment, a compressed air engine is provided and selectively operable to augment the shaft horsepower output for driving the component. At least one storage tank is provided for storing compressor air and at least one air compressor is provided for generating and supplying compressed air to the at least one compressed air storage tank. In an embodiment, the prime mover is a fuel combustion engine and the compressed air is heated by exhaust gas from the fuel combustion engine. The driven component may be a refrigerant compressor. The driven component may be an electric generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: John T. Steele
  • Patent number: 9758014
    Abstract: A vehicle including a roof that separates an exterior and an interior of the vehicle, and an air conditioning system. The roof has an exterior surface, an interior surface, and an aperture extending through the roof between the exterior surface and the interior surface. The air conditioning system includes an exterior housing that is mounted to the exterior surface of the roof and includes a divider defining a first cavity, and a second cavity. The air conditioning system also includes a condenser, an evaporator, and an evaporator blower. The air conditioning system further includes an interior housing that is removably mounted to the interior surface of the roof and defines a mounted position and a removed position in which the evaporator and evaporator blower are accessible for servicing from the interior of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven Melbostad, Christopher J. Kroeker, Lawrence P. Hong, Martin Duffy
  • Patent number: 9758015
    Abstract: An HVAC comfort system operates in a cabin of a vehicle. A plurality of vehicle status parameters are measured including a cabin temperature and a seat occupancy configuration. The method detects whether the vehicle status parameters correspond to a predetermined override state. When the vehicle status parameters correspond to the predetermined override state, then a respective mandated setting is automatically activated. Unless prevented by the mandated setting, one of a plurality of HVAC modes is automatically selected in response to the cabin temperature and other inputs, wherein the HVAC modes include an extremity heating mode and a panel circulation mode. The extremity heating mode is comprised of automatic activation of a touchpoint heated surface and other outputs in response to the seat occupancy configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Paul B. Hoke, Johnathan A. Line, Gary A. Dage, Robert S. Sawyer
  • Patent number: 9758016
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant safety system involves multiple sensors within a vehicle, a monitor aggregator, a processor, a vehicle electronic control system, and a decision engine which will compare sensor data against a set of sensor parameters to determine whether any of multiple potential danger conditions exists within the vehicle, and determine which of multiple control actions are to be automatically taken and modify operation of at least one vehicle component. If a further determination is made that either the specified danger condition is persisting or has exceeded at least one specified severity threshold, the decision engine will determine whether to further modify operation of any vehicle component or take a specified escalation action. The decision engine will continue to make determinations regarding the specified danger condition and decide whether to take further control actions until the specified danger condition no longer exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: International BusinessMachines Corporation
    Inventors: Rudolph C. Baron, Rhonda L. Childress, Christopher W. Ecks, William A. Grimes
  • Patent number: 9758017
    Abstract: In order to shift a rotation angle of a rotor to a region of a normal mode (for example, a region c) from a region of a heater cut mode (for example, a region e), the rotation angle needs to pass through a region where a flow rate of a refrigerant which is caused to flow through all branch channels becomes zero (a region d). When the refrigerant has a high temperature, there is a possibility of the refrigerant being not cooled, and boiling. Therefore, when a request to switch a normal mode and a heater cut mode is issued, permission/non-permission of switch of the mode is determined by comparison of a temperature of the refrigerant detected by the temperature sensor 26 and an upper limit temperature of the refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryo Michikawauchi