Momentum Patents (Class 188/135)
  • 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: 8430458
    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: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Gary Kaminski, Vicki Sickler, Jonathan Gray
  • Publication number: 20130048774
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection device (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a seat of a vehicle includes an inertia member (66) that engages an element (54). The inertia member (66) is movable relative to the element (54) from an unactuated position to an actuated position in response to at least one sensed vehicle condition for activating the occupant protection device (10). A vertical axis (83) extends through the center of mass of the inertia member (66) when the inertia member (66) is in the unactuated position. At least one of the element (54) and the inertia member (66) has at least one planar surface (80) that extends at an angle relative to the vertical axis (54). The inertia member (66) and element (54) are movable relative to one another along the at least one planar surface (80) to place the inertia member (66) in the actuated position to activate the occupant protection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Chhay Siev, Wade J. Sorenson, Edgar H. Schlaps, Boris Siebeck
  • Patent number: 8201667
    Abstract: Braking system for a stroller utilizes an actuator to move two brakes close to an axis to unlock the rear wheels of the stroller and away from the axis to lock the rear wheels. Each brake comprises a long arm. The brakes are disposed at the opposite sides of the axis. When the actuator is driven to rotate about the axis, the brakes move around the axis to have axial movement close to or away from the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shun-Min Chen, Zhi-Ren Zhong, Jian-Qun Li
  • Patent number: 7455322
    Abstract: A buffer device for vehicle seat belt includes a housing having two inside racks, a roller assembly, which has a roller and two gearwheels fixedly provided at the ends of the roller and meshed with the racks for guiding rotation of the roller along the racks, a traction cord member, which has a first end connected to the roller and is pullable by the seat belt such that the roller is forced to rotate along the racks to roll up the traction cord member when the seat belt is stretched to pull the roller upon an impact force, and a spring member connected between the housing and the roller for rebounding the roller to a former position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Inventor: Cadmus Lin
  • Patent number: 7377369
    Abstract: A roller coaster circuit comprising a pool of water, which is run alongside or crossed, via a dry channel, by a train of vehicles provided laterally with water brakes consisting of a nozzle becoming immersed in the body of water and throwing the latter out in the form of upward sprays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Bollinger & Mabillard Ingénieurs Conseils SA
    Inventor: Claude Mabillard
  • Patent number: 6959793
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a brake actuator for a towed vehicle having a brake actuated by a pedal. The actuator comprises a weight, slidably mounted to a base, a base and a slidable mount. Alternatively, the actuator comprises a weight, slidably mounted to a base, a base, a slidable mount and an auxiliary vacuum system for use with power-assisted brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Inventor: Paul Cinquemani
  • Publication number: 20040035653
    Abstract: A thrust reverser system that includes a pass-through torque activated brake assembly that limits the torque applied in portions of the thrust reverser system drive train. The brake assembly includes two plates that are coupled together with a torsion spring. When a predetermined torque is applied to the torsion spring, the torsion spring displaces the plates from one another. Balls that are positioned in cammed grooves in each of the plates causes the plates to translate away from one another and contact brake surfaces to thereby limit the torque in the drive train.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventor: Donald J. Christensen
  • Patent number: 6352140
    Abstract: The invention relates to a disc brake to be opened by torque, the disc brake being arranged between a drive shaft (3) and a driven shaft (11) and comprising a brake wheel (12) arranged on the driven shaft (3) non-rotatably in the peripheral direction; a friction surface (15) arranged to cooperate with the brake wheel (12); a spring device (14) arranged to press the brake wheel (12) axially against the friction surface (15) and means (19 to 21) causing, by the action of the torque and torsion of the drive shaft (3) and a possible counter-torque of the driven shaft (11), the brake wheel (12) and the friction surface (15) to drift axially apart and, accordingly, the braking coupling between them to loosen against the spring force of the spring device (14), whereby the drive shaft (3) and the driven shaft (11) are interconnected in such a way that they may turn a restricted rotational angle with respect to each other and that means for causing said axial displacement and for loosening the braking coupling compris
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: KCI Konecranes International PLC
    Inventor: Ismo Kuivamäki
  • Patent number: 5954164
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a braking system for a towed vehicle. The system comprises a weighted pendulum pivotally attached to the towed vehicle and having a swing path in the direction of travel of the towed vehicle; and a structure for translating the pivoting travel of the weighted pendulum to straight line travel of the brake pedal responsive to relative motion between the weighted pendulum and the towed vehicle. The structure for translating is a v-shaped pedal operating member secured to the towed vehicle brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Inventor: Buddy L. Latham
  • Patent number: 5199535
    Abstract: To eliminate undesired movement of control members, e.g. throttle control levers, subjected to high fore-and-aft accelerations, a mechanism is proposed in which brake pads (229), (231) bearing on a control surface (220) forming part of the control member are connected by a pivoted lever arrangement (203) to a pendulum (200). Oscillations of the pendulum due for fore-and-aft `g` forces cause a proportional displacement of the lever arrangement (203) which in turn causes one or other of the brake pads (229, 231) to apply a correspondingly greater frictional force to the control surface (220).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: British Aerospace Public Limited Company
    Inventor: Arthur Kaye
  • Patent number: 4938319
    Abstract: A linearly adjustable force transfer element with one or more inertia-sensitive triggering mechanisms for one or two stepless, activatable blocking devices especially adapted for use with a car seat. A vertically adjustable seat frame and optionally safety belt hardware is fastened to a mounting eye of a draw rod and a bottom mounting eye is fastened to the carriage of the seat rail. In normal use, the two parts can be freely moved with respect to one another; however, in a front end collision, an inertia sensor mass travels and by means of a pressure cam tilts plates into a blocking position, which is achieved immediately, directly and steplessly. A force transfer is possible by means of the two opposing blocked parts so that adjusting elements of the seat are not loaded. The described sensor mechanism can also be combined with other sensors, e.g. a draw-out sensitive release element, and a spherical sensor, which can be addressed on all levels of deceleration, can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Inventor: Hans-Hellmut Ernst
  • Patent number: 4702353
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for limiting the acceleration applied to a body which is to be protected from damage. In one arrangement, the limiting device is mounted on a helicopter seat which is vertically slidable so as to permit limited downward movement of the seat relative to its supporting structure in a crash situation. The limiting device having strap mounted on a reel is mounted to the seat, with one end of the strap being connected to a support. A capstan spring wound on the reel prevents rotation of the reel and unwinding of the strap until a predetermined acceleration is reached, as sensed by an inertia element within the reel. The sensor applies an unwinding force to the capstan spring sufficient to permit braked rotary movement of the reel. In this fashion, the acceleration applied to the seat occupant's body is limited to a safe level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: Pacific Scientific Company
    Inventor: Elmer C. Yang
  • Patent number: 3967510
    Abstract: An actuation device for use in connection with safety belts for vehicles includes a body of inertia sensing acceleration and/or retardation and positioned between a frame and a transmission element, which is movable away from and in a direction towards the frame. The body forms part of a spacer element assembly extending between the frame and the transmission element. The ends of the spacer element assembly pivotably bear against the transmission element and the frame. The spacer element assembly comprises at least two parts which, actuated by the body of inertia, can perform toggle-joint-like pivoting movement relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1974
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1976
    Inventor: Oskar Lennart Lindblad