Crank Control Patents (Class 192/19)
  • Patent number: 10948040
    Abstract: A seat height adjustment actuator includes a brake drum fixable to a seat and defining an outer brake race. A rotatable brake hub includes a floor with a shelf, and a wall around the floor with cam surfaces defining an inner brake race. A pinion fixed to the brake hub engages a seat adjustment mechanism through the brake drum. Rolling brake elements wedge between the inner and outer brake races to lock the brake hub at rest. A clutch drum defines an outer clutch race, and includes tabs extending between the brake races to displace the brake rollers, unlocking the brake hub, under actuator input. A centering bias element on the floor simultaneously engages the shelf and a projection of the clutch drum for centering the projection over the shelf at rest. A driver cam receives actuator input and drives rotation of the clutch drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: SLIFE HOLDINGS INC
    Inventors: Pius Koon-Pun Ng, Parth Jitendra Shahiwala
  • Patent number: 10711851
    Abstract: A clutch unit includes a lever-side clutch part to control transmission of rotational torque input through a lever operation, and a brake-side clutch part to transmit the rotational torque from the lever-side clutch part to an output side, and interrupt rotational torque from the output side. The brake-side clutch part includes an outer ring constrained in rotation, an output shaft configured to output the rotation, a cage arranged between the outer ring and the output shaft to receive the rotational torque from the lever-side clutch part, and a cylindrical roller to control the interruption of the rotational torque from the output shaft and the transmission of the rotational torque input from the cage through engagement and disengagement between the outer ring and the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Sato, Masahiro Kawai
  • Patent number: 10233981
    Abstract: A clutch unit includes a lever-side clutch portion for controlling transmission and interruption of rotational torque to an output side through lever operation, and a brake-side clutch portion for transmitting torque input from the lever-side clutch portion to the output side and for interrupting torque reversely input from the output side. The lever-side clutch portion has an outer centering spring provided between a lever-side outer ring to be rotated through the lever operation and a cover restricted in rotation, for accumulating an elastic force obtained by torque input from the lever-side outer ring and for restoring the lever-side outer ring to a neutral state with the accumulated elastic force through releasing of the torque input from the lever-side outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Sato, Takahide Saito, Masahiro Kawai, Kouji Isoda, Naochika Kubota, Yumiko Mineno, Hiromitsu Hamazaki
  • Patent number: 10040376
    Abstract: A seat frame for a vehicle seat includes a seat cushion frame that forms a frame for a seating portion of the vehicle seat, and a height adjustment mechanism that is coupled to the seat cushion frame and a rail mechanism of the vehicle seat. The height adjustment mechanism adjusts the height of the seat cushion frame. The height adjustment mechanism includes a sector gear that rotates based on a height adjustment operation, a link that moves the height of the seat cushion frame up and down based on the rotation of the sector gear, and a restriction member that abuts against the sector gear, thereby restricting the movement of the sector gear. At least one of portions of the sector gear and the restriction member that abut against each other has a tapered shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignees: TS Tech Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Imasen Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akimitsu Kurihara, Yuta Kijima, Tomoki Matsumoto, Takashi Yasuda, Atsushi Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 9618062
    Abstract: A clutch unit includes a lever-side clutch portion for controlling transmission and interruption of rotational torque to an output side through lever operation, and a brake-side clutch portion for transmitting torque input from the lever-side clutch portion to the output side and for interrupting torque reversely input from the output side. The lever-side clutch portion has an outer centering spring provided between a lever-side outer ring to be rotated through the lever operation and a cover restricted in rotation, for accumulating an elastic force obtained by torque input from the lever-side outer ring and for restoring the lever-side outer ring to a neutral state with the accumulated elastic force through releasing of the torque input from the lever-side outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Sato, Takahide Saito, Masahiro Kawai, Kouji Isoda, Naochika Kubota, Yumiko Mineno, Hiromitsu Hamazaki
  • Patent number: 8820501
    Abstract: A pumping device for a vehicle seat cushion, which rotates a link gear mounted to the seat cushion as an actuating lever is rotated, thereby controlling the height of the seat cushion. This pumping device generates a uniform clutch force at the same position at all times and prevents undesired movement of the actuating lever so that the actuating lever can be located at the regular position at all times. In addition, when operating the actuating lever in the same direction continuously, the pumping device can minimize the degree of angle at which the actuating lever idles, so that the pumping device can improve the controllability of the actuating lever, thereby effectively transmitting the operating force of the actuating lever to the link gear. Therefore, this invention causes the user inconvenience and improves the quality of the vehicle seat, and remarkably improves assemblability and productivity of the pumping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Daewon Precision Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoon-Ho Hur, Jae-Won Sim
  • Patent number: 8496098
    Abstract: A manual seat height adjuster mechanism for a seat of a vehicle includes a freewheel brake mechanism having a rotatable output pinion to engage and rotate an adjustment component of the seat to adjust a height of the seat and a locking mechanism selectively engagable and disengageable with the freewheel brake mechanism to allow the height of the seat to be adjusted and to prevent the height of the seat from moving once the height has been adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: CRH North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ioan Napau, Mircea Napau, Mike Chapa, Robert James Bachula
  • Patent number: 8132658
    Abstract: Provided is a seat where pumping operation of a lever of the seat not only rotates an output member by inching but also, when a load in the operation direction of the lever is applied to the output side member, rotates it at one stroke in that direction. A seat adjustment device of the seat has a clutch unit (X) provided between the lever and a rotation member of a movement mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignees: NTN Corporation, Shiroki Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawai, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8113326
    Abstract: A clutch unit has a lever side outer ring or a brake side outer ring with increased strength and in which an elastic deformation amount is reduced to improve breaking torque. The clutch unit has a lever side clutch section provided on an input side, for controlling transmission and interrupting rotational torque to an output side through lever operation, and also has a brake side clutch section provided on the output side, for transmitting input torque from the lever side clutch section to the output side and interrupting reverse input torque from the output side. A lever side outer ring of the brake side clutch section includes two members, a thick plate-like member formed by punching and a cover formed by press working. The plate-like member and the cover are integrally fixed together by swaging by means of a lever-side side plate. A lever side outer ring of the lever side clutch section is formed of a thick plate-like member formed by punching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Kawai
  • Patent number: 8109373
    Abstract: A pumping device and a height adjuster for a vehicle seat are disclosed. The pumping device comprises a support plate; a cam receiver accommodated in the support plate; a brake cam received in the cam receiver to be integrally rotated with the shaft, and defining receiving spaces between the brake cam and the cam receiver; locking means received in each receiving space to allow and prevent rotation of the brake cam in the cam receiver; a control plate for applying the pushing force to the locking means; a bidirectional clutch coupled to the control plate if rotating force is applied and returned to a state of being decoupled from the control plate if the rotating force is not applied; a cover plate assembled with the support plate; a lever plate provided outside the cover plate; and elastic returning means for returning the lever plate to a predetermined reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Austem Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Sung Paing, Heon-Pil Lim
  • Patent number: 7651164
    Abstract: An adjustment mechanism comprising a casing, an inlet member that is moveable relative to the casing; an outlet sprocket provided with a circular set of teeth and mounted to pivot in first and second bearings that are secured to or integral with the casing and that flank the outlet sprocket, said outlet sprocket being connected to the inlet member via a transmission device contained in the casing. The casing is provided with at least one side opening facing the set of teeth on the outlet sprocket, so as to enable said outlet sprocket to mesh with an external member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Mickaël Garnier, Jérôme Bosse
  • Patent number: 7404475
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bidirectional drive for rotating in the one or the other direction of drive a drive wheel which is linked with an adjusting device. The bidirectional drive includes a drive lever which can be rotated about a drive axis, starting from an initial position, in the one or the other direction. The lever is linked with a coupling element for expanding a spring element that is at least partially supported by the cylindrical drive surface of the drive wheel and that entrains the drive wheel in the peripheral direction when the drive lever is moved away from the initial position, while the spring element is no longer supported by the cylindrical drive surface of the drive wheel and the drive wheel is not entrained when the drive lever is returned to the initial position. The coupling element includes expansion cams that can be tilted about an axis spaced apart from the drive axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG, Coburg
    Inventors: Georg Scheck, Frieder Krüger, Marcus Klopp, Stephanie Angermüller, Matthias Weiss
  • Patent number: 7225910
    Abstract: A freewheel hub device includes two locking rings with axial grooves formed in the locking rings and being essentially V shaped in cross-section. The groove walls of one locking ring form a first and a second wedge surface, and one groove wall of the other locking ring forms a third wedge surface. A roll holder with rolls, which extend into the grooves of the locking rings, is mounted in the locking rings. A hub is rotationally arranged in the roll holder (14) and has a circumferential surface for cooperation with the rolls. The locking rings and the roll holder are turnable relative to each other in a limited manner and can take three different setting positions relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Inventor: Bengt-Ake Henriksson
  • Patent number: 7182196
    Abstract: A-way locking rotary drive clutch assembly for actuating an adjuster mechanism on an automotive vehicle seat including a cylinder (30) fixedly secured to the vehicle seat and a mobile flange (40) rotatable journaled to the cylinder and fixedly secured to an input shaft (18) for externally actuating the adjuster mechanism. The cylinder includes a cylindrical bearing surface. The clutch assembly includes a plurality of cams (50, 52) enactable with the bearing surface to prevent rotation of the mobile flange relative to the cylinder. The cams are rotatable assembled to the mobile flange for moving in and out of engagement with the bearing surface. The cams are biased into engagement with the bearing surface. A handle body (60) journaled to the cylinder includes a plurality of teeth engagable with teeth on the mobile flange. Tabs (62) extend from the handle body to move the cams out of engagement with the bearing surface during rotation of the handle body relative to the mobile flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Intier Automotive Inc.
    Inventor: James Leo Weber
  • Patent number: 7032731
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a seat cushion pumping device for a vehicle adapted to adjust a height of a seat cushion. The seat cushion pumping device comprises a clutch unit adapted to transmit a rotating force to gears of a conventional link member for adjusting the height of a seat cushion in a desired direction where the seat cushion is to be moved, and a brake unit for fixing the operated link member so as not to move. The clutch unit and the brake unit are accommodated between a lower bracket and an upper bracket, which are positioned in front of a mounting bracket for accommodating the entire pumping device there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Das Co., LTD
    Inventor: Jae-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 6955251
    Abstract: A clutch unit comprises an outer ring 1 as an input-side member, an output shaft 2 as an output-side member, an inner ring 3 as a control member, an outer ring 4 as a stationary-side member, a first clutch part 5 interposed between the outer ring 1 and the inner ring 3m, and a second clutch part 6 interposed between the outer ring 4 and the output shaft 2. Input torque input from an operation lever 13 is transmitted in the path of the outer ring 1?the first clutch part 5?the inner ring 3?the output shaft 2. Reverse input torque input from the output shaft 2 is locked with the outer ring 4 through the second clutch part 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kurita, Masahiro Kawai
  • Patent number: 6951270
    Abstract: An actuator for a traction device comprising has a locking clutch adapted for operative communication with a traction device. It has a drive disc having drive tabs. The drive tabs project axially into driving engagement with the locking clutch. The drive disc has a seat with an inner face. A drive shaft with a cam having an outer face is disposed within the seat of the drive disc such that said outer face of the cam and the inner face of the seat define a first constricting channel and a second constricting channel. The cam further has a projection. Locking rollers are disposed within the constricting channels. A fixed stop is disposed between the cam outer face and the inner face of said seat and between the first locking roller and the second locking roller. Springs are disposed in the constricting channels between the locking rollers and the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: L & P Property Management Company
    Inventor: Jintao Liu
  • Patent number: 6945600
    Abstract: An ergonomic device actuation method for a housing, a pulley rotating inside the housing, the pulley being adapted to draw a traction element, and a locking clutch encapsulated by the housing and disposed to control rotation of said pulley. A drive clutch drives the pulley through the locking clutch. A drive shaft that rotates in the housing drives the drive clutch. A traction cable fixed to said pulley communicates with an ergonomic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: L & P Property Management Company
    Inventor: Jintao Liu
  • Patent number: 6860374
    Abstract: A ratcheting, locking actuator for selectively positioning ergonomic devices is disclosed. The actuator has an overrunning, locking clutch in a housing, a lever, a hanging ratchet and a pulley for anchoring a traction element. The pulley is driven by a gear which is driven by the one of two ratchet pawls in either of two selectable directions. The drive direction is controlled by a lever to which a ratchet post is attached. Engagement and disengagement of the ratchet pawls with the drive gear is controlled by steps on the housing. The actuator is especially useful for controlling traction elements such as bowden cables for ergonomic devices such as lumbar supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Jintao Liu, Alfred Stadlbauer
  • Publication number: 20040154890
    Abstract: An ergonomic device actuation method for a housing, a pulley rotating inside the housing, the pulley being adapted to draw a traction element, and a locking clutch encapsulated by the housing and disposed to control rotation of said pulley. A drive clutch drives the pulley through the locking clutch. A drive shaft that rotates in the housing drives the drive clutch. A traction cable fixed to said pulley communicates with an ergonomic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventor: Jintao Liu
  • Publication number: 20040124060
    Abstract: A wheel driving device for a pedal propelled cycle, includes an axle coupled with cranks and driven to rotate synchronously by a pedaling force. A coupling socket is movable axially as a result of a rotation of the axle between a fully engaged position, where it is in a full threaded engagement with the axle and frictionally engages a hub shell so as to move a wheel body forward, and a partially engaged position, where it is in a partial threaded engagement with the axle as a result of a screwing-out movement due to backpedaling, and disengages from the hub shell so as to place the wheel body in a freewheeling state. Further backpedaling results in a frictional engagement of the coupling socket with a brake member so as to brake the hub shell and the wheel body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Kun-Teng Chen
  • Patent number: 6691851
    Abstract: A ratcheting, locking actuator for selectively positioning ergonomic devices is disclosed. The actuator has an overrunning, locking clutch in a housing, a lever, a hanging ratchet and a pulley for anchoring a traction element. The pulley is driven by a gear which is driven by the one of two ratchet pawls in either of two selectable directions. The drive direction is controlled by a lever to which a ratchet post is attached. Engagement and disengagement of the ratchet pawls with the drive gear is controlled by steps on the housing. The actuator is especially useful for controlling traction elements such as bowden cables for ergonomic devices such as lumbar supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: L & P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Jintao Liu, Alfred Stadlbauer
  • Patent number: 6688443
    Abstract: An ergonomic device actuator including a housing, a pulley rotating inside the housing, the pulley being adapted to draw a traction element, and a locking clutch encapsulated by the housing and disposed to control rotation of said pulley. A drive clutch drives the pulley through the locking clutch. A drive shaft that rotates in the housing drives the drive clutch. A traction cable fixed to said pulley communicates with an ergonomic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: L & P Property Management Company
    Inventor: Jintao Liu
  • Patent number: 6648119
    Abstract: The invention relates to an adjusting device for an adjusting element which is arranged on a shaft, can be adjusted as desired in both directions of rotation by means of a drive and can be locked in any set position. The device has two jaws which can be moved together in a housing by means of the drive and, at least one end, are each in zero-play contact with an arm of a scissors-type arrangement, the opposing arms of the scissors-type arrangement being in zero-play contact with an output drive element which is rotatably mounted and connected to the adjusting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Schukra Geratebau AG
    Inventor: Knud Klingler
  • Patent number: 6640952
    Abstract: An irreversible adjustment mechanism comprising a casing, a pivotally-mounted lever urged resiliently towards a rest position, a pivotally-mounted intermediate member connected to the lever via a drive stage adapted to move the intermediate member only when the lever moves away from its rest position, a fixed ring, an outlet member co-operating with the ring to define hollow wedge-shaped spaces facing in opposite directions and receiving clamping bodies which are urged apart and which are flanked by two fingers that are part of the intermediate member. The outlet member is secured to a coupling shaft which is guided in rotation by a ring held by catches of the casing that pass through recesses in the inlet member while leaving a central portion of the inlet member visible, on which portion an actuating handle may be fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'automobile S.A.
    Inventors: François Baloche, Christophe Denis, Mikaël Garnier, Yann Reubeuze
  • Patent number: 6637575
    Abstract: A ratchet actuator for an ergonomic device has a thin profile due to the combination of multiple functions into single parts. A ratchet drive gear also has drive fingers for operating a clutch. A clutch stator has high and low steps for engaging and disengaging ratchet pawls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: L & P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Jintao Liu, Alfred Stadlbauer
  • Patent number: 6604619
    Abstract: A two-directional manual drive which produces a rotational movement, starting from the neutral position of a drive lever which can pivot around a drive axis whereby the rotational movement can occur in a selective manner in one of two rotational directions, includes a driven element having a driving surface, on which bearing surfaces of coupling elements are placed in frictional engagement when the drive lever is rotated out of a neutral position, displacing the driven element in the direction of the periphery. When the drive lever is returned to the neutral position the coupling elements are released from a position of frictional engagement with respect to the cylindrical driving surface so that the driven element is no longer displaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Georg Scheck, Peter Schumann
  • Publication number: 20030136624
    Abstract: A starter having a one-way clutch connects with an output shaft via helical spline. A braking member is provided in a bearing portion of a center case adjacent to an end of the center case away from the motor. The clutch moves toward the rear via a lever when the starter is stopped, and a flange portion, provided at a rear end of a barrel portion, presses against the braking member. As a result, the rotation of the clutch stops within a short time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Sadayoshi Kajino, Youichi Hasegawa, Hiroyasu Omiyama, Syuichi Aoki
  • Patent number: 6575278
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive acting on both sides for adjustment devices, including a rotationally mounted drive lever for producing a rotational movement that can be selectively effected in one direction of rotation or in the other direction of rotation, a drive wheel that can only be rotated when the drive lever is moved from a zero point position, at least a one-piece coupling element having two coupling areas for transmitting a torque to the drive wheel, in addition to a sliding block guide with areas for controlling the coupling element. The coupling element can be displaced radially and is tiltably mounted in a guide and coupled by both coupling areas in the zero point position of the drive lever to the drive wheel in an elastic manner so that the non-loaded coupling area is uncoupled from the drive wheel by the sliding block guide when the drive lever moves from the zero point position and remains uncoupled when the drive lever moves in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG, Coburg
    Inventors: Peter Schumann, Georg Scheck
  • Patent number: 6488134
    Abstract: A step-by-step ratchet mechanism has a mount, a hand lever carried on the mount and pivotable about an axis, and a ratchet provided with a toothed set wheel and with an output shaft rotatable about an axis of the ratchet in the mount. Two catches are provided, which a) are each hinged on the hand lever and are pivotal around an axis of the catch, b) are each provided with a toothed quadrant with several teeth that cooperates with the set wheel, c) have a supporting flank that neighbors an abutment of the mount and d) are provided with a spring pretensioning the two supporting flanks towards the abutment. Two mean position levers are carried on the mount and are each pivotal about an axis of the mean position levers, one mean position lever being assigned to each catch. The mean position levers have a stop flank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: C. Rob. Hammerstein GmbH & Co.KG
    Inventors: Burckhard Becker, Robert Houston
  • Patent number: 6481557
    Abstract: An adjustment mechanism comprising a pivoting transmission member which surrounds an inlet member having three outwardly-directed projections. Between the inlet member and the bearing surface there are placed three springs urging wedging bodies towards the projections of the inlet member, and three fixed fingers. One of the fingers is of width sufficient to come into contact with the corresponding wedging bodies to prevent these bodies from wedging against the corresponding projections when the inlet member is in its rest position, while the other two fingers are of width that is small enough for the corresponding wedging bodies to then wedge against the corresponding projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'Autmobile S.A.
    Inventor: Christophe Denis
  • Patent number: 6461212
    Abstract: A starting device of a toy engine comprises a spring, a starting piece, and a unidirectional bevel gear. The motion of the spring between the two fulcrums serves to ensure that the control rod is kept securely in place at a disengaging position and an engaging position. The unidirectional bevel gear is mounted behind the engine propeller and is controlled by the starting piece to prevent the propeller from turning in reverse at the time when the engine is started. The clutch is formed of two clutch pieces which are mounted between the propeller and the engine head. One of the two clutch pieces is mounted on the front end of the propeller shaft for imparting the engine power. Other one of the two clutch pieces is mounted in front of the propeller. The two clutch pieces are symmetrical in construction to each other and are therefore capable of joining together to enable the propeller shaft to actuate the propeller to turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Inventor: Yu-Chi Tsai
  • Patent number: 6283486
    Abstract: An engaging and disengaging gear for a bicycle includes an axle rotatably mounted in a five-way tube on the bicycle to connect to two pedal cranks, a thimble fixedly connected to one end of the five-way tube, an internally threaded transmission bevel gear received in the thimble, a chain wheel mounted on the axle between the thimble and a collar of the axle, and a ring spring fixed to outer surface of the transmission gear. The axle has an externally threaded section between the thimble and the chain wheel for extending through and engaging with the internally threaded transmission gear. An outer periphery of the ring spring slightly contacts with inner wall of the thimble to provide a resistance to a maximum static friction force between the transmission gear and the axle that are screwed together. When the axle is caused to turn forward, the transmission gear moves along the axle toward the chain wheel and engages with the latter, causing the chain wheel to rotate forward, too.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Inventor: Ming-Hui Huang
  • Patent number: 6230867
    Abstract: A vehicle seat has a seat adjuster. The seat adjuster includes a brake acting between a stationary part and an adjustable part. By use of the brake, the adjustable part can be blocked in a variety of positions in both adjustment directions on the stationary part and which can be applied by means of a freely switching element. An adjusting device acts on the freely switching element for selectively adjusting the adjustable part in both directions. An additional locking mechanism is provided which when the adjusting device is not in operation, automatically engages and when the adjusting device is not in operation automatically disengages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Inventor: Jörg Schwarzbich
  • Patent number: 5918714
    Abstract: For a ratchet mechanism for driving adjustment devices for vehicle seats, in particular motor vehicle seats, with a control lever (4) that can be swivelled back and forth and a ratchet (6) movable by this, which cooperates with a gear ring (3) of a driven gear (1), a gear connection is provided between the control lever (4) and the ratchet (6) which engages the ratchet (6) necessarily with the gear ring (3) in an initial area of the swivelling movement of the control lever (4). Only with further swivelling movement of the control lever (4) does the ratchet (6) move on a track about the rotational axis of the driven gear (1) while positively carrying the same. Also the control lever (4) lifts the ratchet (6) from the gear ring (3) necessarily in the starting area of the isle return stroke movement of the control lever (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Keiper Recaro GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Lutz Kadereit
  • Patent number: 5573091
    Abstract: Electrically powered or manually driven clutch and brake mechanism for an electric wince cooperate with a transmission mechanism. The clutch mechanism is provided with a thrust bearing on a clutch shaft and a large clutch gear is then inserted thereon. A lining plate is attached to a clutch plate of the large gear and a pinion gear is attached tightly to the lining plate. Another thrust bearing is placed behind the pinion gear and a compression spring is inserted on the clutch shaft. The large and the pinion gears can be pushed tightly together or loosened as a function of resiliency of the spring. A clutch hand wheel can be provided for manual operation. In addition, the brake mechanism is designed such that a rotating shaft of a motor is provided with a disc brake which has a unidirectional bearing. The disc brake can be squeezed tightly by disc pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Inventor: Michael Hung
  • Patent number: 5123507
    Abstract: A cluth device (20) for a printing press (22) having a rotatably mounted elongated drive shaft (24), a device (26) for rotatably driving the shaft (24), a bearing member (30) rotatably mounted on the shaft (24), a pulley (32) rotatably mounted on the bearing member (30), and a clutch member (54) for selectively securing the pulley (32) to the drive shaft (24) in an operatng condition of the press (22) to drive said pulley (32), and for locking the pulley (32) to a stationary member (48) of the press (22) with the pulley (32) being maintained stationary with respect to said shaft (24) and bearing member (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
    Inventors: Herbert L. Carlson, Jozef W. Niemiro