With Speed Or Torque Control Patents (Class 242/390.9)
  • Patent number: 11198413
    Abstract: A retractor of a seat belt apparatus includes a spool that is configured to wind the seat belt while allowing the seat belt to be pulled out, a motor that includes a shaft coupled to the spool and generates a rotational resistance force against the spool rotating in a direction to pull out the seat belt, the rotational resistance force corresponding to the rotation of the spool and the shaft caused by pulling out of the seat belt, a rotational resistance member that is coupled to the spool and generates a rotational resistance force against the spool rotating in the direction to pull out the seat belt when the seat belt is pulled out in the event of vehicle collision, and a reducing mechanism that reduces the rotation of the spool and transmits a reduced rotation to the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignees: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, ASHIMORI INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Miyajima, Shigeru Sugimoto, Tsuyoshi Maruyama, Yohei Inagaki, Yoshio Shimazaki, Takayoshi Ijiri
  • Patent number: 10752465
    Abstract: A hose reel apparatus has a frame and a drum rotatably attached on the frame for receiving a hose wound thereon. A drive system and brake assembly are attached on the frame operatively engaged with the drum. An indexer is slidably mounted on a guide rail on the frame having a channel for receiving the hose and adjacent clamp arms which are selectively operable to clamp the hose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: CADMAN POWER EQUIPMENT LIMITED
    Inventor: Kenneth Henry Prince
  • Patent number: 10718159
    Abstract: Example architectural opening coverings powered by rotary motors are described. An example an architectural covering comprises a rotatable member, a covering mounted to said rotatable member, a motor to rotate a drive shaft, and a drive shaft coupling structured to: couple the drive shaft to said rotatable member to rotate said rotatable member to raise said covering when said motor is energized to rotate the drive shaft in a first direction, and substantially prevent the drive shaft from applying torque to said rotatable member when said motor is energized to rotate the drive shaft in a second direction to lower said covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventors: Wendell Colson, Daniel Fogarty
  • Patent number: 10710840
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a motorized tie-down device having a housing, a flexible strap having a first end attached to a reel, and a carabiner attached to a second end of the flexible strap. The housing can include a power supply comprising one or more rechargeable batteries, an electric motor coupled to receive power from the power supply, a control to activate the electric motor, the reel, and a worm drive assembly operatively coupled to the electric motor and the reel and configured to transfer rotation from the electric motor to the reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Inventor: Henry Williams
  • Patent number: 10259680
    Abstract: A cable system A includes a cable 3 for connecting a base device 1 and a travelling body 2, a reel device 10 mounted on the travelling body 2, a motor controller 40 for controlling a motor 15 of the reel device 10, and a rotary encoder 16 (rotation sensor) for detecting rotation of a reel 12. The motor controller 40 basically makes the motor 15 free, when the reel 12 is rotating in an unreeling direction, and basically applies a rotational torque in a reeling direction to the reel 12, when the reel 12 is rotating in the reeling direction. Furthermore, even if the reel 12 is rotating in the unreeling direction, if an unreeling speed of the cable 3 exceeds a travelling speed of the travelling body 2, the rotational torque in the reeling direction is applied to the reel 12. Slackening of the cable 3 is thereby prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Topy Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shingo Tsukui, Seiji Oomura, Hidekazu Iwaki
  • Patent number: 10086794
    Abstract: A seatbelt retractor assembly includes a disk having a cam surface and a cam follower surface. A lever that engages the cam surface when the lever is in a disengaged position and engages the cam follower surface when the lever is in an engaged position. The lever moves from the disengaged position to the engaged position in accordance with rotation of the disc. A Hall effect switch detects whether the lever is in the disengaged position or the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammed Omar Faruque, Iskander Farooq, Robert William McCoy
  • Patent number: 9879802
    Abstract: The invention is a suspension apparatus for maintaining conduits (hoses, cables, wires, tubing) in desirable positions to prevent abrasion, drag, and friction damage. The suspension apparatus connects a conduit guide engaging the conduits to a tension reel via a tension cable that maintains the conduits at a proper elevation and placement. The tension reel may be enclosed in a housing and attached to a structure with an appropriate bracket. The suspension apparatus may be used to ensure that tractor and trailer combinations have conduits maintained in place such that the conduits are not damaged during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas James Getts
  • Patent number: 9067759
    Abstract: A reel has a spool member on which the linear material is spooled, an electric motor that rotates the spool member, and a controller that controls the operation of the motor. The controller monitors an unwound length of the linear material based on sensed rotation of the spool member by one or more sensors. The controller causes the motor to wind the linear material at a drag speed when the linear material is on a ground, at a crawl speed lower than the drag speed when the length of linear material on the ground is shorter than a first threshold amount and through a second predetermined amount once the linear material lifts off the ground to inhibit swing of the linear material as it comes off the ground, and at a docking speed greater than the crawl speed when the unwound linear material is shorter than the second threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: GREAT STUFF, INC.
    Inventors: James B. A. Tracey, Joseph M. Hill, III, Johnathan R. Tracey
  • Patent number: 8961045
    Abstract: A thermal transfer printer incorporating a tape drive comprising a first torque-controlled motor and a second position-controlled motor, two tape spool supports on which spools of tape may be mounted, each spool being drivable by a respective one of said motors, and a controller for controlling the energization of the motors such that the tape may be transported in at least one direction between spools mounted on the spool supports. The controller is arranged to determine a control signal to be provided to the torque-controlled motor to set the tape tension, and to provide said control signal to the torque-controlled motor, determination of the control signal including determination of a component intended to compensate for the inertia of a spool of tape driven by the torque-controlled motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Videojet Technologies (Nottingham) Limited
    Inventors: Martin McNestry, George Borkey Yundt
  • Patent number: 8944206
    Abstract: A seat belt apparatus includes a reel, a motor, a clutch member, a belt reacher, a door opening/closing detection section, a wearing detection section and a motor control section. Once a change from an opened state to a closed state of a vehicle door is detected by the opening/closing detection section, the control section controls the motor so that the webbing is pulled out from the reel at a predetermined speed. Once wearing of the webbing is detected by the wearing detection section while the webbing is being pulled out at the predetermined speed, the control section controls the motor to stop pulling-out of the webbing. The predetermined speed is first kept at a constant speed, corresponding for example to a 10[%] duty cycle, for a predetermined time period and then caused to gradually decrease from the constant speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Publication number: 20150028146
    Abstract: A cable system has a cable connecting a base device and a travelling body, functions of the cable at least including transmission of signals, a reel device disposed on the travelling body, the reel device having a reel onto which the cable is to be wound, a motor that drives the reel and a rotation sensor that detects a rotation of the reel, a motor controller that controls the motor of the reel device; and an acceleration sensor that is disposed in the traveling body and detects an acceleration in a vertical direction, the motor controller basically opening a motor drive circuit for driving the motor or bringing a supply current to the motor to zero when it is determined that the reel is rotated in an unreeling direction for unreeling the cable based on sensed information from the rotation sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: TOPY KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo Tsukui, Seiji Oomura, Hidekazu Iwaki
  • Publication number: 20140191073
    Abstract: A seat belt apparatus includes a reel, a motor, a clutch member, a belt reacher, a door opening/closing detection section, a wearing detection section and a motor control section. Once a change from an opened state to a closed state of a vehicle door is detected by the opening/closing detection section, the control section controls the motor so that the webbing is pulled out from the reel at a predetermined speed. Once wearing of the webbing is detected by the wearing detection section while the webbing is being pulled out at the predetermined speed, the control section controls the motor to stop pulling-out of the webbing. The predetermined speed is first kept at a constant speed, corresponding for example to a 10[%] duty cycle, for a predetermined time period and then caused to gradually decrease from the constant speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Patent number: 8770874
    Abstract: A thermal transfer printer incorporating a tape drive comprising a first torque-controlled motor and a second position-controlled motor, two tape spool supports on which spools of tape may be mounted, each spool being drivable by a respective one of said motors, and a controller for controlling the energization of the motors such that the tape may be transported in at least one direction between spools mounted on the spool supports. The controller is arranged to determine a control signal to be provided to the torque-controlled motor to set the tape tension, and to provide said control signal to the torque-controlled motor, determination of the control signal including determination of a component intended to compensate for the inertia of a spool of tape driven by the torque-controlled motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Videojet Technologies (Nottingham) Limited
    Inventors: Martin McNestry, George Borkey Yundt
  • Patent number: 8746605
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed related to spooling and unspooling linear material. Such apparatus and methods can assist the user in deploying and/or retracting linear material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Great Stuff, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. A. Tracey, Mark Rosenau, Joseph M. Hill, III
  • Publication number: 20140117139
    Abstract: A seat belt device includes a belt reel around which webbing is wound, a winding spring that rotationally biases the belt reel in a winding direction, a motor that is configured to transmit a driving force to the belt reel, a clutch that is interposed between the motor and the belt reel, and which performs connection/disconnection of the motor and the belt reel, a webbing speed detection unit that detects the winding speed of the webbing, a fastened/released state detection unit that detects a fastened state and a released state of the webbing, a basic winding control unit that drives the motor in the winding direction in a rotating manner and puts the clutch into a connected state, and a speed increase correction unit that increases the speed of the motor with respect to the speed of the motor obtained by the control of the basic winding control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Patent number: 8695912
    Abstract: A reel comprises a motorized spool member about which a linear material can be wound. A housing surrounds the spool member and has a port through which the linear material extends. A motor controller detects when the linear material is pulled from the spool member through the port, and responds by operating a motor to rotate the spool member in an unwind direction. During this operation, the motor controller (1) uses a spool sensor system to detect an unwind rate at which the linear material is unwound from the spool member, (2) uses a translation sensor system to detect a pull-out rate at which the linear material is pulled through the port in the unwind direction, and (3) adjusts the motor speed based on the detected rates, to limit a length of unwound linear material between the spool member and the port to less than a predetermined length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Great Stuff, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. A. Tracey, John P. Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20140021284
    Abstract: A reel has a spool member on which the linear material is spooled, an electric motor that rotates the spool member, and a controller that controls the operation of the motor. The controller monitors an unwound length of the linear material based on sensed rotation of the spool member by one or more sensors. The controller causes the electric motor to wind the linear material around the spool member upon detection of a pulling force on the linear material over a pull distance within a predetermined range, but does not trigger the winding of the linear material if the pull distance is greater than the predetermined range. The controller causes the electric motor to stop winding of the linear material upon detection of a force on the linear material that holds the linear material in place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: GREAT STUFF, INC.
    Inventors: James B.A. Tracey, Joseph M. Hill, III, Johnathan R. Tracey
  • Publication number: 20140021283
    Abstract: A reel has a spool member on which the linear material is spooled, an electric motor that rotates the spool member, and a controller that controls the operation of the motor. The controller monitors an unwound length of the linear material based on sensed rotation of the spool member by one or more sensors. The controller causes the motor to wind the linear material at a drag speed when the linear material is on a ground, at a crawl speed lower than the drag speed when the length of linear material on the ground is shorter than a first threshold amount and through a second predetermined amount once the linear material lifts off the ground to inhibit swing of the linear material as it comes off the ground, and at a docking speed greater than the crawl speed when the unwound linear material is shorter than the second threshold amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Great Stuff, Inc.
    Inventor: Great Stuff, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8579066
    Abstract: This seat belt device of a vehicle includes a webbing, a belt reel, a motor, a clutch, detection unit, brake control unit and motor control unit. The motor control unit includes a waiting current control unit configured to conduct a current that can maintain the clutch to be in the connection state in the motor when the brake control unit outputs the operation signal and variable current control unit configured to proceed from current control performed by the waiting current control unit when a change in the movement state of the vehicle is detected by the detection unit during the current control performed by the waiting current control unit and adjusts the amount of conduction in the motor based on the movement state of the vehicle that is detected by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shotaro Odate, Takeshi Kojima, Yo Ito
  • Publication number: 20130277484
    Abstract: A cord storage apparatus includes an electric motor configured to retract a power reception cord to be connected to an external power supply and a control unit configured to determine whether or not the power reception cord is retracted away from the ground when the power reception cord is connected to the external power supply and control the electric motor to stop retracting the power reception cord when the power reception cord is retracted away from the ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8473160
    Abstract: A steering operation force detection device for a steering wheel including a steering wheel rim having a right-side rim section and a left-side rim section. The device includes load cells that detect six component forces of the steering operation force acting on the right-side rim section and the left-side rim section consisting of forces in three axial directions and moments about three axes. The device includes a steering angle detection sensor that detects a steering angle of the steering wheel, and an inertial force component correcting unit that derives an inertial force component acting on the right-side rim section and the left-side rim section due to rotation of the steering wheel, based on an amount of displacement of the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection sensor, and that corrects the component force detected by the load cells to eliminate an effect of the derived inertial force component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Kuramori
  • Patent number: 8403248
    Abstract: Systems and methods of rolling and unrolling secondary flooring surfaces, such as tall pile turf, are provided. The system includes a core onto which the secondary flooring surface is rolled, the core being coupled on both ends to a frame that moves along a primary surface. The system includes a drive system that allows for the conversion of the primary surface into a secondary flooring surface in a relatively short period of time. The drive system includes core adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed and torque of the motors that drive the core, as well as frame adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed of the movement of the frames along the primary surface. The core adjustable speed drive units control the torque of the core motors during roll up and control the speed of the core motors during roll out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Textile Management Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Douglas Gordon, Gary Lynn Brock, Andrew E. Belles, Ryan Whitman Paris, William Bryan Peeples
  • Patent number: 8403249
    Abstract: Systems and methods of rolling and unrolling secondary flooring surfaces, such as tall pile polyethylene turf, are provided. The system includes a drive system that allows for the conversion of a primary surface into a secondary flooring surface in a relatively short period of time. The drive system includes core adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed and torque of the motors that drive the core, as well as roller adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed of the front roller. The core adjustable speed drive units control the torque of the core motors during roll up and control the speed of the core motors during roll out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Textile Management Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gordon, Ryan W. Paris, Gary L. Brock, Andrew E. Belles
  • Patent number: 8308100
    Abstract: A recording medium feeding device for feeding a recording medium, which is wound in the shape of a roll and is supported by a support shaft, by means of a feeding roller includes a motor for generating a driving force and a driving force transmission unit for rotating the support shaft by transmitting the driving force. A rotation resistance switching unit switches a limitation state of giving the support shaft a rotation resistance and an open state of not giving the rotation resistance. The rotation resistance switching unit includes a torque limiter which enters the limitation state by being rotatable around the rotation shaft and enters the open state by being opened. A torque limiter fixing unit connected with the driving force transmission unit fixes the torque limiter by rotating the motor in a first direction and opens the torque limiter by rotating the motor in a second, opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Yanagishita
  • Publication number: 20120267466
    Abstract: A reel comprises a motorized spool member about which a linear material can be wound. A housing surrounds the spool member and has a port through which the linear material extends. A motor controller detects when the linear material is pulled from the spool member through the port, and responds by operating a motor to rotate the spool member in an unwind direction. During this operation, the motor controller (1) uses a spool sensor system to detect an unwind rate at which the linear material is unwound from the spool member, (2) uses a translation sensor system to detect a pull-out rate at which the linear material is pulled through the port in the unwind direction, and (3) adjusts the motor speed based on the detected rates, to limit a length of unwound linear material between the spool member and the port to less than a predetermined length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: GREAT STUFF, INC.
    Inventors: James B. A. Tracey, John P. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 8215577
    Abstract: Systems and methods of rolling and unrolling secondary flooring surfaces, such as tall pile turf, are provided. The system includes a core onto which the secondary flooring surface is rolled, the core being coupled on both ends to a frame that moves along a track mounted on or in a primary surface. The system includes a drive system that allows for the conversion of a primary surface into a secondary flooring surface in a relatively short period of time. The drive system includes core adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed and torque of the motors that drive the core, as well as frame adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed of the movement of the frames along the tracks. The core adjustable speed drive units control the torque of the core motors during roll up and control the speed of the core motors during roll out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Textile Managment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Douglas Gordon, Gary Lynn Brock, Andrew E. Belles, Ryan Whitman Paris, William Bryan Peeples
  • Publication number: 20120168550
    Abstract: Systems and methods of rolling and unrolling secondary flooring surfaces, such as tall pile polyethylene turf, are provided. The system includes a drive system that allows for the conversion of a primary surface into a secondary flooring surface in a relatively short period of time. The drive system includes core adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed and torque of the motors that drive the core, as well as roller adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed of the front roller. The core adjustable speed drive units control the torque of the core motors during roll up and control the speed of the core motors during roll out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Textile Management Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gordon, Ryan W. Paris, Gary L. Brock, Andrew E. Belles
  • Patent number: 8165758
    Abstract: A seatbelt apparatus for a vehicle includes a control device for controlling an amount of electric current fed to a motor for winding a seatbelt. The control device controls the motor such that a predetermined amount of electric current is applied to the motor in a behavioral state of the vehicle requiring emergency measures, and such that when the seatbelt is wound a predetermined amount, the predetermined amount of winding is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shotaro Odate, Yoshitaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8152088
    Abstract: Systems and methods of rolling and unrolling secondary flooring surfaces, such as tall pile polyethylene turf, are provided. The system includes a drive system that allows for the conversion of a primary surface into a secondary flooring surface in a relatively short period of time. The drive system includes core adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed and torque of the motors that drive the core, as well as roller adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed of the front roller. The core adjustable speed drive units control the torque of the core motors during roll up and control the speed of the core motors during roll out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Textile Management Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gordon, Ryan W. Paris, Gary L. Brock, Andrew E. Belles
  • Patent number: 8131428
    Abstract: A control module for seat belt retractor capable of controlling a winding torque of a seat belt within a predetermined range, and such a seat belt retractor are provided. The seat belt retractor includes a spool 300 around which a seat belt for vehicle is wound, a motor 200 that causes the spool 300 to rotate, and a motor power transmission mechanism unit that couples the motor 200 and the spool 300. A microcomputer 400 uses a preset control parameter value to control a motor current that flows through the motor 200. The microcomputer 400 changes, based on the motor current and an output torque value of the spool, the control parameter value. The control parameter value is an apparent torque constant for each seat belt retractor product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd., Takata Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Saito, Hiroshi Ito
  • Patent number: 8109460
    Abstract: This seatbelt apparatus of a vehicle is provided with: a seatbelt; a belt reel on which the seatbelt is wound; a motor that drives a rotation of the belt reel; a controller that controls a driving amount of the motor; a winding position detection device that detects a winding position of the belt reel. The controller performs a first control mode in which a substantially constant electricity is supplied to the motor, and a second control mode in which the electricity supplied to the motor is controlled based on a predetermined rule; and sets an initial value for the second control mode based on changes in the winding position detected by the winding position detection device, while changing from the first control mode to the second control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shotaro Odate, Yoshitaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8046136
    Abstract: A vehicle seatbelt apparatus includes a belt, a belt reel, a position detector, a motor, a clutch, and a control device. The belt is wound around the belt reel. The position detector is configured to detect a rotational position of the belt reel. The motor is configured to rotate the belt reel. The clutch is configured to connect or disconnect the motor and the belt reel. The control device is configured to control the clutch and a current supplied to the motor. The control device includes a return amount detector which is configured to detect a return amount of the belt reel in a drawing direction of the belt based on the rotational position of the belt reel detected by the position detector after the belt is wound around the belt reel and then the clutch disconnects the motor and the belt reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Patent number: 7984872
    Abstract: A sheet product dispenser includes a sheet product feed mechanism coupled to a DC stepper motor, the mechanism moving a sheet product out of the dispenser during a dispense cycle; and a control unit controlling the DC stepper motor to move the sheet product with a gradually increasing acceleration during a portion of the dispense cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Bret A. Kuehneman, Joseph A. Racz, Mark R. Grobarchik, Jeffrey A. Wierschke, Antonio M. Cittadino, Christopher M. Reinsel
  • Patent number: 7823679
    Abstract: A method of controlling a motorized retractor includes a spool onto which a webbing belt for restraining an occupant is wound, a motor operated according to a predetermined signal, and a clutch mechanism enabling transmission of power from the motor to the spool. When cancelling power transmission of the clutch mechanism by the operation of the motor, the rotating speed or the driving time period of the motor is varied according to the load on the clutch mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Takao, Koji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7775473
    Abstract: In a motorized retractor, due to an ECU and a driver switching a speed of rotation of an output shaft of a motor to a first speed or a second speed, a transfer path of rotational force from the motor to a spool is switched to a first driving force transferring section (a path through a meshing clutch and a slip mechanism) or a second driving force transferring section (a path through an overload mechanism and a centrifugal clutch). Accordingly, there is no need for a complex switching mechanism including a solenoid which is employed in conventional motorized retractors. A device can thereby be made more compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventor: Shinji Mori
  • Patent number: 7753158
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor, which is capable of winding and unwinding a seat belt for occupant restraint by mechanism of an electric motor, removes slack of the seat belt and controls the restraining feeling on a vehicle occupant to be as little as possible. A seat belt retractor of a seat belt apparatus to be installed in a vehicle is adapted to control a motor to perform an action of increasing seat belt tension to wind up a seat belt which is excessively unwound from the spool when a vehicle occupant wears the seat belt and to be driven according to such a setting that, at the initial stage of the action of increasing the seat belt tension, the tension increasing rate until the seat belt tension reaches a target tension is lower than a predetermined rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Takao, Koji Tanaka, Koji Inuzuka
  • Patent number: 7717215
    Abstract: A seat belt apparatus to be installed in a vehicle is structured such that a motor for rotating a spool of a seat belt retractor is controlled to drive in the belt winding direction to apply a first tension on a seat belt before a vehicle collision and the motor is controlled to drive in the belt winding direction to apply a second tension on the seat belt during the vehicle collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7699700
    Abstract: A motor drive device is disclosed having an input-side gear through which rotation of a stepping motor is transferred to a reel with a predetermined speed reduction ratio, the reel driven by the stepping motor via the input-side gear and is formed in one-piece construction with the input-side gear, and a rotary shaft support section that rotatably supports the reel. The rotary shaft support section has one end formed with a wall portion in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the rotary shaft support section and the other end provided with a press section by which the rotatably supported reel is pressed toward the wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Omomo
  • Patent number: 7698037
    Abstract: A seatbelt device for a vehicle includes a belt reel for winding a belt for restraining a target object, a motor for driving the rotation of the reel, and a control unit. The control unit determines whether the target object to be restrained is a child seat or a vehicle occupant on the basis of a winding position of the belt while no electricity is being supplied to the motor and the winding position of the belt when electricity is being supplied to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Publication number: 20100072315
    Abstract: Systems and methods of rolling and unrolling secondary flooring surfaces, such as tall pile polyethylene turf, are provided. The system includes a drive system that allows for the conversion of a primary surface into a secondary flooring surface in a relatively short period of time. The drive system includes core adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed and torque of the motors that drive the core, as well as roller adjustable speed drive units for controlling the speed of the front roller. The core adjustable speed drive units control the torque of the core motors during roll up and control the speed of the core motors during roll out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: Textile Management Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gordon, Ryan W. Paris, Gary L. Brock, Andrew E. Belles
  • Patent number: 7681683
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor includes a seat belt winding device for winding up a seat belt by actuation of a motor and a control unit. The control unit, under a predetermined condition, repeats a process of stopping the actuation of the motor when an overload of the motor is detected and restarting the actuation of the motor after a lapse of a predetermined time period. The control unit includes a timer for clocking the time period from the start to the stop of the actuation of the motor, a counter for counting up the number of times of starting the actuation of the motor, and a determination module that based on the result of the timer and the counter determines whether or not actuation of the motor, which is stopped by the detection of an overload, is to be restarted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Takao, Koji Tanaka, Daisuke Murakami
  • Publication number: 20100007191
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor (1) is provided which comprises a rotation sensor (8) for detecting the withdrawn amount of a seat belt, a control amount setting unit for setting a first control amount for winding up the seat belt (3) and a second control amount to which the amount reaches after the first control amount according to the winding of the seat belt (3), an electric motor (6) having a two-stage winding speed composed of at least a high speed and a low speed as the speed winding the seat belt (3), and a winding speed adjusting unit for setting the winding speed of the electric motor (6) to the high speed between the time when the electric motor (6) starts the winding of the seat belt (3) and the time when the amount reaches the first control amount, setting the winding speed of the electric motor to the low speed when the amount exceeds the first control amount, and stopping the winding action of the seat belt (3) after the amount exceeds the second control amount, thereby quickly accommodating the seat belt
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2007
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Masato Takao, Koji Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20090236459
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention comprise a portable device and a method for rapidly collecting tubing, line, wire, or other long, flexible objects onto a spool. The respooling device comprises a fixed compression nut attached to a threaded rod and an adjustable compression nut removably coupled to the threaded rod. The threaded rod and compression nuts have thread selected for mechanical strength, smooth operation without lubrication, and rapid translation of the adjustable compression nut along the threaded rod. A spool clamped around the threaded rod by the compression nuts is automatically centered on the rotational axis of the respooling device. A driver turns the threaded rod, compression nuts, and spool to wind material onto the spool. Some embodiments respool material at rates greater than 30 feet (9.1 meters) per second. Some embodiments include a cordless driver. Some embodiments include a spool adapted for respooling a particular material, for example shock tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Christopher J. McMann, Craig M. Newcomb, Charles L. Romero
  • Publication number: 20090206190
    Abstract: Dynamic calibration of a secondary velocity signal is provided in a tape drive. In one example, a reel motor is operated to drive a reel carrying a tape in a tape drive. The motion of the tape is measured to provide a measured primary velocity signal of the tape, and in addition, the operation of the reel motor is measured to provide an estimated secondary velocity signal of the tape as a function of motor parameters and the motor operation measurements. The estimated secondary velocity signal of the tape may be calibrated as the tape is driven, as a function of the tape motion measurements and the motor operation measurements. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nhan Xuan Bui, Reed Alan Hancock, Wayne Isami Imaino, Haiyu Zhao
  • Patent number: 7559502
    Abstract: A motor retractor, comprising: a winding shaft which winds up a webbing for restraining a vehicle passenger; a motor which rotates the winding shaft in a webbing winding-up direction; and a control portion which, after release of the webbing wearing state of the passenger: drives the motor to cause the webbing to be wound up around the winding shaft; stops the motor when an overload on the motor is detected during the winding-up; redrives the motor after a predetermined time having elapsed after the motor is stopped due to detection of the overland, and adjusts, at the time of the redriving, a driving state of the motor according to the time of driving the motor that has elapsed before the overload detection, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takuhiro Saito, Seiji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7533842
    Abstract: A clutch 100 of the present webbing retractor has a gear wheel 116 and spring claws 182, and has peripheral direction load receiving portions 120 at the gear wheel 116, and load from the spring claws 182 is applied along a peripheral direction via the peripheral direction load receiving portions 120. Therefore, compactness and weight reduction of the clutch 100 can be aimed for. Further, the clutch 100 has a ring 176, and the ring 176 integrally has a cover portion 178 holding respective clutch structural members at predetermined assembly positions, and the spring claws 182, and is held integrally with a rotor 124 by elastic forces of the spring claws 182. In this way, the respective clutch structural members can be temporarily held (sub-assembled) integrally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takuhiro Saito, Katsuki Asagiri, Shinji Mori, Tomonori Kimura
  • Patent number: 7533903
    Abstract: A seat belt retractor, which is capable of winding and unwinding a seat belt for occupant restraint by an electric motor, warns a vehicle occupant. A seat belt retractor of a seat belt apparatus to be installed in a vehicle is structured such that a motor is controlled to repeat an action of increasing and decreasing the tension acting on a seat belt a plurality of times according to a setting that the seat belt tension at the initial stage of each action overshoots a predetermined target tension, for the purpose of warning a vehicle occupant who wears the seat belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Takao, Koji Tanaka, Koji Inuzuka
  • Publication number: 20080217454
    Abstract: A tape drive comprising two motors at least a first of which is an open loop position-controlled motor arranged to provide a controllable torque, two tape spool supports on which spools of tape may be mounted, each spool being drivable by a respective motor, and a controller for controlling the energization of the motors such that the tape may be transported in at least one direction between spools mounted on the spool supports. The controller is arranged to provide a control signal to the first motor to set the tape tension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventor: Bradley Alan Trago
  • Publication number: 20080174045
    Abstract: The invention deals with an apparatus for the preparation of a film or fibre out of a reduced amount of material, in particular of polymeric material. This is achieved with small-sized equipment wherein each stretch roll has a diameter of between 35 and 100 mm. The invention also relates to a process for preparing a representative film from or fibre with a reduced amount of material, by using the specific equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: DSM IP ASSETS B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes I. Tiesnitsch, Matheus P. Quaedflieg, Leonardus W.G. Rijks, Laurentius J.H. Nijsten
  • Publication number: 20080173748
    Abstract: This seatbelt apparatus of a vehicle is provided with: a seatbelt; a belt reel on which the seatbelt is wound; a motor that drives a rotation of the belt reel; a controller that controls a driving amount of the motor; a winding position detection device that detects a winding position of the belt reel. The controller performs a first control mode in which a substantially constant electricity is supplied to the motor, and a second control mode in which the electricity supplied to the motor is controlled based on a predetermined rule; and sets an initial value for the second control mode based on changes in the winding position detected by the winding position detection device, while changing from the first control mode to the second control mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shotaro Odate, Yoshitaka Suzuki