Motor vehicles inventions 04/07

20070089916 - Electrically propulsed vehicle: A vehicle has at least three drive axles each with a pair of drive wheels, a steering system that directly controls the steering angle between at least two of the drive axles. The vehicle is arranged so that all drive wheels on its right hand side and left hand side,... Agent: Young & Thompson

20070089918 - Power system for electrically powered land vehicle: A power system for an electrically powered land vehicle extracts electrons from ambient air to generate electrical power to operate the land vehicle electrical energy production and propulsion system. The extracted electrons generate electrical power to run electrical systems of the land vehicle. The power system includes an abutting series... Agent: Jeffrey F. Birkel

20070089917 - Wheelbarrow: A wheelbarrow incorporates an electric motor and mechanical drive coupling such that motorized assistance is provided to the wheelbarrow when required. Typically a sustained switch is provided such that drive to a wheel only occurs when required.... Agent: Smith-hill And Bedell, P.C.

20070089919 - Apparatus and method for converting movements of a vehicle wheel to electricity for charging a battery of the vehicle: An apparatus and its method of operation convert relative movements between a vehicle wheel and a body of the vehicle to electricity that is used to recharge a battery of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a generator provided on the vehicle and a linear motion to rotary motion converter that... Agent: Thompson Coburn, LLP

20070089920 - Snowmobile and tunnel thereof: A snowmobile is disclosed having a tunnel to accommodate and cover the drive track of the snowmobile underneath and to support the straddle seat of the snowmobile above. The tunnel includes portions interconnecting the sidewalls of the tunnel to the top portion of the tunnel and which provides clearances to... Agent: Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (brp)

20070089921 - Motorcycle: A motorcycle with a fuel injection valve oriented to the umbrella back of an intake valve to improve engine performance. An engine is mounted in a lower portion of a leg shield panel member) that forms a stride part. An intake passage is connected to a forward-tilted cylinder head of... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070089922 - Straddle-type vehicle: A straddle-type vehicle with improved protection of a discharge part on a fuel tank. A seat is at least partially arranged above a fuel tank and is fitted on a front load receiving part and a rear load receiving part which are arranged on the fuel tank apart from each... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070089923 - Straddle-type vehicle: A straddle-type vehicle that exactly detects temperature of air sucked into the engine while protecting an intake temperature sensor of a fuel injector from damage. A front fork supports a front wheel rotatably. An engine is arranged rearward of the front fork to produce a driving force. A Zeichen plate... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070089924 - Apparatus and method for hydraulically converting movement of a vehicle wheel to electricity for charging a vehicle battery: An apparatus and its method of operation hydraulically convert the relative movements between a vehicle wheel and a body of the vehicle to electricity, and use the electricity to recharge a battery of the vehicle. A generator is provided on the vehicle and a hydraulic motor is provided on the... Agent: Thompson Coburn, LLP

20070089925 - System and method for measuring winch line pull: A control system for determining a line pull of a winch. The system comprises a first sensor configured to measure a torque generated by the winch to retract a cable and a second sensor configured to measure a number of layers of the cable retracted by the winch, wherein a... Agent: Foley & Lardner LLP

20070089926 - Electric power steering apparatus for automobile: An electrical power steering apparatus for an automobile includes a pinion shaft connected to a steering wheel of the automobile and having a pinion gear formed on a side; a rack bar connected to a wheel of the automobile and having a rack gear adapted to engage with the pinion... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP

20070089927 - Electric power steering apparatus for automobile: Disclosed is an electric power steering apparatus having an electronic control device for controlling motor current based on electric signals inputted from a torque sensor of an automobile and a motor for generating steering power. The electronic control device includes a PCB; a metal substrate formed on a lower side... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP

20070084646 - Simple control device for skid steer vehicles: Simple to operate and easy to maintain manually powered, non-electronic, skid steering apparatus using conventional appearing steering wheels or handle bars, fixed or tiltable for ease of access, with some having built in throttle control for operator comfort and ease of new operator training.... Agent: Donald E. Scruggs

20070084647 - Driven steer carriage: A vehicle having a main chassis (3) and a power source (4) for driving the vehicle, a drivable steer carriage (1) pivotally supporting the main chassis (3) about an at least substantially upright pivotal axis (2), the carriage including a plurality of opposed pairs of carriage wheels (5a, 7a, 9a),... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070084648 - Wheelchair having unitized chassis: Enhanced stability of a wheelchair having a lift mechanism is provided, through utilization of a support apparatus including a unitized chassis for operatively connecting a seat and wheels of the wheelchair. A tilt sensor and controller preclude operation of the wheelchair with the seat in raised position while the wheelchair... Agent: Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren P.C.

20070084652 - Hybrid electrical vehicle employing permanent magnetic type dynamo-electric machine: A hybrid electric vehicle employs a permanent magnet type dynamo-electric machine having a stator with a stator iron core around which a stator coil is wound, and a rotor arranged in the stator at a rotational gap and having a plurality of permanent magnets arranged and fixed within a rotor... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20070084649 - Hybrid vehicle: A hybrid vehicle is provided in which, since the driving force of a generator/motor (M1) is transmitted to the downstream side of an output shaft (17) of a transmission (T) without going through an input shaft (16) thereof and the output shaft (17), it is possible to carry out the... Agent: Westerman, Hattori, Daniels & Adrian, LLP

20070084651 - Hydrogen hybrid power electric vehicle: The present invention relates to the vehicle field, more particularly, to a hydrogen hybrid power electric vehicle which combusts hydrogen instead of gasoline or diesel, characterized in that an alcohol cracking hydrogen generator is in serial connection in the line of an exhaust pipe of the hydrogen engine of the... Agent: Ladas & Parry LLP

20070084650 - Method of sanitizing a shopping cart: A method of sanitizing shopping carts by applying a sanitizing fluid to the shopping carts. A pressurized supply of sanitizing fluid is applied to the shopping carts contained with a cart enclosure through a series of spray nozzles mounted along a spray arch. The sanitizing fluid is created in a... Agent: Andrus, Sceales, Starke & Sawall, LLP

20070084653 - Method and system for shutting down an engine in a hybrid vehicle: A method is provided for shutting down an internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle that includes a motor and a generator operatively connected to an engine crankshaft. The method includes the steps of reducing compression in at least one engine cylinder and operating the motor or generator to influence... Agent: Dykema Gossett PLLC

20070084654 - Motorcycle equipped with a hydrogen storing container: An attachment is provided on a vehicle body of a motorcycle and a hydrogen cylinder is equipped on the vehicle body in a detachable manner. The attachment can be connected with a parking stand by a ground wire and the hydrogen cylinder can be grounded via the attachment and the... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20070084655 - Device for detecting a road traveling lane: A device for detecting a road traveling lane, which is capable of stably defining a position of a boundary of a traveling lane. Edge point detection means (ED) detects a plurality of edge points in a contour on an image, and segment group producing means (SD) produces a line segment... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070084656 - Detachable vehicle body that is assembled and disassembled easily and rapidly: A vehicle body includes a front frame, a rear frame, a control unit, a fixing screw, a battery, and a locking unit. Thus, the rear frame is combined with and detached from the front frame easily and rapidly, thereby facilitating a user assembling and disassembling the vehicle body. In addition,... Agent: Nikolai & Mersereau, P.A.

20070084657 - Intake air control device, and vehicle including same: An intake air control device is provided in which a throttle valve is fixed to a valve shaft which is rotatably supported within air intake path of an engine body. An actuator is connected to an end of the valve shaft to reduce the length of a throttle cable while... Agent: Carrier Blackman And Associates

20070084658 - Saddle type vehicle: A saddle type vehicle is provided in which a valve shaft for a throttle valve is rotatably supported on an air intake path forming body, and a valve shaft actuator is connected to an end of the valve shaft in such a way that the rotational movement of the valve... Agent: Carrier Blackman And Associates

20070084659 - All terrain or utility vehicle having selectable drive configurations and method therefore: An all-terrain or utility vehicle having various combinations of left and right front wheels, left and right rear wheels, a differential rotationally variably coupling the left and right front wheels together with a variable coupling torque and a source of motive power being selectively coupled to the left and right... Agent: Iplm Group, P.A.

20070084660 - Two-speed all-wheel drive system: A drive train for a vehicle having an axle and a multi-speed drive unit. The axle includes a housing and a differential with an input pinion. The drive unit includes a planetary transmission, a drive unit housing and a dog clutch that is employed to selectively operate the planetary transmission... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070084661 - Method and device for recognizing the level of awareness of a vehicle driver: According to the method of the invention, a phase relationship between a change of a steering angle (β) of at least one steerable wheel (22) of the vehicle and a change of the steering wheel angle (α) is evaluated. With the device of the invention, at least one signal (48)... Agent: Norris, Mclaughlin & Marcus, P.A.

20070084662 - Traveling apparatus and method of controlling the same: A traveling apparatus is provided with two wheels parallel each of which is driven independently, being controlled to be stable in an anteroposterior direction between the two wheels and traveling. The traveling apparatus includes a mechanism estimating an inclination of a plane where a pitch angular velocity sensor is horizontally... Agent: William S. Frommer, Esq. Frommer Lawrence & Haug LLP

20070084663 - Mounting structure of collision detection apparatus: A mounting structure of a collision detection apparatus for a vehicle has a vehicular member, a pressure sensor, and a shock absorbing member. The vehicular member defines a closed space therein. The shock absorbing member is disposed between the pressure sensor and a wall of the vehicular member. The pressure... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070084664 - Hub drive and method of using same: A hub drive includes an in-hub motor and a shifting in-hub transmission coupled with the motor. A hub drive wheel assembly includes a wheel comprising a hub, an in-hub motor, and a shifting in-hub transmission having an input attached to the motor and an output attached to the wheel. A... Agent: Williams, Morgan & Amerson

20070084665 - Electric power steering apparatus: Since a rigid supporting structure for a gear box GB and a rolling type rack supporting device RSD are employed, an electric power steering apparatus having no response delay and having a high transmission efficiency can be realized. Further, a high steering performance required for a long period and a... Agent: Sughrue-265550

20070079997 - Mechanical crawler: A self-propelled mechanical crawler adapted to move on a medium. One example of such a crawler includes a foot, a wave generator adapted to drive a periodic wave in the foot, and a wave transfer mechanism coupled between the wave generator and the foot. The wave transfer mechanism may be... Agent: Schlumberger-doll Research Attn: Intellectual Property Law Department

20070079999 - Motorized wheelbarrow: A motorized wheelbarrow of traditional frame design employing a lightweight and small displacement engine to drive the front wheel of the wheelbarrow. A drive mechanism including a centrifugal clutch, enclosed gear reduction box and chain is operably linked to a sprocket on the wheel shaft and to a sprocket on... Agent: Anthony M. Lamanna

20070079998 - Power barrow: A motorized wheelbarrow having an electric motor which engages a single wheel by a drive means to generate travel of the motorized wheelbarrow over a support surface.... Agent: Cr Miles, P.C. Craig R. Miles

20070080000 - Modular dual wheel drive assembly, wheeled devices that include modular dual wheel drive assemblies and methods for moving and/or maneuvering wheeled devices using modular dual wheel drive assemblies: A wheel assembly for a small-scale machine includes a pair of opposing, individually-driven wheels, associated motors and possibly one or more gear assemblies. The motors receive separate drive signals from a control electronics subsystem of the wheel assembly. The motors can be connected to the wheels via the gear assemblies.... Agent: Lathrop & Clark LLP

20070080001 - Vehicle having an articulated suspension and method of using same: A vehicle includes a chassis and a plurality of wheel assemblies articulated with the chassis, each of the plurality of wheel assemblies comprising a rotatable wheel spaced away from the chassis. A vehicle includes a chassis and an articulated suspension system mounted to the chassis. A method includes comprising articulating... Agent: Jeffrey A. Pyle Williams, Morgan & Amerson, P.C.

20070080003 - Mode selection for wheelchairs: A method and apparatus for navigating to operating modes or functions.... Agent: Macmillan Sobanski & Todd, LLC

20070080002 - Powered mechanism for universal golf cart: A powered mechanism for a universal golf cart includes a transmission device, and a fixing device. The transmission device includes a housing assembly for mounting a motor, a battery unit, a control circuit board and a drive shaft. The drive shaft is connected with a wheel of the golf cart.... Agent: Nikolai & Mersereau, P.A.

20070080004 - Drive train for a motor vehicle and method for operating such a drive train: In a method for operating a drive train for a motor vehicle, a torque is produced by means of an internal combustion engine as a function of an available torque set value signal and transmitted to drive wheels by means of a clutch. With the help of an electric motor,... Agent: Simpson & Simpson, PLLC

20070080005 - Hybrid vehicle drive control system: A hybrid vehicle drive control system selectively switches from an electric drive (EV) mode in which a first clutch is released and a second clutch is engaged, and a hybrid drive (HEV) mode in which both clutches are engaged. A slip control of the second clutch is executed when the... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070080007 - Electric power generation control apparatus: An electric power generation control apparatus is connected to an external controller composed of a vehicle interface circuit capable of generating and transferring a power switch-on signal to the electric power generation control apparatus. When receiving the power switch-on signal, the electric power generation control apparatus initiates its operation. The... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070080006 - Hybrid vehicle: A hybrid vehicle capable of avoiding that a driver declares that a battery is defective when a battery for auxiliary traveling does not yet require maintenance. When the charged amount of the battery is lower than a specified value, operating conditions for idle/stop control are changed without any optical display... Agent: Smith, Gambrell & Russell

20070080008 - System and method for powering accessories in a hybrid vehicle: A system and method for providing power to vehicle accessories having operational power requirements in excess of 1 kilowatt. The system is employed in conjunction with a vehicle comprising a main power unit and an electric motor, the main power unit providing more than 42 volts of power to a... Agent: Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP

20070080009 - A/c condenser damage protection device: A device protects at least a portion of an A/C condenser of an automotive vehicle against damage from stones and other road debris. The device includes a guard having a plurality of spaced apart louvers for intercepting and deflecting the stones and other road debris but permitting air to pass... Agent: Daimlerchrysler Intellectual Capital Corporation Cims 483-02-19

20070080010 - Arrangement of a front gate on a vehicle: The invention relates to an arrangement of a front gate on a vehicle, the arrangement comprising at least one hinge system located at the rear in the direction of travel, in the form of a four-bar mechanism with a long arm and a short arm. The hinge system enables the... Agent: William Collard Collard & Roe, P.C.

20070080011 - Apparatus for adjusting force tilting truck cab: An apparatus for adjusting a force tilting a truck cab. The apparatus is capable of easily adjusting the torsion angle of a torsion bar between a slightly tilted state and a general state, using an adapter provided between the torsion bar and a tilting arm, without removing the torsion bar... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (sf)

20070080012 - Wheel assembly for decelerating and/or controlling a vehicle: A wheel assembly for a vehicle. The wheel assembly including: a rim; a tire operatively connected to the rim; one or more movable assemblies extending in a radial direction from the rim towards an outer portion of the tire; and potential energy storage device operatively connected to the one or... Agent: Thomas Spinelli

20070080013 - Device and method for protecting passengers in a vehicle: A device and a method are described for improving the protection of passengers in a vehicle, particularly in a motor vehicle, by reducing a force input, which is caused during a collision of the vehicle, physiologically acting on a passengers seated on a vehicle seat, using a vehicle seat positioned... Agent: Antonelli, Terry, Stout & Kraus, LLP

20070080015 - Closed center steering system: A steering apparatus (10) includes a hydraulic power steering gear (130) for turning the steerable wheels (15) of a vehicle. The steering gear (130) includes a closed center valve (150). An electric motor (18) is operatively connected with the steering wheel (12). When activated, the motor (18) resists rotation of... Agent: Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell & Tummino L.L.P.

20070080014 - Fluid reservoir: A power assist system for a motor vehicle subsystem having a component support structure is described. The power assist system comprises a fluid reservoir, a pump having an inlet for receiving a fluid from the reservoir and a pump securing structure including at least one aperture. The system additionally includes... Agent: Ford Global Technologies, LLC

20070080016 - Electric power steering apparatus: In an electric power steering apparatus that urges a steering shaft or a rack shaft with an assist load using the drive force of a motor by a transmission mechanism via reduction gears, the reduction gears includes a rotation angle sensor assembled integrally therewith.... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070074917 - Adjustable mount for controller of power driven wheelchair: An adjustable mount is provided that securely mounts a device to a power driven wheelchair, wherein the device is easily rotated, for example, to achieve a better viewing angle, improved access to the device, etc. Furthermore, the adjustable mount is operable to mount a variety of devices to a wheelchair,... Agent: Calfee Halter & Griswold, LLP

20070074918 - Electric vehicle reaction drive: An electric drive for a vehicle or other machine having a rotatable drive mechanism, in which the torque output of an electric motor is coupled to drive a main generator through a planetary gear set, the electrical output of the main generator is supplied to the motor to drive the... Agent: Young & Basile, P.C.

20070074919 - Vehicle hood structure: Disclosed is a vehicle hood structure disposed in a front region of a vehicle body and supported in an openable and closable manner, which comprises a link member swingably supported in a pivoted manner by a pivot member located on the vehicle body, and a restriction mechanism adapted to couple... Agent: Nixon Peabody, LLP

20070074920 - Power unit supporting structure of scooter type vehicle: A power unit supporting structure for minimizing rotational vibration about the center of gravity of a power unit, and secondary vibration in the direction of a cylinder axis line of the power unit. The structure includes a link mechanism having a first frame side link swingably connected to a first... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070074921 - Vehicle interface based on a shift of the appendages of a user: One embodiment of the invention is an interface for communicating a vehicle command from a user to a vehicle. The interface preferably includes an engagement system to engage at least two appendages of a user and adapted to move between a first position and a second position, a sensor system... Agent: Schox PLC

20070074922 - Vehicle interface based on a shift of the torso of a user: One of the embodiments of the invention includes an interface for communicating a vehicle command from a user to a vehicle. The interface preferably includes an engagement system to engage the torso of a user, a sensor system to sense forces imparted by the torso of the user, and a... Agent: Schox PLC

20070074923 - Rotating and/or swiveling seat: An operator's compartment for an industrial vehicle comprises a platform floor, an operator's seat, at least one presence sensing device and a control module. The operator's seat has a base structure coupled to the platform floor and an operator support coupled to the base structure such that the operator support... Agent: Stevens & Showalter LLP

20070074924 - Steering actuation device for a vehicle, in particular for an industrial truck: The invention relates to a steering actuation device for a vehicle, in particular for an industrial truck, having an operating element (1) for inputting steering commands by exerting torques on the operating element (1), having a sensor arrangement (16) for monitoring the steering command input state of the operating element... Agent: Edwards & Angell, LLP

20070074925 - Suspension structure for a vehicle: A suspension system structure is provided which permits a suspension arm to be disposed without being affected by a driven sprocket or a brake disc. A final drive case is supported on rear portions of left and right vehicle body subframes. A driven sprocket and a brake disc are coaxially... Agent: Carrier Blackman And Associates

20070074926 - Power steering device: A power assist mechanism is provided that assists operation of a steering mechanism when receiving a pressurized hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic pump feeds the power assist mechanism with the pressurized hydraulic fluid when driven. An electric motor drives the hydraulic pump. A battery unit is provided for energizing the electric... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070074927 - Layout structure for motor-driven power steering unit controller: To provide a layout structure for a motor-driven power steering unit controller configured to take into account the water level at which submergence of the vehicle is expected to occur. In a vehicle including a steering shaft rotatably supported on a vehicle body frame, a steering bar handle attached to... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070074928 - Steering shaft supporting structure of vehicle: To make an electrically-operated power steering unit less susceptible to influence of change in a positional relationship between supporting sections respectively at the two ends of the electrically-operated power steering unit. A gear case included in a electrically-operated power steering unit is attached to the lower section of a vehicle... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch