Motor vehicles inventions 06/07

20070144796 - Steering systems, steering and speed coordination systems, and associated vehicles: In a broad respect, vehicles that are capable of making a low- to zero-radius turn using the independent rotation of drive wheels and by turning the non-driving steerable structure or structures (such as wheels) with a steering input device (in some embodiments, the driving wheels also may be capable of... Agent: Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

20070144797 - Steering system for an agricultural or industrial utility vehicle and method for operating a steering system: The invention relates to a steering system for an agricultural or industrial utility vehicle, especially for a tractor. An electric drive (22, 24) is provided for each half of an axle, preferably a front axle (20), of the utility vehicle (10). Said electric drive can be driven by at least... Agent: Deere & Company

20070144798 - Robotic all terrain surveyor: A vehicle including a body and three legs. Each leg includes a proximal end coupled to the body, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and an actuator. Each actuator imparts enough acceleration to the vehicle along an axis of the leg to cause the distal end of the leg... Agent: Harness Dickey & Pierce, PLC

20070144799 - Apparatus and system for efficient and maneuverable vehicle: An apparatus and system are disclosed for a maneuverable vehicle. The apparatus is a vehicle that includes a frame configured to support the vehicle. The frame has a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis. The apparatus also includes a modular power pack removably coupled with the frame and configured to... Agent: Kunzler & Mckenzie

20070144800 - System and method for braking resistor supplemental heating: A system and a method for supplying electrical energy to high-power vehicle braking resistors to generate heat for supplemental heating. Supplemental heat is transferred from the braking resistors to a desired use by means of circulating liquid or air, and heat exchangers at the desired location. The supplemental heat can... Agent: Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP

20070144801 - In-wheel motor system: A rotating side case 3b supporting the rotor 3R of an in-wheel motor 3 and a wheel 2 or a hub 4 are interconnected by a flexible coupling 10 which comprises a motor-side plate 11A and a wheel-side plate 11C having a plurality of grooves 11a and a plurality of... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070144803 - Heat exchanger device: A heat exchanger device, in particular a cross-flow cooler for a motor vehicle, is disposed between two vehicle side rails. The heat exchanger device includes a heat-exchange zone, in particular a cooler/fin network, and at least two collecting/distributor tanks disposed to the side of the heat-exchange zone and extend substantially... Agent: Lerner Greenberg Stemer LLP

20070144802 - Motorcycle: A motorcycle that effectively cools vehicle parts without a special cooling duct has a body frame, an engine and an intake system that supplies air to the engine. A parts cooling system makes air diverge from the intake system, and introduces the diverging air to vehicle parts such as electrical... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070144804 - Design of a large low maintenance battery pack for a hybrid locomotive: The present invention is directed to systems for prolonging battery life, such as maintaining battery cell temperatures in battery packs within specified limits, providing vibration and shock resistance, and/or electrically isolating groups of batteries from nearby conductive surfaces.... Agent: Sheridan Ross PC

20070144805 - Intermodel truck: A combination shipping container and vehicle is disclosed that may be handled and lifted in a similar fashion to a standard shipping container, and also may provide its own motive force for driving as a vehicle. The combination includes a vehicle frame that is generally the length and width of... Agent: Marcia A. Devon Devon & Associates

20070144806 - Straddle-type vehicle: A motorcycle in which the clutch on-off operation and the gear-shift operation of the transmission are automated that can be driven when the actuator fails without complication of the structure and upsizing of the power unit. A crankcase of a power unit accommodates a transmission including a plurality of gears,... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070144807 - Motorcycle gear shift control: A foot operated gear-shift assembly, gear shift conversion kit, and method for converting the shifting gears of a conventional motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, and like vehicle wherein the heel and toe shift elements of the conventional rocker-arm gear shift assembly are separated and pivot about separate pivot axes.... Agent: The Weintraub Group

20070144808 - Method for operating a drive train of a vehicle: A method for operating a drive train of a vehicle with a drive engine, a brake system, at least two vehicle cross-shafts of a first vehicle axle with at least two wheels. The cross-shafts being actively connected via a transverse distributor gear and being driven by the engine. The vehicle... Agent: Davis & Bujold, P.l.l.c.

20070144809 - Power transmission device: A power transmission device is provided to improve sealing performance by reducing change in a surface pressure of sealing parts between power transmission shafts and boots. A first cylinder part of a boot is made from thermoplastic elastomer. A thickness Ta of the first cylinder part ranges from 1 mm... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070144810 - Seat belt apparatus: To provide a technology relating to a structure in which seat belt tension acting on a seat belt for occupant restraint installed in a vehicle is controlled by mechanism of driving of an electric motor and which provides a high level of convenience when the vehicle is reversed. In a... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070144811 - Seat belt apparatus: To provide a technology relating to a structure in which seat belt tension acting on a seat belt for occupant restraint installed in a vehicle is controlled by driving of an electric motor and which is effective and provides high level of convenience when the vehicle is parked. In a... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070144812 - Vehicle sobriety interlock system with personal identification element: An interlock system for measuring the sobriety of a potential motorized apparatus operator is coupled to the starting mechanism of said motorized apparatus. The interlock system includes a microprocessor controlled handset, base unit and photographic device. The photographic device facilitates the identification process of the person taking the test by... Agent: Larson And Larson

20070144813 - Pump hybid motor: The invention is directed to develop for the higher performance of the motor by means of incorporating the function of the pump to circulate the fluid through conduit laid around the housing in rotating operation with a single shaft in common use among original motor, pump and another impeller equipped... Agent: Yoshioki Tomoyasu

20070144816 - Steering device for vehicle: A vehicle steering device includes a cable, a pulley, and a securing portion. The cable transmits movement of an operating unit operated by a driver to a turning unit that turns a steering control wheel. The pulley winds up the cable. The securing portion secures an end of the cable... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath (dc)

20070144814 - Torque sensor based steering response: Systems for active feedback and control of the steering response in a vehicle. More particularly, torque sensor based steering response systems for vehicles which allow for distinctive and customized driving feel characteristics through improved feedback of tire-surface interactions. The systems of the invention automatically translate the torque exerted on the... Agent: Kris T. Fredrick Honeywell International Inc.

20070144815 - Vehicle steering controller and method: A vehicle steering device and method for controlling steering of a steer-by-wire vehicle. A steering instrument receives input from a driver and a turning device turns the wheel(s). A selectively engageable backup clutch is positioned between the steering instrument and the turning device. Whether or not the backup clutch is... Agent: Young & Basile, P.C.

20070144817 - Hydraulic steering device: A hydraulic steering device (1) of a mobile machine, in particular of an industrial truck, includes a steering angle transmitter (2) in mechanically functional communication with a steering valve (4). As a function of the actuation of the steering angle transmitter (2), the steering valve (4) controls the connection of... Agent: The Webb Law Firm, P.C.

20070144818 - Steering apparatus: A front steering gear (18) is connected with steerable front wheels (12 and 14) of a vehicle (10). A rear steering gear (28) is connected with steerable rear wheels (30 and 32) of the vehicle (10). A torque sensor (40) connected with a steering wheel (16) provides an output to... Agent: Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell & Tummino L.L.P.

20070144819 - Passively rephasing piston: A piston is disclosed that includes a longitudinal passage disposed between outlets on the opposing faces of the piston, and a radial passage extending from a node with the longitudinal passage to an outlet on the annular wall between opposing piston seals. Check valves are disposed in the longitudinal passage... Agent: Westman Champlin & Kelly, P.A.

20070144820 - Power steering apparatus: A power steering apparatus includes a power cylinder including first and second pressure chambers, a hydraulic pump including first and second discharge ports, the hydraulic pump being arranged to supply a hydraulic pressure selectively to the first and second pressure chambers; first and second hydraulic passages connecting the first and... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070144822 - Electric power steering apparatus: A control unit including a plurality of boards is formed of a single multilayer metal substrate, whereby an electric power steering apparatus can be obtained in which connection members for connecting between the boards are made unnecessary, so the size and cost of the apparatus can be reduced, and the... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070144823 - Motor-driven power steering apparatus: In a motor-driven power steering apparatus which converts a rotation of an electric motor into a linear stroke of a rack shaft by a power transmission mechanism, and steers a wheel coupled to the rack shaft, there is provided an automatic neutral restoring means for judging a vehicle stop and... Agent: Orum & Roth LLC

20070144821 - Power steering system with electric motor and a vehicle which is equipped with it: Power steering systems in which an electric motor which is fed by the on-board power system applies the assisting steering force are being used to an increasing degree in vehicles. However, the on-board power system is very heavily loaded by the growing number of electric drives and loads, for example,... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070144824 - Motor-driven power steering apparatus: A motor-driven power steering apparatus is provided with a self-aligning torque computing means for computing a self-aligning torque based on of a steering angle and a vehicle speed, a friction torque computing means for computing a friction torque in accordance with a steering angle change from a steering angular velocity,... Agent: Osha Liang L.L.P.

20070131460 - Mounting structure of an endless track carrier roller: Disclosed is a mounting structure of a carrier roller that can decrease vibration occurred in an endless track chain assembly because a location of a carrier roller installed on a lower frame can be controlled. According to the present invention, the mounting structure of the carrier roller is a mounting... Agent: Ladas & Parry

20070131461 - Motorized towing device: A motorized towing device comprising a chassis, at least one motor, at least two wheels, a controller, and a quick release attachment mechanism. The controller operates the motor to cause the rotation of the wheels and the movement of the chassis over a surface. The quick release attachment mechanism releaseably... Agent: Fay, Sharpe, Fagan, Minnich & Mckee,

20070131462 - Motor control apparatus for pushed or pulled article: The invention relates to a control apparatus for an article such as a suitcase with motorized wheels and with a handle for pushing or pulling the article by the user. The apparatus has transducers to sense force applied to the handle pushing or pulling the article. The apparatus has control... Agent: Boyle Fredrickson Newholm Stein & Gratz, S.c.

20070131463 - Wheelchair: Provided is a wheelchair. The wheelchair includes: a car body in which a gear box is equipped and a receiving portion is formed; a sheet equipped on top of the car body; driving wheels respectively equipped in both sides of the central portion of the car body; a pair of... Agent: Ladas & Parry LLP

20070131464 - Automatic transmission of hybrid vehicle: An exemplary automatic transmission of a hybrid vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a flywheel connected to an engine, a generator having a stator part and a rotor part, an input shaft connected with the rotor part, a hub coupled to an end of the input... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (sf)

20070131465 - Drive wheel assembly for golf bag carts: The drive wheel assembly for a golf bag cart preferably includes a quick connect and disconnect drive wheel shaft, a drive and steering system, and a control system. The drive wheel shaft connects to a turning fork, which supports the drive wheel on either side of the wheel hub. A... Agent: Brown & Michaels, PC 400 M & T Bank Building

20070131466 - Work machine with electrical and hydraulic service centers: An articulated work machine, such as a wheel loader, includes many regularly serviced hydraulic points, such as a hydraulic fluid filter, a case drain filter, a transmission fluid filter and brake accumulators that are grouped and mounted in a common service center subassembly, which may be preassembled and then later... Agent: Caterpillar C/o Liell & Mcneil Attorneys PC

20070131467 - Bicycle propulsion and braking system and method: The present invention is a bicycle propulsion and braking system in which energy is stored as electrical energy and rotational kinetic energy. The rotational kinetic energy also serves as a means to provide gyroscopic stability of the bicycle. Energy transfer from the rotational kinetic energy to the bicycle provides acceleration... Agent: Gerald Nicholas Pellegrini

20070131468 - Motor vehicle provided with a pre-safe system: A motor vehicle is provided with a pre-safe system in which active and/or passive safety devices which are driven as a function of information recorded at least by a vehicle surrounding-area identification device and a driving situation data detection device. The information is evaluated in a data evaluation device which... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20070131469 - Power train mounting apparatus of vehicle: A power train mounting apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed to improve the vehicle riding by properly restricting the displacement of the power train. The dynamic rigidity and vibration insulation in relation to an engine mount and transmission mount are also increased, thus improving the Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH)... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (sf)

20070131470 - Vibration-isolating supporting structure: A frame of a vehicle supports a cabin via four vibration-isolating apparatuses. A vibration-isolating supporting plane, which contains the four vibration-isolating apparatuses, passes through a center of gravity point G of the cabin. Due to an arranged structure of the vibration-isolating apparatuses, shaking of the center of gravity point of... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070131471 - Device for generating a haptic signal in a vehicle: A device for generating a haptic signal in a vehicle is provided, in which a driver's command can be given via a rotary gas handle. A servo unit is formed in such a manner that, as a function of at least one detected operational condition for driving, a theoretical speed... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20070131472 - Method for triggering a coupling unit: A method for triggering an electromechanical coupling unit having at least two coupling windings, and a steering system for implementing the method, are provided. The coupling unit selectively closes, and in this manner provides a mechanical coupling, only if both coupling windings are no longer supplied with electrical energy.... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070131473 - All wheel steering for passenger vehicle: A passenger vehicle, a steering system, and a method for controlling the steering system are provided for a front wheel steering mode and an all wheel steering mode that provides parallel steering and opposed wheel steering. The front wheel steering permits both linear and rotational translation of the vehicle. The... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C./fgtl

20070131474 - Vehicle wheel suspension assembly: A suspension assembly for a vehicle wheel is provided with a hub assembly for supporting a wheel for rotation. A first control arm is pivotally connected to the hub assembly and a chassis of the vehicle. An actuator is connected to the chassis and the hub assembly for translating the... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C./fgtl

20070131475 - Electric power steering device and method of producing the same: An electric power steering device (1) includes a steering assist electric motor (7) including a rotation shaft (8) and a motor housing (18). The electric motor (7) includes a stator (19) fixed to the motor housing (18), a rotor (20) co-rotatable with the rotation shaft (8), and rotation angle detecting... Agent: Rabin & Berdo, PC

20070131476 - Vehicle steering control: A steer-by-wire system is provided with a driver operating unit, a turning unit, a backup mechanism, a steering reaction actuator, a wheel turning actuator and a controller. The backup mechanism mechanically connects the driver operating unit to the turning unit via a first shaft to transmit an input torque from... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070125581 - Trailer personnel lift with retractable axles: A trailer having retractable wheels. A lock-out mechanism is provided that prevents the trailer from being connected to a vehicle when the wheels are in the retracted position. The lock-out mechanism may also be configured to prevent movement of the wheels to the retracted position when the trailer is connected... Agent: Leydig, Voit & Mayer, Ltd. (seattle Office)

20070125582 - Control apparatus for electric vehicles: In electric vehicle control, system voltage stabilization control is executed to reduce the difference between a target value and detected value of a system voltage generated by a voltage boosting converter for an AC motor. Further, conversion power control is executed to reduce the difference between a command value and... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070125583 - Walk-substituting cart chassis structure: A walk-substituting cart includes a front chassis, and a rear chassis; the front chassis has an upright tube, insulating plates on the rear, and an engaging plate, which is secured behind the upright tube, and has a hole; the rear chassis has an upright rod, insulating plates on the front,... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20070125584 - Motorcycle: A bottom portion of a fuel tank of a motorcycle is prevented from being heated by engine heat to avoid an increase in fuel temperature. The fuel tank is behind and above the engine and a seat is behind the fuel tank. The seat includes a seat frame attached to... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070125585 - Vehicle frame including protective cage structure for housing a fuel pump, and motorcycle incorporating same: A fuel pump mounting arrangement for a motorcycle is provided in which the fuel pump is mounted to the vehicle body frame and in which the fuel pump is protected from impact without increasing the weight of a pivot plate. In the motorcycle, a main frame extends rearwardly from a... Agent: Carrier Blackman And Associates

20070125586 - Seat occupancy detector: A seat occupancy sensor comprises a pressure detection device associated with a surface of said seat and a control unit for communicating with the pressure detection device. According to the invention said pressure detection device comprises a surface acoustic wave device including at least one surface acoustic wave resonator and... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070125587 - Seat switch: A seat switch for a seat having a resilient web includes means for sensing the presence of an operator sitting on the resilient web. The seat switch is operably connected to a vehicle circuit which may be for example an ignition system for the engine. The seat switch provides a... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP

20070125588 - Method for damage limitation in the event of an offset frontal collision, and motor vehicle having an apparatus which serves for this purpose: A method for damage limitation in the event of an offset frontal collision between two motor vehicles, with a first signal which signals an imminent collision triggering the steerable front wheels (9, 10) to turn inward in opposite directions, is to minimize the impact-induced yaw moment. To this end, the... Agent: Bachman & Lapointe, P.C.

20070125589 - Situationally dependent vehicle structure for pedestrian protection: A pedestrian safety system for a motor vehicle including a controller configured to cause selected modification of a situationally dependent structure in response to a detected vehicle condition.... Agent: Delphi Technologies, Inc.