Motor vehicles inventions 09/07

20070221421 - Controlling device and method for hybrid vehicle: A mode switching controlling device and method switches a hybrid drive (HEV) mode to an electric drive (EV) mode without engine stoppage shock. A fourth-to-fifth speed upshifting command is generated due to reduction in an accelerator opening. Then, an HEV-to-EV-mode switching command is generated. A command pressure of a direct... Agent: Young & Basile, P.C.

20070221422 - Vehicle energy recovery system: An energy recovery system for a vehicle uses an electric generator, such as an alternator, connected to the vehicle's engine or a wheel to recover kinetic energy when a vehicle decelerates and convert the kinetic energy into stored electrical energy. No engine controller or computer control is used to activate... Agent: Draftinghouse P.C.

20070221419 - Detachable drive unit for mobile carriage: A detachable drive unit for shifting a mobile carriage is disclosed. The drive unit includes a frame with a carriage-coupling end and a handle end. The drive unit also includes drive wheels and transport wheels rotatably attached to the frame, a motor mounted on the frame, a gear train that... Agent: Hovey Williams LLP

20070221420 - Engine motor hybrid car: The invention is directed to develop for the higher performance of the hybrid motor car by means of substituting the starter motor of the general motor car for the main motor by means of utilizing the magnet switch to operate the pinion gear to keep apart from engagement with the... Agent: Yoshioki Tomoyasu

20070221423 - Motorized wheel chair whose battery is mounted easily and quickly: A motorized wheel chair includes a main body having two support rods, a battery mounted between the support rods of the main body, and two rotation retaining members each rotatably mounted on a respective one of the support rods and each rotatable to rest on the battery to retain the... Agent: Kamrath & Associates P.A.

20070221424 - Snowmobile rear suspension: A snowmobile rear suspension is shown comprised of a linear force element (LFE) positioned outside the envelope of the snowmobile endless track. The LFE is attached at one end to the frame and at the other end to a bell crank. The bell crank is operatively connected to the slide... Agent: Baker & Daniels LLP

20070221425 - Propulsion system for all-wheel drive motor vehicles: The invention relates to a propulsion system for all-wheel drive motor vehicles, having a device for propulsion distribution to the front and the rear differential which transmit the drive output to the wheels assigned at the time, and with a device for coupled, variable distribution of the propulsion forces in... Agent: Stevens Davis Miller & Mosher, LLP

20070221426 - Steering support member structure: A steering support member structure is to be provided, which can be easily produced in a form of an elongate shape with a production cost reduced in connection with a die and a casting equipment even when the steering support member structure is constituted by a light alloy. The steering... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070221427 - Connectable four-wheel drive vehicle: A connectable four-wheel drive vehicle includes an engine having a gear shaft; two main drive wheels connected permanently to the drive shaft by interposition of a gearbox having a first clutch; and two secondary drive wheels selectively connectable to the drive shaft by a connectable drive system. The connectable drive... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070221428 - Belt buckle for a motor vehicle: A belt buckle for a motor vehicle is provided wherein, through the use of the belt buckle, a tongue of a seat belt is mechanically receivable and, through the use of a switch, an insertion status of the tongue is detectable. A device is assigned to the switch through the... Agent: Manfred Beck, P.A.

20070221429 - Vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system: A vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system basically has a lift-up mechanism, a control unit and an interface. The lift-up mechanism is configured to selectively lower and lift a vehicle seat between a first position inside a vehicle occupant compartment and a second position outside the vehicle occupant compartment.... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070221431 - Auxiliary power unit for a vehicle: An auxiliary power system is provided for a vehicle having a frame with two longitudinal beams, in which the system includes an auxiliary power unit (APU) mounted on a support frame that is pivotably mounted to the vehicle frame to permit pivoting in a vertical plane. The support frame further... Agent: Maginot, Moore & Beck, LLP Chase Tower

20070221430 - Modular automobile system and method: A modular motor vehicle system and method allowing a user replace modular components of the automobile wherein vehicle repair and replacement time is greatly decreased. The present invention is further incorporates built in speed control devices, built in fire suppression systems, flotation materials to keep motor vehicles from sinking in... Agent: The Matthews Firm

20070221432 - Infinitely variable power bypass transmission with two operating modes for a motor vehicle: An infinitely variable power bypass transmission with two operating modes for a motor vehicle with a thermal engine, including: at least two power lines parallel-connecting the thermal engine with the vehicle wheels and each including a coupling/decoupling device capable of locking or releasing a transmission shaft according to the operating... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070221433 - All-terrain vehicle reverse gear protection: A reverse system for an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) having an engine and an engine drive shaft, a reverse activator, an engine speed limiter, and an override switch. The reverse activator is coupled to the drive shaft. The reverse activator activates operation of the ATV in a reverse direction. The engine... Agent: Black Lowe & Graham, PLLC

20070221434 - Steering device: A steering device includes a first housing, first and second cables, and first and second sheaths. The first housing includes a first part that supports a rotatable first cable pulley, and a second part that is disposed for relative displacement with respect to the first part. The first cable is... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Suite 1100

20070221436 - Hydraulic steering: The invention concerns a hydraulic steering (1) with a steering unit (2) with feedback behaviour, a steering motor (8) connected to the steering unit (2) via working pipes (L, R), a steering member (6) and a feedback suppression device (9), which is located in at least one working pipe (L,... Agent: Mccormick, Paulding & Huber LLP

20070221435 - Hydraulic steering: The invention concerns a hydraulic steering (1) with a steering motor (8), a steering unit (2) with feedback behaviour, a steering member activating the steering unit (2) and a shock valve arrangement (50) between the steering motor (8) and the steering unit (2). It is endeavoured to enable changes of... Agent: Mccormick, Paulding & Huber LLP

20070221437 - Hydraulic steering: The invention concerns a hydraulic steering (1) with a steering valve (7) located between a supply connection arrangement (P, T) and a steering motor (2). It is endeavoured to improve the safety of such a steering. For this purpose, the steering valve (7) has a hydraulic drive (9, 10) with... Agent: Mccormick, Paulding & Huber LLP

20070221439 - Electric power steering apparatus using coated pulley: The present invention relates to an electric power steering apparatus using a coated pulley. According to the present invention, an electric power steering apparatus using a coated pulley, comprising a pinion shaft coupled to a shaft of a steering wheel and having teeth formed on the pinion shaft; a rack... Agent: Seed Intellectual Property Law Group PLLC

20070221438 - Power-assisted steering system or power steering system: In a power-assisted steering system or power steering system having an electric motor, which drives a worm gear mechanism that has a composite gear wheel in the form of a worm wheel, the worm wheel includes a ring gear connectible to a hub via a first disk, and an annular... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070215394 - Spherical walking robot: The embodiments of the present invention disclose a spherical walking robot, the spherical walking robot comprises a spherical coronal; a spherical housing which has a surface groove; a walking and transmission mechanism in the spherical housing; a lift and transmission mechanism; mechanical arms located in the surface groove, and the... Agent: Ladas & Parry LLP

20070215395 - Control device for a hybrid electric vehicle: A hybrid electric vehicle is arranged such that a driving force of an electric motor can be transmitted to driving wheels and that a rotary shaft of the electric motor can be coupled with an output shaft of an engine. The vehicle comprises a starter motor provided separately from the... Agent: Jacobson Holman PLLC

20070215397 - Fuel cell vehicle having support frame which couples side frames in width direction of vehicle: A fuel cell vehicle includes: a motor chamber provided in a front part of the vehicle; side frames extending on right and left sides of the vehicle in a front-to-back direction of the vehicle; a fuel cell; a motor for driving the vehicle, wherein the motor is driven using electric... Agent: Carrier Blackman And Associates

20070215396 - Energy recovery system: A power system includes a device configured to store pressurized fuel. An air motor having an air motor output member is in fluid communication with the storage device, and is configured to transfer the mechanical energy of the fuel to the air motor output member. A chemical energy conversion system... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20070215398 - Modular roof-mounted radiator compartment and other roof-mounted utility compartments for buses: A cooling system for vehicles having a modular roof-mounted, low profile compartment and at least one radiator core mounted for horizontal extension but at a slight angle to the roof as well as being spaced above the roof with fans arranged alongside each radiator core for drawing air into the... Agent: Reilly Intellectual Property Law Firm

20070215399 - Mounting structure for storage battery device: Two side members are provided so as to be in side portions of a vehicle. Each side member is provided with a kick-up portion curved upward. A cross member is provided so as to interconnect side surfaces of forward portions of the kick-up portions of the two side members. A... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070215400 - Radiator mounting system: A radiator mounting system for a skid steer vehicle includes an air box with a front wall having an opening sized to receive engine fan blades, an oil cooler disposed in the air box, a radiator; and a radiator frame supporting the radiator that is hingeably coupled to the air... Agent: Cnh America LLC

20070215401 - Cruise control system for motor vehicles having an automatic shutoff system: In a cruise control system for motor vehicles having a stop-and-go function for automatically keeping the vehicle stopped and a shutoff function for automatically shutting off the cruise control system when the brake pedal is being operated, the shutoff function is not operational if predefined conditions are met, including the... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070215402 - Vehicle front body structure: A bridge-shaped frame member is disposed on a front side frame in front of a suspension tower so as to extend vertically and stride over a No. 4 mount. Accordingly, there can be provided a vehicle front body structure that can attain a proper energy absorption of the front side... Agent: Nixon Peabody, LLP

20070215403 - Vehicle having twin transmissions for driving respective wheels: A vehicle comprises a vehicle frame, a prime mover mounted on the vehicle frame, a laterally turnable wheel disposed at one side of the vehicle frame, a pair of drive wheels disposed at the other side of the vehicle frame, a steering operation device, a traveling operation device for setting... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20070215404 - Cooling structure for a continuous variation transmission system of an all-terrain vehicle: A cooling structure for a continuous variation transmission system of an all-terrain vehicle which includes a radiator mounted at a front end of the vehicle and under a front body cover, a hood enclosing the radiator, a gearbox having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected with an... Agent: Leong C Lei

20070215405 - Vehicle steering control apparatus and method: A vehicle steering control apparatus includes a steering wheel to be operated by a driver, a steering mechanism for turning the front wheels in accordance with an operating torque of the steering wheel, and a clutch for mechanically connecting the steering wheel to the steering mechanism. A clutch engagement command... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070215406 - Power steering clutch control during engine start: A control system that reduces a load on an engine during a cranking event includes a first module that determines whether the engine is being cranked. A second module regulates a power steering clutch that is driven by the engine to a disengaged state when the engine is being cranked.... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20070209844 - Crawler robot: Disclosed is a crawler robot which, even of a small size, can climb over a high step and which can perform various aspects of operations. Rollers, are arranged at apexes of triangular frames, and elastic crawlers are wrapped around the rollers, with the two frames being connected by a central... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070209852 - Vehicle wheel driving apparatus arranging structure: A vehicle wheel driving apparatus arranging structure has a road wheel 27, a road wheel supporting member 71 connected to a vehicle body via a suspension 31 to support the road wheel 27, and a motor 72 rotating a road wheel side of the road wheel supporting member 71. A... Agent: Carrier Blackman And Associates

20070209853 - Vehicular drive unit: A drive unit is provided for driving a wheel installed on a vehicle. The drive unit includes a driving source equipped with a rotary shaft. A speed reducer is connected between the driving source and the wheel so as to reduce the rotational speed of the rotary shaft and transmit... Agent: Osha Liang L.L.P.

20070209845 - Wheelchair suspension: A side frame assembly for an electric wheelchair suspension includes a supporting frame unit with a rider-supporting frame, a front caster frame, an upper link having a front end connected pivotally to the front caster frame, and a lower link disposed under the upper link and having a front end... Agent: Frommer Lawrence & Haug

20070209848 - Jointed mechanism of electric wheelchair: A jointed mechanism of an electric wheelchair is disclosed. The jointed mechanism includes symmetrically arranged front caster assemblies, symmetrically arranged rear caster assemblies, drive wheel assemblies, and a main chassis assembly. The front caster assemblies are bushed to the main chassis assembly and the rear caster assemblies respectively. The rear... Agent: Madson & Austin Gateway Tower West

20070209846 - Motorized garbage can and automatic lid opener: A remote controlled motorized garbage can that is capable of transferring material to the intended designation, in conjunction, an automatic lid opener apparatus to facilitate in the dispersing of material and the lid comprising a lock and sensor mechanism to prevent personal, financial and other such information readily accessible for... Agent: Kris Wilson

20070209847 - Motorized hauling apparatus with drive tracks: A motorized all-terrain hauling vehicle includes a drive track assembly [22] and a flat bed [12] suspended above the drive track assembly. The flat bed [12] has an anterior portion, a motor assembly [28, 38] coupled to the anterior portion of the flat bed [12], a gear reduction assembly [23]... Agent: L. Zale Patent Law Office

20070209849 - Accessory drive system and method for a parallel electric hybrid vehicle: The present invention provides an accessory drive system for a parallel electric hybrid vehicle. The apparatus includes an engine and a motor/generator independently connectable to a transmission. At least one torque-transmitting device selectably connects an engine and a motor/generator with a transmission. A drive pulley is connected to an output... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20070209850 - Parallel hybrid vehicle optimal storage system: The present invention is a method and apparatus by which power is controlled in a hybrid electric vehicle such that high levels of performance and efficiency are realized. The present invention includes a method and apparatus developed to optimize the use of energy in a hybrid vehicle application from the... Agent: Roger A. Gilcrest

20070209851 - Internally electrically powered bumper cars comprising multiple drive wheels and integral hub motors: “Bumper car” amusement rides are disclosed. An exemplary bumper car comprises a frame, a seat, a portable source of electrical power for propelling the car, multiple drive wheels, a motor controller, and at least one rider control. The seat is configured to hold and position at least one rider of... Agent: Klarquist Sparkman, LLP

20070209854 - Motorized bike capable of controlling its driving direction by shifting rider's body: The invention relates to a motorized bike comprising a front wheel steering stand pivotally coupled to the front of a bike body, a rear wheel installed at the rear of the bike body, an axle of the rear wheel for driving a sprocket engaged with a chain and a motor,... Agent: Rabin & Berdo, P.C.

20070209855 - Motorcycle with suspension system that utilizes hubless wheels: A centerless wheel assembly and suspension system for motorcycles. The wheel assembly includes a wheel rim with an annular body and outer flanges that define a tire receiving outer surface and one or more annular inner flanges. A ring-shaped wheel bearing includes one or more spaced bearing ring pairs with... Agent: Brian R. Rayve

20070209856 - Assistant propulsion mechanism for vehicle: This invention relates to an assistant propulsion mechanism for vehicle wherein grooves are made at side edge of tire, wheel and silicon plate of stator are tightened, silicon plate of stator is equipped with copper wires and magnets; axis is fixed at wheel, rotor turntable is covered onto axis, besides,... Agent: Banger Shia

20070209857 - Actuator: The invention relates to an actuator, in particular for components of a motor vehicle such as an electric seat adjuster or the like. The actuator comprises a drive motor (1) and a reduction gear (2). The reduction gear (2) comprises a housing (3), a wobble plate (4), a driven wheel... Agent: Gudrun E. Huckett Draudt

20070209858 - Steer-by-wire steering wheel unit with integrated airbag module: A steering wheel unit for a steer-by-wire steering system in motor vehicles, consisting of a steering wheel (12), an airbag module, a steering wheel angle sensor unit (24) as well as a force feedback unit, is characterised in that steering wheel (12) is located in rotatable fashion on module housing... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070209859 - Power steering system: In a power steering system comprising a power cylinder for assisting a steering power of a steering mechanism, a hydraulic pump for supplying a hydraulic pressure to the power cylinder, a first oil passage and a second oil passage connecting the power cylinder and the hydraulic pump respectively, a motor... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20070209860 - Motor, method for manufacturing rotor, and electric power steering apparatus: A motor is provided with a rotor of which an inner portion made from a material having a lower density than an outer portion is fitted inside the outer portion around whose outer surface magnets are fixed; wherein the inner portion is shrink fitted or pressure fitted inside the outer... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070209863 - Lubricant composition, expandable shaft, and steering system using the same: A lubricant composition contains a base oil having a kinematic viscosity of 1500 to 13000 mm2/s (40° C.) and polytetrafluoroethylene serving as a thickener, and is used for lubricating an expandable shaft to prevent stick-slip from occurring when a high surface pressure is applied thereto, thereby allowing to maintain a... Agent: Rabin & Berdo, PC

20070209862 - Steering system with hollow shaft electric motor and intermediate transmission: A steering system with an electric motor includes a hollow shaft through which a rod is passed, the rod being drivable in the longitudinal direction by the electric motor through a worm gear. An intermediate transmission is provided, which reduces the rpm of the electric motor. The hollow shaft is... Agent: Jordan And Hamburg LLP

20070209861 - Superimposed steering system for a vehicle: A superimposed steering system for a vehicle, e.g., a servo-assisted or power steering system for a motor vehicle, includes a differential drive, which is configured as a shaft drive and has a first input shaft and a second input shaft, for superimposing the rotational angles that occur in the first... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070209864 - Electric power steering apparatus: In an electric power steering apparatus in which steering torque applied on a steering wheel is detected by a torque sensor, and a steering assist torque is generated by an electric motor in accordance with the detected steering torque and transmitted to an output shaft of a steering mechanism with... Agent: Miles & Stockbridge PC

20070205031 - Control device for hybrid electric vehicle: A hybrid electric vehicle is arranged such that a driving force of an electric motor can be transmitted to driving wheels, and a rotary shaft of the motor can be coupled with an output shaft of an engine. When a starting switch is switched from the first to the second... Agent: Jacobson Holman PLLC

20070205030 - Vehicle drive control system and method: In a drive control system for a hybrid vehicle, the electric power generated by an alternator driven by an engine and the electric power regenerated by a motor-generator are stored in a battery. The battery discharges electric energy to drive the motor-generator. An ECU calculates fuel consumption of the engine... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070205026 - Traveling system for heavy construction equipment: A traveling system for heavy construction equipment is disclosed, which can prevent a flow rate of a hydraulic fluid to be supplied to a traveling spool from being suddenly decreased when a traveling device and a working device are simultaneously operated, and thus can minimize operation shock due to sudden... Agent: William R. Evans Ladas & Parry LLP

20070205027 - Scooter-driven staging system: A mobile staging system includes a readily movable framework and a motor-driven scooter joined to one another for relative pivotable movement. Means for controlling movement of the scooter is readily accessible from a worker's platform on the staging.... Agent: Ira S. Dorman

20070205028 - System and method for controlling vehicle operation: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system is disclosed comprising an engine having at least one combustion cylinder configured to operate in a first and a second combustion mode, wherein the first combustion mode is a spark ignition mode and the second combustion mode is a compression ignition mode, wherein the engine... Agent: Alleman Hall Mccoy Russell & Tuttle, LLP

20070205029 - System and method for controlling vehicle operation: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system is disclosed comprising an engine having at least one combustion cylinder configured to operate in a first and a second combustion mode, wherein the first combustion mode is a spark ignition mode and the second combustion mode is a compression ignition mode, wherein the engine... Agent: Alleman Hall Mccoy Russell & Tuttle, LLP

20070205032 - Motorcycle heat shield: Apparatus for installation on a motorcycle which is capable of shielding one or more riders thereof from heat generated during motor operation. In preferred embodiments, apparatus with a plurality of detachable shield panels which are capable of protecting one or more riders from excess heat generated by the operation of... Agent: Hall, Vande Sande & Pequignot, LLP

20070205033 - Accelerator and brake assembly protection system: A protection system for an accelerator and brake (A&B) assembly of a utility vehicle is provided. The protection system comprises a brake pedal (BP) protective boot that conforms with and sealingly fits around a brake pedal arm. The protection system additionally includes an accelerator pedal (AP) protective boot that conforms... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070205034 - Powered snowboard: A powered snowboard having a drive assembly mounted thereon, the drive assembly including a frame, a track assembly having a track suspended over multiple wheels, the track assembly being supported in the frame such that it is able to travel in a vertical direction as well as pivot about an... Agent: William F. Ward, Iii Baniak Pine & Gannon

20070205035 - Powertrain: According to a present powertrain, a first rotation shaft serving as an input shaft of a front side gear mechanism is located in a portion of a vehicle lower than a second rotation shaft serving as an output shaft, so that a crankshaft of an engine provided coaxially with the... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070205036 - Control device for hybrid electric vehicle: A hybrid electric vehicle is arranged such that a driving force of an engine and a driving force of an electric motor can be transmitted to driving wheels through a transmission and that the engine and the transmission can be mechanically connected and disconnected by means of a clutch. When... Agent: Jacobson Holman PLLC

20070205037 - Power steering system: In a power steering system, the steering state of wheels is detected based on the steering speed to judge as to whether the steering state is in turning of the steering wheel or holding of steering speed is the steering wheels. At the time of the steering operation state, the... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20070205039 - Electric power steering apparatus: An electric power steering apparatus includes a worm interlockedly connected to an output shaft of an electric motor, a first and a second bearing each supporting the respective side of the worm in a housing, and a gear wheel meshed with the worm. The housing includes a fitting bore in... Agent: Darby & Darby P.C.

20070205040 - Vehicle steering control apparatus and method: A vehicle steering control apparatus has a steering wheel, a steering mechanism mechanically separate from the steering wheel for steering the left and right front wheels and a reaction force motor for imparting an operation reaction force against the steering wheel. A steering motor is provided to impart a turning... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070205038 - Electric power steering apparatus: An electric power steering apparatus requires no external connecting member connecting between a power main body and a control main body, and hence can be reduced in size and cost, and the reliability of electrical connection between the power main body and the control main body can be improved. High... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070205041 - Electric power steering system: An electric power steering system is provided which is capable of providing a favorable steering feeling without using compensation logics such as of inertia compensation and friction compensation. The electric power steering system includes road-noise suppression control means (213) for controlling a steering assist motor (9) in a manner to... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch