Motor vehicles inventions 12/08

20080314655 - Steering and driving system for an industrial truck: A steering and driving system (1, 53, 54) for an industrial truck with a driving engine (2), a driving transmission (21), a steering engine (4) and a steering transmission (5, 32, 32′), through that one rotor (23) arranged on a wheel hub (22) could be driven and is swivelable at... Agent: Davis Bujold & Daniels, P.l.l.c.

20080314656 - Vehicle system and method for accessing denied terrain: A surface vehicle capable of overcoming obstacles is disclosed in which the vehicle accelerates vertically while having a horizontal velocity. The vehicle has a frame and at least three wheels attached to the frame to which a horizontal propulsion system is coupled. Further, a vertical propulsion system is coupled to... Agent: Douglas Mackenzie

20080314657 - Power supply apparatus: To attain the afore-mentioned objective, there is provided a power supply apparatus, comprising a battery aggregation including a plurality of batteries connected to each other in series, the battery having a positive electrode in its one end portion and a negative electrode in its opposite end portion, and an electrical... Agent: Kratz, Quintos & Hanson, LLP

20080314658 - Hybrid drive unit and running control method for hybrid drive unit: A hybrid drive system includes an engine; at least one rotating electric machine, wherein the engine and the at least one rotating electric machine are capable of driving a vehicle; and a controller. The controller starts a load limit control that limits a load exerted to the rotating electric machine... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080314659 - Method and arrangement in power transmission of forest machine: A method and an arrangement in power transmission of a forest machine (1), the forest machine including a primary power source (5) for generating power required for moving and controlling the forest machine and/or actuators (6, 7) therein. In the present method and arrangement, at least part of the power... Agent: Young & Thompson

20080314660 - Detachable fuel cell power unit for vehicle applications: A detachable and portable fuel cell power unit (10) fox a vehicle has a unitary housing (11) containing: a fuel reservoir (22) for storing fuel; at least one electrochemical fuel cell stack (20, 21) for delivering electrical power from the fluid fuel; a refueling port (16) in an outer surface... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20080314661 - Negative driveline torque control incorporating transmission state selection for a hybrid vehicle: In one embodiment, a hybrid propulsion system for a passenger vehicle is provided. The system comprises at least one drive wheel; a first motor coupled to the drive wheel; a second motor; a transmission including a first end coupled to the drive wheel and a second end coupled to the... Agent: Alleman Hall Mccoy Russell & Tuttle, LLP

20080314662 - Locking mechanism: The invention relates to a locking mechanism for securing a battery pack (20) which is accommodated in an electrical vehicle (12), in particular in an electrical industrial truck, comprising a vehicle-side plug element (26) and a battery plug element (28), which can be plugged together with said plug element (26)... Agent: Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck, P.C.

20080314664 - Energy recovery drive: The invention relates to an energy recovery drive. Said drive comprises a first driving shaft (3) and a second driving shaft (4). The second driving shaft (4) is connected to a hydrostatic piston engine (5). Said hydrostatic piston engine (5) is connected to a first accumulator (11) and a second... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20080314663 - System and method of extending regenerative braking in a hybrid electric vehicle: A method of generating brake force to decelerate a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes an internal combustion engine coupled to an input of a first electric energy device, the first electric energy device having an output coupled to a transmission device, and a second electric energy conversion device coupled... Agent: Alleman Hall Mccoy Russell & Tuttle, LLP

20080314665 - Infant stroller rocking device: A method of rocking a wheeled infant carrier (30) comprises using a rocking device (10) having a pair of discrete units (12,14). Each unit has aground-engaging base (18a,b) and a platform (16a,b) supported thereon through bearings for movement relative to the base in a first direction. A drive one (12)... Agent: MoserIPLaw Group

20080314666 - Acceleration control system: An acceleration control system controls acceleration of a vehicle to match the driver's feeling. In this control, the vehicle is controlled so that acceleration remains constant at the initial stage and then a differentiated value of a square power of a vehicle speed remains constant. This control is based on... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20080314667 - Wheel skid detection during mechanized cart retrieval: A vehicle tracking system includes a wheel containing sensor circuitry capable of sensing various types of conditions, such as wheel rotation, wheel vibration caused by skidding, and specific electromagnetic and/or magnetic signals indicative of particular wheel locations. The sensor circuitry is coupled to an RF transceiver, which may but need... Agent: Office Of Corporate Liaison & Technology Transfer

20080314668 - Power assist system and method for a vehicle: v

20080314670 - Fuel pump mounting for a motorcycle: A motorcycle having at least two wheels, a fuel tank for storing fuel, a fuel pump positioned in an opening in the fuel tank, and a retaining clip (e.g., a snap ring, circlip, a cotter pin, a hair pin, a clevis pin, a roll pin, an e-clip, a c-clip, a... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20080314669 - Motorcycle airbox with flow-enhancing shape: A motorcycle having a frame, at least two wheels mounted for rotation relative to the frame, an engine coupled to the frame, and an air intake system coupled to the engine. The air intake system includes an intake port having an intake axis along which air enters the intake port,... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20080314671 - Radiator mounting for a motorcycle: A motorcycle having at least one front wheel, at least one rear wheel, an engine for driving at least one of the weeks, coolant positioned at least partially in the engine, and a radiator assembly containing at least a portion of the coolant. In one aspect of the invention, the... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20080314672 - Airbag device for pedestrian: An airbag device 4 for pedestrian structured to drain water in a case to a cowl includes a case 8 for storing an airbag 5 in a folded state, an inflator 9 for inflating the airbag 5, and a lid 10 which closes an opening 3a of a hood 3,... Agent: Kanesaka Berner And Partners LLP

20080314673 - Throttle disable method and system: The present invention provides a system and method for degrading and disabling a vehicle's engine throttle. The vehicle disable system includes a throttle position sensor that generates a throttle position signal, an electronic control module (“ECM”) input connected to the ECM on which the throttle position sensor provides the throttle... Agent: Delphi Technologies, Inc.

20080314674 - Vehicle with tilt detection based on fuel gauge output: A vehicle including an engine, a fuel tank configured to store a fuel supplied to the engine, a fuel gauge configured to detect a fuel level of the fuel inside the fuel tank, and a tilting detector configured to determine whether or not a body of the vehicle is tilted,... Agent: Alleman Hall Mccoy Russell & Tuttle LLP

20080314675 - Hydraulic wheel-drive working vehicle: A hydraulic wheel-drive working vehicle according to the present invention makes it possible to change a driving state by a driving-mode switching valve between a right-left differential-lock driving state in which a pair of driving wheels are driven in an independent manner to each other with hydraulic fluid discharged from... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080314676 - Belt-type continuously variable transmission having resin block belt and motorcycle including belt-type continuously variable transmission: A belt-type continuously variable transmission that prevents escape of noise generated by a resin block belt to the outside. The resin block belt is wound around a primary sheave and a secondary sheave. A transmission case defines a belt chamber accommodating the primary sheave, secondary sheave, and resin block belt.... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20080314677 - Power unit for motorcycle: A power unit for a motorcycle includes an internal combustion engine having a crankcase rotatably supporting a crankshaft with an axis located on a split face between an upper case half body and a lower case half body and a continuously variable transmission having a belt. Two types of respective... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080314678 - Electric power steering system for vehicle and utility vehicle therewith: An electric power assist device can be compactly disposed with ease in an electric power steering system for a vehicle. The electric power steering system for a vehicle comprises: a steering wheel; a steering column incorporating therein a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel and extending downward to the... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.

20080308324 - Drive unit for an inspection vehicle and also inspection vehicle with such a drive unit: A drive unit (10) for an inspection vehicle which can be used on ferromagnetic bases (19), especially in generators, which drive unit includes a motor-powered crawler track (18) and also magnetic devices for holding the drive unit (10) on the base (19). An improved insensitivity to uneven spots in the... Agent: Cermak Kenealy & Vaidya LLP

20080308325 - Powered trailer dolly: A towing dolly is provided for relocating wheeled loads such as boat trailers, camping trailers and airplanes where towing forces required may be substantial. The towing dolly may have a wheel assembly with a drive gear disposed between proximate treads. The towing dolly may have a narrow wheel width providing... Agent: Kolisch Hartwell, P.C.

20080308326 - Automotive inspection device: An automotive device for the inspection of internal spaces having ferromagnetic surfaces includes at least two magnetic wheels (3) or caterpillars, or at least two magnetic legs for the advancement of the device along the surfaces to be inspected. According to the invention, the device includes actively powered rotating arms... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20080308327 - Power generation arrangement: The invention relates to a power generating unit mounted to a source of rotational energy and arranged to supply hydraulic pressure and flow to at least one driven accessory. The power generating unit comprises a housing removably mounted on the source of rotational energy, an input shaft adapted to be... Agent: Houston Office Of Novak Druce And Quigg LLP

20080308328 - Low cost conversion of any internal combustion vehicle into plug-in hybrid electric vehicle: This invention pertains to an economical method of easy conversion of any internal combustion fueled vehicle into a fuel saving plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) by an add-on kit, without replacing the engine and with a minimal modification of the vehicle body. The converted vehicle substantially saves fuel as compared... Agent: Joseph B. Kejha

20080308329 - Fuel cell vehicle: A fuel cell vehicle capable of improving energy efficiency by reducing switching loss is provided. The fuel cell vehicle includes: a fuel cell that generates direct current power; inverters which respectively include switching elements and convert the direct current power generated by the fuel cell into alternating current power; a... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP Floor 30, Suite 3000

20080308330 - Wheel assembly with in-wheel motor: A wheel assembly with an in-wheel motor includes a motor for driving a wheel, which is arranged in the wheel; a reduction mechanism that reduces the rate of rotational output of the motor and transmits the resultant rotational output to the wheel; an oil tank in which oil collects; an... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20080308331 - Motorcycle including a rider saddle and a fuel tank: There is disclosed a motorcycle including a rider saddle (16) and a fuel tank (18), as well as an air intake apparatus (29) provided with a filter element (25) for filtering intake air for an internal combustion engine of the motorcycle (1). The air intake apparatus (29) has a filter... Agent: Law Office Of Rod D. Baker

20080308333 - Front end module with breakaway radiator: An automotive vehicle is provided which includes a structural member, a bumper movable with respect to the structural member upon an impact of said vehicle with an object, and a radiator for cooling fluid of a component of the vehicle, the radiator being mounted with the structural member. Movement of... Agent: Magna International, Inc.

20080308332 - Systems and methods for assembling a front end module to a vehicle: The present disclosure provides a Front End Module (FEM) assembly and associated assembly method with a rail system to enable efficient assembly, tighter clearances between the front end module assembly and the vehicle, and time and cost savings. The present disclosure provides a FEM assembly including grilles and headlamps and... Agent: Daimlerchrysler Intellectual Capital Corporation Cims 483-02-19

20080308334 - Vehicle with space utilization: A utility vehicle with space utilization features is disclosed. The space utilization features provide storage and access to components.... Agent: Baker & Daniels LLP

20080308335 - Regenerative self propelled vehicles: An electric motor powered vehicle includes an energy reservoir provided by a battery-mass flywheel having a diameter approximating the lateral spacing of the vehicle's wheels. A The flywheel may include a pair of counter rotating wheels mounted on concentric shafts and may be enclosed in a containment device. A shoe-rail... Agent: Edmond S. Lee Iii

20080308336 - Electrical bicycle hub: Electrically motorised bicycle hub with a stationary wheel shaft which rotatingly supports a hub housing, in which is provided a rotor which can rotate around the wheel shaft and which comprises—a first part, parallel to the wheel shaft and carrying a ring of permanent magnets which cooperate with a ring... Agent: Troutman Sanders LLP

20080308337 - Motorcycle including belt type continuously variable transmission having resin block belt: A noise preventing means for a motorcycle including a belt type continuously variable transmission using a resin block belt. An end of an intake duct for inducting cooling air into a belt chamber inside a transmission casing is connected to a front half part of the transmission casing. The intake... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20080308338 - Pedestrian protection air bag system: There is provided a pedestrian protection air bag system M1 in which air bags accommodated on a cowl each have a recessed portion which avoids a hinge mechanism and project from lateral side edges of a lower surface of a hood panel at a rear end thereof so as to... Agent: Posz Law Group, PLC

20080308339 - Fuel feeding mechanism of a vehicle: A fuel feeding mechanism of a vehicle includes an electronic control unit, and a throttle; the throttle is equipped with a feedback signal device, and the feedback signal device is connected to the electronic control unit; the throttle includes a pivotal shaft; a throttle position sensor is connected to the... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20080308340 - Transaxle: In a transaxle, a transaxle housing includes a first divisional housing member and a second divisional housing member joined to each other. A transmission is disposed in the first divisional housing member. An axle is disposed in the mutually joined first and second divisional housing members and drivingly connected to... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080308341 - Vehicle steering system and method for controlling a vehicle steering system: The invention discloses a vehicle steering system for motor vehicles with a steering handle operable by the driver and connected to steerable vehicle wheels in terms of effect in order to determine a direction of driving. The vehicle steering system comprises a hydraulic steering cylinder having two directions of effect,... Agent: Continental Teves, Inc.

20080308342 - Electric power steering apparatus: An electric power steering apparatus for reducing disturbances caused by loads on a rack shaft is disclosed. The electric power steering apparatus performs compensation so as to obtain a value of zero for the deviation between a target rack travel distance computed by a target rack travel distance computation unit... Agent: Arent Fox LLP

20080302584 - Drive shaft coupling and method, and equipment using same: A drive shaft connection comprises a) a first rotational member having a first flange with first and second surfaces and a perimeter; b) a second rotational member having a second flange with a surface frictionally engaging the first surface of the first flange; c) a compression member having a surface... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione/utah Utah Office

20080302585 - Transport system: A transport system comprises a first cart comprising a first plurality of wheels and a first docking system. A second cart comprises a second plurality of wheels and a second docking system for releasably connecting to the first docking system such that at least one of the first plurality of... Agent: Moore & Van Allen PLLC

20080302586 - Wheel set for robot cleaner: The present invention provides a wheel set for robot cleaner, which is installed under the main body of a robot cleaner for supporting the main body to move on a floor. The wheel set comprises two driving wheels. Each of the driving wheels includes a power source, two transmission mechanisms... Agent: Bacon & Thomas, PLLC

20080302587 - Fuel cell module and fuel cell motor vehicle: A fuel cell module has a fuel cell that supplies a drive power to a vehicle, a case that covers the fuel cell, and a current breaker that is attached to the case. The current breaker is manually operable from outside the case, and is capable of interrupting an output... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20080302588 - Motorcycle steering using compound leverage: A compound lever motorcycle steering mechanism comprised of an upper and lower lever parallel and adjacent to one another. With one lever being attached at a right angle to a shaft inside a collar or bearing to form a second axis adjacent to, and parallel with the axis where the... Agent: Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP/seattle

20080302589 - Motorcycle suspension method and apparatus: A motorcycle suspension apparatus and method is provided. In one embodiment, a motorcycle suspension assembly includes a shaft and at least two asymmetric bushings, with each bushing comprising an inner element and an outer element, with the outer element and inner elements constructed of different materials. This Abstract is provided... Agent: Peter Martinez

20080302590 - Drive system for vehicle: A drive system for a vehicle includes a motor, an internal combustion engine, a generator, a power distribution mechanism distributing a driving force of the internal combustion engine to driving wheels and the generator, an electronic control unit controlling the motor and the internal combustion engine, and rotation members connected... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20080302591 - Passive pedestrian-protection front hood hinge: A front hood hinge for connecting a front hood to the body of a vehicle, comprising a cuttable device having a cuttable member, a cutting knife and a stop determining the normal closed position of the front hood, and being designed such that, when a threshold value is exceeded, the... Agent: R. Danny Huntington Bingham Mccutchen

20080302592 - Connection assembly for a truck: A connection assembly for a truck is provided, the truck including a chassis accommodating one or more components, a pivotable driver's cabin, wherein an arrangement associated with the components on the chassis is arranged, wherein the cabin is mounted to the chassis by a pivotable mounting arrangement; and a flexible... Agent: Wrb-ip LLP

20080302593 - Vehicle with coordinated ackerman and differential steering: The invention relates to a vehicle with coordinated steering. There is a need for a vehicle wherein Ackerman steered front wheels are coordinated with differentially steered and driven rear wheels. Such a vehicle includes Ackerman steerable front wheels and differentially driven left and right rear wheels. A steered wheel angle... Agent: Deere & Company

20080296075 - Ductless cooling system for a vehicle power storage unit: A battery of a vehicle is cooled by air from a cabin of the vehicle. The air from the cabin flows underneath a rear seat of the vehicle and to the battery.... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C./fgtl

20080296076 - Centrifugal clutch and straddle type vehicle including the centrifugal clutch: To centrifugal clutch with reduced size, which facilitates reduced width of a straddle type vehicle, includes a clutch housing on which an outer plate is mounted, and a clutch boss on which an inner plate is mounted. A roller weight is provided between the clutch housing and a rightmost outer... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20080296077 - Vehicle: A motorcycle in which a central axis of a shaft and a central axis of front forks are not parallel to each other, and assembly work of the shaft, front forks and an upper bracket is not complicated. A steering shaft is rotatably supported by a head pipe. An upper... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20080296078 - Torque transfer device with torque tube coupling mechanism: A power transmission device includes a rotatable input member, a rotatable output member and a friction clutch positioned within a housing. The friction clutch is operable to selectively transfer torque between the input member and the output member. A torque tube has a first end fixed to the friction clutch... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20080296079 - Safety system for alerting speed of vehicle: A safety system for alerting a speed of a vehicle, comprises the rotary unit; the elastic element having one end engaged to the rotary unit; a side of the base having a via hole; the base having a groove; the rotary unit being placed upon the groove of the base;... Agent: Hou-wang Kao

20080296080 - Hydraulic transaxle and vehicle comprising it: A hydraulic transaxle comprises a transaxle casing for supporting left and right axles, a pair of hydraulic motors disposed in the transaxle casing so as to drive the respective left and right axles, hydraulic ports provided in the transaxle casing so as to fluidly connect the pair of hydraulic motors... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080296081 - Device operable to distribute driving forces: A device operable to distribute driving forces to left and right wheels of a vehicle, includes: a differential mechanism, a driving-force adjuster and a differential limiter. The differential mechanism is operable to distribute a driving force from a drive source of the vehicle to the left and right wheels as... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080296082 - Twin clutch apparatus for power unit, power unit incorporating same, and vehicle incorporating same: A twin clutch apparatus includes a first clutch, a second clutch, and a clutch outer member shared by the first and second clutches. The clutch outer member has groove portions formed therein having a width that gradually increases towards an open-end side of the clutch outer member. A width of... Agent: Carrier Blackman And Associates

20080296083 - Steerable series two speed motor configuration: A hydraulic system includes first and second pumps, first and second motors, and three valves for selectively creating combined and basic hydraulic flow. The arrangement of valves permits combined flow to be provided to both motors in series to cause high speed operation of the motors, and permits combined flow... Agent: Westman Champlin & Kelly, P.A.

20080296084 - Vehicle steering system and method for controlling a vehicle steering system: Disclosed is a vehicle steering system for motor vehicles with a steering handle operable by the driver and connected to steerable vehicle wheels in terms of effect in order to determine a direction of driving. The vehicle steering system includes a hydraulic working cylinder having two directions of effect, as... Agent: Continental Teves, Inc.

20080296085 - Electric power steering apparatus: A microcomputer 17 (signal generating section 24) includes an attenuating section 31, which attenuates a specific frequency component included in an input signal. The attenuating section 31 receives a d-axis current value Id and a q-axis current value Iq, which are actual currents supplied to a motor 12. The attenuating... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.