Motor vehicles inventions 01/09

20090025988 - Serpentine robotic crawler having a continuous track: A serpentine robotic crawler includes an articulated body having at least two body segments serially connected and a continuous track operably supported along a perimeter of the articulated body. The serpentine robotic crawler is capable of a variety of movement modes and poses.... Agent: Thorpe North & Western, LLP.

20090025989 - Installation structure of release pipe in fuel cell vehicle and fuel gas vehicle: A release outlet (52) of a release pipe (51) of a relief valve (50) is provided in the vicinity of an exhaust outlet (170) of a fuel cell box (39) in a space between a sub-frame (22) and the fuel cell box (39). A ventilating inlet (130) is formed on... Agent: Kratz, Quintos & Hanson, LLP

20090025990 - Work vehicle: An object is to provide a work vehicle whose drive portion can be downsized. An engine having an engine output shaft, an electric motor driven by a battery which is attached integrally to the engine output shaft so as to drive the engine output shaft, a traveling drive portion having... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20090025992 - Vehicle and vehicle control method: In response to a starting instruction of an engine 22 at a gearshift position of a gearshift lever 81 set to a parking position, the engine 22 and motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled to motor and start the engine 22 with output of a torque from the motor MG2... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20090025991 - Electrically driven wheel and vehicle: An electrically driven wheel includes a wheel disc and a wheel hub; an in-wheel motor mounted within the wheel disc to drive the wheel disc and the wheel hub or to be driven by the wheel disc and the wheel hub; a brake rotor and a brake caliper suppressing rotation... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20090025993 - Vehicle having an aeroducting system: A system and method for directing airflow through a moving vehicle comprising a fluid intake adapted for receiving a fluid flow, the fluid intake is located generally about a forward portion of the vehicle, at least one fluid duct adapted for containing the fluid flow, the at least one duct... Agent: Dobrusin & Thennisch PC

20090025994 - Truck: A truck 1 includes a cab 3 in which a driver's seat is provided, a van 5 provided rearward of the cab and serving as a load container, wheels 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d, etc. These components are attached to frame members 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, etc. An... Agent: Rossi, Kimms & Mcdowell LLP.

20090025995 - Vehicle hood with sandwich inner structure: An energy-absorbing hood assembly for a vehicle includes upper and lower layers and a middle panel. The upper and lower layers have first and second interface surfaces, respectively. The middle panel has opposing first and second surfaces defining a corrugated profile having a plurality of bonding surfaces, the bonding surfaces... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20090025996 - Vehicle control device: An electronic control device reduces, after a time at which constant speed traveling control is terminated (specific control termination time) not by an accelerating operation or braking operation but by, for example, an operation of a control switch, the vehicle driving force to a force corresponding to the amount of... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20090025997 - Hydraulic drive vehicle with cooling system: A hydraulic drive vehicle comprises a vehicle frame, a bonnet, a prime mover, a hydraulic transaxle, a seat, a reservoir tank, and a cooling fan and a cooling duct. The bonnet is supported on one of front and rear portions of the vehicle frame, and provided therein with a first... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090025998 - Arrangement for determining an absolute tilt angle in relation to the horizontal: A system determines an absolute tilt angle in relation to the horizontal, especially for use in a motor vehicle. The system includes at least one sensor element having a main axis of sensitivity and disposed such that its main axis of sensitivity lies in the plane of the tilt angle... Agent: Lerner Greenberg Stemer LLP

20090025999 - Vehicle door lock device: A vehicle door lock device includes a latching mechanism, a locking mechanism, and a child-lock mechanism. The child-lock mechanism is arranged between the latching mechanism and an inside door handle, and switches between a transmitting state and a non-transmitting state. The child-lock mechanism in the transmitting state transmits to the... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20090026000 - Arrangement structure of auxiliaries of engine for snow vehicle: An engine for a snow vehicle has a crank shaft supported by a crank case along the width direction of the snow vehicle. An oil pan is disposed below the crank case. A cylinder block is disposed above the crank case. The engine is mounted on the snow vehicle such... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20090026001 - Vehicle throttling and steering control mechanism: A mechanism for controlling: (a) the throttling of an engine or other power source of a vehicle, and (b) the steering of the vehicle, the mechanism comprising an element moveable in a linear direction to control the throttling of the power source and rotatable to control the steering of the... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20090026002 - Hydraulic power steering apparatus: In a hydraulic power steering apparatus, hydraulic pressure for generating steering assist power is varied by varying opening of a variable throttle portion by movement of a spool. The spool is disposed in a provisional origin by driving a stepping motor in one direction according to a number of steps... Agent: Jordan And Hamburg LLP

20090026004 - Power steering apparatus having failure detection device for rotation angle sensors: A power steering apparatus has a steering power assisting system coupled to tire wheels and a variable gear transfer system coupled to a steering wheel. The steering power assisting system includes a torsion bar rotation sensor and a first actuator rotation sensor to calculate a first pinion angle and a... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20090026003 - Vehicle steering apparatus: A vehicle steering apparatus 1 includes an EPS actuator 17 and an EPS ECU 18 that controls the EPS actuator 17. The EPS actuator 17 applies an assist force that assists a steering operation. A microcomputer 43 of the EPS ECU 18 determines whether the currently executed oversteer control (OS... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20090020346 - Systems, methods, and apparatus for battery charging: An apparatus including a rechargeable battery pack installed in an electric vehicle, the rechargeable battery pack coupled to a power supply, the power supply operable to provide a charge voltage to perform charging operations on the battery pack, a heating element to heat a fluid to be circulated through the... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.a.

20090020348 - Saddle seat type electric vehicle: A saddle seat type fuel-cell electric vehicle includes a motor for driving rear wheels, a secondary battery for supplying electric power to the motor, a carrier for carrying luggage and a seat for supporting an operator, the carrier is located behind the seat and above the rear wheels. The secondary... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20090020347 - Saddle seat type fuel-cell electric vehicle: A saddle seat type fuel-cell electric vehicle includes a body frame having a pair of right and left main frames connected at their front ends to a head pipe and extending downward therefrom and a pair of right and left under frames connected at their front ends to the head... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20090020349 - Removable hood panel: An engine enclosure for enclosing an engine of a work machine. The enclosure includes a first panel hingedly supported from an enclosure top and extending downwardly therefrom to form an enclosure side portion. A first hinge device joins the first panel to the enclosure top for pivotal movement relative thereto,... Agent: Cnh America Llc Intellectual Property Law Department

20090020350 - Folding electric scooter: A folding electric scooter comprises a chassis. The front end of the chassis is disposed with a front wheel and a handlebar used to control the direction of the front wheel. The handlebar is a folding structure. The rear end of the chassis is pivotally coupled with a rear rack.... Agent: Dr. Banger Shia

20090020351 - Articulated vehicle suspension system shoulder joint: An articulated vehicle suspension system shoulder joint is disclosed. A vehicle includes a plurality of wheel assemblies; a plurality of rotating shoulder joints, each wheel assembly being mounted to a respective one of the shoulder joints and rotatable in a plane by the respective shoulder joint; and a chassis to... Agent: Jeffrey A. Pyle Williams, Morgan & Amerson, P.c.

20090020352 - Electric-motor three-wheeled vehicle: An electric-motor three-wheeled vehicle includes a motor for applying a drive force to drive wheels, a motor control unit for controlling the motor, a secondary battery for storing electric power generated by a fuel cell, a rear body supporting a pair of left and right rear wheels and a connecting... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20090020353 - Vehicular collision detection apparatus: A collision detection apparatus for a vehicle includes a bumper reinforcement, a chamber forming member, a pressure sensor, collision object determining unit, and a collision position sensor. The bumper reinforcement is mounted on the vehicle and extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle. The chamber forming member is provided... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20090020354 - Drivetrain, hybrid vehicle, and operating methods therefor: A drivetrain for a hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a transmission and electric machine, and an electrical energy store. The electric machine is usable as a generator for charging the electrical energy store and/or as a motor while discharging the electrical energy store. The electrical energy store is... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group

20090020355 - Self-aligning detent spring assembly: An automatic transmission has a park system with a shaft and a parking pawl. The shaft rotates in response to a gear shift lever, and a detent lever positions the parking pawl in response to rotation of the shaft. A detent spring assembly biases the detent lever and has a... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20090020356 - Steering device for floor cleaning machine: A floor cleaning machine having a speed control and steering member which operates under operator-applied deformation thereof. The invention provides improved consumer convenience at steering and/or speed control.... Agent: Johnsondiversey, Inc.

20090014219 - Cart with lift and drive assist: There is provided a cart for lifting and moving materials. The cart includes a lift mechanism for raising and lowering a support surface to lift the materials during transport. The cart also includes a motorized drive wheel assembly which provides a drive force in a forward or backward direction to... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20090014220 - Vehicular power supply apparatus: A vehicular power supply apparatus includes a capacitor, an idling stop means for stopping an engine at a halt of the vehicle and restarting the engine at driver's preset driving operation by supplying current to an engine starter with the capacitor, a current detecting means for detecting the current, a... Agent: Darby & Darby P.C.

20090014221 - Layout structure of lpg bomb and integrated battery of hybrid electric vehicle: A layout structure of an LPG bomb and an integrated battery of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is disclosed. An LPG bomb is mounted under a floor and/or rear seat, and an integrated battery module is mounted in a trunk room or behind a rear seat back. To this end,... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (sf)

20090014222 - Drive device of hybrid vehicle: A drive device of a hybrid vehicle includes a motor generator and a motor generator arranged at the back of the motor generator, each rotor having a rotational center axis arranged on the same axis, a power split mechanism arranged on the same axis as a rotational center axis of... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20090014223 - Differential for a lightweight vehicle: A differential for a vehicle having a suspension includes a first axle shaft, and a second axle shaft. The first axle shaft and the second axle shaft are disposed along a first axis of rotation. A first electric motor is disposed along a second axis of rotation. The second axis... Agent: Hamilton, Brook, Smith & Reynolds, P.C.

20090014224 - Motor vehicle with a rear end mounted battery box: A motor vehicle includes a frame chassis including two longitudinal beams and at least first and second cross members between the two longitudinal beams, and a battery box arranged at the rear end of the vehicle between the beams with vibration damping mounts, wherein the mounts of the battery box... Agent: Wrb-ip LLP

20090014225 - Reverse over-ride system for mower traction drive: A reverse over-ride system is provided for a mower traction drive having a front pair of hydraulic traction motors and a rear pair of hydraulic traction motors. Each motor is operable in a forward direction or a reverse direction, and each front motor is in series with a rear motor.... Agent: Stephen D. Dellett Patent Department

20090014226 - Torque differential modification of a non-driven axle: Apparatus and methods are provided for modifying a torque differential between the road wheels of a non-driven axle. One apparatus includes, but is not limited to, two non-driven shafts and a torque transfer modulator coupling the two non-driven shafts. The torque transfer modulator is configured to modify the torque differential... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20090014227 - Parking assist system with steering cues: Disclosed is a method for assisting the parking of a vehicle. The method includes determining a vehicle position relative to an obstacle. When the relative position meets a first set of criteria, a first torque pulse is delivered to the steering wheel in the first direction to cue an operator... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20090014228 - Collision detector: A collision detector includes a deformable portion and a planar sensor accompanied by a process circuit and a collision determination unit. The deformable portion is configured to be deformed on a collision on an object. The planar sensor has a planar coil formed as a planar winding of winding wire... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20090014229 - Exhaust system for a vehicle: An exhaust system (26) for a vehicle with a V-engine, aimed at increasing the output power of the V-engine, preventing heat conduction from the exhaust system to the parts around the exhaust system and enhancing the durability of the exhaust system is provided. A transmission and a transfer device (14)... Agent: Marsh, Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP

20090014230 - On-demand electro-hydraulic steering system: A method of steering a vehicle with a hydraulic steering system is disclosed. A first control signal is sent to a pilot valve. The pilot valve is operated to direct pilot fluid to a main valve in response to the first control signal. The main valve is opened to a... Agent: Caterpillar/finnegan, Henderson, L.L.P.

20090014231 - Electric power steering apparatus: An electric power steering apparatus including a steering system into which steering torque is inputted, an electric motor for imparting steering assist force to the steering system, a controller for controlling a energizing state of the electric motor according to the steering torque, a terminal board electrically connected to the... Agent: Sughrue-265550

20090008164 - Riding vehicles, including tricycles, with stowable push handles and hide away rear wheel storage compartment: Wheeled riding vehicles, including tricycles, with extremely thin stowed profiles are provided, which in one embodiment, include movable, collapsible tires/wheel axle assemblies, as well as folding frame parts and a unique handle that is removable and stowable within the vehicle frame when not used. The riding vehicle hangs totally flat... Agent: Richard N. Shapiro

20090008165 - Power output apparatus, control method of power output apparatus, and vehicle equipped with power output apparatus: The power output apparatus of the invention increases a tentative engine power demand Petmp required for an engine, during a catalyst degradation detection time when degradation detection of an emission control catalyst is performed according to a variation in output of an oxygen sensor provided downstream of the emission control... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20090008166 - Electric system for fuel cell, fuel cell vehicle, and method of supplying electric power: An electric system has a fuel cell for generating electric power by being supplied with a reactive gas, an electric storage device having a voltage lower than a voltage output from the fuel cell, a first power supply line connected to the fuel cell, a second power supply line connected... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP Floor 30, Suite 3000

20090008167 - Fuel cell vehicle, and method of supplying electric power: A fuel cell vehicle has a fuel cell for generating electric power by being supplied with a reactive gas, an electric storage device, a first power supply line connected to the fuel cell, a second power supply line connected to the electric storage device, and a main DC-to-DC converter for... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP Floor 30, Suite 3000

20090008168 - Vehicle, driving device and control method thereof: When a gear of a transmission for transmitting torque of a motor to a drive shaft is shifted while an accelerator is off or an accelerator pedal is slightly stepped on, an upper limit rotation speed is set using a fluctuation rate of a value smaller than a value when... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20090008169 - Operator's seat for heavy equipment having optimized switch arrangements for controlling the equipment: An operator's seat for heavy equipment having optimized switch arrangements for controlling the equipment is provided, in which arrangements of various kinds of switches and components of operating devices that are frequently used by an operator in the seat due to the characteristic of the equipment are integrated within a... Agent: Ladas & Parry LLP

20090008170 - Multi-plane motorcycle foot peg: A foot peg for a straddled vehicle includes a frame having cross members, each including a row of upper teeth. The cross members are stepped, with the center members higher than the front and rear cross members to define a generally horizontal plane. The front and rear cross members are... Agent: Shughart Thomson & Kilroy, PC

20090008172 - Control of hybrid power regeneration during cruise control: A method of applying regenerative braking on a hybrid vehicle may include operating the hybrid vehicle in a cruise control mode to maintain a desired vehicle speed, determining whether an actual vehicle speed is greater than the desired vehicle speed, and braking the hybrid vehicle using a regenerative brake system.... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20090008171 - Energy storage in an elastic vessel: In one aspect of the present invention, an energy storage system has an elastic hydraulic fluid vessel with an internal variable volume and being coupled to a hydraulic rotary mechanism. The elastic hydraulic fluid vessel has an elastic material adapted to store a potential energy within its fibers when the... Agent: Tyson J. Wilde Novatek International, Inc.

20090008173 - Hydraulic energy storage with an internal element: In one aspect of the present invention, a system for performing work having a hydraulic circuit comprising a length of hose a hydraulic fluid in the circuit in communication with the hose, a hydraulic actuator for doing the work, at least one compressible element disposed within the hose, and a... Agent: Tyson J. Wilde Novatek International, Inc.

20090008174 - Vehicle with a drive engine for driving a traction drive and a working hydraulic system: The invention relates to a vehicle having a drive engine/motor (2) for driving a locomotive drive (6) and for operating at least one hydraulic working circuit (4). The vehicle, has a hydraulic accumulator (11) which is connected to a hydraulic machine (12). The hydraulic machine, (12) is connected to an... Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC

20090008175 - Vehicle with variable-length wheelbase: A vehicle with a variable-length wheelbase is disclosed. The vehicle of one embodiment has a first body portion coupled to a first set of wheels and a second body portion coupled to a second set of wheels to define a vehicle wheelbase. The first and second body portions are moveable... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP Patent-sea

20090008176 - Vehicle with live twist beam axle assembly: A drive axle and suspension assembly for a vehicle having a power source and wheels including a torsionally compliant twist beam suspension and a driveline assembly. The twist beam includes a twist element defining a first lateral axis and arm portions adapted to rotatably support the wheels of the vehicle... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20090008178 - Motorcycle frame having integral fuel tank and airbox: The present invention provides a motorcycle including a frame having a forward portion and a rearward portion. The forward portion includes a steering head. The motorcycle also includes an engine coupled to the frame and a steering assembly pivotably coupled to the steering head. The steering assembly includes a fork... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20090008177 - Motorcycle frame with fuel-storage and break-away engine mounts: A motorcycle frame includes hollow left and right frame members that define a fuel-containing volume. Left-center, right-center, left-rear, and right-rear engine supports each depend from a corresponding left and right frame member. Each engine support includes a first portion that is coupled to the frame member and a second portion... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20090008181 - Motorcycle airbox with a helmholtz resonator: An air intake assembly for an engine of a motorcycle includes an air intake opening for receiving intake air, the intake air defining an air flow direction. The air intake assembly further includes an airbox at least partially defining a chamber. A partition is positioned within the chamber dividing the... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20090008179 - Motorcycle having a rotatably-mounted engine: A motorcycle includes a frame including a first engine mount defining a first attachment axis, the frame further including a second engine mount spaced forwardly of the first engine mount. The motorcycle further includes an engine mounted to the frame at least by the first engine mount and the second... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20090008182 - Radiator coil mounted on a motorcycle: A motorcycle including a frame having a top, a bottom, a front, a rear, and a centrally-located longitudinal axis extending through the front and the rear. The longitudinal axis defines a vertical plane. The motorcycle also includes an engine supported by the frame and a radiator coil obliquely mounted to... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20090008180 - Resilient mounting arrangement for a motorcycle radiator: A mounting member for mounting a radiator assembly on a motorcycle. The mounting member includes a central portion including a mounting location configured to be attached to a rigid structure of the motorcycle. The mounting member further includes first and second resilient legs extending outwardly from the central portion and... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20090008183 - Pump unit and hydrostatic transmission: There is provided a pump unit configured to be capable of transmitting a rotational per from a driving power source which is operatively connected thereto to an actuator through a pair of hydraulic fluid lines. The pump unit includes: an input shaft; a hydraulic pump main body; a PTO shaft;... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090000833 - Tracked vehicle: A tracked vehicle, particularly a piste grooming vehicle, comprising a chassis frame and at least one sprocket for a track is characterized in that the sprocket has limited movement between a working position—in which the sprocket protrudes beyond the chassis frame—and a transit position in which the sprocket is located... Agent: Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, LLP

20090000834 - Device for the assisted loading of stretcher: A device for the assisted loading of a stretcher (2) provided with a chassis (3), comprises at least one driving wheel (4) cinematically connected to a driving member (5) fed by feeding means (6) and controlled by control means (7) to activate the at least one driving wheel (4) at... Agent: Dinsmore & Shohl LLP

20090000835 - Power supply assembly for motorized vehicles: A vehicle having a plurality of wheels and elements, to drive at least one wheel to propel the vehicle is provided with a frame and a power supply assembly for delivering power to the drive elements. The power supply assembly includes a battery and a housing structure surrounding the battery.... Agent: Ip Group Of Dla Piper US LLP

20090000836 - Balanced belt or chain drive for electric hybrid vehicle conversion: A drive assembly is described which can apply a pure torque to a driven member while allowing for limited motion of the driven member in the radial direction. This drive assembly is particularly suitable for converting an Internal Combustion (IC) vehicle to an IC-electric hybrid vehicle comprising installation of two... Agent: Paul H. Kydd

20090000837 - Saddle riding type fuel cell vehicle: A saddle riding type fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell that generates power by a chemical reaction between a fuel gas and a reactive gas with radiators that cool cooling water of the fuel cell. The radiators are adjacently arranged in right and left sides of the fuel cell... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20090000838 - Electric motor for a motor vehicle and associated assembly method: This motor (10) comprises a main casing (12), a brush holder (18) positioned in the main casing (12) and an electrical power supply device (20) secured to the holder (18), comprising an electronic control board. The board has at least one connector (78, 44) for electrical connection to the brush... Agent: Young & Thompson

20090000839 - Riding lawn mower: A riding lawnmower includes left and right wheels, at least one caster wheel, a lawnmower blade or reel, and a control section. The left and right wheels are independently driven by electric rotary machines to travel. The lawnmower blade or reel is driven for mowing. The control section, in response... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20090000840 - Wheel drive apparatus: A wheel drive apparatus drives a wheel by a motor provided inside a wheel member. A planetary gear speed reducer is coupled to an output shaft of the motor. An inner-ring side member is disposed between an inner ring of an axle bearing and the outer periphery of the speed... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20090000843 - Battery box system and method: In the preferred embodiments, a novel system and method is for mounting a battery box within a vehicle is disclosed. The system and method includes, among other things, a novel battery box that is mounted between two chassis frame members that extend lengthwise along the vehicle. The battery box is... Agent: Volvo Technology Of America, Corporate Patents

20090000841 - Battery boxes having aperture and vehicles including same: Vehicles, such as all terrain vehicles, can be provided with a battery box. The battery box comprises a bottom wall, a top wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall which together define a battery retention chamber having a front opening configured for passage of a battery. Vehicles... Agent: Ulmer & Berne, LLP Attn: Diane Bell

20090000842 - Mounting structure for compressed gas storage tank of vehicle: For this, the present invention provides a mounting structure for a compressed gas storage tank of a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of storage tanks for storing a compressed gas therein, including a hemispherical dome portion formed on both ends thereof; panel brackets connected to both ends of the storage tanks;... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20090000844 - Fuel module with quick disconnect cover for easy filter replacement: A fuel module mountable on the fuel tank of a vehicle has a bottom cover extending below the fuel tank. The bottom cover can be quickly removed from the module to allow easy access to the fuel filter in the module.... Agent: Delphi Technologies, Inc.

20090000845 - Motorcycle having detachable support members: A motorcycle includes a steering head, a steering assembly pivotably coupled to the steering head, at least one longitudinal frame member extending rearwardly from the steering head, and a rear frame member coupled to the longitudinal frame member. The rear frame member includes a mounting portion having a mounting surface,... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20090000846 - Seat assembly with ignition switch and switch actuator: A seat includes a seat frame and a resilient web supported by the seat frame. The web is adapted for movement between an at rest condition in which no operator is seated on the seat, and a deflected condition in which the web is deflected with respect to the frame... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20090000847 - Airbag device for pedestrian: An airbag device for pedestrian is structured to inflate plural airbags side by side to suppress the impact to the pedestrian hit by the automobile at the area around the abutment portion between the adjacent airbags. An airbag 5L inflates to cover left half side of a rear edge portion... Agent: Kanesaka Berner And Partners LLP

20090000848 - Air start steam engine: A method and system for an external combustion engine operable using at least two different fluids to provide pressure volume work to an engine. The engine is started by providing a compressed fluid at a sufficient pressure to move internal components of the engine that in turn rotate a shaft... Agent: Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP

20090000849 - Method and apparatus related to transportability of a vehicle: A vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle may include a plurality of attachment devices to couple the vehicle to a harness. The vehicle may include a moveable roll cage which is moveable from a raised position to a lowered position.... Agent: Baker & Daniels LLP

20090000850 - Hands-free powered mobility device: An electrically operable wheelchair having a seat, a base with a pair of motors respectively coupled with the main support wheels, a position detection assembly, and a controller coupled with the position detection assembly and the motors for controlling wheelchair operation in order to effect desired wheelchair movements. The hands-free... Agent: Smith Hopen, Pa

20090000851 - Drive train of a motor vehicle: A drive train of a motor vehicle, with a drive engine, a torque converter, an additional brake, a retarder, a manual actuator device for a power control element, a manually operated preselector element for an operating range of the torque converter, a manually operated preselector element for selecting braking resistance... Agent: Davis Bujold & Daniels, P.l.l.c.

20090000852 - Silent chain with asymmetric involute profile: A chain link for a silent-type endless chain comprising a plate member having opposing first and second surfaces defining two apertures therethrough and two toes joined at a root. Each toe has an asymmetrical profile defined by a first flank joined to a second flank at a crest wherein the... Agent: General Motors Corporation Legal Staff

20090000853 - Bush bearing and rack-and-pinion type steering apparatus for automobile using the same: A bush bearing 7 includes a synthetic resin-made bush 17 having a circumferential groove 16 on its outer peripheral surface 15; an endless annular elastic member 18 fitted in the circumferential groove 16 of the bush 17; and a positioning means 19 for determining the position of the bush 17... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20090000854 - Device for controlling the steering of a commercial vehicle, and vehicle comprising one such device: The invention relates to a device for controlling the steering of a commercial vehicle comprising: two front wheels (126, 127) that can be oriented according to a first turning angle by means of at least one first actuator (120); two rear wheels (136, 137) that can be oriented according to... Agent: Novak Druce And Quigg LLP (volvo)

20090000855 - Power steering device: Right-turn and left-turn aimed input shaft drive mechanisms are provided, each comprising a piston unit that slides in a bore formed in an output shaft and a contact surface that is formed on an input shaft. Under normal cruising of a vehicle, a comfortable steering feeling is given by a... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20090000856 - Process of endforming a tubular assembly: A method for endforming a tubular member for use assembly for a hydraulic system comprises (1) a connector member having an inner surface exhibiting a stepped configuration and a fixing member at the distal end thereof, and (2) an endform tubular member having an outer surface corresponding to the inner... Agent: Joseph V. Tassone, Esq. C/o: Dayco Products, LLC

20090000857 - Electric power steering control apparatus: An electric power steering control apparatus can reduce a steering vibration such as shimmy vibration generated due to the structure of a vehicle without adding new mechanism elements. The apparatus includes a torque sensor for detecting steering torque generated by a driver, a torque controller for calculating an assist torque... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20090000858 - Steering device with variable steering ratio mechanism: A first reduction ratio established between first internal teeth of an input gear and first external teeth of a first planetary gear of an annular planetary gear unit is set different from a second reduction ratio established between a second internal teeth of an output gear and second external teeth... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500