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Attorney: Smith; Michael D.


Number of patents: 370
Last date: February 03, 2009

1                    
NumberTitleIssue Date
D585906User interface for a computer display
02/03/2009
7455040Hydraulic circuit for switchable cam followers
An oil distribution system for an internal combustion engine comprising a longitudinal bore in the engine head or block connected to an engine oil pump. A longitudinal insert is disposed in the engine bore, the insert being formed and disposed to define segmented ga...
11/25/2008
7455321Collapsible steering column assembly
A collapsible steering column assembly preferably has a collapsible steering shaft that extends rotatably along a centerline and a collapsible column that houses and co-extends with the shaft. The column preferably has inner and outer jackets that retract axially to...
11/25/2008
7435181Tripot ball with two point contact
The universal joint includes an outer joint member having a rotational axis and three guide grooves extending parallel to its rotational axis. The three guide grooves are equally circumferentially spaced about the axis and each has opposed side portions. The univers...
10/14/2008
7434840Telltale indicator for adaptive energy absorbing system
A steering column assembly includes a steering column having a selectively collapsible structure that enables said column to collapse in the event of an impact force resulting from a vehicle crash. An adaptive energy absorbing device is associated with said column a...
10/14/2008
7434654Electric preload for variable effort steering system
A power steering system for a vehicle includes a hydraulic system for controlling resistance of a steering wheel. A valve of the hydraulic system is connected to a coil which varies positioning of the valve. A method for controlling the resistance of the steering wh...
10/14/2008
D576931Vehicle gear shifter
09/16/2008
7424334System, method, and article of manufacture for determining a process plan for forming features in a part
A system, method, and article of manufacture for determining a process plan for forming at least one feature in a part are provided. The method includes automatically identifying first and second features to be formed in the part by accessing first and second featur...
09/09/2008
7422238Rake design for steering column rake adjustment
The invention provides a steering column assembly having a steering column member for first pivotal movement about a first pivoting axis. The steering column assembly also includes a lever supported for second pivotal movement about a fulcrum. The lever includes a f...
09/09/2008
7421991Brake-actuated vane-type camshaft phaser
A vane-type camshaft phaser includes a vaned camshaft rotor disposed within a lobed stator, defining phase advance and retard chambers filled with oil. The height of the rotor is less than the height of the stator, providing space for a vaned brake rotor alongside t...
09/09/2008
7421994Hydraulic lash adjuster having a check valve cartridge sub-assembly
An improved hydraulic lash adjuster including a cup-shaped adjuster body, and a plunger assembly disposed within the adjuster body. The plunger assembly includes a stepped axial bore extending from a body inner end to a central oil passage opening onto a hemispheric...
09/09/2008
7421990Harmonic drive camshaft phaser
A camshaft phaser comprising first and second harmonic gear drive (HD) units disposed in back-to-back relationship. Each HD includes an elliptical wave generator (WG), a flexspline (FS) deformable by the WG, and a circular spline (CS) for engaging the FS. A dynamic ...
09/09/2008
7421989Vane-type cam phaser having increased rotational authority, intermediate position locking, and dedicated oil supply
A vane-type camshaft phaser having a rotational authority between 40 crank degrees before TDC and 30 crank degrees after TDC. The phaser includes a stator seat formed at a rotation position intermediate between full advance and full retard. A locking pin in a vane o...
09/09/2008
7424641Control system and method for validating operation of the control system
A control system and a method for validating operation of the control system are provided. The control system has a first controller operably communicating with a second controller. The first and second controllers have first and second read-only memories, respectiv...
09/09/2008
7421363Method for virtual inspection of virtually machined parts
A method for implementing a virtual inspection of a virtually machined workpiece is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes defining a set of master reference planes, defining a set of positioning planes with respect to the set of master reference...
09/02/2008
7409935Method and apparatus for setting bias spring load during assembly of a camshaft phaser
A camshaft phaser includes a rotor, a stator, a torsional rotor bias spring, and a spring retainer wherein the spring retainer is fixed to either the rotor or stator when the nominal spring preload is reached to retain the nominal spring preload in said phaser. In o...
08/12/2008
7409934System for variable valvetrain actuation
An electromechanical VVA system for controlling the poppet valves in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine. The system varies valve lift, duration, and phasing in a dependent manner for one or more banks of engine valves. A rocker subassembly for each v...
08/12/2008
7412446Method, system and storage medium for providing supplier branding services over a communications network
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system and storage medium for providing supplier branding services over a communications network. The system comprises an information exchange system including a server in communication with a data storag...
08/12/2008
7409941Valve-deactivating hydraulic lifter having a vented internal lost motion spring
A deactivating hydraulic valve mechanism includes a hydraulic element assembly disposed within cup within a pin housing slidably disposed within a bore in a body. A transverse bore in the pin housing contains selectively-retractable locking pins that engage a lockin...
08/12/2008
7407190Steering column assembly
A steering column assembly for operating a vehicle packages mechanical components and electrical devices normally found in or around the steering column of the vehicle into a single unit. An on-board processor accepts signals from the electrical devices, which may i...
08/05/2008
7404369Watercraft steer-by-wireless system
A watercraft steer-by-wireless control system including: a directional control system responsive to a directional command signal for steering a watercraft, the directional control system including a rudder position sensor to measure and transmit a rudder position si...
07/29/2008
7401582Camshaft phaser having designated contact vane
In a vane-type camshaft phaser, one vane extends over a much larger internal angle than the other two vanes. Because of its size and strength, the large vane is the vane designated for contact with the stator. The other vanes and lobes have extra clearance to preven...
07/22/2008
7396283Needle roller retainer for tripot joint
A ball assembly (118) for a tripot-style joint includes an annular outer ball (124) having a central axis (L) extending therethrough and a depression (182) formed therein. A plurality of needle rollers (122) is positioned along an interio...
07/08/2008
7395792Deactivation roller hydraulic valve lifter
A deactivation valve lifter includes a lifter body. The lifter body has a first end configured for engaging a cam of an engine and at least one annular pin chamber. A pin housing includes a pin housing bottom. The pin housing bottom defines at least one pin stop ape...
07/08/2008
7384068Snap in tilt bumper
A first steering column member and a second steering column member are engaged for pivoting movement, and include confronting surfaces that limit the relative movement of the members. A bumper is disposed between the confronting surfaces to absorb impact during the ...
06/10/2008
7383750Double flank delash gear mechanism
A gear arrangement includes a first section having a first plurality of teeth and at least a portion of the first section is made of a compliant material. There is also a second section having a second plurality of teeth. The second section is made of a stiff materi...
06/10/2008
7380828Stationary wheel hub
The invention provides a steering column assembly for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing the steering column assembly. The steering column assembly includes a steering column member having an aperture extending along an axis. The steering column assembly also ...
06/03/2008
7371181Sealing system for constant velocity joint
An apparatus and method that can be applied, for example, to seal a constant velocity joint. In a first aspect, a primary boot having a body defining a substantially smooth interior surface and a secondary boot associated with the primary boot and spaced from the in...
05/13/2008
7371180Double pivoting tilt joint
The invention provides a double pivot tilt joint for connecting two shafts for synchronous rotation and for tilting movement relative to one another. The double pivot tilt joint includes a first shaft member and a first pivot pin extending at least partially through...
05/13/2008
7363893System for variable valvetrain actuation
An electromechanical VVA system for controlling the poppet valves in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine. The system varies valve lift, duration, and phasing in a dependent manner for one or more banks of engine valves. A rocker subassembly for each v...
04/29/2008
7364006Steering system with leads and pulls compensation
A power assist steering system including a valve housing and a proportional control valve supported within the valve housing, further includes a pressure transducer arranged with respect to the proportional control valve for determining an amount of actuation of the...
04/29/2008
7363825Non-contact position sensor housing using existing torque sensor probe
A sensors casing supports torque sensors and the position sensors and segment magneto-sensitive elements to detect the relative rotation between an input shaft and an output shaft and the angular position of the shaftsin a steering column housing. The sensor casing ...
04/29/2008
7363897Vane-type cam phaser having bias spring system to assist intermediate position pin locking
A vane-type camshaft phaser for varying the timing of combustion valves in an internal combustion engine. The phaser includes a seat formed in the sprocket at the appropriate position of intermediate rotor rotation and a locking pin slidably disposed in a vane of th...
04/29/2008
D564974Switch design
03/25/2008
7347451Pre-crash column release
A steering column assembly (10) for a vehicle includes first and second members (12, 14) engaged for movement relative to one another along one of a tilting path (16) and a telescoping path. The steering column assembly (10) also includes...
03/25/2008
7347709Connector assembly having a securing member
A connector assembly for connecting an electrical terminal to a terminal receiver includes a body portion having a first surface including a biasable lock member extending therefrom and a second surface defining a plurality of recesses. The connector assembly also i...
03/25/2008
7347786Cross-straight groove joint
The present invention provides a stroking ball-type constant velocity joint including a plurality of straight grooves and a plurality of cross grooves. The straight and cross grooves can be disposed along the interior of the joint in alternating fashion. For example...
03/25/2008
7347433Wheel and steering sensor system
A steerable element angular sensor system may include a sensor having a sensing axis positioned along an axis of rotation of a knuckle, a connector connecting a yoke and a knuckle of a steering system. The sensor may detect rotation of at least one of the knuckle an...
03/25/2008
7334817Active energy absorption method using tilt and telescope positions
The invention provides a method and apparatus that improves the adjustment of energy absorbing properties of the steering column of a vehicle. The method includes the step of disposing a first steering column member for axial movement along an extension path between...
02/26/2008
7331606Knee bolster
The invention provides an apparatus and method for absorbing energy in response to a vehicle crash. The apparatus includes a knee bolster disposable in a vehicle for absorbing an impact from at least one knee of a driver. The apparatus also includes a connecting dev...
02/19/2008
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