Did You Know...
...that it was melting ice cream that inspired the invention of the outboard motor? It was a lovely August day and Ole Evinrude was rowing his boat to his favorite island picnic spot. As he rowed, he watched his ice cream melt and wished he had a faster way to get to the island. At that moment the idea for the outboard motor was born!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7246675 | Adjustment of the speed of a motor vehicle with an automatic gearbox A method relieves the burden of a driver of a motor vehicle in which the drive train is provided with a gearbox which can be operated in an automatic mode and a manual mode. The method comprises the following automatic steps: a) detection whether the speed of the ve... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7234556 | One-touch cruise control system A vehicle cruise control system comprises a plurality of pre-set cruise control speed buttons and cruise control logic circuitry coupled to the pre-set cruise control speed buttons. Each one of the pre-set cruise control speed buttons corresponds to a respective pre... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7124010 | Driving assist system for vehicle A vehicle driving assist system comprises a condition recognition device that detects a vehicle condition and a traveling environment around a subject vehicle; a reactive force application device that applies a reactive force, in conformance to the vehicle condition... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7051827 | Cruise control safety disengagement system A cruise control swerve release system effective for automatically disengaging a cruise control system when a vehicle experiences a lateral acceleration indicative of a loss or impending loss of driver control. ... | 05/30/2006 |
| 6615127 | Method and device for adaptive control of separation distance and/or driving speed of a motor vehicle A method and device for adaptive control of separation distance and/or driving speed of a motor vehicle, at least in a first operational mode an engine of the motor vehicle and in a second operational mode a brake of the motor vehicle being able to be act... | 09/02/2003 |
| 6473681 | Method for reducing braking distance The invention concerns a process for shortening the braking distance of a vehicle equipped with a brake servo unit which during a standard braking action is only triggered by the brake pedal pressure caused by the driver and in case of a critical driving ... | 10/29/2002 |
| 6427110 | Apparatus for controlling a drive system for an industrial truck An apparatus for controlling a drive system for an industrial truck having an internal combustion engine and a hydrostatic transmission wherein the hydrostatic transmission has a pump the delivery volume of which is variable and at least one hydraulic eng... | 07/30/2002 |
| 6236929 | Auto-cruise controller An auto-cruise controller to control the throttle angle of an engine so that the actual vehicle speed is equal to the target vehicle speed. In the controller, the pressure control of a lock-up clutch of an automatic transmission is conducted based on an a... | 05/22/2001 |
| 6070682 | Automatic deceleration control system, vehicle-to-obstacle distance control system, and system program storage medium for vehicle Automatic acceleration/deceleration control for an automotive vehicle is provided which may be used in an automatic deceleration system and a vehicle-to-obstacle distance control system. The automatic acceleration/deceleration control determines a brake pressu... | 06/06/2000 |
| 5924508 | Process for carrying out an automatic braking operation A process carries out an automatic braking operation in which, when the return speed of the accelerator pedal exceeds a threshold value and a transfer of the driver's foot from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal is determined, an automatic braking o... | 07/20/1999 |
| 5230400 | Vehicle cruise control system A cruise control system for vehicles uses a video camera to follow a vehicle driving ahead at a constant distance and speed on a highway. The system detects the distance to a vehicle and a relative speed to set the upper and lower limitations for the dist... | 07/27/1993 |
| 5137338 | Combination vehicular braking and accessory control system An automotive vehicle having accessories as for example an anti-dive suspension and anti-dive suspension control, has an electrical circuit which is effective for applying control type signals to such accessories reflective of the rate of change in magnit... | 08/11/1992 |
| 5074371 | System and method for automatically controlling vehicle speed to desired cruise speed applicable to automatic transmission equipped vehicles A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle's speed to a desired cruise speed, for a vehicle in which a torque converter and an automatic transmission are mounted are disclosed in which, when the vehicle speed is controlled so as to conici... | 12/24/1991 |
| 5050698 | System and method for controlling vehicle speed to desired cruise speed for vehicles A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a set desired cruise speed are disclosed in which a cruise speed control operation of a control portion is carried out only when a power supply for the system is turned on and all of veh... | 09/24/1991 |
| 4928646 | Coupling apparatus for a speed governor A coupling apparatus for a speed regulator, or governor, of a typed used on motor vehicles for example, comprises a hollow connecting stud which is affixed to a governor positioning drive at a driven end telescoped to a hollow adjustment piece at a drivin... | 05/29/1990 |
| 4913006 | Automatic transmission control system for a vehicle having constant-speed cruising control system An automatic transmission control system for controlling an automatic transmision for use in a vehicle provided with a throttle control system which electrically controls a throttle valve to control the engine output according to the amount of depression ... | 04/03/1990 |
| 4913251 | Control device A control device for controlling the operation of a fuel control member 17 of a vehicle engine includes a piston 12 coupled to the control member and connected to the throttle pedal of the vehicle through a lost motion spring 20. The pressure in the chamb... | 04/03/1990 |
| 4907553 | Speed control cable attachment A cable attachment assembly for coupling and uncoupling a cable to a throttle control system partially encased within a housing. The housing includes an opening aligned with a cable drum and a protrusion adjacent the opening. A cable cover assembly includ... | 03/13/1990 |
| 4799418 | Vacuum actuator for vehicle speed control Disclosed is a pressure actuator such as a vacuum actuator comprising a valve unit including a plurality of solenoid valves and a diaphragm unit including a diaphragm defining a pressure chamber, air pressure within the pressure chamber being adjusted by ... | 01/24/1989 |
| 4798258 | Throttle control assembly for a vehicle speed control unit An ajustable throttle connector for a vehicle speed control unit is disclosed. The adjustable throttle connector includes a throttle connector arm which is pivotally connected in an adjustable manner to a housing for the vehicle speed control unit. The ad... | 01/17/1989 |
| 4796716 | Automatic speed control system for motorcycles An automatic speed control mechanism for a motorcycle that embodies a separately driven vacuum pump for controlling the throttle valve of the motorcycle independently of its induction system vacuum. In addition, an indicator system is provided that indica... | 01/10/1989 |
| 4712634 | Control system for a motor vehicle engine to prevent slipping of the vehicle drive wheels during acceleration A system for automatically overriding operator control of engine power delivered to the drive wheels of a motor vehicle when a wheel slip condition is detected during vehicle acceleration. A pneumatic actuator in the engine fuel control circuit is operate... | 12/15/1987 |
| 4660672 | Method and apparatus for automatic transmission cruise control In order to prevent hunting between a selected gear ratio (e.g. overdrive) and the next lower one, when a vehicle ascends a slope or incline under "cruise control" an automatic speed control device (ASCD) which controls the opening of the engine throttle ... | 04/28/1987 |
| 4658929 | Method and apparatus for automatic transmission cruise control In order to prevent hunting between a selected gear ratio (e.g. overdrive) and the next lower one when a vehicle ascends a slope or incline under "cruise control", the degree to which which the cruise control arrangement (viz., the automatic vehicle speed... | 04/21/1987 |
| 4645027 | Automatic speed control system for motorcycles An automatic speed control mechanism for a motorcycle that embodies a separately driven vacuum pump for controlling the throttle valve of the motorcycle independently of its induction system vacuum. In addition, an indicator system is provided that indica... | 02/24/1987 |
| 4637485 | Adjustable throttle connector for a vehicle speed control unit An adjustable throttle connector for a vehicle speed control unit is disclosed. The adjustable throttle connector includes a throttle connector arm which is pivotally connected in an adjustable manner to a housing for the vehicle speed control unit. The a... | 01/20/1987 |
| 4611561 | Automatic speed control system for motorcycles An automatic speed control mechanism for motorcycles or the like having a wire operating mechanism for positively connecting the accelerator grip to the throttle control of the engine. The automatic speed control includes a vacuum operated motor that is c... | 09/16/1986 |
| 4561517 | Cruise control modulator A modulated vehicle cruise control system includes a source of vacuum, a servo transducer or control unit connected to the source of vacuum, an engine throttle position servo connected to the servo, a speed sensor and a logic circuit or command module. A ... | 12/31/1985 |
| 4522280 | Automatic disengagement device for automotive cruise control system A device for automatically disengaging an automotive cruise control system whenever one or more failures or malfunctions occur in the vehicle brake system and also if such a malfunction should occur when the vehicle is in the "resume speed" mode of the cr... | 06/11/1985 |
| 4424876 | Pneumatic speed limiter for vehicles A speed limiting device for vehicles is described in which an actuator is responsive to a vehicle speed sensor to reduce air and fuel supplies to the vehicle engine when a predetermined vehicle speed is reached. The possibility of the vehicle driver overr... | 01/10/1984 |
| 4422518 | Vehicle speed control A pneumatically operated speed governor (26) moves an engine throttle member (10) for controlling the speed of a vehicle. The governor includes a pneumatically operated actuator having an output connected to the engine throttle member. A pivotally mounted... | 12/27/1983 |
| 4407385 | Cruise control modulator A modulated vehicle cruise control system includes a source of vacuum, a servo transducer or control unit connected to the source of vacuum, an engine throttle position servo connected to the servo, a speed sensor and a logic circuit or command module. A ... | 10/04/1983 |
| 4363373 | Vacuum control apparatus Vacuum control apparatus for a vehicle having a speed control unit including a first vacuum line from the engine of the vehicle to the control unit and a second vacuum line from the control unit to a throttle servo of the engine, the vacuum control appara... | 12/14/1982 |
| 4346775 | Vehicle speed control A pneumatically operated speed governor (26) for moving an engine throttle member (10) for controlling the speed of a vehicle includes a pneumatically operated actuator having an output connected to the engine throttle member. A pivotally mounted valve me... | 08/31/1982 |
| 4335799 | Speed governor with below dashboard servomotor A motor vehicle speed governor has features that make it advantageous for use with motor vehicles having flexible throttle cables. The speed governor has a vacuum responsive servo mounted in the passenger compartment for pulling on the rearward end of the... | 06/22/1982 |
| 4217969 | Position feedback valve assembly and servo motor incorporating same A vehicle road speed control system is provided with a position feedback valve sensing position of the system servomotor power wall to modify the vacuum signal acting on the servomotor. One embodiment uses such a valve to control atmospheric air bleed, an... | 08/19/1980 |
| 4174727 | Vacuum latching dump valve A vacuum and atmospheric air pressure actuated valve assembly which prevents re-energization of the servomotor of a vacuum actuated vehicle road speed control system after the brakes have been applied and the road speed control system de-energized. The de... | 11/20/1979 |
| 4142612 | Servo motor with differential pressure controlled and actuated release valve A vacuum operated road speed control system release valve with vacuum in the release chamber exerting a closing force on the valve. When the release circuit is opened to atmosphere by brake actuation, vacuum is lost in the release chamber and the valve is... | 03/06/1979 |
| 4100893 | Pressure-responsive transducer for regulating internal combustion engine Apparatus for regulating an internal combustion engine comprises a pressure-responsive transducer, preferably of the diaphragm type, adapted for connection with the intake duct of the engine to respond to air pressure therein, and mechanical output means ... | 07/18/1978 |
| 4098368 | Road speed control with redundant release A vehicle road speed control system having a redundant release valve assembly. A solenoid control actuated control valve energized by application of the vehicle brakes dumps the higher pressure side of the servomotor to the lower pressure side to balance ... | 07/04/1978 |
