Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7464799 | Hydraulic equipment with built-in free piston A gas chamber (G) and a liquid chamber (R) are separated by a free piston (2) in a cylinder (1) of a hydraulic damper. The free piston (2) comprises a hollow main body (3), a metal bellows (4) which elongates and contracts accordin... | 12/16/2008 |
| 7264096 | Rotary damper A rotary damper includes a driven rotary member having a driven rotary part for engaging a driving member, and a stationary support member for rotatably supporting the driven rotary member. A housing is disposed between the stationary support member and the driven r... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7252291 | Mechanical seal having a single-piece, perforated mating ring A mechanical seal (e.g., single mechanical seals, double mechanical seals, tandem mechanical seals, bellows, pusher mechanical seals, and all types of rotating and reciprocating machines) with reduced contact surface temperature, reduced contact surface wear, or inc... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7234575 | Magnetorheological damper system A magnetorheological damper system comprising a reservoir in communication with a damper. The damper comprises a damper cylinder defining a damper chamber, wherein the damper chamber contains a magnetorheological fluid and a movable damper piston. The damper piston ... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7232016 | Fluid damper having continuously variable damping response An improved damping apparatus that utilizes a fluid having a viscosity that may be varied by the application of an electromagnetic field, such as a magnetorheological fluid or an electrorheological fluid, to provide the damping response. The damping apparatus includ... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7213689 | Shock absorber for a remote-controlled model car A shock absorber for a remote-controlled model car includes a sealing member fixed on the topside of a piston. The sealing member has two opposite flexible portions respectively matching with the flow-guiding holes of the piston, with flow gaps formed between the fl... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7182190 | Vibration damper with fire safety device A piston rod and a piston are installed with freedom of axial movement in a cylinder filled with a working medium, the piston dividing the working space into a space on the piston-rod side of the piston and a space on the side of the piston facing away from the pist... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7036250 | Latchless controller tower A controller tower positioning system for a work vehicle for securing the controller tower to one of at least two positions. The system employs a mounting bracket fixed to the floor or a frame member of the work vehicle, a movable controller tower rotatably mounted ... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7004292 | Adjusting element having a cylinder with pressure relief A cylinder has an interior space which contains a medium under pressure. A piston is displaceably arranged in the cylinder and has a piston rod which projects from the cylinder at one end of the cylinder. The piston rod is enclosed by an annular seal having an inner... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6968929 | Damper A gear damper has a fixed first part and a second part rotatable relative thereto, with a gear formed on the second part. A continuous annular seal is provided between the first and second parts, and a substantially continuous layer of damping fluid is provided betw... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6953108 | Magnetorheological damper system A magnetorheological damper system comprising a reservoir in communication with a damper. The damper comprises a damper cylinder defining a damper chamber, wherein the damper chamber contains a magnetorheological fluid and a movable damper piston. The damper piston ... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6892864 | Temperature compensation for magnetorheological fluid dampers A temperature compensation method for controlling a damping force of a magnetorheological (MR) damper is disclosed. First, a base operating current as a function of a desired force level of a damping force of the MR damper is determined, and a temperature compensati... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6695103 | Spring barrel module The invention concerns a spring barrel module having two chambers. A spring is located in the first chamber and a damper in the second chamber. The unidirectional damper is implemented by a clutch means that connects the damper plate to the spring shaft w... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6691841 | Shock absorber with leveling function Heat of an electrothermal part of a heater can be transmitted indirectly and efficiently to a pressure medium. A tubular case 6 having one end portion connected to a piston rod 2 airtightly and the other end portion slidably placed in contact with the out... | 02/17/2004 |
| 6609597 | Dampening apparatus A dampening apparatus for dampening an actuating member over a wide array of temperatures. The present invention provides a fluid filled housing having a first chamber, a second chamber, and a passageway therebetween. A first piston is slidably received w... | 08/26/2003 |
| 6491291 | Suspension characteristic control using shape memory alloy materials A suspension system includes a SMA suspension component, an actuator and a controller. Altering the mechanical characteristic of the SMA suspension component alters the kinematic properties of the vehicle wheel relative to the vehicle body and the suspens... | 12/10/2002 |
| 6386345 | Controlling movement of a seat in a vehicle A control assembly for use in regulating movement of a vehicle seat back is provided. The control assembly uses damping fluid to regulate the degree of damping applied to the seat back. The control assembly includes one or more initiator assemblies. A sel... | 05/14/2002 |
| 6328144 | Inverted type of vehicular damper with vehicle height adjusting function On an outside of a damper main body of an inverted type of vehicular damper, a pressure casing of a cylindrical shape which is connected to a damper rod is provided in a manner movable up and down. A pressure chamber for containing therein a pressure medi... | 12/11/2001 |
| 6318522 | Rotary damper with magnetic seals A damper for damping movement of a shaft, the damper including a housing having an inner surface defining a chamber and a rotor rotatably mounted in the chamber. The chamber is filled with magnetorheological fluid such that when the rotor is moved in the ... | 11/20/2001 |
| 6260677 | Damper with vehicle height adjusting function On an outside of a damper main body (1) of an inverted type of damper, a cylindrical case (12) which is coupled to a damper rod (2) is provided so as to be movable up and down. Between the damper main body (1) and the case (12), there is formed a pressure... | 07/17/2001 |
| 6179099 | Gas spring having an intermediate stop function and temperature compensation A gas spring includes a cylinder containing a fluid at least part of which is a compressed gas. The cylinder receives a piston that is affixed to a piston rod and divides the cylinder into two working chambers. The piston has a one-way valve that is cycle... | 01/30/2001 |
| 6152432 | Fluid pressure springs A fluid pressure spring (8), such as for opening the hatchback door of a vehicle, comprises a hollow cylinder (10) having a fixture (24) for pivotal connection to the hatchback door. A piston (30) is connected to a hollow piston rod (114) which carries a ... | 11/28/2000 |
| 6019356 | Impact absorber An impact absorber for decelerating a vehicle impacting on an obstacle, which impact absorber includes two tubes which can be displaced one inside the other in the manner of a telescope. The inner tube is closed off from the outside by a base and has a hi... | 02/01/2000 |
| 6007130 | Vehicle having strut assemblies and collapsible support members A strut assembly for retaining a section of a vehicle in open position, and may be of an insulated type, heated type, or insulated and heated type, for use in a variety of varying temperature applications. The strut assembly may be connected to a power so... | 12/28/1999 |
| 5979882 | Direct fluid shear damper Disclosed is a vibration damping and isolation apparatus having a passive damping mechanism. The passive damping mechanism includes an outer tubular member and an inner member. The inner and outer members are linearly movable relative to one another upon ... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5918949 | Brake system A brake system including a master cylinder connected to wheel brakes is supplemented by a fluid return system made up of return pumps so that the braking pressure can be adjusted in the wheel brakes. In order to extend this system to a brake system which ... | 07/06/1999 |
| 5907880 | Method for providing active damping of the vibrations generated by the washing assembly of washing machines and washing machine implementing said method A shock absorber damps the vibrations that are generated in a washing assembly of a horizontal axis washer. The shock absorber is of the type containing a magnetorheological fluid. A method carried out in a real-time mode throughout the duration of the op... | 06/01/1999 |
| 5884733 | Temperature compensating system for fluid-damped suspension systems A temperature compensating system for a closed system, such as a damping system, in which fluid is subject to temperature increases and accompanying volume increases. The temperature compensating system provides a compressible member within a temperature ... | 03/23/1999 |
| 5884959 | Impact-absorbing damping device Impact-absorbing damping device which has at least two telescoping tubes, in particular for motor vehicles, to decelerate a vehicle when it collides with an obstacle by damping and/or spring forces, whereby the cavity of at least one tube is provided with... | 03/23/1999 |
| 5862893 | Fluid strut for a motor vehicle Fluid strut which consists of a cylinder, the interior of which contains a charge under pressure, and a piston rod connected to a piston located in this interior. On the end of the cylinder where the piston rod exits, there are a gasket and a guide for th... | 01/26/1999 |
| 5788028 | Method for compensating a control signal for a shock absorber of a motor vehicle A method is shown for determining an operating temperature of a continuously variable hydraulic shock absorber and compensating a control signal therefore. A solenoid 62 provides continuous variability in the damping level a shock absorber produces. The s... | 08/04/1998 |
| 5743362 | Temperature compensated viscous damper A damper is provided which includes a first cylinder containing a viscous fluid. The first cylinder is sealed at both ends by end plates. The first cylinder is adapted for connection to a structure such as a building or a bridge. A piston head within the ... | 04/28/1998 |
| 5735371 | Cylinder piston device According to an illustrative example of the invention, a gas spring is provided with an emergency exit permitting escape of pressurized gas in the event the gas pressure exceeds a predetermined level or in the event of a dangerously high temperature. The ... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5727662 | Thermal expansion compensation device for shock absorbers A shock absorber has a biasing member located between the base cup of a reserve tube and a cylinder end at the bottom of a pressure tube. The biasing member urges the pressure tube away from the base cup of the reserve tube and provides for movement betwe... | 03/17/1998 |
| 5606503 | Suspension system control responsive to ambient temperature A suspension system control according to the steps of: determining an actuator demand force command; determining, responsive to vehicle speed, a first signal indicative of a first maximum demand force; determining, responsive to ambient temperature, a sec... | 02/25/1997 |
| 5601164 | Device using electrorheological fluid A device using an electrorheological fluid filled in a fluid enclosing space comprises passages or fins for cooling the electrorheological fluid disposed around the fluid enclosing space and is useful for a vibration damper, a clutch, an engine mount, a s... | 02/11/1997 |
| 5573088 | Controllable resistance device and force dampener, and vehicle utilizing the same A variable resistance device capable of utilizing a variable viscosity material, such as an electro-rheological fluid or a magneto-rheological fluid. In one embodiment, a moving member is provided having at least one projecting member for defining a flow ... | 11/12/1996 |
| 5542507 | Position dependent variable output torque viscous damper A rotary viscous damper having a disc surrounded by a housing and cover, the disc rotatable with a shaft which penetrates the housing, a gap provided between opposite sides of the disc and the inside surfaces of the housing and cover for receiving viscous... | 08/06/1996 |
| 5441132 | Double tube vibration damper unit A double tube vibration damper comprises a pressure tube and a container tube. Two working chambers are defined by the piston within the pressure tube. A compensation space is provided between the pressure tube and the container tube. The pressure tube ex... | 08/15/1995 |
| 5390770 | Rotation deceleration device A rotation deceleration device used for a sanitary cleaning device which includes a toilet seat and a toilet cover and is attached to a toilet bowl, thereby injecting warm water in the toilet bowl. The rotation deceleration device includes a cylinder havi... | 02/21/1995 |
