Famous Patents
3M employee and church chorister Art Fry needed something to temporarily mark pages in his hymnal. He was in luck because his colleague, Spencer Silver, accidentally developed a glue that was too weak for other purposes. After initially discouraging consumer response, Post-it Notes became a hit in 1979.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7354325 | Outboard motor control system In an outboard motor control system, a position of a clutch (moved by an actuator) is memorized as a neutral position when a neutral switch produces an ON signal and the clutch position corresponding to a forward position where the clutch engages with a forward gear... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7249986 | Engine speed control system for outboard motor In an engine speed control system for an outboard motor, overrev prevention control is implemented which determines whether the engine overrevs by comparing the detected engine speed and a desired speed and responds to a determination that the engine overrevs (in wh... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7213674 | Transmission apparatus of all-terrain vehicle A transmission apparatus of an all-terrain vehicle includes: a non-stage transmission; a forward and backward movement switching device capable of switching to a forward movement position, a neutral position, or a backward movement position; and a shift operation de... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7165810 | Low cost lever acutator apparatus and method A simplified, low-cost actuator used in conjunction with a lumbar support device designed to significantly decrease manufacturing costs and assembly time. The present invention produces similar movement as the more expensive actuators but does so with a considerably... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7064525 | Method for improved battery state of charge A method for improving vehicle battery state-of-charge (SOC) for initial vehicle customer delivery is disclosed. The method is focused on vehicle assembly plant practices and ensuring that battery discharge is minimized or eliminated during the vehicle assembly proc... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7052341 | Method and apparatus for controlling a propulsive force of a marine vessel A propulsive force controlling apparatus controls a propulsion system attached to a hull of a marine vessel. The propulsion system includes a motor, a propulsive force generating member which receives a torque from the motor to generate a propulsive force, a clutch ... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7000874 | Lever drive for a vehicle seat adjuster In a lever drive (11) for a vehicle seat adjuster, in particular in a motor vehicle seat, having a drive lever (17) which can be manually moved, at least one driven lever (21) operatively connected to the adjuster, and at least one transmission ... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6981931 | Method and apparatus for providing momentary torque reversal for a transmission having an automated shift system An automated vehicle transmission having a wet clutch and an auxiliary motor that is operatively connected to the transmission to overcome residual torque forces in the wet clutch. Residual torque forces in the wet clutch may prevent disengagement of a gear train an... | 01/03/2006 |
| 6950736 | Shift control method and apparatus of an automatic transmission In the case of malfunctioning of an inhibitor switch of an automatic transmission, a current vehicle speed is compared with a maximum vehicle speed of a reverse speed when the current vehicle speed is other than 0. The transmission is then controlled to a target shi... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6827667 | Select-shock control system and method for automotive automatic transmission The method for decreasing gear select shock comprises determining whether a vehicle is stopped and if idle conditions exist based on vehicle operating parameters. It is then determined whether the vehicle has been stopped for longer than a predetermined period. If i... | 12/07/2004 |
| 6379282 | Vehicular transmission control system An electronic control unit ECU controls a shift thrust Ft applied to a variable width drive pulley through a control valve CV and makes the rotational speed Ne of the engine follow a target engine rotational speed Neo to vary the speed change ratio of a c... | 04/30/2002 |
| 6277050 | Engine speed control system for work vehicle There is provided an engine speed control system for a work vehicle which is designed to reduce engine noise and suppress fuel consumption during vehicle suspension, the control system being capable of reducing possible instantaneous impact load caused by... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6267706 | Engine stop control system for vehicle When the shift position is an N position or a P position during deceleration of a vehicle, or when a brake pedal is depressed even if the shift position is a D position or an R position, an engine E is stopped to prohibit an unnecessary idling operation b... | 07/31/2001 |
| 6190284 | Engine stop control system for vehicle When the shift position is an N position or a P position during deceleration of a vehicle, or when a brake pedal is depressed even if the shift position is a D position or an R position, an engine E is stopped to prohibit an unnecessary idling operation b... | 02/20/2001 |
| 6174264 | Marine propulsion control A control for a marine propulsion unit including a water propulsion device powered by an engine through a transmission. The transmission has forward, neutral and reverse positions. The engine has at least one combustion chamber, an air and fuel supply sys... | 01/16/2001 |
| 5669267 | Remote control apparatus and related method Disclosed is a remote-control apparatus having a base and a first slider supported with respect to the base. A first cable includes a first conduit and a first core coupled to the slider and movable in the first conduit. An output cable includes a clamped... | 09/23/1997 |
| 5410923 | Shift control system for a vehicle transmission having a backward/forward drive changeover device and a stepless change speed device A shift adjusting device includes a cam plate and an arm. The cam plate is pivotable and operatively connected to a change speed interlocking mechanism extending between a shift pedal and a belt type stepless change speed device. The arm is also pivotable... | 05/02/1995 |
| 5228548 | Single lever control for boats One-lever control with clutch and throttle function for marine power plants. The control lever (7) is solidly joined to a rotatable cam element (8) which actuates electrical switch (10, 11), which are connected to an electrical servo motor (S) to control ... | 07/20/1993 |
| 5056379 | Remote control of engine functions A device for the remote control of engine functions comprising two control units, each control unit having a system consisting of an output shaft coupled with a first control potentiometer, a swiveling gear wheel segment which is coupled with the output s... | 10/15/1991 |
| 4986776 | Marine shift speed equalizer A shift speed equalizer is provided in a marine transmission in a marine drive subject to a decrease in engine speed upon shifting from neutral to a forward or reverse gear due to a high propeller pitch or the like, such as in bass boat applications, and ... | 01/22/1991 |
| 4898045 | Control device for boat engine A control device for a boat engine, capable of controlling both clutch and throttle with a single lever. The control device has a supporting shaft installed within a housing. A clutch arm, an operating disk and a throttle arm are rotatably mounted on the ... | 02/06/1990 |
| 4817466 | Remote control system for marine engine A remote control system for a watercraft having a remotely positioned control device and a plurality of control device for operating the engine speed, transmission control and starter. The means for transmitting the signal from the control device to the c... | 04/04/1989 |
| 4632232 | Single lever remote control-throttle dwell and friction mechanism The single lever control for operating the clutch and throttle of a marine motor has a support on which a sleeve is mounted on a pivot. A rod is mounted in the sleeve for axial movement. The distal end of the rod is actuated to move the rod and the sleeve... | 12/30/1986 |
| 4550783 | Self-propelled aerating device A self-propelled aerator including a chassis having a handle, an aerator rotor, and an engine having an idle speed. A throttle operatively connected with the engine is movable between a normally idle position for operating the engine at the idle speed and... | 11/05/1985 |
| 4512451 | Single lever control assembly to permit disengagement between two functions A control lever assembly, particularly for controlling marine propulsion systems, having first and second signal outputs controllable simultaneously by a single lever. The lever is journalled for rotation about a lever axis relative to a body, and can be ... | 04/23/1985 |
| 4498359 | System for detecting ranges in an automatic transmission for vehicles A system for detecting the neutral range state of an automatic transmission for an engine powered vehicle having a select lever for changing ranges of the automatic transmission. The automatic transmission has a starting circuit comprising a battery, a st... | 02/12/1985 |
| 4466525 | Marine propulsion control system for low speed maneuvering A control system for a marine drive is shown which controls the inflation of ahead and astern clutches and an engine speed governor. Upon actuation of a throttle lever controlling a throttle valve, a selector valve is first actuated to operatively connect... | 08/21/1984 |
| 4466526 | Helicopter engine control with rotor speed decay anticipator The speed (54, 56) of the free turbine (40) of a helicopter engine (20) is compared (103) with the speed (105, 106) of the helicopter rotor (10) to indicate (101, 102) autorotation, and the deceleration (108) of the rotor above a threshold magnitude (110)... | 08/21/1984 |
| 4426973 | Method of and apparatus for controlling the ignition timing of an internal combustion engine The ignition timing of an internal combustion engine is set to a fixed value if a predetermined signal is applied to a predetermined input terminal for servicing the ignition timing. However, if the engine is not in the idling condition, the ignition timi... | 01/24/1984 |
| 4326612 | Control device for marine gearbox and engine A control function splitter for controlling a clutch and gearbox assembly and a throttle, particularly in marine applications. The splitter has main and override throttle shafts, and a clutch operating shaft connected to engine and assembly inputs. The sp... | 04/27/1982 |
| 4297909 | Transmission shift control linkage for controlling both speed and direction changes with one input motion A shift control linkage for a hydraulically controlled transmission includes a pivotally mounted input member coupled to a direction (forward, neutral and reverse) control valve spool and a speed (first, second, third, etc.) control valve spool by first a... | 11/03/1981 |
| 4245527 | Control pedal assembly A control pedal assembly (10) including first (16), second (18) and third (12) pedal portions, the first (16) and second (18) pedal portions each being pivotally movable relative to the third (12) pedal portion and extending in a common direction from an ... | 01/20/1981 |
| 4222474 | Single lever control with detent mechanism for holding lever vertically A single lever control for the throttle and clutch of a marine propulsion device including a housing pivotally supporting both a main control lever and an auxiliary warm-up lever, a throttle lever, and a gear shift lever. The throttle lever is alternately... | 09/16/1980 |
| 4205738 | Control mechanism for marine engine A single lever clutch and throttle control which in normal operation assures that the throttle is held out of operation until the clutch is completely engaged and further assures that the clutch is held in the engaged position during operation of the thro... | 06/03/1980 |
| 4194609 | Speed and clutch control for engines including shift interlock Disclosed herein is a control for the throttle valve and clutch of an engine, including a timer plate which is oscillated to concurrently adjust the spark and the setting of the throttle valve and a shift lever for shifting the engine clutch. The control ... | 03/25/1980 |
| 4160499 | Two-lever control unit In a two-lever control unit including a shaft mounted on the main body of the unit, a clutch operating plate and a throttle operating plate both rotatably supported by the shaft, a clutch lever for moving the clutch operating plate and a throttle lever fo... | 07/10/1979 |
| 4119185 | Marine propulsion control system with maneuvering brake There is disclosed an improved control system for air actuated ahead and astern clutches, an engine speed governor, and a propeller shaft brake of a marine propulsion system. The control is actuated by a throttle lever which is moved from a neutral positi... | 10/10/1978 |
| 4114745 | Marine propulsion control transfer system A plurality of single lever control stands are provided at remote locations for controlling a pneumatically operated marine propulsion system. Control of the propulsion system is transferred between the several control stands by connecting each stand to a... | 09/19/1978 |
| 4113077 | Marine propulsion control system with engine idle boost A control system for air actuated ahead and astern clutches and the engine speed governor of a marine propulsion system. Upon actuation of a throttle lever controlling a throttle valve, a selector valve is first actuated to operatively connect one or the ... | 09/12/1978 |
| 4078446 | Control mechanism A control mechanism for controlling the operation of both the clutch and throttle of an engine by a single main lever, which comprises a lever means, a clutch operating means having a clutch member and a sliding member; a throttle operating means having a... | 03/14/1978 |
