Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080255479 | THERAPY APPARATUS - A machine has a platform for a standing patient to perform foot exercises specified by a set of selectors on the machine and pre-selected according to a therapy program. Different types of monitor devices viewable by the patient and an attendant, direct the patient to proceed with selected exercises. Light sources associated with the platform to illuminate portions of it, and other slight sources directed to sensors above the platform, are activated in concert, according to the directions addressed to the patient. | 10-16-2008 |
20090100617 | FLUID-POWERED CLEANING DEVICE - An apparatus for cleaning (e.g., scrubbing, washing, treating, waxing, etc.) a surface, such as a recessed crevice or area, includes a fluid-powered scrubber head and a removable brush extending from the scrubber head. The scrubber head includes a housing, an inlet at one end of the housing for receiving a flow of fluid from a fluid supply and a deflecting surface for directing the flow of fluid once received through the inlet. The deflecting surface may be a movable deflecting panel that is selectively moved relative to the housing to cover an opening in the housing. The deflecting surface may also include a partial conical surface that concentrates the flow of fluid deflected out of the housing and onto the brush outside the housing as the brush rotates in response to the fluid flow. | 04-23-2009 |
20100012095 | INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH IMPROVED FUEL EFFICIENCY AND/OR POWER OUTPUT - An internal combustion engine may include a bushing defining an external circumferential diameter and an aperture defining an internal circumferential diameter. A center defined by the external circumferential diameter and a center defined by the internal circumferential diameter are offset with respect to one another. The internal circumferential diameter is operably coupled to a crankpin, and the external circumferential diameter is operably coupled to a connecting rod, thereby operably coupling the connecting rod to the crankpin. The engine may further include a bushing control assembly, wherein the bushing control assembly is configured to delay initiation of a power stroke of the engine until a crankshaft of the engine has rotated at least about 15 degrees beyond a first stroke termination angle of a compression stroke of the engine. | 01-21-2010 |
20100197469 | EXERCISE DEVICE WITH FEATURES FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING OUT THE UPPER AND LOWER BODY - An exercise device, comprising an upper body unit including at least one load member having at least one elastic/resilient element and a pair of gripping portions for manual grasping by the user, wherein an applied force exerted onto the gripping portions transitions the element from an initial state to an elastically deformed state, and wherein a reduction in the applied force resiliently reforms the element back toward the initial state. In one embodiment, a lower body unit is also provided including a support base defining a support surface, a plurality of light sources configured to generate discrete lighted regions on the support surface, and a controller configured to activate and deactivate the discrete lighted regions. In another embodiment, the lower body unit includes at least two position sensors having sensing paths arranged along a sensing plane to detect a presence of a user, and a controller in communication with the position sensors to determine a position of the user relative to the sensing plane. | 08-05-2010 |
20100310328 | Machines For Boring Axially-Aligned Surfaces and Related Methods - A machine for boring spaced, axially-aligned surfaces of a part includes a frame and a boring apparatus associated with the frame. The boring apparatus is configured to bore at least one surface of the part and includes a boring bar associated with a cutting tool configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the boring bar. The machine further includes a mounting fixture associated with the frame configured to mount the part in a fixed relationship with respect to the frame. The machine also includes an alignment assembly including at least one pair of plates. At least one of the plates of the pair of plates is configured to pivot such that the longitudinal axis of the boring bar is aligned with an axis defined by the axially-aligned surfaces of the part. | 12-09-2010 |
20110030650 | INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH VARIABLE EFFECTIVE LENGTH CONNECTING ROD - An internal combustion engine may include a cylinder block defining a cylinder, and a crankshaft defining a crankpin, wherein the crankshaft is rotatably received by the cylinder block and rotates about a longitudinal axis. The internal combustion engine may further include a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder, and a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston and the crankpin. The connecting rod may include a first rod element having a first distal end and a first proximate end, wherein the first distal end is operably coupled to the piston. The connecting rod may further include a second rod element having a second distal end operably coupled to the first proximate end of the first rod element, and a second proximate end operably coupled to the crankpin, wherein the first rod element and the second rod element are pivotally coupled to one another. | 02-10-2011 |
20110226220 | INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH HYDRAULICALLY-AFFECTED STROKE - An internal combustion engine may include a cylinder block defining a cylinder and a crankshaft having a crankpin. The crankshaft is rotatably received by the cylinder block and rotates along a longitudinal axis, and the crankpin defines a longitudinal axis parallel to and offset by a distance with respect to the longitudinal axis along which the crankshaft rotates. The engine may further include a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder and a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston and the crankpin. At least one of the piston and the connecting rod is configured such that a distance between a cross-sectional center of the crankpin and an upper surface of the piston is variable via hydraulic operation. | 09-22-2011 |
20110239384 | FLUID-POWERED LIQUID-DISPENSER APPARATUS - A tool powered by pressurized liquid, typically water, for treatment of a variety of surfaces ranging from natural to manufactured, has a scrubber wheel powered by the pressurized liquid. A treatment liquid is contained in a single-use, throw-away cartridge mounted in the tool. The cartridge is mounted in the tool for rotation therein when desired. A nozzle in the tool for discharging the pressurized liquid onto the scrubber wheel to rotate the scrubber wheel, is movable by the tool operator during a treatment operation to change the direction of discharge to the extent desired to drive the scrubber forward or backward and to rotate the cartridge to dispense the treatment liquid if, and when, dispensing of the treatment liquid is desired. | 10-06-2011 |
20120019005 | INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH ROCKER MEMBER-AFFECTED STROKE - An internal combustion engine may include a cylinder block defining a cylinder and a crankshaft including a crankpin. The crankshaft is rotatably received by the cylinder block and rotates along a longitudinal axis, and the crankpin defines a longitudinal axis parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis along which the crankshaft rotates. The engine may further include a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder and a connecting rod including a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the distal end is operably coupled to the piston. The engine may also include a rocker member including a pivot portion, a coupling portion, and a slot, wherein the pivot portion is operably coupled to the cylinder block, the coupling portion is operably coupled to the proximal end of the connecting rod, and the slot is operably coupled to the crankpin. The slot may be configured to vary a distance between the crankpin and the distal end of the connecting rod. | 01-26-2012 |
20120035498 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING EYE-HAND COORDINATION - An apparatus for measuring and quantifying eye-hand coordination of a subject user. The apparatus includes a processor, a tablet interfaced with the processor and that is configured to accept the progressive input of the subject user, and a memory interfaced to the processor that maintains one or more records associated with eye-hand coordination testing of the subject user. The apparatus is configured to progressively display a visual symbol on the tablet and detect a progressive tracing of the displayed visual symbol based upon the input from the subject user. The apparatus is further configured to determine a score based upon at least one characteristic of the progressive tracing, such as how quickly the tracing follows the progressive display or how far the tracing deviates from the path of the progressive display, and then stores the determined score within a record in memory. | 02-09-2012 |
20120065018 | GEAR REDUCTION ASSEMBLY AND WINCH INCLUDING GEAR REDUCTION ASSEMBLY - A gear reduction assembly may include an input shaft, a first spur gear, and a second spur gear. The first and second spur gears may be coupled to one another. At least one of the first spur gear and the second spur gear may be associated with the input shaft such that the input shaft drives at least one of the first and second spur gears. The gear reduction assembly may further include a first internal gear engaged with the first spur gear, a second internal gear engaged with the second spur gear, and a hub associated with the first internal gear The first and second internal gears have a first number of teeth and a second number of teeth, respectively, and the first number of teeth differs from the second number of teeth by from one to five teeth. The gear reduction assembly may be included in a winch. | 03-15-2012 |
20120145117 | INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH MECHANICALLY-AFFECTED STROKE - A connecting rod for an engine may include a sleeve portion having a distal end including a distal aperture configured to be coupled to a piston, and a rod portion having a proximal end including a proximal aperture configured to be coupled to a crankshaft. The rod portion may be configured to reciprocate in the sleeve portion, such that a distance between a center of the proximal aperture and a center of the distal aperture is variable. An engine may include the connecting rod, a power train may include the engine, and a vehicle may include the power train. | 06-14-2012 |
20120292906 | CRANKPIN INCLUDING CAMS, CONNECTING ROD INCLUDING FOLLOWERS, AND INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INCLUDING CRANKPIN AND CONNECTING ROD - A crankshaft may include first and second journals having circular cross-sections, and a crankpin, the crankpin extending between first and second crankpin journals. The crankpin may include first, second, and third cams including respective first, second, and third cam profiles, wherein the first, second, and third cam profiles differ from one another. At least one of the first, second, and third cam profiles may be configured to affect the stroke of a connecting rod coupled to the crankpin. A connecting rod may include first, second, and third followers including respective first, second, and third follower surfaces, wherein the first and second follower surfaces differ from one another. An internal combustion engine may include a crankshaft and a connecting rod configured to provide relative linear movement between a crankpin axis and a proximal end of the connecting rod. | 11-22-2012 |
20130019836 | INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH GEAR-DRIVEN CRANKSHAFT - An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder block defining a cylinder and a crankshaft rotatably received by the cylinder block. The crankshaft includes a crankshaft gear and is configured to rotate along a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft. The engine further includes a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder between spaced stroke termination points defining a stroke of the piston. The engine also includes a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston. The connecting rod includes a gear configured to engage the crankshaft gear, wherein the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod are configured to engage one another, such that as the piston travels within the cylinder, the connecting rod rotates the crankshaft via engagement between the crankshaft gear and the gear of the connecting rod. | 01-24-2013 |
20130056694 | GEAR REDUCTION ASSEMBLY AND WINCH INCLUDING GEAR REDUCTION ASSEMBLY - A gear reduction assembly may include a main input shaft, a carrier coupled to the main input shaft, and at least one carrier shaft coupled to the carrier and spaced from the main input shaft. The gear reduction assembly may also include at least one spur gear pair including a first spur gear coupled to the carrier shaft, and a second spur gear, wherein the first and second spur gears are coupled to one another such that they rotate together. The gear reduction assembly also includes a first internal gear engaged with the first spur gear, a second internal gear engaged with the second spur gear, and a hub associated with the first internal gear. The first internal gear has a first number of teeth, the second internal gear has a second number of teeth, and the first and second numbers of teeth differ by from one to five teeth. | 03-07-2013 |
20130158739 | DATA COLLECTION AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR WATERBORNE VEHICLE - A system for collecting and communicating data associated with a waterborne vehicle, includes at least one sensor configured to provide signals indicative of data associated with a parameter related to a waterborne vehicle. The system further includes a communication module configured to receive the signals and communicate with a user interface located remote from the vehicle. A method for loading material onto a waterborne vehicle, includes conveying material onto the waterborne vehicle. The method further includes monitoring the draft of the waterborne vehicle using at least one sensor, and discontinuing conveying the material onto the waterborne vehicle when the draft of the waterborne vehicle reaches a predetermined draft as indicated by the at least ore sensor. | 06-20-2013 |
20130269650 | INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH VARIABLE EFFECTIVE LENGTH CONNECTING ROD - An internal combustion engine may include a cylinder block defining a cylinder, and a crankshaft defining a crankpin, wherein the crankshaft is rotatably received by the cylinder block and rotates about a longitudinal axis. The internal combustion engine may further include a piston configured to reciprocate within the cylinder, and a connecting rod operably coupled to the piston and the crankpin. The connecting rod may include a first rod element having a first distal end and a first proximate end, wherein the first distal end is operably coupled to the piston. The connecting rod may further include a second rod element having a second distal end operably coupled to the first proximate end of the first rod element, and a second proximate end operably coupled to the crankpin, wherein the first rod element and the second rod element are pivotally coupled to one another. | 10-17-2013 |
20140158082 | Crankpin including Cam, Connecting Rod including Follower, and Internal Combustion Engine including Crankpin and Connecting Rod - A crankshaft for an internal combustion engine may include first and second journals having circular cross-sections, wherein the first and second journals define a longitudinal crankshaft axis. The crankshaft may further include a crankpin defining a longitudinal crankpin axis and being configured to be coupled to a connecting rod, the crankpin extending between the first and second journals, such that the longitudinal crankpin axis is parallel to the longitudinal crankshaft axis. The crankpin may include at least one crankpin journal and at least one cam including a cam profile, wherein the cam profile is configured to affect the stroke of a connecting rod coupled to the crankpin. A connecting rod may include a follower configured to follow a cam. An internal combustion engine may include a crankshaft and a connecting rod configured to provide relative linear movement between a crankpin axis and a proximal end of the connecting rod. | 06-12-2014 |
20140179492 | ADJUSTABLE REBOUND DEVICE AND EXERCISE MACHINE INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE REBOUND DEVICE - An adjustable rebound device may include a support platform and a warping assembly to adjust a rebound resistance of the support platform. The warping assembly may include a plurality of mounting assemblies coupled to the support platform and a rebound adjustment assembly coupled to at least one of the mounting assemblies. The rebound adjustment assembly may be configured to actuate a mounting assembly such that the support platform is warped and a rebound resistance is adjusted. A method for adjusting a rebound resistance of a platform assembly is also described. An exercise machine may include a machine base assembly, a support platform, and a warping assembly. The warping assembly may include a plurality of mounting assemblies and a rebound adjustment assembly, such that the rebound adjustment assembly is configured to actuate a mounting assembly such that the support platform is warped and a rebound resistance is adjusted. | 06-26-2014 |