Fleet Engineers, Inc.

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Pipp Mobile Storage Systems, Inc.

Herman Miller, Inc.

American Seating Company

Andrew B Hartmann

Timothy P Coffield

Wesley K Eklund

John Fredric Aldrich

Christopher C Hill

James Slagh

Daniel Scott Sommerfeld

Gary Roberts

Ryan S Brill

Kelly E Washburn

Tom Gerst

Delos A Rockwell

Thomas A French

Michael D Stanton, Sr

Guido Redaelli

Keith A McDowell

David E Kowalski

Dean A Zimmerman

Robert K Strating

James D Slagh

Michael D Stanton

Keith Mcdowell

Daniel S Sommerfeld

A mobile carriage system includes a frame supported by a surface, a drive shaft that extends along the frame and drives a drive wheel to move the frame along the surface, and a guide track that extends along the surface and has an elevated track portion. The drive wheel supports the frame and rolls along the surface, and a guide wheel rides along the elevated track portion. The drive wheel is fixedly secured onto the drive shaft and is rotatable by the drive shaft. The guide wheel is also mounted onto the drive shaft but is freely rotatable on the drive shaft, with the drive wheel having a smaller diameter than the drive wheel.

Single track mobile carriage system

A movable storage assembly includes a pair of upright frame pieces joined together by a lateral rail. The rail's opposite ends each include a T-shaped upper tab having upward and downward extending portions, and a lower tab with downwardly extending portion. The upper and lower tabs are simultaneously insertable into upper and lower openings along the uprights, and then lowerable so that the downward portions of the upper and lower tabs secure the rail to the uprights. Upward movement of the rail causes the upward portions of the upper tabs of engage the uprights above the upper openings, preventing removal of the upper tabs from the uprights. Optionally, part of a platform is supportable at the rail and cooperates with the upper tabs to prevent removal of the lateral rail from the uprights, even if the downwardly extending portions of the tabs are disengaged from the uprights.

Mobile storage system with elevated platform

A movable storage assembly has first and second mobile storage units that are selectively movable towards and away from one another and are equipped with a deployable and retractable (or installable and removable) platform to facilitate access to upper regions of the storage units. The platform is movably coupled to one of the mobile storage units and can be repositioned between a deployed or installed position in which the platform interlocks the first storage unit to the second storage forming an elevated walking or standing surface therebetween, and a retracted or removed position in which the platform is partially disconnected to allow the first mobile storage unit to move independently and into close proximity with the second mobile storage unit.

An elastomeric load hearing surface with different load support characteristics in different directions. In one embodiment, the surface includes an elastomeric membrane that is oriented in only a single direction, for example, by compression or stretching. In another embodiment, the surface includes mechanical structures, such as connectors and variations in thickness that vary the load support characteristics in different directions. In another embodiment, a surface is both oriented and includes mechanical structures.

Load bearing surface

A thermoplastic spring and a method for manufacturing the thermoplastic spring are provided to reduce the effect of creep during use of the spring. The spring is molded and deformed to final dimensions by pre-inducing creep in the molded body.

Pre-deformed thermoplastics spring and method of manufacture

A method for manufacturing a multi-layered support structure provides ergonomic, adaptable seating support. The method providing multiple cooperative layers to maximize global comfort and support while enhancing adaptation to localized variations in a load, such as in the load applied when a person sits in a chair. The cooperative layers each include elements such as pixels, springs, support rails, and other elements to provide this adaptable comfort and support. The method for manufacturing the multi-layered support structure uses aligned material to provide a flexible yet durable support structure. Accordingly, the method provides a multi-layered support structure, which provides maximum comfort for a wide range of body shapes and sizes.

Method for manufacturing a multi-layered support structure

A movable passenger or grab assist is provided for a vehicle. The movable assist finds particular utility in association with a folding seat in a vehicle having a dual-use area, such as a wheelchair securement area adjacent the folding seat. The assist can be moved between a position wherein it can be grabbed by seated or standing passengers and a position that does not interfere with the dual use area when the seat is folded to a storage position.

Movable stanchion for transit buses

An elastomeric load bearing surface with different load support characteristics in different directions. In one embodiment, the surface includes an elastomeric membrane that is oriented in only a single direction, for example, by compression or stretching. In another embodiment, the surface includes mechanical structures, such as connectors and variations in thickness that vary the load support characteristics in different directions. In another embodiment, a surface is both oriented and includes mechanical structures.

A multi-layered support structure provides ergonomic, adaptable seating support. The multi-layered support structure includes multiple cooperative layers to maximize global comfort and support while enhancing adaptation to localized variations in a load, such as in the load applied when a person sits in a chair. The cooperative layers each include elements such as pixels, springs, support rails, and other elements to provide this adaptable comfort and support. The multi-layered support structure also uses aligned material to provide a flexible yet durable support structure. Accordingly, the multi-layered support structure provides maximum comfort for a wide range of body shapes and sizes.

Multi-layered support structure

An elastomeric load bearing surface includes an integral attachment mechanism, wherein portions of the load bearing surface attach to each other to secure the load bearing surface to a support structure. In one embodiment, a molded elastomeric strip includes a tab that wraps around a support structure frame member, and a receptacle that receives and retains the first portion. The load bearing surface may be formed from a plurality of molded elastomeric strips, each having a tab extending around the frame member and an opening receiving the tab. The strips may be oriented to reduce creep by aligning the crystalline structure of the elastomer in one direction.

An adjustable fender vehicle has an upper wall with inner and outer side walls. The inner side wall includes an elongated longitudinal clamping edge and an interior wall depends from the underside of upper wall between the inner and outer walls. The interior wall has an elongated longitudinal opening in registry with the elongated longitudinal clamping edge in the inner side wall for receiving a fastener for adjustable mounting of the fender to a vehicle. The inner side wall includes an elongated longitudinal opening in registry with the elongated longitudinal opening in the interior wall and the elongated longitudinal clamping edge is formed in the elongated longitudinal opening in the inner side wall. The elongated longitudinal opening is configured to receive a mounting arm that is adapted to extend through the elongated longitudinal opening to the interior wall. Fasteners on the mounting arm clamp the fender to the mounting arm.

Adjustable fender

A vehicle fender is mounted to a mounting arm through at least one clamp that is mounted on the mounting arm. The clamp and an edge of the fender have complementary teeth and grooves to adjustably mount the fender to the mounting arm. The fender teeth and grooves are formed in a pocket and the pocket extends beneath the fender panel and receives the mounting arm.

Adjustable fender mount

A fender assembly for a heavy-duty vehicle comprises a fender and clamping members having reciprocal mating elements for adjustably and removably coupling the clamping members and the fender. The clamping members are clamped to inner and outer edges of the fender and are adapted to receive and removably secure a mounting arm that extends from the vehicle. The position of the fender relative to the vehicle can be adjusted by repositioning the clamping members along the inner and outer edges.

Fender assembly and mounting clamp therefor

A lightweight roll-up door comprises multiple lightweight panels that can be transversely installed/removed with a simple hinge assembly. The panels are hinged about one edge and have outer complementary arcuate portions that fill the gap at the edges of the door as the panels rotate about the hinge. The panels are extruded from a lightweight material. Additionally, the panels are structurally capable of supporting the necessary door hardware without deformation or breakage. A latch assembly is mounted to an extruded bottom panel forming a latch recess for receiving the latch assembly and with multiple mounting supports disposed within the hollow interior and extending between the latch recess and the interior wall.

Roll-up door assembly

A latch assembly for a trailer roll up door has a base plate, a handle and hook assembly with a locking flange rotatably mounted to the base plate, a closed keeper to selectively retain the handle in the closed position. The closed keeper is moveably mounted to the base plate for movement between a latched position and an unlatched position. The movement of the closed keeper is limited by stops on the base plate and further has a rotation stop that is adapted to contact a portion of the handle when the closed keeper is in the unlatched position and the handle is moved to the closed position to move the closed keeper into the latched position.

Growing community of inventors

Muskegon, MI, United States of America

Andrew B Hartmann