International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC

Caterpillar Inc.

Kurt A Ringger

Eric J Hanson

Robert B Riggs

John F Rotz

Sandeep Premkumar

Mark A Thurber

Gary C Bryant

Joseph F Denatale

Erik C Wilson

Kwan W Lee

Christian M Hardin

Michael L Noll

Gregory C Miller

George McCowan

Marcey Collins

Samuel D Wagoner

Jerry Connett

James R Therrien

Paul X Buescher

Zachary B Beard

Matthew W Hormann

Lisa C Troutman

Mary Mc Wesler

Steven D Brown

Marianne Connett, Legal Representative

Jenny Lynn Cargiuolo

Mark Cappai

Eric A DeView

Robert P Scott

Christopher D Godfrey

Francisco James

Andres J Flores

Kurt Garcia

Robert L Cochran

Steven R Siler

Steering wheel for a motor vehicle

Fender of a truck

A steering wheel () that has an axis of turning () axis for steering a motor vehicle that has an engine, a drivetrain, a transmission that provides different gear ratios for coupling the engine to the drivetrain, and a transmission controller that in an automatic mode automatically shifts the transmission from one gear ratio to another in response to changing vehicle torque requirements and in a manual mode shifts the transmission from one gear ratio to another in response to manual actuation of a shift command device. A module () contains both the shift command device () and a mode selection device () for selecting between the automatic and manual modes.

Steering wheel mounting for transmission shift controls

Crescent couch and bunk of a truck vehicle

A gearshift to transmission controller interface is based on a controller area network and a gearshift interface interposed between the gearshift and associated displays and the network bus. The shift controller can be made universal to all transmission types of automated manual transmissions by incorporation of a library program relating to a transmission type.

Common control interface for diverse automated manual transmissions

A molded product has a main body formed of a monolithic sheet of thermoplastic. The thermoplastic sheet has side and back sections extending horizontally at substantially right angles to one another and define an upright orientation of the molded product. The side and back sections are connected to a central vertical spine between the side and back sections. An intermediate angled section interrupts the vertical spine and located between the side and back sections. Front and rear major surfaces cover the main body. A plurality of apertures through the intermediate angled section connecting the front and rear major surfaces and serve as an integral speaker grill.

Monolithic trim panel with integrated speaker grill

A vehicle window ventilation system of this invention contains vertical slots in forward portions of the window or frame. Air due to vehicle movement passes in the slots to the cavity between the windowpanes. There is a passage for airflow from the cavity rearward to the door handle where there is spacing for outward passage of air. The forward location of the vertical slots allows for the flow of air across a wide area of the windows and hence a minimum reduction of visibility due to moisture in the cavity. The air passageway rearward through the cavity between the windows and then through the door to the rearward located door handle allows for a dispersion pattern of air that covers a large amount of the surface area of the double pane window. While an external fan could be used to enhance the removal of flow of air the forward location of the vertical slots and the rearward location of the inner door passageway to the door handle alleviates the necessity of having a fan. The vertical slots allow the direction of airflow over the windowpanes inner surfaces from the top to the bottom of the panes.

Vehicle window ventilation system

Growing community of inventors

Bluffton, IN, United States of America

Kurt A Ringger