Patents Examined by Daniel M. Keck
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Patent number: 11400782Abstract: Described herein is an axle assembly and method of fabrication thereof. The axle assembly includes an axle having a first geometric shape housed within an axle housing having a second geometric shape. A shock absorber is located between the axle and the axle housing. The shock absorber supports the axle within the axle housing and comprises a first material and comprises a multi-sided configuration. The first geometric shape and the second geometric shape comprising polygons.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Springseal, Inc.Inventor: Mark Knapp
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Patent number: 11383576Abstract: A stabilizer bar assembly having a pair of bar members and a clutch assembly with a first and second couplers, which are fixedly coupled to the bar members, a coupling sleeve and a rotary lock. The coupling sleeve matingly engages the first coupler. The coupling sleeve is movable along an axis between a first position, in which the coupling sleeve is disengaged from the second coupler to permit relative rotation between the stabilizer bar members about the axis, and a second position in which the coupling sleeve is engaged to the first and second couplers. The rotary lock has lock members that are fixedly coupled to the coupling sleeve and the second coupler. The lock members engage one another when the coupling sleeve is in the second position to inhibit relative movement about the rotational axis between the coupling sleeve and the second coupler.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2021Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Philip R. Kellogg, Dale K. Benedict, Jeffrey L. Kincaid, Thomas George Kaveney, II
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Patent number: 11383751Abstract: A collar member formed as a hollow cylinder having an opening at one end into which a mounting pin member of the damper unit is inserted, and which is secured to a cored bar member, a seat part provided at the other end of the collar member in which the insertion side tip of the pin is seated, a positioning groove part formed on the collar member between the seat part and the opening, a locking groove part formed on the pin that is positioned in the positioning groove part when the insertion side tip is seated in the seat part, and a spring member provided on the cored bar member inserted through the positioning groove part that is elastically locked by the locking groove part when the insertion side tip is seated in the seat part and retains the pin.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2019Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Jinkeun Kim, Toshiaki Ebana, Takashi Seki
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Patent number: 11376956Abstract: A tandem wheel assembly for a work vehicle includes a tandem wheel housing having a center opening extending along a pivot axis and wheel end openings extending along associated wheel end axes. The tandem wheel housing is pivotally mounted to a chassis of the work vehicle about the pivot axis. A center sprocket is rotatably disposed within the tandem wheel housing. Wheel end assemblies are disposed at the wheel end openings and each includes a wheel end sprocket, a wheel end gear train, and a wheel end hub. A pair of reaction bars are being pivotally coupled at first ends to the chassis and at second ends to a component of the respective wheel end assembly. A pivot dampening system is positioned, at least in part, axially between the tandem wheel housing and either the chassis or the component of at least one of the wheel end assemblies. The pivot dampening system is configured to dampen the pivoting of the tandem wheel housing tandem wheel housing relative to the chassis.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2020Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: DEERE & COMPANYInventors: Steven R. Fliearman, Prashant Shinde
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Patent number: 11370262Abstract: A tiltable motor vehicle having 3 or more wheels and at least one bridge having opposite first and second ends where first and second wheel hub assemblies are disposed. First and second wheels are mounted on the first and second wheel hub assemblies. First and second suspension guides are also associated with the first and second wheel hub assemblies, each being attached to a respective end of the at least one bridge such that the suspension guide is rotatable about at least a tilt axis relative to the at least one bridge. Each wheel hub assembly being movable along or across the respective suspension guide such that the wheels are movable relative to the at least one bridge during suspension action. Movement of the wheels and the wheel hub assemblies associated with suspension rebound and compression action and rotation of the bridges relative to the body associated with tilting action are both substantially independent of movement of the steering element.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2018Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: WEISS NOMINEES PTY LTDInventor: Jan Weiss
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Patent number: 11370260Abstract: A suspension thrust bearing device for use with a suspension spring in an automotive suspension strut of a vehicle. The device provides a bearing having upper and lower annular bearing members in relative rotation, lower bearing member having a lower cup having at least one protruding indexation element. The device also provides a damping element made of resilient material and interposed between the lower cup and the suspension spring. The indexation element is made of a different material than that of the lower cup, the lower cup being made of a rigid plastic material and the indexation element being made of a resilient material.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Inventors: Xavier Blanchard, Guillaume Jouanno, Bruno Montboeuf, Desire Vidot
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Patent number: 11351836Abstract: A stabilizer (1) for a chassis of a vehicle. The stabilizer has a curved stabilizer body (2) that forms a torsion spring, a pendulum support (5, 6) and a connecting element (7, 8). The connecting element (7, 8) connects the stabilizer body (2) and the pendulum support (7, 8) to one another. To reduce the cost and complexity of assembly. The stabilizer is characterized in that a first end (11) of the connecting element (7, 8) is injection-molded onto a pendulum support end (9).Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2018Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Sebastian Schlotter, Witalij Knaub, Frank Nachbar
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Patent number: 11353077Abstract: A leaf spring may include: an upper plate provided with arc-shaped portions which are integrally formed on both end portions thereof, respectively, for forming spring eyes; a lower plate disposed to overlap a lower side of the upper plate and provided with arc-shaped portions which are integrally formed on both end portions thereof, respectively, and face the arc-shaped portions of the upper plate to form the spring eyes; clamping units installed to restrain the both end portions of the overlapped upper and lower plates from being separated from each other; and a central fastening unit configured to fasten central portions of the overlapped upper and lower plates.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATIONInventor: Seung Hyun Oh
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Patent number: 11345205Abstract: A suspension mount comprising a carrier with a first portion and a second portion, an activatable material selectively disposed on the carrier, one or more bridges connecting the first portion and the second portion of the carrier, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the carrier each include one or more damper mounts, and wherein the first portion corresponds to a left side and the second portion corresponds to the right side so that the suspension mount is attachable to a vehicle in one direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Zephyros, Inc.Inventor: Jeff Shantz
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Patent number: 11345388Abstract: A vehicle steering apparatus includes a steering wheel that is mechanically separable from a steering mechanism of a vehicle, and a lateral movement mechanism that moves the steering wheel between a manipulation position set in front of a driver's seat and a withdrawn position set to a position located between the manipulation position and a position in front of a passenger seat.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hisashi Murayama, Shintaro Masu, Yuki Aoki
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Patent number: 11345387Abstract: In an electrically adjustable steering of the present embodiment, a first telescopic actuator is disposed between a top bracket or a mount bracket on a vehicle body side and a steering jacket. The steering jacket includes a plurality of jacket members that overlap each other so as to be able to expand and contract in an axial direction. A motor of the first telescopic actuator is fixed to the top bracket or the mount bracket on the vehicle body side.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: NSK LTD.Inventors: Yoshifumi Kurokawa, Jessica Elaine Lipa, Victor Corona Martinez, Juan Antonio Hernandez Otero
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Patent number: 11338636Abstract: An X-shaped spring for a transportation vehicle wheel suspension system having, per wheel side, a first leaf spring and a second leaf spring made from fiber-reinforced arranged to lie above one another and combined at a respective first end on a first fastening device for transportation vehicle body-side support, wherein the first leaf spring has a second fastening device at its second end for wheel-side support, and the second leaf spring is supported at its second end on the transportation vehicle body side. Towards its second end, the second leaf spring is an arc section curved away from the first leaf spring.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2019Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Inventors: Ingo Winter, Sierk Fiebig, Nils Schiwiora
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Patent number: 11325644Abstract: The invention relates to a steering wheel assembly (10) comprising a steering wheel skeleton (12), an attachment component (14), a connection component (20) for fastening the attachment component (14) to the steering wheel skeleton (12), and a first resilient damping element (16) which couples the connection component (20) to the attachment component (14) so as to be able to oscillate, a second resilient damping element (18) being provided which couples the connection component (20) to the steering wheel assembly (12) so as to be able to oscillate.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY GERMANY GMBHInventor: Dominik Schütz
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Patent number: 11318805Abstract: A shock absorber assembly comprises two springs 11, 12 arranged in series so as, in use, to extend between a pair of spaced apart spring seats. A coupling member 13 is arranged between the adjacent ends 11b, 12a of the springs 11, 12. The coupling member 13 is adjustable and is formed by a shaft having a pair of flanges 14, 15 provided on the outer surface thereof. The shaft extends axially beyond each flange 14, 15 so as to extend inside the windings of the abutting spring ends 11b, 12a to locate the spring ends 11b, 12a on the coupler 13. Each flange 14, 15 engages an associated adjacent ends 11b, 12a of one of the springs 11, 12. At least one of said flanges 14, 15 is moveable longitudinally along the shaft so as to vary the longitudinal separation between the two flanges 14, 15 and thereby vary the preload on the springs 11, 12.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2019Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: R5 MSS LTDInventor: William Blankson
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Patent number: 11299201Abstract: A lightweight suspension upright or knuckle for a vehicle including a bearing connection interface arranged coaxial with the rolling bearing and including a first sleeve element and a second sleeve element arranged radially outside the first sleeve element and including a BMC/LFT/DLFT annular body that is sandwiched between a first and second shell elements, which are coupled together in a radially superimposed manner and which are preferably obtained in a semi-cured state as self-supporting elements, to be chemically and mechanically bonded together and with the BMC/LFT/DLFT annular body in a later stage during a step of forming a core (11) to fill either completely or partially an empty space (12) delimited between the first and second shell elements (8,9).Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2019Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Inventors: Valentin Fleury, Marco Falossi, Remi Sarlin
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Patent number: 11292509Abstract: To provide a steering device capable of highly precisely controlling turning angles of steered wheels without changing a layout of members. Provided is a steering device (10A) including: a center arm (26) having one end portion configured to swing in a right-and-left direction with respect to a vehicle body (BD) in synchronism with rotation of a steering shaft (22); a rod member (40A), which is coupled to the one end of the center arm (26), and is configured to move in the right-and-left direction, to thereby change turning angles of steered wheels (WR and WL); and a rod-member drive device (50) configured to linearly move the rod member (40A) in the right-and-left direction through use of a driving force source. The rod member (40A) is supported such that movement of the rod member (40A) in the right-and-left direction of the vehicle body (BD) is allowed, but movement of the rod member (40A) in a front-and-rear direction and an up-and-down direction of the vehicle body (BD) is restricted.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hirotaka Kamano, Yoshikazu Kameda, Mitsuyuki Ouchi, Nobuyuki Kawabata, Nobuaki Miyazaki
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Patent number: 11292424Abstract: Gas generator for a safety system, comprising: at least one pyrotechnic substance arranged to produce gases; a first part; a second part; a third part; and a fourth part separate from the previous parts, the first part and the second part being friction-welded to the third part. The gas generator is characterised in that the fourth part comprises: a first interface for positioning with the first part, and a second interface for positioning with the second part, such as to temporarily block at least one degree of freedom between the first and second parts in order to allow the first and second parts to be simultaneously friction-welded to the third part.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2017Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Gerald Prima, Ludovic Pogeant, Matthew A. Cox, Kevin Smith
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Patent number: 11285777Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semi-active stabilizer device which may adjust the rigidity of a stabilizer bar according to a traveling state of a vehicle, and may include a first stabilizer bar, a second stabilizer bar, an outer housing which has a hollow portion formed therein, an inner housing which is inserted into the hollow portion of the outer housing to rotate relatively, an elastic member which applies an elastic force so that the outer housing and the inner housing return to original positions thereof upon relative rotation, and a stopper which limits the inner housing to rotate relatively only within a certain angular range upon the relative rotation, thereby improving riding comfort upon traveling on a straight road, and improving traveling stability upon traveling on a curved road.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2020Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: DAEWON KANG UP CO., LTD.Inventors: Man Seung Lim, Jin Woong Kim, Sang Eun Bae, In Sup Kim
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Patent number: 11280376Abstract: Clutch apparatus, systems, and related methods for use with vehicle stabilizer bars are disclosed. A disclosed stabilizer bar disconnect system includes a fluidic clutch configured to control torque transferred between first and second bar members during a driving event to control a roll stiffness of a vehicle. The fluidic clutch includes: a housing, a fluid chamber in the housing; a fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the fluid chamber; first and second fluid control members in the fluid chamber and connected to the first and second bar members, and fluid valves configured to control a flow of a fluid through the fluid chamber and the fluid reservoir. The fluidic clutch is changeable between a connected state in which the fluidic clutch couples the first bar member to the second bar member and a disconnected state in which the fluidic clutch decouples the first bar member from the second bar member.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventor: Bradley S. Baskin
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Patent number: 11267306Abstract: A vibration damper in a wheel suspension of a vehicle, which damper is supported on a wheel-guide element of the wheel suspension via two resilient bearings which are provided laterally of a damper tube of the vibration damper and which are diametrically opposed in relation to the damper tube. Each bearing has a rubber-elastic bearing element in which a damper receptacle is supported which is force-transmittingly connected to the damper tube. The damper receptacle is supported on the damper tube via a releasable securing element.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2020Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Jens Kallert, Alfred Stenzenberger, Gerhard Zeller