Patents Examined by Gregory Blankenship
  • Patent number: 11781364
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system for controlling a vehicle power tailgate are described. The system includes a motor operably connectible to a tailgate to open and close the tailgate, a processor, and a memory communicably coupled to the processor. The memory stores a tailgate control module including instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to, responsive to a value of a motor speed parameter being above a predetermined motor speed threshold and a value of a motor acceleration parameter being above a predetermined motor acceleration threshold during opening of a tailgate, control operation of the motor to apply a braking force to the tailgate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Gowtham Harsha Pulikonda, Yasuyuki Noiri, Nicholas Ozog, Ryan Heins
  • Patent number: 11772712
    Abstract: A cargo vehicle is disclosed having a composite floor assembly with at least one conduit extending along a length of the composite floor assembly. The at least one conduit may include a first internal cavity and a second internal cavity. The first internal cavity may be configured to route at least one vehicle component. The second internal cavity may be configured to receive at least one vehicle component or a plurality of mechanical fasteners. The mechanical fasteners may be used to couple a base rail to the composite floor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Wabash National, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott A. Storz, Travis Smith McCloud, Andrzej Wylezinski, Mark Ehrlich
  • Patent number: 11772578
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a first body component and a second body component. The first body component has an exterior surface and an interior hidden surface, where the exterior surface has in part an aesthetic finish. The first body component defines a first connecting portion having a rib secured by the interior surface. The rib has a first opening formed therethrough. The second body component has an outward extended second connecting portion. A base wall of the second connecting portion has a second opening formed therethrough. The base wall abuts the rib with the second opening aligned with the first opening. A fastener is inserted through the first and second openings from within the second connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michael V. Peterson, Stephen Frericks
  • Patent number: 11772564
    Abstract: A sliding lid structure includes a sheet base material capable of being curved in a sliding direction; and a plurality of ribs disposed on a lower surface side of the sheet base material at intervals in a sheet base material sliding direction. Two ends of the rib engage guide grooves formed at two sides of an opening of a device main unit and having curved groove parts. The sheet base material includes axially supported parts positioned on two sides of the lower surface side of the base material and provided at predetermined intervals in a longitudinal direction. The rib includes rib uppers arranged inside the axially supported parts on the two sides and attachable to and detachable from a sheet base material lower, shaft supports engaging the axially supported parts, and projections fitting into the guide grooves; and is rotatably or swingably supported with respect to the sheet base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Izume
  • Patent number: 11772714
    Abstract: A cargo bed system includes a side wall assembly of a cargo bed. The side wall assembly is configured to transition back-and-forth between a standard wall position and an extended wall position. The side wall assembly includes an extendable wall section and a fixed side wall section. The extendable wall section extends and retracts relative to the fixed side wall section when the side wall assembly transitions back-and-forth between the standard wall position and the extended wall position. The side wall assembly in the extended wall position provides a cargo bed access opening within the side wall assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Harmon, Ryan Mathew Sandor, Dragan B. Stojkovic, Amol Borkar, Christopher Bowser, Sarah Schabel, Dale F. Jordan, III
  • Patent number: 11772716
    Abstract: A suspension system for an operator station of a work vehicle having a chassis includes a subframe structure, a plurality of mounting pads, a plurality of shock absorbers, a rear lateral rod, a front stabilizer, and a pitch control stabilizer. The plurality of mounting pads is positioned on a top surface of the subframe structure. The plurality of shock absorbers connects between the chassis and the subframe structure near each of the mounting pads. The rear lateral rod connects to the rear side of the subframe structure and to the chassis. The front stabilizer connects to the front side of the subframe structure and to the chassis. The pitch control stabilizer connects to the right side of the subframe structure and to the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Byron N. Manternach, Scott A. Tebbe, Todd W. Rea, Wen Tsung Lin, William K. Rule, Jacob J. Foxen, Sachidanand Sasidharan
  • Patent number: 11766970
    Abstract: The storage box includes: a box body having an opening toward a vehicle upper side; a fixed lid provided on a vehicle rear side of the opening; a movable lid provided on a vehicle front side of the opening; first shafts provided on a vehicle front side of the movable lid; a second shaft provided on a vehicle rear side of the movable lid; and a guide including first rails guiding the first shafts and second rails guiding the second shafts, to move the movable lid from a fully-closed position to a fully-opened position through a sliding operation and a turning operation. The second rails include slope portions guiding the second shaft so that the movable lid moves to an inner side of the box body relative to the fixed lid when the movable lid starts the sliding operation from the fully-closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoyuki Fukui
  • Patent number: 11761252
    Abstract: An embodiment lower gate stopper structure includes a stopper unit configured to protrude from an upper end of a groove positioned adjacent to an inner surface of a gate, a rack unit connected to the stopper unit and configured to move longitudinally to cause the stopper unit to protrude, and a controller configured to selectively control protrusion of the stopper unit based on an open or closed state of the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Ki Hyun Cho, Sang Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 11760271
    Abstract: A tailgate pad. The tailgate pad includes a front side. The tailgate pad also includes a back side. The tailgate pad further includes a fold out panel coupled with the front side, the fold out panel to wrap about at least a portion of a wheel of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Siupo Low, Gary Schreiber, Vincent Huynh, Anastasiia Tekhteleva
  • Patent number: 11753090
    Abstract: A trailer includes a chassis with at least one axle including left and right wheel and tire assemblies that support the chassis for rolling movement on a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: East Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Howard D. Booher, Derek T. Davies
  • Patent number: 11753080
    Abstract: A vehicle structural component includes a main body having a receptacle and a first insert for reinforcing the vehicle structural component. The insert is accommodated in the receptacle and only partially fills the latter. At least one further insert fits in the receptacle. A modular system for producing vehicle structural components and a method for producing vehicle structural components are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Hogger, Christoph Jagoda, Octavian Knoll, Oleg Konrad, Sebastian Krull, Matthias Nagel, Bernhard Staudt, Tobias Wehrkamp-Richter
  • Patent number: 11753088
    Abstract: A bumper spoiler structure includes: a bumper panel provided in a bumper of a vehicle; a bumper spoiler capable of advancing and retreating relative to the bumper panel by being moved in an inside-outside direction of the vehicle; a first actuator movable in the inside-outside direction and configured to move the bumper spoiler in the inside-outside direction; a first controller configured to control the first actuator; a second actuator configured to move the bumper spoiler and the first actuator in the inside-outside direction; and a second controller configured to control the second actuator. When at least one of the first actuator and the first controller is lost in a deployed state in which the bumper spoiler protrudes with respect to the bumper panel, the second controller moves the bumper spoiler and the first actuator toward an inner side of the vehicle by using the second actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Nakamura, Kei Ambo, Kenichi Ando
  • Patent number: 11745807
    Abstract: Vehicle tailgate assembly that includes a sill flap and tailgate, where the sill flap has rollers that contact the tailgate while the sill flap and tailgate are opened or closed. The sill flap thus maintains rolling contact with the tailgate during opening and closing operations. In embodiments of the disclosure, the tailgate opens to leave a gap between the edge of the vehicle bed and the edge of the tailgate, and the sill flap is pivoted into this gap. While being pivoted into this open position, the sill flap rollers rotatably contact the tailgate, so that the sill flap maintains rolling contact with the tailgate rather than frictional contact therewith. This prevents damage to the sill flap and tailgate when opened and closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Griffith, Brian Gase, Kyle Mulligan, William Kirk Robinson, Chayan Mishra
  • Patent number: 11738810
    Abstract: A vehicle tailgate structure of a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle tailgate structure includes a tailgate located at the rear of the vehicle; a garnish covering a top surface of the tailgate and configured to deform when an external load applies on the garnish, the garnish including a plurality of rib structures along an interior surface of the garnish and a screw portion including the garnish around a screw of the screw portion; and a touch sensor extending along the top surface of the tailgate and covered by the garnish, the touch sensor configured to detect deformation of the garnish, the touch sensor including touch sensor wires connecting to a control system of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignees: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Wells, Ryan Heins, Eric Archambeau, Takashi Nishio, Norman Kerr
  • Patent number: 11739498
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes: a cab to be boarded by an operator, the cab including a roof; and a first antenna mounted on the roof. The first antenna is positioned selectively at one of a position lower than a topmost portion of the roof, and a position protruding upward relative to the topmost portion of the roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Hoshino, Atsushi Karami, Hirofumi Kotaki, Shinji Hirose, Masamichi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11738808
    Abstract: Tunnel 1 for a motor vehicle 2 made of a single part and including a main tunnel portion 3 and at least one lateral reinforcement element 5 located on the side of the main tunnel portion 3, wherein the lateral reinforcement element 5 is equipped with a groove 19 to provide high stiffness and high crash resistance and wherein the groove 19 extends over at least part of an inflexion region 15 between the longitudinally oriented part of the tunnel 1 and the upward oriented part of the tunnel 1 and extends over at least part of the front portion of the longitudinally oriented part of the tunnel 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: ArcelorMittal
    Inventor: Gilson Donya
  • Patent number: 11731564
    Abstract: A pickup truck rack having a connectable arrangement of laterally spaced top horizontal assemblies, spaced vertical bars extending downwardly from each top horizontal assembly, cross bars extending between top horizontal assemblies and first laterally spaced lower horizontal bars, extending from a rearmost vertical bar forwardly to a next rearmost vertical bar and second laterally spaced lower horizontal bars, extending from a front vertical bar rearwardly of the truck rack a distance without contacting the next rearmost vertical bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Inventor: Paul W. Strawn
  • Patent number: 11724751
    Abstract: An assembly for utility truck bodies having metal and/or composite reinforcement(s) and/or foam reinforcements and/or honeycomb reinforcement/and/or wood reinforcements encapsulated within a thermoformed thermoplastic, or thermoset or fiber-reinforced thermoset walking surface floor structure of the truck bed assembly or other composite floor structure with attachable components and junctions, e.g., sidepack(s), and methods of making the same are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: ALTEC INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ryan J. McKinney, Austin Graham, Kyle E. Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 11724753
    Abstract: A tailgate enclosure for use with a vehicle can include a plurality of cross-members, a first upright, a second upright, and only one additional upright. Each of the cross-members can be vertically spaced apart from an adjacent one of the cross-members and can include a first beam, a second beam, and a central beam having a first end and a second end, the central beam positioned at least partially between the first and second beams. The first upright can secure the first beam of each of the cross-members to a first sidewall of the vehicle and the second upright can secure the second beam of each of the cross-members to a second sidewall of the vehicle. The additional upright can be positioned along the central beam of each of the cross-members between the first and second ends of the central beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Lund Motion Products. Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony Nicholas Smith
  • Patent number: 11718218
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a vehicle main body having a passenger compartment and a rear compartment located more rearward than the passenger compartment; a rear hatch provided on the vehicle main body and configured to open and close the rear compartment; a cooling box disposed in the rear compartment; a first communication device configured to communicate with an external server; a second communication device having a communication distance shorter than that of the first communication device; a locking device configured to lock the rear hatch; and a processor. The processor is configured to receive information about an opening signal from the server through the first communication device, and to open the rear hatch when the processor receives the opening signal through the second communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Zekai Qiu, Hironobu Kitaoka, Naoki Yamamuro, Kozo Kosho, Hiroaki Sugiyama, Makoto Ikegami