Patents Examined by H. Gutman
  • Patent number: 9902434
    Abstract: A vehicle including a fender panel support assembly includes a hood that at least partially covers an engine compartment. A front fender structure includes a connecting wall portion located at least partially below the hood in a vehicle vertical direction. A side structural member extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction. An offset deforming fender attachment bracket mounts the front fender structure to the side structural member. The offset deforming fender attachment bracket includes a fender attachment portion connected to the connecting wall portion of the front fender structure at a connecting location. A support leg is connected to the side structural member. The support leg extends toward the side structural member from a lateral edge of the fender attachment portion. The support leg includes an apex portion connected to the lateral edge of the fender attachment portion that is spaced outboard from the connecting location in a vehicle lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremiah T. Hammer
  • Patent number: 9895964
    Abstract: A tonneau cover for covering a cargo box of a vehicle. The tonneau cover includes a plurality of flexible hinges, each of which is between two rigid members. Each flexible hinge includes an elastomeric material having a first portion connected to a first one of the rigid members, a second portion connected to a second one of the rigid members, and a web between the first portion and the second portion. A cut-resistant barrier is associated with the flexible web and bridges between the first portion and the second portion. The cut-resistant barrier is effective to resist penetration by a sharp edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Extang Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Hickey, Jerome J. Facchinello, Joseph J. Koengeter
  • Patent number: 9889784
    Abstract: A hauling device configured to retain debris in a main bucket having a frame and adapted to be towed by a motorized vehicle is further configured to enable hoisting and dumping the frame of the main bucket via a lifting mechanism. An auxiliary bucket is provided that has a frame detachably affixed and clear of the main bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Lyles, Laura Hudson-Lyles
  • Patent number: 9889900
    Abstract: Vertical movement of support members disposed on both left and right sides of a screen are guided by a pair of left and right fixed rail brackets. A manipulation lever manually operable so as to vertically move the screen and connected to at least one of the pair of support members includes a lever main portion which is rotatably supported on at least one of the pair of rail brackets and is connected to one of the support members, and a grip which is connected to the lever main portion. The grip is connected to the lever main portion such that the grip is operable between a projecting position where the grip projects from the lever main portion and a storage position where the grip is folded toward a lever main portion side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruka Tsuda, Ippei Kawamura
  • Patent number: 9889725
    Abstract: A simplified truck cap handle and lock assembly is provided. Unlike truck cap handle and lock assemblies known in the art, the assembly is comprised of a codeable lock that is disposed in a position that is not perpendicular to the glass access window of the cap. The lock of the present invention is rotated 90° from the perpendicular. Further, the lock is codeable because it is preferably keyed to match other locks and ignition key switch of the vehicle with which the assembly is used. The invention provides a unique locking structure having a number of components that form the assembly. The assembly is easy to use and easy to install in an aftermarket application. Further, the assembly can be easily converted to an electronic actuated version without any retooling of the component parts of the assembly. The assembly provides the user with tactile feedback as to its operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: VSI, LLC
    Inventors: Lucas Boesel, Joshua J. Miller
  • Patent number: 9879736
    Abstract: A ball ramp plate assembly includes a first ball ramp plate and a second ball ramp plate coaxially aligned so that first and second ball pockets are opposed with rolling elements disposed in the opposing first and second ball pockets. A plug extends through the first ball ramp plate and the second ball ramp plate and engages both ball ramp plates to maintain the first ball ramp plate and the second ball ramp plate against displacement with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jonathan Jameson
  • Patent number: 9873398
    Abstract: A vehicle interior structure has a driver's seat disposed inside a cabin, a rear passenger's seat disposed on a vehicle rear side of the driver's seat inside the cabin, and a partition panel arranged along a vehicle width direction between the driver's seat and the rear passenger's seat. Both ends of the partition panel in the vehicle width direction are disposed close to left and right side walls of the cabin, respectively. At least one of an upper edge and a lower edge of the partition panel is provided with a fragile section including a recess formed by a cutout extending toward a vertical center, and a protrusion protruding such that a distance from the vertical center to a tip of the protrusion in a vertical direction is greater than that of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruka Mochizuki, Wataru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9868472
    Abstract: A bonnet inner panel includes a central protrusion portion protruding upward in a vehicle elevational view and a rear protrusion portion located in back of the central protrusion portion, which are arranged side by side in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a deep-drawn groove is provided between the both protrusion portions to extend in a vehicle width direction, and a hinge reinforcement is provided to extend from a position beside the rear protrusion portion to a position at a rear end of the central protrusion portion, passing through beside the deep-drawn groove. Thereby, the hinge support rigidity of the rear portion of the bonnet having the central protrusion portion can be increased, so that occurrence of any improper deflection or vibration caused to the bonnet by the traveling vibration, the traveling-air pressure or the like can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohji Takada, Kozo Ishizuka, Hirokazu Yamauchi, Akira Miyake, Yousuke Inamitsu, Hideaki Fujii, Takashi Hamada, Soukichi Kikuchi, Atsushi Koriyama, Tsuyoshi Nishihara, Izumi Sadanaga
  • Patent number: 9862309
    Abstract: A vehicle sill illumination assembly has a main body, an illumination panel and a controller. The main body includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion that together define an inverted U-shaped structure as viewed in cross-section. The first portion has an upright surface. The second portion extends horizontally inboard from an upper edge of the first section. The third portion extends downward from an inboard side of the second portion. The illumination panel is installed to an area of the first portion of the main body such that the illumination panel faces in an outboard direction with the main body installed to a vehicle sill structure. The controller is located within the main body and is configured to control illumination of the illumination panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Sean Oliverio
  • Patent number: 9855883
    Abstract: A pneumatic locking system configured to secure a container to a vehicle chassis. The locking system can include a hook pivotable between an unlocked orientation and a locked orientation relative to the chassis and an inflatable bellows intermediate the hook and the chassis, wherein inflation of the inflatable bellows is configured to pivot the hook from the unlocked orientation to the locked orientation. The locking system can further include an air line system fluidically coupled to the inflatable bellows and an air supply system. The air line system can include a valve controllable by a switch, wherein actuation of the valve is configured to supply air from the air supply system to the inflatable bellows and pivot the hook to the locked orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Wastequip, LLC
    Inventor: Nathan L. Martindale
  • Patent number: 9855881
    Abstract: A vehicle gutter spout cover comprising: a receptacle with a generally smooth outside surface; an orifice located on the receptacle and configured to allow the receptacle to slide over and enclose at least a portion of a gutter spout; and an adjustable length connecting means attached to the receptacle. A vehicle gutter spout cover system comprising: a vehicle; at least one gutter located on the vehicle; at least one gutter spout in fluid communication with the gutter; a receptacle with a generally smooth outside surface; an orifice located on the receptacle and configured to allow the receptacle to slide over and enclose at least a portion of the gutter spout; an adjustable length connecting means attached to the receptacle; and a vehicle cover configured to cover a vehicle and the gutter spout, with the receptacle generally enclosing at least a portion of the gutter spout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventor: Michael P. Hagen
  • Patent number: 9850104
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a gripper for gripping, moving, orienting, and depositing a pallet. The gripper includes a gripping means for gripping the pallet at the longitudinal side members of a pallet. The gripper is suitable for being hinged to an automated manipulator moving along a support structure, thus making it possible to move, orient, and deposit a pallet in a loading position on the support structure or in an unloading position, for example, on the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: LOHR ELECTROMECANIQUE
    Inventor: Daniel Scheer
  • Patent number: 9840282
    Abstract: A collision countermeasure apparatus includes an impact absorbing body attached to an outboard side of a sub-frame and a rigid link. The rigid link is attached to the impact absorbing body at an outboard location and extends upward to an outer side of a frame rail. A frontal impact with a rigid barrier outboard of the frame rail drives the impact absorbing body into the link to force the link into the outer side of the frame rail. The force applied to the frame rail by the impact absorbing body laterally displaces the vehicle to reduce the extent of intrusion into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Saied Nusier, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, Saeed David Barbat, Jamel E. Belwafa
  • Patent number: 9840167
    Abstract: A walk-in apparatus for a seat of a vehicle, including an upper rail connected to the seat; a lower rail connected to a floor of the vehicle; a lead screw connected to the lower rail; a male helical gear connected to the lead screw, the male helical gear including external splines; and a female helical gear connected to the upper rail. The female helical gear includes internal splines configured to engage with the external splines of the male helical gear, and the male helical gear and the female helical gear are selectively separable. A torque transferred between the internal splines of the female helical gear and the external splines of the male helical gear when connected moves the upper rail relative to the lower rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Mixon, Ryosuke Mizuno, Kamin Manatpon
  • Patent number: 9834119
    Abstract: Vehicle seating, selectively deployable at the rear of a vehicle for providing temporary outdoor seating. The seating is moveable between a first, stowed position in which the seating surface is locatable on or within a load floor of the vehicle and a second, deployed position in which support legs and a seating surface connected thereto are pivoted up and out of the load floor so that the seating surface overlaps with or extends beyond a rearmost edge of the vehicle and an engaging member engages the support surface to provide load bearing support for the seating surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Hugo Nightingale, Sandy Boyes
  • Patent number: 9834268
    Abstract: A saddle-ride type vehicle is capable of achieving miniaturization of a front cowl while ensuring a flow rate of air introduction. An opening penetrating through a longitudinal direction of a vehicle is formed below the center in a height direction of a vertically long windshield. First traveling air is passed through the opening formed in the windshield. A direction of the first traveling air is then changed by a guide member, and is moved upward along a back surface of the windshield. Excessive vacuum on the back surface of the windshield is corrected. Since an opening is formed in the windshield, it is not necessary to increase a width of the front cowl, and miniaturization of the front cowl can be achieved. Since the windshield is formed as a vertically long windshield, the opening can be formed to be vertically long, and an opening area can be ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gen Tanabe, Satoshi Seo, Akihiro Komatsu, Takefumi Okubo, Masao Akieda
  • Patent number: 9834269
    Abstract: A traveling wind intake structure for a saddled vehicle, comprising a meter visor covering a meter from above; and a wind screen covering the meter visor from above, wherein an introduction portion for introducing a traveling wind rearward of the wind screen is formed between a lower end of the wind screen and a vehicle body, a gate-type louver member is provided between the wind screen and the meter visor, and is formed by a plate-shaped guide member for guiding rearward the traveling wind introduced through the introduction portion, and leg members extending downward from left and right end portions of the guide member in a vehicle width direction, and the leg members are each provided with a shaft portion extending along the vehicle width direction and supporting the louver member in a frontward and rearward swingable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Hagimoto, Nobutaka Wakita, Atsushi Kusuda, Kihoko Kaita
  • Patent number: 9827922
    Abstract: A headlining having a heat shielding function for a vehicle and a manufacturing method for producing the headlining, in which a heat shielding layer having a heat shielding effect is stacked on a polyurethane foam sheet as a substrate having an excellent insulating effect and integrally formed therewith to prevent heat from being transferred to an inside of the vehicle through a roof panel occupying a wide portion exposed to an outside of the vehicle. In so doing, it is possible to create comfortable indoor environment of the vehicle even in hot summertime, to restrict an increase in an internal temperature of the vehicle and thus to reduce an operation time of an air conditioner and to enhance fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: DAEHAN SOLUTIONS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Choong Ho Kwon, Jang Seok Park
  • Patent number: 9827914
    Abstract: A height adjustable floor system for a motor vehicle includes a load compartment floor having front and rear floor members that are pivotally connected together to permit relative rotation about a transverse axis. The load compartment cover can be positioned in upper and lower load carrying positions and be moved between these positions with the aid of a pair of first side supports each having a continuous groove defining a path to be followed by a pair of spaced apart guide members located on left and right sides of the front floor member near to a front end thereof. The rear floor member is used to facilitate the transitioning of the load compartment floor between the two load carrying positions and the first side supports are so configured that in the load carrying positions load is not transferred from the load compartment floor to the guide members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andy Murray, Daniel Berry
  • Patent number: 9821853
    Abstract: In a vehicle front part structure of a vehicle body, a gusset member is disposed in front of a front pillar. The gusset member is positioned so as to overlap with at least a front tire in the vertical direction of the vehicle body. The gusset member covers at least a portion of a lower portion of the front pillar on a front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The gusset member has a stepped portion on a front side thereof in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The stepped portion extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle body and makes a portion of the gusset member disposed inside in the vehicle width direction positioned relatively in front of a portion of the gusset member disposed outside in the vehicle width direction in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KYUSHU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi Torikawa, Shigeru Kaji, Kenji Chiba