Patents Examined by H. Gutman
  • Sliding/folding soft top assembly for SUV
    Patent number: 9216632
    Abstract: A sliding/folding soft top assembly having opposing first and second linkage assemblies with a plurality of guide rollers located within a first and second guide track for selectively moving the soft top assembly between a deployed position to a first stowed position or a retracted stowed position. A first bow and second bow are coupled to each of the first and second linkage assemblies, which include a first pivot joint for rotating the first bow to the first stowed position. A rear pivot joint allows a rear link of the first and second linkage assemblies to rotate in an area where the first and second guide tracks curve. A third bow is rotatably connected to first and second pivot brackets, and a fourth bow is pivotably connected to the third bow, to allow rotation of the third and fourth bow between the deployed position and retracted stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Bestop, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen John Lewis, Florin Avram
  • Tunnel arrangement for a floor assembly of a vehicle body, and a floor assembly
    Patent number: 9205878
    Abstract: A tunnel arrangement for a floor assembly of a vehicle body is proved. The floor assembly includes spaced apart first and second floor parts. A tunnel is arranged between the first and second floor parts and includes first and second flanges and front and rear tunnel sections extending between the first and second flanges. A tunnel bridge is provided on a lower surface of the tunnel for stiffening the tunnel arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Frank Bechtler, Pawel Adamski, Robert Koehr
  • Vehicle body
    Patent number: 9199670
    Abstract: In a floor cross member configured by a web surface (4a) as the top surface, a ridge part (4b) contiguous to the web surface (4a), and a vertical wall surface (4c) contiguous to the ridge part (4b), having a tensile strength of 440 MPa or larger, flanges (4e) are formed at both longitudinal ends continuously around at least the web surface (4a), the ridge part (4b) and the vertical wall surface (4c), and the floor cross member (4) is connected through the flanges (4e) to a tunnel part (2a) and to a side sill (3). The flange (4e) has a flange width lfc, at the center in the perimeter direction of the curved part (4e-2), not smaller than the minimum flange width lfs of the curved part (4e-2). Accordingly, a vehicle body, which is suppressed in deformation of the floor cross member (4) and improved in the torsional rigidity, is successfully provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichiro Otsuka, Ryuichi Nishimura, Yoshiaki Nakazawa
  • Aerodynamic rear drag reduction system for a trailer
    Patent number: 9199673
    Abstract: A drag reduction system is configured to be coupled to a rear frame assembly of a trailer including a rear swing door and a rear frame. The drag reduction system includes a main wall panel configured to be coupled to a vertical member of the rear frame to extend generally rearwardly of the trailer at least partially along a height of the trailer. The main wall panel is pivotable relative to the rear frame between a deployed position wherein the inner surface of the wall panel is spaced-apart from the outer surface of the rear swing door, and a stowed position wherein the inner surface of the wall panel is adjacent to and engaged with the outer surface of the rear swing door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Wabash National, L.P.
    Inventor: Leonard W. Baker
  • Vehicular door trim
    Patent number: 9193310
    Abstract: A door trim includes an ornament and a trim board. The ornament includes a decoration main body having ornament fitting portions at its peripheral edge portion, and an ornament insertion portion. The trim board includes a trim main body, a receiving portion, and an extending portion. The trim main body has an opening to which the decoration main body is fitted and an opening edge portion on which the fitting portions are located. The receiving portion receives the ornament insertion portion so as to be exposed on a side of the outer peripheral portion of the trim main body. The extending portion extends from the receiving portion to a space in the opening. The extending portion includes a mount seat to which a stopper member is mounted, and the door trim is mounted to a door panel via the stopper member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Hinokio, Bongkee Kim
  • Floor reinforcement structure for vehicle body
    Patent number: 9174683
    Abstract: The invention includes a floor reinforcement structure for vehicle body providing rigidity to an area around a main and rear floor joint; improving vehicle-body rigidity and rigidity against floor shaking and associated vehicle interior noise; and improving vehicle running stability. A floor reinforcement structure includes: a main floor; rear floor; side sill; a floor tunnel with a hat-like cross-section protruding from the floor and located medially in the main floor in the vehicle width direction and extending in a front-and-rear direction; and a vertical wall at the front of the rear floor extending in a vehicle vertical direction. The vertical wall is continuous with no steps The height of a top face thereof is larger than twice the height of a top face of the side sill, which is more than twice the height of a top face of a rear end portion of the floor tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Shinei Mochizuki
  • Vehicle back door
    Patent number: 9162555
    Abstract: A right reinforcing rib 25 is disposed on a straight line connecting a left hinge attachment location 15 with an inner wall 17 in a region surrounded by a left hinge attachment location 15, a right end of a lower edge of a door inner panel 3, and a right virtual corner 26a. A left reinforcing rib 25 is disposed on a straight line connecting a right hinge attachment location 15 with the inner wall 17 in a region surrounded by a right hinge attachment location 15, a left end of the lower edge of the door inner panel 3, and a left virtual corner 26b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: DaikyoNishikawa Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Kodama
  • Sliding deflector assembly
    Patent number: 9126550
    Abstract: A vehicle frame assembly is provided comprising a main rail. The vehicle frame assembly also includes a deflector assembly which has a front member having an inboard end pivotally coupled to the main rail and an outboard end. Moreover, the deflector assembly includes a rear member having an inboard end slidably coupled to the main rail and an outboard end pivotally coupled to the outboard end of the front member. Additionally, a tension member is disposed between the inboard ends of the front member and the rear member. The deflector assembly is operable between a normal use position wherein the tension member is slack and a collision position wherein the tension member is taut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Saied Nusier, Ridha Baccouche, Rahul Arora, Saeed David Barbat, Jamel E. Belwafa
  • Tonneau positioning system
    Patent number: 9120413
    Abstract: A tonneau cover system is provided for a cargo box of a pickup truck. The tonneau cover system includes a framework system being positionable over the cargo box of the pickup truck. The system further includes a tonneau cover positioning system having a first positioner mount that is coupled or joined to the framework system. The first positioner mount has at least one downwardly-extending leg member extending from a main body portion to define a cross-sectional profile engageable with the cargo box of the pickup truck to inhibiting movement of the framework system relative to the cargo box of the pickup truck in vehicle fore and/or aft directions. In some embodiments, movement of the framework system can be inhibited in the vehicle fore and/or aft directions and also the cross vehicle direction. A bed rail extender clip is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: ADVANTAGE TRUCK ACCESSORIES, INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Fink
  • Apparatus for reducing vehicle drag and covering a tonneau of a vehicle, and a method thereof
    Patent number: 9108685
    Abstract: An apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle generally has a front wall, two side walls, a truck bed, and a tailgate that altogether define a tonneau. The apparatus includes a tonneau cover that has a front panel and a rear panel. The tonneau cover is slidable along the side walls of the vehicle to move between a closed position and an extended position. In the closed position, the tonneau cover substantially covers the tonneau. In the extended position, at least a portion of the rear panel overhangs the tailgate exterior to the tonneau. The tonneau cover is securable in at least one of the closed position and the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Thomas H. Froling, Scott C. Anderson
  • Subframe for a motor vehicle
    Patent number: 9108676
    Abstract: The invention relates to a subframe (10) for a motor vehicle, having a base frame which forms a cavity and which is connected to a vehicle body via a plurality of fastening points, wherein the base frame has at least one force-introduction point (20) for receiving and/or supporting further motor vehicle components. The invention is characterized in that the cavity is locally filled with rigid foam (24) in the vicinity of the force-introduction point (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Peter Leibl
  • Accessory mounting system for a vehicle
    Patent number: 9090213
    Abstract: An accessory mounting system for a vehicle includes spaced apart fixing elements adhesively attached at a surface of a vehicle windshield. A frame has receiving portions that are spaced apart from one another in a manner that corresponds with the spacing apart of the fixing elements, and each of the receiving portions is configured to receive a respective and corresponding one of the fixing elements. Elongated portions of the fixing elements are at least partially received in respective and corresponding ones of the receiving portions of the frame and cooperate with the receiving portions to attach the frame at the windshield. The frame includes structure for receiving an accessory thereat. The accessory includes a camera and, when the accessory is received at the structure of the frame, the line of vision of the camera passes through an aperture existing in the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Patrick Lawlor, Patrick Dowling, Niall R. Lynam
  • Motor vehicle body with stiffening struts
    Patent number: 9090289
    Abstract: A motor vehicle body includes stiffening struts created from a composite fiber material. Each stiffening strut is connected at both ends to the adjoining body components via a connection section. The fibers of the stiffening strut run essentially unidirectionally in the direction of loading of the stiffening strut and the cross-sectional area of the stiffening strut remains constant at least between the connection sections of the stiffening strut along a length of the stiffening strut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Wilfried Heise, Asmir Salkic
  • Cargo bed support assembly for a truck
    Patent number: 9090293
    Abstract: A cargo bed assembly for a pickup truck includes an aluminum truck bed above a pair of frame rails. A plurality of roll-formed 6000-series aluminum cross-members extend along a width of the truck bed and contact the underside of the truck bed. The cross-members include longitudinal channels. Each cross-member contacts a pair of extruded 6000-series aluminum spacers underneath the cross-member at spaced locations to align with the frame rails. The spacers contact the frame rails and at least partially surround a portion of the outer surface of the cross-members to separate the cross-members from the frame rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Joseph Courtright, Vince Chimento, Joshua Hemphill, Jack Marchlewski, Jeffrey Alan Firzlaff, Lawrence J. Dupuis
  • Vehicle seat reclining device
    Patent number: 9090179
    Abstract: A latch mechanism of a vehicle seat reclining device includes a plurality of latch holes formed in a rail along a central axial line, a slider hole penetrating through a slider so as to face the respective latch holes, a support portion provided on the slider, and a movable portion displaceably supported by the support portion and having a latch projection that is engageable with the respective latch holes while passing through the slider hole. A clearance is defined in the direction of the central axial line between the slider hole and the latch projection. One or more shock absorbing members is (are) provided on opposing first and second inner surfaces of the slider hole and abut against the latch projection while being resiliently deformed to suppress the generation of undesirable rattling noise in case a force causes the latch projection to oscillate within the engaged latch hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Ishii, Satoshi Umezu
  • Mobility device docking system
    Patent number: 9079524
    Abstract: A device for securing a mobility device in a mobility vehicle or on a lifting device that is installed in or on a mobility vehicle or trailer. The securing device comprises a docking assembly, a locking assembly and a guide assembly. The locking assembly includes a receiving member having an interior passageway and a locking pin. The guide assembly includes a support plate attachable to the mobility device and an alignment rod whereby the alignment rod extends out from one side of the mobility device and engages the receiving member. The alignment rod is sized and configured to extend into the interior passageway thereby allowing the locking pin to extend into the interior passageway to secure the alignment rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Radock Systems, I.P., LLC
    Inventor: Richard A. Aucoin
  • Vehicle sun visor extender
    Patent number: 9073409
    Abstract: A vehicle sun visor extender, comprising: a first panel and a second panel, at least short sides or corners thereof being fixed one to the other; a first and a second strap threaded between the first and second panels, for embracing thereof to an existing vehicle sun visor, ends of each of the first and second straps comprising separable fastening means for applying the embracing; and a third panel disposed between the second panel and the existing vehicle sun visor, the third panel for limiting sliding of the third panel in relation to the second panel, the third panel comprising an additional width being at the corner thereof, thereby the third panel upon being extended, shades an area below a top of a side window, which would have been exposed due to a tilt of the existing vehicle sun visor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Inventor: Rami Damari
  • Rectifier of vehicle wheel house
    Patent number: 9073583
    Abstract: A rectifier of a vehicle wheel house to rectify an air flow in the wheel house housing a wheel includes: an air passage configured to introduce running wind from a forward position of a vehicle; and an air blowing port which is formed at a partition wall member included in a partition wall of the wheel house on the vehicle body side, and configured to allow the running wind through the air passage to strike an outer circumferential surface of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takumi Hasegawa
  • Dash cluster system and method
    Patent number: 9051010
    Abstract: A dash cluster system and a method for securing and/or interconnecting a dash cluster to power equipment. The dash cluster system includes a housing having a connecting assembly including at least one peripheral connector positioned along a peripheral surface of the housing. The dash cluster system further comprises a bezel having a front side and a rear side. The bezel also comprises a connecting arrangement formed from at least one extending connector, extending from the rear side. The dash cluster system also comprises a securing connection formed between the housing and the bezel by the interlocking of the peripheral connector of the connecting assembly with the extending connector of the connecting arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Delta Systems. Inc
    Inventors: Dennis R. Young, Michael Eric Liedtke, Ernest Richard-Dean Buehman
  • Device for absorbing mechanical energy for motor vehicles
    Patent number: 9039071
    Abstract: A device (1) for absorbing mechanical energy for motor vehicles, wherein the device (1) has a honeycomb-like cavity structure (2) and is arranged between a first body section (3) and a second body section (4). In order that, in the event of a crash, the body sections (3, 4) are not displaced relative to one another, the device (1) can be deformed during the absorption of mechanical energy, wherein the deformation generates a force-fitting connection between the two body sections (3, 4). The device has a centre of rotation (12) about which the device (1) can be deformed in a rotational manner during a deformation, such that a force-fitting connection is generated between the two body sections (3, 4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Christoph Wezel