Patents Examined by Jason D Shanske
  • Patent number: 11919571
    Abstract: An electric vehicle may include: a cowl; a charging lid disposed outward of the cowl in a vehicle width direction, and a charging cable disposed between the cowl and the charging lid. A drain hole is defined in a bottom wall of the cowl, the bottom wall of the cowl may include a first bottom wall portion and a second bottom wall portion, the first bottom wall portion is located more proximate to a central portion of the cowl than the second bottom wall portion, the second bottom wall portion is located between the first bottom wall portion and the drain hole and is adjacent to the drain hole, and an inclination angle of a surface of the second bottom wall portion is greater than an inclination angle of a surface of the first bottom wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Ryuno
  • Patent number: 11919470
    Abstract: An airbag arrangement for a vehicle includes a housing, an airbag cushion and a guide arrangement. The housing is mountable to a roof of the vehicle. The airbag cushion is normally stored within the housing and deployable from the housing. The guide arrangement guides the airbag cushion from a stowed position within the housing to a deployed position and includes a continuous cord having a first end attached to a first point on the airbag cushion and a second end attached to a second point on the airbag cushion. The guide arrangement further includes a plurality of mounting member for attachment to the roof. The plurality of mounting members slidably receive the continuous cord, The mounting members and the continuous cord cooperate to fix the airbag cushion in free space upon deployment with only the roof as structural support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventor: Conrad Dumbrique
  • Patent number: 11919154
    Abstract: A method includes moving a stabilization device comprising a stabilization surface relative to a base of a surgical cart, wherein the moving comprises moving the stabilization device from a retracted position in which the stabilization surface is spaced from the ground surface to a deployed position in which the stabilization surface is in contact with the ground surface, and wherein the moving comprises overcoming a biasing force biasing the stabilization device toward the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: David Robinson, Matthew R. Cavalier, Gregory W. Dachs, Michael Hanuschik, Jason Jiang, Paul W. Mohr, Bruce M. Schena, Mark W. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 11912123
    Abstract: A traction battery pack venting system includes a plurality of battery arrays within a traction battery pack. The battery arrays each have a plurality of individual battery cells. The system further includes a divider system that provides a plurality of vented gas receiving compartments. Each of the vented gas receiving compartments are separate and distinct from the other vented gas receiving compartments within the plurality of vented gas receiving compartments. Each of the vented gas receiving compartments are associated with one of the battery arrays. Each of the vented gas receiving compartments can be associated with a manifold. The vent gas produced from thermal runaway can be discharged to the vented gas receiving compartments, directed to a manifold, and discharge to the external atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chung-Hsing Kuo, Yongcai Wang, LeeAnn Wang, Che-chun Chang
  • Patent number: 11912097
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an all-terrain vehicle including a frame; a trailing arm, an upper tie rod and a lower tie rod. A front end of the trailing arm is connected to the frame. An inner end of the upper tie rod is connected to the frame and an outer end of the upper tie rod is mounted at a rear end of the trailing arm. An inner end of the lower tie rod is connected to the frame and an outer end of the upper tie rod is mounted at the rear end of the trailing arm. The lower tie rod is located below the upper tie rod. An included angle between the upper tie rod and the lower tie rod being a, and a satisfies a relationship: 0°<a<5°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SEGWAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhen Dong, Mingtang Chen, Weigang Que
  • Patent number: 11912141
    Abstract: A battery storage device includes a battery case (42), a case side connection terminal (43), a lid member (8), a lock mechanism (133), and an operation member (44). The lock mechanism (133) is capable of fixing a battery (62A or 62B) stored in the battery case (42) to the battery case (42) below the lid member (8). The operation member (44) is constituted such that at least a part thereof overlaps an inserting/removing port (136) on an upper side in a view in an insertion direction of the battery (62A or 62B) in a state at a lock operation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Okubo, Akira Kuramochi, Shogo Nishida
  • Patent number: 11912229
    Abstract: A system including an airbag assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The airbag assembly includes a housing supporting the airbag, an inflation device (“inflator”) in fluid communication with the airbag for inflating the airbag from an uninflated position to an inflated position, a tether fixed to the airbag that helps control the deployment and inflation of the airbag, and a tether lid configured to open in order to release the tether during deployment. The tether lid is installed in a pillar garnish of the vehicle, and is opened in response to the force of the tether as it is pulled by the deploying airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Carlington G. Demetrius, Benjamin M. Oros, Yuichiro Umeda, Akira Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11912155
    Abstract: A battery pack locking mechanism, used for unlocking or locking a battery pack on the bracket, and comprising a fixing portion. The fixing portion has a locking space. When the battery pack is placed relative to the bracket, the locking mechanism is used for locking a connecting portion on the battery pack in the locking space. On one side of the locking space, the locking mechanism is provided with an opening facing towards the battery pack and entering the bracket along the horizontal direction, so that the connecting portion enters the opening along the horizontal direction and moves into the locking space. According to the locking mechanism, effectively reducing the complexity of the process and the step of mounting and fixing the battery pack on the bracket. Also provided are a bracket assembly, an electric vehicle, and a battery pack locking method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignees: AULTON NEW ENERGY AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY GROUP, SHANGHAI DIANBA NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jianping Zhang, Chunhua Huang
  • Patent number: 11912358
    Abstract: A personal vehicle having quick detachable modules and wireless communication between modules. In one embodiment, a scooter is provided that has a chassis frame and a vehicle body module detachably attached to the frame chassis. The vehicle body module includes one or more batteries. The scooter also includes a rear wheel module having a hub motor detachably attached to the frame chassis, and a controller that directs power from the battery to the hub motor and wirelessly transmits data between the modules to enable vehicle operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Inventor: Vidyadhar Gurram
  • Patent number: 11912230
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seat having a seat bottom that includes a top surface. The assembly includes an airbag supported by the seat and inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag in the inflated position includes a bottom end positioned below the top surface. The assembly includes a pyrotechnic retractor supported by the seat bottom. The assembly includes a tether connected to the bottom end of the airbag and to the pyrotechnic retractor such that actuation of the pyrotechnic retractor retracts the tether and urges the bottom end of the airbag toward the seat bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11904675
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle assembly includes a frame that has a passenger side rail and a driver side rail. The assembly further includes a battery support plate and a battery pack. The battery support plate is secured to the passenger side rail and the driver side rail. The battery pack has a plurality of cross-members. To secure the battery pack to the battery support plate, mechanical fasteners each extend through an aperture in the battery support plate to engage one of the cross-members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott J. Bell, Shane Edward Foley, Sukhwinder Singh Dhindsa, Jeffrey Ronald Bohmer
  • Patent number: 11904648
    Abstract: Suspension systems for recreational vehicles are disclosed. The suspension systems may include at least one adjustable member coupling a sway bar to respective suspensions. The suspension systems may include a torque actuator associated with a sway bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathon P. Graus, David D. Helgeson, Kyle W. Olson, Justin T. Anderson, Jacob P. Horky, Kevin P. Blair
  • Patent number: 11904676
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle, comprising a rear end, a front end located forwardly of the rear end, a chassis extending between the rear end and the front end, a battery protection structure provided at the rear end of the vehicle, the battery protection structure comprising a frame portion defining an opening for housing a traction battery, the frame portion having a rear side and a front side, and a projecting portion which projects forwardly from the frame portion and which is connected to the chassis at the rear end of the vehicle, wherein the projecting portion is configured to remain in a fixed connection relative to the chassis under normal operating conditions and to move forwardly along the chassis when the rear side of the frame portion is subjected to a forwardly directed impact force which is greater than a threshold force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Jesper Blomstrand
  • Patent number: 11904792
    Abstract: Seat centric airbag restraint systems having pelvis restraint features, along with related methods. In some implementations, a first seat-mounted airbag cushion may be deployed along a first side of a vehicle occupant and a second seat-mounted airbag cushion may be deployed along a second side of the vehicle occupant. At least one wrap-around belt engaging at least one of the first and second seat-mounted airbag cushions may be released, either partially or fully, to inhibit forward translation of the vehicle occupant within a vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Schneider, Christina Renee Morris
  • Patent number: 11904710
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery-powered vehicle comprising a chassis extending between the rear end and the front end of the vehicle. The chassis comprises an upper frame plate and a lower frame plate, wherein the lower frame plate is located vertically below the upper frame plate. The battery-powered vehicle further comprises a battery stack, which comprises a plurality of traction battery packs stacked on top of each other between the upper and lower frame plates, wherein each traction battery pack is vertically tightened to a neighboring traction battery pack and wherein at least one traction battery pack is tightened to one of said upper and lower frame plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Hendriks, Sondre Landvik, Jörgen Andersson
  • Patent number: 11904674
    Abstract: A battery pack is placed on a battery frame. The battery frame has a lateral frame which extends in a lateral direction. A connection bracket for connecting the battery frame and a floor of a vehicle is joined to an end of the lateral frame. With the joining of the end of the lateral frame with the connection bracket, a crank shape is formed in the lateral direction. A reinforcement plate functioning as a brace is placed at a corner portion of the crank shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomotake Kosuge
  • Patent number: 11897305
    Abstract: An active roll stabilizer includes a divided torsion bar (1) having torsion bar parts (2, 3) which are arranged one behind the other along a torsion bar axis. An actuator (4) for transmitting torsional torques to the torsion bar (1) is provided. An electric motor (7) and a transmission (6) connected to the electric motor (7) are arranged in an actuator housing (5). The actuator housing (5) is connected to the one torsion bar part (2) for conjoint rotation and the transmission (6) is connected, on the output side, to the other torsion bar part (3) for conjoint rotation. A motor housing (11) of the electric motor (7) is connected, by means of only one of the two axial ends of said motor housing, to the actuator housing (5) for conjoint rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG &Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Bräutigam, Mario Arnold, Ramon Jurjanz, Simon Sagewka
  • Patent number: 11897543
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a battery system arranged in a central region. The battery system includes corners corresponding to corners of an end of the vehicle, and respective chassis components are arranged at each corner. Respective shear brackets are affixed to the vehicle frame to a respective chassis component. The shear brackets are configured to absorb energy from the chassis components during deceleration events. The chassis components may include a knuckle configured to engage with the frame at an interface, to which the shear bracket may be added. Each shear bracket is formed from metal, such as sheet metal, and includes mounting features such as holes or studs to affix to the frame. The shear brackets are configured to limit intrusion of the chassis components into the battery system by absorbing energy. A bolt or fastener affixing a chassis component to the frame is strengthened by the shear bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Allen Orchard, Jiacheng Huang, Vamsi Charan Pulugurtha
  • Patent number: 11897304
    Abstract: A stabilizer bar support structure of an off-road vehicle includes a vehicle body frame having a seat base frame that supports a seat and a support frame that supports the seat base frame, a stabilizer bar that couples right and left suspensions to each other and is supported on the support frame, and a bracket attached to the support frame. The stabilizer bar is attached to the support frame through the bracket. The bracket receives the load of the seat base frame through the support frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Kawasaki Motors, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Hisamura, Yusuke Nakashima
  • Patent number: 11897322
    Abstract: A power storage device is a power storage device provided on a lower surface of a floor panel of a vehicle, the power storage device including: a housing case; a power storage module housed in the housing case; and a cooler housed in the housing case to cool the power storage module, wherein the housing case includes a bottom plate, a refrigerant passage through which a refrigerant flows is formed in a portion of the housing case, the portion being located above the bottom plate, and the refrigerant passage is connected to the cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaroh Gotoh, Yukinari Tanabe, Yugo Mochizuki