Patents Examined by Joseph D. Pape
  • Work vehicle
    Patent number: 11702154
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes an driver's seat disposed in the rear region of a vehicle body, a left and a right fender that are disposed on the left and right laterally outward sides of the driver's seat, and a partition wall that divides, at a position behind the driver's seat, the vehicle body into a front region of the vehicle body on the front side of the partition wall and a rear region of the vehicle body on the back side thereof. Operation tools for operating working equipment provided on the vehicle body are disposed on one of the fenders, and the partition wall is provided offset toward a side where operation tools are disposed relative to the driver's seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshitaka Komiya, Tetsuya Iida, Shimpachi Fushimi, Takashi Goto
  • Fall protection system and methods for using same
    Patent number: 11702149
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a modular safety rail and system for a flatbed platform, comprising first and second end post assemblies defining first and second ends of the safety rail; at least one intermediate post, each intermediate post comprising a first cable holder and a second cable holder; a cable configured to connect with the first end post assembly and the second end post assembly and configured to be removably positioned within and pass through the first cable holder and second cable holder of each intermediate post; and a cable winch connected to a first end of the cable and configured to spool and unspool the cable. Also disclosed herein are kits and methods for using the disclosed safety rail and system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Canopy Safety Brands LLC
    Inventors: Paul Mazurek, Tom Borst, Lee Farris, Corey Vaughan
  • Container tarping assembly and method
    Patent number: 11701953
    Abstract: A container tarping assembly comprises a frame structure. A left spreader assembly and a right spreader assembly adapted to carry a tarp are also provided. The left spreader assembly includes first and second left travelers. The right spreader assembly includes first and second right travelers. The travelers are each movable in reciprocating fashion along a predetermined path between a first limit and a second limit. A plurality of drive mechanisms are respectively associated with the travelers to move the traveler in the reciprocating fashion, each of the drive mechanisms having a bidirectional motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SAFE RACK LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Honeycutt, Zachary James Long, Joseph N. Lane, Paul Thomas King, Jr., Mark Frederick Ingersoll, John Rutledge Lawson, Raquel Strickland
  • Front vehicle-body structure of vehicle
    Patent number: 11702142
    Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle includes: side frames of a suspension subframe; a cross member connecting front-end portions of the side frames in the vehicle width direction; a front beam member; and a connecting member connecting a front-end portion of each side frame to the front beam member. A high-rigidity portion having a higher rigidity than other portions of the side frame is at a connecting portion between the front-end portion of the side frame and the cross member. The front beam member has a side end portion extending on a vehicle-width-direction outer side relative to a connecting position with the connecting member. A protrusion portion protruding from the side end portion toward a vehicle rear side is to come into contact with the high-rigidity portion from the vehicle-width-direction outer side when a collision load from a vehicle front side is input to the side end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Mukaigawa, Hiroto Kido, Satoshi Nakamura, Fumihiro Kurohara, Satoshi Okano
  • Modified retractable tonneau cover
    Patent number: 11697332
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a retractable tonneau cover for a vehicle that has been modified in order to generally minimize the size of a housing of the tonneau cover, providing more vehicle cargo space for a user. The modified retractable tonneau cover can be automatically closed through an electronic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: ROLL-N-LOCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Richard Gregory Bernardo
  • Vehicle door structure
    Patent number: 11697329
    Abstract: A vehicle door structure includes: a horizontal beam arranged inside a door of a vehicle to extend in a vehicle front-rear direction; and a vertical beam arranged inside the door to extend in a vehicle up-down direction, wherein a vehicle front-side end and a vehicle rear-side end of the horizontal beam are each fixed to a door frame, and the vertical beam is fixed in a cantilever fashion to an intermediate portion of the horizontal beam in an axial direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Hasegawa, Yoshihiro Fujimura, Yasuhisa Egawa, Takuro Nishida, Yumi Saito
  • Top door for electric refuse vehicle
    Patent number: 11697331
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle includes a chassis, a body assembly coupled to the chassis, an electric energy system, and a door system. The body assembly defines a refuse compartment. The body assembly has a cover that at least partially encloses the refuse compartment such that an opening is defined in the body assembly to provide access to the refuse compartment. The door system is coupled to the cover. The door system includes a panel and an electric actuator powered by the electric energy system. The electric actuator is configured to selectively reposition the panel between a first position where the panel extends across the opening and a second position where the panel does not extend across the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua D. Rocholl, Derek A. Wente, John T. Kellander, Cody D. Clifton, Vincent Hoover, Zachary L. Klein, Clinton T. Weckwerth, Skylar A. Wachter
  • Front end structure of vehicle body
    Patent number: 11691676
    Abstract: A front end structure of a vehicle body may include: a horn; a bumper cover; an inner grille disposed between the horn and the bumper cover, and a megaphone including a megaphone wall defining a megaphone opening extending along a direction along which the horn and the bumper cover are aligned, wherein a first opening end of the megaphone opposes the horn, a second opening end of the megaphone opposes the bumper cover, and the megaphone is integrated with the inner grille.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Tokuyama, Yoshihiro Itoh
  • Openable structure
    Patent number: 11691486
    Abstract: An openable superstructure for a substructure (14), i.e., a self-propelled truck, a truck, a semi-trailer, a trailer, a container, a dump truck, a railway wagon, a building or the like, comprising a foldable top frame (16), a cover (12) for connection to the top frame (16), in particular a tarpaulin, and a drive (70) for folding in and/or out the top frame (16). The drive (70) causes at least one at least tension-resistant tension element (71) to perform a movement and which can be coupled to a distal carriage (32?) of the top frame (16), moving the distal carriage (32?) back and/or forth based on the drive's actuation direction. The drive (70) comprises a driven first rotating body (73) and a second rotating body (74), arranged adjacent to one another, forming a drive device (75) The tension-resistant tension element (71) is wound several times around the drive device (75).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: EUROPEAN TRAILER SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Roger Remmel, Marcus Leukers
  • Vehicle door structure
    Patent number: 11691489
    Abstract: A door structure of a vehicle includes: an outer panel (4); an inner member (5, 11A) arranged on an inner side of the outer panel in a vehicle width direction; a rigid member (9) arranged between the inner member (5, 11A) and the outer panel (4); and a vibration suppression member (22) arranged between the outer panel (4) and the rigid member (9). The outer panel (4) includes a hem section (10f, 10r, 10u) disposed on a periphery thereof and connected to the inner member (5, 11A) by swaging. The vibration suppression member (22) includes a damping material (22A to 22C) located adjacent to the hem section (10f, 10r, 10u) and being in contact with the outer panel (4) and the rigid member (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Kumamoto, Tomokazu Kitagawa, Takashi Ikemoto
  • Composite structures for forming vehicle barrier systems
    Patent number: 11691584
    Abstract: A reinforcement structure (10) comprising an inner member (14) at least partially secured within a shell (12), wherein the inner member is secured within the shell so that one or more abutment portions (18) of the shell are positioned in receiving portions (20) of the inner member, to create at least a partial press-fit condition between the inner member and the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Zephyros, Inc.
    Inventors: Manish Taxak, Jignesh Desai, Satindar Dua, Sundarraman Vaideeswaran, Gajanan More
  • Vehicle shock absorbing structure
    Patent number: 11691579
    Abstract: A vehicle shock absorbing structure provided on the vehicle includes a shock absorbing member and a bracket. The shock absorbing member is disposed on a front end of the vehicle so as to extend in a vehicle width direction. The shock absorbing member includes a front end serving as a collision portion. The bracket includes a front end coupled to a rear end of the shock absorbing member. The bracket interposed between the shock absorbing member and a vehicle body. A deformation control member that extends forward and obliquely upward is provided in a coupling portion at which the bracket is coupled to the shock absorbing member. The deformation control member is more fragile than a front portion of the shock absorbing member that in front of the coupling portion and a rear portion of the bracket in rear of the coupling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Takahashi
  • Maintenance window structure for large vehicle
    Patent number: 11691481
    Abstract: A maintenance window structure, for a large vehicle configured in a chassis frame that accommodates driving components of a large vehicle, includes: at least one main opening configured to communicate with a receiving space of the chassis frame and formed on a window frame; the window frame mounted on the chassis frame; a pillar frame detachably provided on the window frame and configured to partition the at least one main opening into a plurality of inspection openings, and an inspection cover that is configured to engage with the window frame and the pillar frame and to cover the plurality of inspection openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hanjong Lee
  • Top for a convertible vehicle, the top comprising a headliner assembly
    Patent number: 11691487
    Abstract: A top for a convertible vehicle having a foldable top cover and a top linkage for deploying the top cover, the top linkage being displaceable between a closed position and a storage position, the top linkage having a link assembly on either side of the top, each link assembly being pivotably mounted on a vehicle-attached main bearing and having a tension rod assembly hinged to a tension bow which extends between the bilaterally disposed link assemblies and limits the top cover at its rear edge in the closed position, and the top having a headliner assembly having a foldable headliner fabric and forming an inner visible surface of the top in the closed position. The headliner assembly may have a guide link on either side of the top, each guide link being hinged to the respective tension rod assembly, and the headliner fabric being in contact with each guide link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventor: Heinrich Wüllrich
  • Tonneau cover
    Patent number: 11685314
    Abstract: A tonneau cover includes a sheet-shaped member, a hemming member sewn on an outer peripheral edge portion of the sheet-shaped member and forming a core material housing space, a loop-shaped core material housed in the core material housing space, and a frame. The frame includes a first divided frame member and a second divided frame member. At least one of the first divided frame member and the second divided frame member is formed with an edge housing portion and is provided with a contact portion. The edge housing portion forms an edge housing space. The edge housing space houses the outer peripheral edge portion, the hemming member, and the core material. The contact portion protrudes into the edge housing space to be in contact with a surface of the core material facing the sheet-shaped member via the hemming member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: ASHIMORI INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyoshi Takeda
  • Vehicle strut and lifting device and system
    Patent number: 11685240
    Abstract: A dual acting gas strut system for a vehicle such as a sports utility vehicle that allows for easier and safer opening and closing of the soft top roof as well as the rear cargo access area. The gas strut attaches to the soft top frame using a ball stud or pin and clevis, at each end, the ball stud or pin and clevis, which is either attached directly to the soft top frame, or is attached to a bracket which attaches to the soft top frame. Alternatively, the gas strut only attaches to the soft top frame at one end and is attached to the vehicle at the other. Each end is attached using a ball stud or pin and clevis, which is either attached directly to the soft top frame or vehicle, or is attached to a bracket which, is attached to the soft top frame or vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Integrity Auto Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Jalil G. Jabaji
  • Member for ratcheting between a moving component and adjacent structure
    Patent number: 11685324
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises: a vehicle body having a front and a rear; a vehicle chassis supporting the vehicle body, the vehicle chassis including a chassis portion; a component attached to the front of the vehicle body; and a member comprising (i) an elongate portion having teeth, and (ii) an attachment portion attaching the member to one of the chassis portion or the component, wherein the member is configured for ratcheting of the teeth against an edge of the other of the chassis portion or the component due to relative movement between the component and the chassis portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Shankar Authimoolam Iyer, Tobias Emanuel Monteiro Martins, Boon-Sam Tan, Eric Magnus Bach
  • Soft front cockpit cover with linkage
    Patent number: 11685241
    Abstract: An articulating soft front cockpit cover assembly including an auxiliary tensioning link, coupling link and cross-car bow. A pivot point rotatable joining the auxiliary tensioning link and coupling link is located at the top of the auxiliary tensioning link. A bracket is provided on the auxiliary tensioning link or coupling link and extends cross-car and attaches to the front or rear edge of the cross-car bow. The soft front cockpit cover assembly in sealing engagement with a rearward top portion of a roof. The articulating portion movable between at least a closed position over about the front vehicle cockpit and at least one open position for an open-air feel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Bestop, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen J. Lewis
  • Folding tonneau cover apparatus
    Patent number: 11685242
    Abstract: A folding tonneau cover apparatus including a cover assembly and a support frame assembly. The cover assembly having a plurality of rigid panels interconnected in series by a series of flexible hinges preferably made from a laminated woven fabric material. The rigid panels are preferably stiffened by elongated support members secured to the undersides of the respective panels and the top surfaces of portions of the rigid panels are preferably downwardly concave. The cover assembly is secured to the support frame assembly to cover a cargo box of a pickup truck by a plurality of locking members when the support frame assembly is secured to sidewalls of the cargo box. Methods of making a tonneau cover apparatus and methods of folding and unfolding the cover assembly are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Agri-Cover, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M. Schmeichel, John W. Simon
  • Fold-back soft top for a vehicle
    Patent number: 11679654
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a folding top assembly for use with a vehicle and methods for using a folding top assembly on a vehicle. The folding top assembly can be used to create openings on the top of the vehicle by folding a rear panel segment of the folding top assembly forward to expose a space over a rear seating area of the vehicle and/or folding a front panel segment of the folding top assembly rearward to expose a space over a front seating area of the vehicle. The assembly can be designed and shaped to improve the ability to store the folding top assembly on the vehicle and/or to improve aerodynamics when the vehicle is moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Lund Motion Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Gauci