Patents Examined by Maxwell L Meshaka
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Patent number: 11642932Abstract: A bushing assembly for a stabilizer bar in a vehicle includes a split ring defining a passageway engaging with an outer surface of the stabilizer bar, an outer diameter surface, a first split ring end, a second split ring end, and at least one axial retention flange disposed at either the first split ring end or the second split ring end. The bushing assembly includes an elastomer bushing defining an inner diameter, an outer diameter, a first bushing end, a second bushing end, a first axial flange disposed at the first bushing end, and a second axial flange at the second bushing end. At least one of the first axial flange and the second axial flange abut against the at least one axial retention flange of the split ring to create a zero clearance condition. The bushing assembly also includes a strap clamp securing the bushing assembly to the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2021Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Matthew Gregory Wieczorek, Joshua P. Dupuis
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Patent number: 11623607Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle seat, a seat support rail, a load limiter and a seatbelt assembly. The seat support rail supports the vehicle seat within the vehicle. The vehicle seat is adjustably supported to the seat support rail. The load limiter is supported to the seat support rail. The seatbelt assembly has a latch and a receptacle that receives the latch. The receptacle is movably supported to the load limiter. The receptacle is movable along the load limiter from a rest position to an operated position upon receiving a predetermined force.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2022Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jeffery Dix, Matthew Gapinski
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Patent number: 11618494Abstract: A steering gearbox attachment structure according to one embodiment of the present disclosure attaches and secures a steering gearbox to cross members positioned in the vehicle widthwise direction, and is equipped with support parts provided on the cross members, and a steering gearbox housing part which has contact parts. The first attachment surface of the first support part and the second attachment surface of the second support part form an angle which is greater than 90° and less than 180°.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2018Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITEDInventors: Daisuke Senoo, Kyouhei Katou
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Patent number: 11608126Abstract: A support system for a vehicle includes a base and at least a first and a second support arm. Each of the first and the second support arms include a base end pivotally coupled to the base through a respective hinge assembly. Each of the first and the second support arms further include a distal end opposite the base end. The support system also includes a respective wheel assembly coupled to each distal end. Each wheel assembly includes an independently powered and steerable wheel configured to engage a travel surface, a propelling motor configured to drive a respective first support arm between a stowed condition and a deployed condition unaided while the vehicle remains stationary, and a steer actuator configured to change an angle of the wheel with respect to a respective support arm.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2020Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: XTREME MANUFACTURING, LLCInventors: Ryan Paul Sobotka, Jacob Wayne Adkins
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Patent number: 11603897Abstract: A bushing includes a cylindrical body and a flange extending from the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body has an inner face defining a bore. The flange includes an outer rim and a face extending radially between the bore and the outer rim. At least one groove is formed in the face. The at least one groove extends from a first end intersecting the bore to a second end adjacent the outer rim such that grease supplied to the bore of the bushing is able to flow through the at least one groove.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2022Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: K.M. Gehman IncorporatedInventor: K. Marlin Gehman
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Patent number: 11603133Abstract: Provided is a steering apparatus 1 including: a wheel 2; and a steering unit 5 configured to steer the wheel 2, the steering apparatus 1 being fixable to a vehicle body, wherein the steering unit 5 includes: a steering drive source (an electric motor incorporated in an electric motor unit 61) configured to steer the wheel 2 with a steering rotation axis 63a as an axis, the steering rotation axis 63a being a rotation axis when the wheel 2 is steered; and a manual toe angle adjustment mechanism 7 different from the steering drive source, the manual toe angle adjustment mechanism 7 enabling a toe angle of the wheel 2 to be manually adjusted around the steering rotation axis 63a.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2021Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jun Itoh, Yoshinori Masubuchi, Yutaka Hayashi
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Patent number: 11591008Abstract: According to the present embodiments, it is easy to be drawn in or out balls between the sliding bar and the ball nut. Thus, it is possible to easily replace the balls. Therefore, it is possible to easily compensate for the gap between the sliding bar and the ball nut.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2022Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATIONInventor: Woong Soo Shin
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Patent number: 11584336Abstract: A seat belt accessory comprising a first and second fastener connected by a connecting member. The fasteners may be of various shapes, sizes, designs, and dimensions. The seat belt assembly can be used to improve the comfort of a passenger riding in a vehicle or any other apparatus requiring seat belt restraints by creating more space between the seat belt and the passenger and eliminating any pinching created by the seat belt. In addition to creating a more comfortable passenger experience, the seat belt accessory allows easier seat belt access to passengers with mobility problems, serves as a reminder for passengers to use their seat belt, and instantly protect passengers upon crash.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Inventor: Richard H. Galloway
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Patent number: 11584425Abstract: A steering device includes an inner column, an outer column, a hanger bracket, and a fixing member. The hanger bracket has a guide hole which extends in the front-rear direction and through which the shaft portion of the fixing member passes. An edge portion of the guide hole of the hanger bracket is provided with a fixing portion and a gradually increasing resistance portion. The seat portion of the fixing member comes into contact with the fixing portion to fix the hanger bracket to the inner column. The gradually increasing resistance portion is disposed in front of the fixing portion and gradually increases frictional resistance between the fixing member and the hanger bracket according to forward displacement of the fixing member when the fixing member is displaced forward together with inner column by a secondary collision load being input to the steering shaft.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2022Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Yoshinori Shiroishi
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Patent number: 11577783Abstract: An independently driving wheel module includes: a base frame including an upper end fixed to a coupling surface of a vehicle body, and a rotation part coupled to the upper end of the base frame such that the rotation part is rotatable with respect to the upper end of the base frame; a connection link including a first end integrally coupled to the rotation part, and a second end having a shape extending downward from the first end of the connection link; a driving wheel disposed at a side of the second end of the connection link and coupled to the second end of the connection link; and a rotation plate including an upper and lower surfaces extending obliquely in misaligned directions, the rotation plate being interposed between the base frame and the vehicle body so as to be rotatable with respect to the base frame or the vehicle body.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.Inventors: Tae Heon Lee, Won Hyok Choi
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Patent number: 11577778Abstract: A coupling structure of suspension may include an assist knuckle, a RevoKnuckle rotatably engaged with the assist knuckle, rotated independently from the assist knuckle, and performing steering of a wheel located at an outermost periphery, a steering input portion fixed to a vehicle body and applying a steering force to the RevoKnuckle during steering, a rotation transfer unit located between and coupled between the RevoKnuckle and the steering input portion and absorbing angular displacement formed between the steering input portion and the RevoKnuckle, a first link unit having one end located on one side surface of the assist knuckle and the other end located at a lower end of the RevoKnuckle, and a second link unit having one end located on the other side surface of the assist knuckle and the other end located adjacent to the other end of the first link unit at the lower end of the RevoKnuckle.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia CorporationInventors: Jae Young Kim, Jae Won Lee, Ha Kyung Moon
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Patent number: 11577685Abstract: An adaptive load-limiting seatbelt assembly for a passenger vehicle includes a rotatable spool drum storing a length of seatbelt fabric and a piezoelectric device including a controller that can dynamically control torque applied to the spool drum resisting pay-out of the seatbelt from the spool drum during a dynamic event such as a vehicle crash.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Inventor: Jean Alain van Poppel
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Patent number: 11565752Abstract: Electromechanical apparatuses for controlling vehicle suspension settings. Described herein are electromechanical apparatuses for controlling wheel alignment (e.g., camber, castor and/or toe). In particular, described herein are camber adjusting apparatuses for electromechanically adjusting camber or camber and toe that may be retrofitted onto existing vehicle suspensions.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Doftek Pty LtdInventor: Geoffrey William Rogers
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Patent number: 11554627Abstract: A vehicle height control system and method of increasing a vehicle height of a vehicle having a vehicle body and at least one axle assembly. The vehicle height control system includes a pressurized fluid, and a plurality of air springs provided to support at least one section of the body of the vehicle above at least one axle of the vehicle and configured to adjust the height the vehicle relative to the ground in response to the supply and discharge of the fluid. A control assembly of the vehicle height control system configured to receive user input indicative of a vehicle height adjustment operation desired by a user has a piston unit fluidically interconnected with the pressurized fluid supply system via a first control valve and is operable to adjust the vehicle height by adjusting a second control valve interposed between the pressurized fluid supply system and the air springs.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Inventor: Stephen Ray Lynn
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Patent number: 11554818Abstract: A self-stabilizing vehicle includes a mass gyroscope which is fixed at an occupant compartment chassis corresponding to a portion where occupants sit. The occupant compartment portion may tilt outwards in response to the centrifugal force. If the vehicle has three or more wheels, the load is evenly distributed on the left wheel and the right wheel which move oppositely up and down about an effectively centrally-mounted shaft pin. Further, the present disclosure proposes a method for operating the self-stabilizing vehicle. According to the self-stabilizing vehicle and the operating method thereof, a vehicle having a narrow body may be used. When the vehicle undergoes external forces such as the centrifugal force and the crosswind, the occupant compartment can maintain the vertical stability even though the wheels may slide sideways.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: SHENZHEN DAHON TECHNOLOGY LTD.Inventor: David Tak Wei Hon
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Patent number: 11548341Abstract: A strut mount includes an inner member, an outer member, and a body rubber. A stopper rubber which protrudes outward in an axial direction is disposed on the body rubber. The outer member includes a supporting portion which covers the stopper rubber from outside thereof in the axial direction. The stopper rubber includes a pedestal protrusion portion which protrudes outward in the axial direction from the inner member and a tip protrusion portion which protrudes outward in the axial direction from the pedestal protrusion portion, contacts the supporting portion, and has an elasticity in the axial direction lower than that of the pedestal protrusion portion. The pedestal protrusion portion and the tip protrusion portion taper outward in the axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2019Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Prospira CorporationInventors: Kazutaka Otsu, Musashi Hashimoto
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Patent number: 11548336Abstract: A vehicle suspension system for a vehicle having a body supported on a frame includes a first suspension component having a surface and a bracket cantilevered from the surface, a second suspension component including a surface portion, and a spring element mounted to one of the bracket and the surface portion of the second suspension component. Interaction between the spring element and the another of the bracket and the surface portion of the second suspension component limits upward travel of the body of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2021Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventor: Jeffery L. Vogt
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Patent number: 11541831Abstract: A link mechanism is provided between a first member and a second member to effect a bending/stretching motion in operative association with a telescopic expanding/contracting motion of the first member and the second member. A supporting mechanism is provided to support, to the link mechanism, a wire having flexibility and connected between a first device on the side of the first member and a second device on the side of the second member. The supporting mechanism fixes the wire to each link member of the link mechanism in position so that the wire is deformed while maintaining its state following a shape of the link mechanism in operative association with the bending/stretching motion of the link mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2021Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATIONInventors: Manabu Togo, Jinto No
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Patent number: 11541714Abstract: A vehicle disclosed herein may include: a vehicle body including a front compartment; a drive disposed in the front compartment and configured to drive a wheel; a plurality of brackets attaching the drive to the vehicle body; a stabilizer extending in a right-left direction of the vehicle in the front compartment and connecting a left front suspension and a right front suspension to each other; and a plurality of bushes attaching the stabilizer to the vehicle body, wherein the plurality of bushes may include a first bush located frontward of the drive, the plurality of brackets may include a first bracket located rearward of the first bush, and at least a part of the first bracket may be located above the first bush.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2021Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATIONInventors: Makoto Nagayama, Shigenori Hashida, Masaki Yoshida, Masataka Tsukumo, Hideaki Yoshiba
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Patent number: 11535079Abstract: Torsion beam axles for vehicles are disclosed. An example torsion beam axle disclosed herein includes a first side assembly, the first side assembly including a longitudinal member and a receiver. The example torsion beam axle further including a second side assembly, and a cross strut extending transversely between the first side assembly and the second side assembly.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Francesco Italiano, Carsten Tragsdorf