Patents Examined by Michael Hernandez
  • Patent number: 7267395
    Abstract: A vehicle upper body structure of the present invention includes: a step part for arranging a slide rail formed on a roof side rail; a pillar that is joined to the roof side rail in the vicinity of a standing wall that constitutes a front end part of the step part; and a roof arch that is joined to the roof side rail together with the pillar in the vicinity of the standing wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kosaku Tomozawa
  • Patent number: 7264295
    Abstract: A cockpit assembly generally includes a cast alloy backbone, an intermediate plastic support member, and an instrument panel. The cast alloy backbone extends laterally and defines attachment features. The intermediate support member provides structural support to the various devices of the cockpit assembly, and is connected to the backbone through molding of the plastic around the attachment features. The instrument panel is connected to the support member and defines an interior surface exposed to the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Vander Sluis, James D. Caie, Joseph A. Camilletti, III
  • Patent number: 7252320
    Abstract: A foldable and storable seat for a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle seat includes a seat cushion pivotally supported at a rear portion thereof to a vehicle floor by a pair of spaced apart base brackets, cooperating members for causing a forward portion of the seat cushion to be releasably supported to the vehicle floor, a seat back pivotally supported to the seat cushion, recliner devices for releasably locking the seat back relative to the seat cushion, the seat cushion and the seat back being foldable so as to be put together when the seat back is released from the seat cushion by the recliner devices, and a linkage mechanism mounted to the seat cushion, the linkage mechanism including a first linkage section for causing the recliner devices to be actuated synchronously with pivotal movement of the vehicle seat, and the first linkage section being coupled to one of the base brackets and the recliner devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignees: TS Tech Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tsujibayashi, Hiroshi Izawa, Shinobu Sato, Koji Kamida, Osamu Kyogoku, Tamotsu Oishi
  • Patent number: 7249794
    Abstract: A drawer assembly for vehicles, and more particularly to a system of opposed drawers for use in a vehicle or trailer. The drawers integrate into the structure of a vehicle for storage or concealment of the retractable features, and can cantilever out and away from the storage compartment, when the drawers extend. The drawer assembly includes an upper drawer and a lower drawer, the bottom or pan of the upper drawer bottom located in substantially the same horizontal plane as the bottom of the lower drawer. An upper drawer rail mounts to the upper drawer and a lower drawer rail mounts to the lower drawer. The upper and lower drawer rails have a rail length greater than the drawer length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Western Recreational Vehicles, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald A. Doyle
  • Patent number: 7246843
    Abstract: An extendable and retractable support system for raising and lowering structures, including covers or tops of mobile and immobile dwellings which includes a plurality of telescopic assemblies. The telescopic assemblies include at least two tube members that are provided with enclosed sides and a centrally located internal channel structure that is parallel to and proximal to a center of the tube members, though which internal channel structures one of a plurality of spring elements extends. A mechanism extends and retracts the spring elements thereby causing the telescopic assemblies to extend and retract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Inventor: Michael Lambright
  • Patent number: 7243984
    Abstract: In a floor panel structure of a vehicle body in which a floor of an automotive vehicle is formed by a floor panel coupled to a plurality of frame members extending in substantially longitudinal and width directions of the vehicle, there are provided a panel area formed by being enclosed at least by the frame members, a heavy-weight area located at a substantially central portion of the panel area, and a peripheral area located substantially around the heavy-weight area, wherein the heavy-weight area is configured so as to be heavier than the peripheral area. Accordingly, the vibration energy transmitted from the frame members to the floor panel can be reduced and thereby the acoustic emission generated from the floor panel can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Sugihara, Seiichi Nakabayashi, Shigefumi Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 7243980
    Abstract: A vehicle air drag reduction system is provided for mounting on the rearward facing surface of a vehicle, and in particular a truck trailer, that provides improved efficiency. The system comprises a flexible panel that will assume a cone-shape at the rearward end of the trailer, and which is held in place by a plurality of support rods fitted within the flexible panel, and which attach to brackets mounted on said trailer. An inexpensive and simple air drag reduction system is provided which is easily attached or removed from a vehicle is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Inventor: Philip Vala
  • Patent number: 7234746
    Abstract: The storage box includes an opening/closing mechanism. At a first stage, sliding of a lid relative to a box main body partially opens an opening. At a second stage, pivoting of the lid relative to the box main body fully opens the opening. At a third stage, pivoting of the lid relative to the box main body partially closes the opening. At a fourth stage, sliding of the lid relative to the box main body fully closes the opening. The first elastic member exerts elastic force for sliding the lid at the fourth stage. The second elastic member exerts elastic force for pivoting the lid at the second stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sakakibara, Hiroto Ikuta, Naoki Omatsu, Shigeru Yabuya
  • Patent number: 7232171
    Abstract: An all terrain vehicle glove compartment provided below the seat of the vehicle to increase usable space includes an extension deck extending from the base of the compartment towards the rear or along the direction of the width of body of the vehicle to define a chamber for accommodating a battery; two positioning ribs extending from the bottom of the extension deck to secure the battery in position; and a lid fastened to the extension deck to fend off water and dust, and to serve as an access for replacing or providing service to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Kwang Yang Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tzu-Jung Lan, Wen-Ming Su, Wei-Hsiung Wang
  • Patent number: 7229124
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a body shell element, an interior-covering part for the body shell element, an energy-absorbing deformation element arranged between the body shell element and the interior covering part, and a deformable supporting element connecting the interior-covering part to the body shell element. The deformation element is constructed as a sheet metal part in the shape of an elongated hollow profile, and includes at least one fastening leg and at least one deformation leg. The fastening leg is connected with the interior-covering part. The deformation leg starts out from the fastening leg and faces the body shell element. The deformation characteristics of the deformable supporting element are designed in consideration of the deformation characteristics of the deformation element. The deformation leg is arranged at a distance from the body shell element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Luik, Werner Maier, Matthias Zierle
  • Patent number: 7222906
    Abstract: A console is attached to brackets fixed to a floor panel of a vehicle. Each bracket has a pair of fitting holes. The console includes a console body having a rectangular bottom wall. An insertion hole is formed in each of the four corners of the bottom wall. Each insertion hole corresponds to one of the fitting holes. Clips are provided at portions of the bottom wall, each portion corresponding to one of the insertion holes. Each clip has two fitting portions that are arranged to face each other. When each clip is inserted into the corresponding fitting hole, the fitting portions are fitted to an inner wall of the fitting hole so that the console body is attached to the brackets. With the clips inserted into the fitting holes, a fastening member having two legs is inserted into each insertion hole so that the legs are located between the corresponding fitting portions to prevent the clip from being removed from the fitting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sakakibara, Hiroto Ikuta, Akira Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7219943
    Abstract: A control unit storage device includes a storage member having a recess portion for retaining a control unit, an engaging and releasing unit attached to the storage member, and a supporting unit formed in the storage member. The engaging and releasing unit engages one end of the control unit and releases the one end from an engagement state. The supporting unit supports the other end of the control unit, so that the control unit does not fall off the recess portion when the engaging and releasing unit releases the one end of the remote control unit from the engagement state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventor: Ken Shiomiya
  • Patent number: 7201425
    Abstract: A foldable and storable seat for a vehicle is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tsujibayashi, Hiroshi Izawa
  • Patent number: 7172241
    Abstract: A dashboard support for a motor vehicle includes a support beam extending between A pillars of a vehicle body. Interacting with the support beam is an active arrangement for implementing a vibration damping. The active arrangement includes a gyroscopic oscillator unit which is arranged in an attachment zone of the steering column to the support beam and has an electric motor provided with at least one eccentric mass and constructed for spatial positioning within the gyroscopic oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Jochem Fischer
  • Patent number: 7147275
    Abstract: A vehicle body includes a front part having a dashboard. The dashboard has an upper end portion bulged in a rearward direction of the vehicle body. The bulged upper end portion covers an upper portion of a rear reinforcing member with a constant interval provided therebetween. The bulged upper end portion is joined to an upper member and a damper housing. The bulged upper end portion and the rear reinforcing member are combined together to form a closed cross-sectional member directed towards a front pillar and extending from a side frame to the upper member. The rear reinforcing member extends from a lower joining portion located forwardly of a lower part of the dashboard through inside of the bulged upper end portion to the upper member. The rear reinforcing member takes the form of a generally straight line, as viewed in all of front elevation, top plan and side elevation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei Matsuyama, Eric J. Boettcher