Patents Examined by Nicole T Verley
  • Patent number: 11981278
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle roof and a vehicle floor spaced downwardly from the vehicle roof. The vehicle includes a post slidably supported by one of the vehicle floor and the vehicle roof and a tether slidably engaged with the other of the vehicle floor and the vehicle roof. The tether extends from the other of the vehicle floor and the vehicle roof toward the post. The post is slidable relative to the vehicle floor and the vehicle roof from a stowed position to a deployed position. The vehicle includes a support member mounted to the post between the vehicle floor and the vehicle roof. The vehicle includes an airbag supported by the support member. The airbag is inflatable to an inflated position when the post is in the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque, S.M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11981283
    Abstract: A rear-seat airbag configured to expand and deploy inward of a vehicle from a door trim beside a rear seat includes a first expansion air chamber and a second expansion air chamber. The first expansion air chamber is configured to expand and deploy to a space facing leg parts of a passenger in the rear seat that are above knees of the passenger. The second expansion air chamber is configured to expand and deploy to a space between the first expansion air chamber and the passenger in the rear seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 11981380
    Abstract: Various ridable karts for users are described. The ridable kart can include a kart body, a cover body, a rear caster wheel, a steering assembly, a battery, and a controller. The kart body can include an installation slot. The controller and the battery can be secured within the installation slot. The steering assembly can include a front wheel and a steering wheel. The front wheel can include a hub motor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Razor USA LLC
    Inventors: Ali Kermani, Ian Desberg, Yufeng Wang, Zhiwei Huang
  • Patent number: 11981368
    Abstract: A steering column may include a casing tube in which a steering spindle is rotatably mounted, a guide unit that receives the casing unit so as to be telescopically adjustable in a direction of a longitudinal axis, and an electromotor adjustment drive that is arranged between the casing tube and the guide unit. An inner bearing face of the guide unit surrounds an outer casing surface of the casing tube and includes a slot extending longitudinally with a slot width between mutually opposing slot edges. A preload device engages the slot edges and is configured to apply a tightening force to reduce the slot width to preload the bearing face together with the casing surface. A clamping body cooperates with the slot edges via a deflection device that converts a reduction of slot width into a radial clamping movement of the clamping body for radial preloading the outer casing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventor: Balint Kalman Nagy
  • Patent number: 11975681
    Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a frame and a spool having a first end and a second end each rotatably supported by the frame. The spool is elongated on an axis from the first end to the second end. The seatbelt retractor includes a plurality of torsion posts fixed to the frame. The seatbelt retractor includes a locking device operatively coupled between the spool and the plurality of torsion posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11970205
    Abstract: A steering column device includes a friction plate having a long hole though which an adjusting rod is inserted and a mounting hole, and sandwiched at least one of a portion between one of inner-side surfaces of a pair of support plate portions and an outer-side surface of a column-side bracket of a steering column, and a portion between one of outer-side surfaces of the pair of support plate portions and one of inner-side surfaces of a pair of pressing portions. The steering column device includes a hook portion having a cantilever beam structure that is inserted through the mounting hole in the width direction, and the hook portion has a restricting projection for restricting movement in the width direction of the friction plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuhiko Yamada
  • Patent number: 11970204
    Abstract: A steering device includes a steering column for supporting a steering shaft coupled to a steering wheel; an upper bracket fixed to a vehicle body and supports the steering column; and two lower brackets independently fixed to the vehicle body on both sides of the steering column to support the steering column in such a manner that allows the steering column to sway in a vertical direction. The lower brackets each includes a fixed portion facing the vehicle body and disposed on an outside of the steering column in a vehicle width direction, a pivot portion facing the steering column and having an attachment hole into which a pin member for coupling the steering column to the lower bracket is inserted, and a pair of rib portions each connected to the fixed portion and the pivot portion by a bent portion shaped into a bent plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Sato, Tomohiro Ikuta, Suguru Sugishita, Hirotaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11958427
    Abstract: An airbag system includes a seat belt; at least one airbag disposed in at least a portion of the seat belt; and an inflator connected to the at least one airbag and supplying gas to the airbag so that the airbag is inflatable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jae Wung Jung, Dong Hyun Ha, Jung Hun Choi
  • Patent number: 11958325
    Abstract: A device includes a lower support cap, an upper bearing cap, at least one bearing disposed between the caps and at least one annular seal. The seal provides a claw secured by mechanical connection to the upper support cap, a sealing lip extending obliquely from the claw in the direction of the upper bearing cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Benoit Arnault, Baptiste Vidil, Thomas Lepine, Christophe Houdayer
  • Patent number: 11959526
    Abstract: A spring element, in particular a jounce bumper, for a jounce bumper assembly, contains a longitudinal axis, a base body extending along the longitudinal axis, and an end portion configured for being brought into contact with a vehicle part moving relatively to the spring element. The base body is elastically deformable between an uncompressed basic state and a compressed state in which the base body is at least partially compressed in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The end portion contains a circumferential outer surface, and at least one recess in the circumferential outer surface. The recess extends inwards and defines a hollow space in the base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: BASF Polyurethanes GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Heidemann, Anthony Touzard
  • Patent number: 11952041
    Abstract: A cockpit for a vehicle, wherein the cockpit comprises a first module with a support and a second module with a support. The support of the second module is arranged in a first direction behind the support of the first module and higher than the support of the first module, so that the support of the first module slides at least partially under the support of the second module in the first direction in a crash case with a force acting on the first module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marcus Schweer, Franz-Josef Schulte, Ali Jamal Eddine
  • Patent number: 11951927
    Abstract: An assembly includes a vehicle seat having a seat bottom and a seatback supported by the seat bottom. The assembly includes an airbag supported by the seatback. The airbag is inflatable to an inflated position. The assembly includes a seatbelt webbing extending from the seatback to the airbag. The seatbelt webbing is between the airbag and the seatback in the inflated position. The assembly includes a pyrotechnic device supported by the seat bottom and operatively coupled to the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11938893
    Abstract: An embodiment seat belt mounting structure includes a front seat disposed towards a front of a vehicle body, a rear seat disposed towards a rear of the vehicle body, a center pillar part, a rear pillar part disposed behind the center pillar part, a side reinforcement connecting the center pillar part and the rear pillar part, and a rear seat retractor coupled to the side reinforcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Won Ki Song
  • Patent number: 11932193
    Abstract: A vehicle interior panel for use over a deployable airbag includes an outer substrate portion having a top side, a bottom side, a tear seam, and a structural rib extending from the bottom side of the outer substrate portion. The panel includes an inner substrate portion having a top side, a bottom side, and a deflector extending from the top side of the inner substrate portion. The deflector is configured to contact the structural rib and the tear seam during deployment of the airbag. A method of manufacturing the panel includes injecting the outer substrate portion with the inner substrate portion and folding the inner substrate portion at a hinge region toward the outer substrate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Carlos Gerardo Lopez Martinez
  • Patent number: 11912224
    Abstract: A knee protection airbag device includes an airbag, an inflator, an airbag cover, and an attachment base which holds those and is to be attached to a vehicle body member. The attachment base includes a holding seat which is disposed in front of a body portion of the inflator and a folded portion of the airbag, and holds the body portion and the airbag attached by a fastening bolt of the inflator, and attachment seats which are arranged on left and right sides of the holding seat and are attached to the vehicle body member. The airbag cover covers a vicinity of the airbag folded and the body portion of the inflator on a rear side of the attachment base, is attached to the attachment base due to the fastening bolt being fastened, and provides a projection opening on a bottom side of the airbag cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru Ono
  • Patent number: 11912226
    Abstract: An airbag device for a vehicle provided with a door and a side sill includes an airbag and an application state detector. The airbag is deployed from a container to be disposed on a lower side of the door on a vehicle body to a region on a vehicle-widthwise outside of the door. The application state detector detects a load application state of a load from the airbag to the vehicle body. The airbag includes a first air chamber, a second air chamber, and an internal pressure controller. The first air chamber transmits a load applied from the vehicle-widthwise outside to a side surface of the side sill. The second air chamber couples a lower part of the first air chamber and the container. The internal pressure controller controls an internal pressure of the second air chamber based on the load application state detected by the application state detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 11904963
    Abstract: Brackets for mounting auxiliary suspension systems, such as lift axle systems, to vehicles are disclosed herein. For example, brackets are disclosed for attaching lift axle hanger brackets and lift axle load springs to corresponding frame members. In some embodiments, the frame brackets can include physical features (e.g., a series of graduated steps in an edge portion thereof) to facilitate visual alignment of the lift axle with the vehicle frame members during installation. In other embodiments, the frame brackets can be two-piece brackets that enable the load springs to be removed and replaced without having to detach the frame bracket from the frame rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Link Mfg., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dale E. Jacobsma, Joel D. Van Den Brink, Michael S. Wetter
  • Patent number: 11904791
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented herein for an airbag shell. The airbag shell comprises a u-shaped channel formed of moldable fabric. The moldable fabric is configured to become malleable when exposed to temperatures exceeding a melting point of the moldable fabric. An external surface of the u-shaped channel is configured to interface with a roof rail. An inner surface of the u-shaped channel is configured to receive an airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Jamison Pexton
  • Patent number: 11897409
    Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect occupants of a vehicle in the event of a collision includes a deployable restraint having a stored, predeployment condition in a vehicle floor. The restraint is deployable from the floor to restrain the feet and/or lower legs of an occupant from swinging forward and upward in response to a vehicle collision. In one configuration, the deployable restraint can include a module comprising an airbag and an inflator for inflating and deploying the airbag. The module can include a door that opens in response to deployment of the airbag and that serves as a reaction surface for the airbag. In another configuration, the deployable restraint can include a restraining panel configured to move to a deployed position extending above the vehicle floor adjacent the occupants lower leg and feet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: Douglas Gould, Gabriela Diaz, Kurt F. Fischer, Hylus Ranjit Raj Jayakar, Kiran Mohan Veepuri, David Varcoe
  • Patent number: 11897417
    Abstract: A system includes a coupler with a first arm and a second arm. The first and second arms configured to couple to a roll cage. A first end may include a first recessed portion and a first aperture. A third end may include a second recessed portion and a second aperture. The first and third ends may contact each other and be secured together via a first fastener that passes through the first aperture and the second aperture. Further, the first recessed portion and the second recessed portion may receive a second fastener therebetween that may receive a latch plate of a safety belt or safety harness to maintain it in an upward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventor: Izac Hillam