Patents Examined by Nicole T Verley
  • Patent number: 11584327
    Abstract: A bracket assembly for a vehicle frame includes a trim piece with a high retention clip. The trim piece incudes a deployable portion that is configured to partially deploy in response to a first predetermined force. An inflator tube is concealed by the trim piece and includes an air curtain. A bracket is operably coupled to the trim piece. The bracket has a deformable portion and side portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Pamela Avendano Arenas, Christopher Robert Tilli, Maria Fernanda Medina Luna
  • Patent number: 11583456
    Abstract: A wheelchair passenger restraint structure includes: a wheelchair space set in a vehicle cabin so that a passenger of a wheelchair is to be boarded in a forward facing posture; a seatbelt configured to restrain an abdomen part of the passenger of the wheelchair boarded in the wheelchair space; a vertical wall provided behind the wheelchair space in the vehicle-body front-rear direction; and a holding member supported by the vertical wall, the holding member being configured to hold a seating face of the wheelchair from below in the vehicle-body up-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuyoshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 11577677
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system that is mounted on a mounting structure or chassis intended to protect the vehicles and their occupants. The system uses a main computer, high-precision radars, external airbag impellers, airbags that protect the vehicle and to some extent help its buoyancy, fluid sensors to detect the water limit that the vehicle can reach, and if these sensors are activated send a signal to the main computer that is responsible for activating air bag impellers, an inclinometer to detect the limit of inclination established in the vehicle and if the inclinometer detects an inclination that exceeds the limit established, this sends a signal to the main computer that is responsible for activating all the air bag impeller devices; and a monitor with signal transmitters to visualize in the state in which the system is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventors: Diogenes Patrick Rojas, Ivan Emilio Bournigal Guzman
  • Patent number: 11577680
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle floor. The assembly includes a base slidably supported by the vehicle floor with the base being slidable relative to the vehicle floor from a stowed position to a deployed position. The assembly includes a tray supported by the base and an airbag supported by the base adjacent the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 11578954
    Abstract: An igniter for a gas generator comprises a pole body (14) having at least one connection pin (16, 18), a retaining ring (20) and an insulation ring (22), wherein the insulation ring (22) spaces apart the at least one connection pin (16, 18) from the retaining ring (20) and electrically insulates it relative to the same. The retaining ring (20) consists of a metal and the insulation ring (22) consists of a plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: ZF AIRBAG GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Müller, Rolf Mangold, Bernhard Mehnert
  • Patent number: 11572030
    Abstract: An inflator assembly arranged in an airbag system for use in a vehicle includes an elongated inflator with at least one mounting stud for mounting the inflator assembly in the vehicle and a gas deflector having a back plate and a front cover with at least one opening to diffuse gas generated from the inflator. The front cover is slid on the back plate along a longitudinal axis of the inflator such that the front cover is slidably engaged with the back plate to enclose a portion of the inflator. Further, the front cover and the back plate are securely engaged with each other by a crimp process to prevent opening or deforming of the gas deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: David Walker Parkinson, Matt Cox, Louis A. Mueller, Nathaniel Lee Gerlach, Terry Alan Wheelwright
  • Patent number: 11572032
    Abstract: The vehicle body upper structure includes a rear roof rail, a retractor, a webbing, and an anchor. The rear roof rail extends along a roof panel of the vehicle body. The retractor is housed inside the rear roof rail and is fixed to the rear roof rail with a first fastening bolt. For example, the webbing is pulled out in a pull-out direction orthogonal to an axis of the first fastening bolt. A through ring changes a stretching direction of the webbing that restrains an occupant with the webbing to have an acute angle with respect to the pull-out direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobori, Kazunori Hida, Ryoichi Kakioka
  • Patent number: 11565647
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system includes an airbag configured to deploy downward into a vehicle cabin from a roof of the vehicle cabin by receiving gas supplied, a region setting unit configured to set a predetermined region according to a position of the airbag, a collision sensor configured to detect a collision of a vehicle, a seat position detection sensor configured to detect at least one of a position and an angular position of a seat on which an occupant is seated, and a seat control unit configured to, when the collision sensor detects a collision of the vehicle and the seat position detection sensor detects that the seat is located in the predetermined region, execute control to change at least one of the position and the angular position of the seat. Thus, a positional relation between the seat and the airbag is appropriately controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11565646
    Abstract: An in-vehicle steering device, comprising a steering wheel, and an airbag mechanism that is built in the steering wheel and includes an airbag body deployable to a vehicle body rear side, wherein the steering device further comprises an in-vehicle component built in the steering wheel, and the in-vehicle component has a recessed groove portion for guiding the airbag body to be deployed when the airbag body is deployed in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shotaro Odate
  • Patent number: 11554747
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sealing structure of a sealed container in which an opening of a metallic cylindrical container is closed with a metallic closing member, wherein a gap between an inner wall surface on an side of the opening of the metallic cylindrical container and an outer surface of the metallic closing member that radially faces the inner wall surface is sealed with a seal member having been melted and solidified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: DAICEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teppei Hanano, Shuichi Shonai
  • Patent number: 11554743
    Abstract: A roof airbag apparatus may include: a cushion configured to cover a roof when deployed; a pair of guides having a length in the deployment direction of the cushion, and configured to guide both sides of the cushion in the deployment direction; and a deployment resistance reducer having a connector connected to one end of each of the guides so as to apply an elastic force from a first location toward the rear, wherein the connector is moved to a second location in a front of the first location by frictional resistance which is applied to the guide when the cushion is deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byung Ho Min, Kyu Sang Lee, Choong Ryung Lee, Hae Kwon Park, Dong Oh Lee
  • Patent number: 11554739
    Abstract: A middle console assembly includes a middle console including a vehicle-rearward side. The middle console assembly includes an airbag assembly including a base and an airbag supported by the base. The base of the airbag assembly is disposed at and moveable upwardly relative to the vehicle-rearward side of the middle console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11554804
    Abstract: A steering column assembly includes a lower jacket, an upper jacket in telescoping engagement with the lower jacket, and a telescope actuator assembly. The telescope actuator assembly includes a jackscrew nut translatable along a lead screw. The telescope actuator assembly includes a telescope drive bracket having a base portion and a pair of arms extending from the base portion, the pair of arms each defining a slot with a respective slot surface, wherein the jackscrew nut is disposed within the slots. The telescope actuator assembly includes a first nut capture plug coupled to one of the pair of arms, the first nut capture plug having at least one tooth disposed within a cavity on a first side of the jackscrew nut to prevent relative rotation between the jackscrew nut and the telescope drive bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Robert D. Maida, Timothy D. Beach
  • Patent number: 11535184
    Abstract: A method for operating an occupant protection device of a vehicle involves triggering an occupant protection mechanism, in the event of an imminent detected collision for the vehicle or of a detected collision of the vehicle. The triggering also depends upon detected image data of at least one interior camera of the vehicle and the triggering can be suppressed based on the detected image data of the interior camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventors: Till Heinrich, Jochen Feese
  • Patent number: 11529925
    Abstract: An airbag for a vehicle, such as a side airbag, may be mounted to or proximate to a seat assembly on which a passenger may sit. The side airbag may include a chamber and an inflator configured to cause the chamber to expand toward the passenger to slow an acceleration of the passenger responsive to an imminent impact of the vehicle with another object or surface. Upon deployment of the chamber, the side airbag may cause a portion of the seat assembly (a seat tub, seat pan, and/or cushion coupled thereto) to deform toward the passenger seated thereon while remaining occluded from the passenger by the assembly. In some examples, the chamber may be stored in an unfolded position to allow for a more rapid deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Markus Jost
  • Patent number: 11524651
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cover for closing a mouth of a receptacle holding an airbag with at least one airbag flap, wherein the cover has at least one breakaway line at the edge of the airbag flap(s) in order to enable the unfolding of the airbag, and wherein the airbag flap(s) is/are connected via a hinge element to a flap support wall in a molded manner, which is in contact with the inner surface of the receptacle wall in particular in a secured manner, wherein the flap support wall runs around the inner surface of the receptacle wall such that at least the four corners of the receptacle near the airbag flap(s) are covered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: K.L. KASCHIER-UND LAMINIER GMBH
    Inventors: Rembert Schulze Wehninck, Albert Roring
  • Patent number: 11524653
    Abstract: A seat belt mounting structure includes a reel mounting reinforcement configured to connect a quarter inner panel, a roof center rail, and a roof rear rail; a C-pillar reinforcement formed to extend toward the quarter inner panel behind a C-pillar; and a seat belt reel mounted on the reel mounting reinforcement toward the roof center rail, the reel mounting reinforcement toward the quarter inner panel, and the C-pillar reinforcement. The seat belt mounting structure is arranged to reinforce a portion in which a seat belt is mounted, while having a reduced number of parts for anchoring the seat belt, and efficiently distributing a mounting load of the seat belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Ho Je Kang, Hae Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 11518335
    Abstract: A vehicle steering system including a yoke type steering wheel. An airbag module located in the steering wheel and including an inflator and an airbag. The airbag is configured to inflate into two configurations. In the first configuration the airbag is fully inflated into a circular configuration and in the second configuration the airbag inflates into a u-shaped configuration. The u-shaped configuration is formed by a tether connected at a first end to the airbag and at a second end to a tether release device. The tether release device is configured to stay connected to the tether when the driver is determined to be in an out of position (OOP) condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS ACQUISITION LLC
    Inventor: Doug Osterfeld
  • Patent number: 11505151
    Abstract: A knee airbag unit (10) of a vehicle occupant restraint system of a motor vehicle is described. The knee airbag unit (10) comprises an airbag module (12), which has a module holder (14), a gas generator (16) and a flexible, non-inherently rigid module housing (18) that at least partially surrounds the gas generator (16) and the airbag in the untriggered state, wherein the gas generator (16), the airbag and the flexible module housing (18) are fastened to the module holder (14). Also provided is a cover (20) forming a module covering and defining an outer side in the installed state of the knee airbag unit (10), which is connected to the airbag module (12). Furthermore, there is an edge-side means (26) securing the cover (20) against lowering, originating from the module holder (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Freisler, Daniel Elija
  • Patent number: 11505157
    Abstract: A cover panel for a cabin of a vehicle and provided with a weakening for the opening of an underlying airbag. The weakening consists of a sequence of not-through incisions which are separated from each other, are arranged along a weakening line, are obtained from an internal surface of the cover panel, and terminate at a non-zero distance from an external surface of the cover panel. In some sections of the weakening line there are first incisions each having a first width while in other sections of the weakening line there are second incisions each having a second width greater than the first width. The weakening line has a plurality of portions that connect to one another in at least one connection area, wherein the corresponding portions of the weakening line consist of the second incisions only while, next to the connection area, the corresponding portions of the weakening line consist of the first incisions only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Mathieu Contraire