Patents Examined by Paul Chenevert
  • Patent number: 10077015
    Abstract: An impact absorber includes an energy absorbing member that is formed of a composite material and absorbs impact energy by crushing in a predetermined crush direction, an outer tube member surrounding the periphery of the energy absorbing member over the energy absorbing member along the crush direction to prevent foreign objects from entering or impacting the energy absorbing member, and a pressing member in contact with the front end of the energy absorbing member and the front end of the outer tube member to press the energy absorbing member and the outer tube member simultaneously in the crush direction to thereby crush them. The outer tube member formed in a shape in which tubular portions are coupled in the crush direction, and is crushed in the crush direction while the tubular portions are regularly folded when the outer tube member is pressed by the pressing member in the crush direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuya Mukainakano, Satoshi Ikeda, Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 10071767
    Abstract: A floor structure (1) of a motor vehicle has a vehicle floor (2). A central tunnel (3) extends in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and is connected to the vehicle floor (2). Two seat crossmembers (4a, 4b) are spaced apart from one another in a transverse direction of the motor vehicle and the central tunnel (3) extends between the seat crossmembers (4a, 4b) in sections. The floor structure (1) has regions of attachment to the central tunnel (3) on both sides of the central tunnel (3) and cast bridges (5a, 5b) are inserted into the floor structure (1) in the regions of attachment to the central tunnel (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Kai Zielke, Dennis Tegelkamp, Philipp Butz
  • Patent number: 10059275
    Abstract: A roof molding cap attachment structure includes a cap member, and an attachment member that attaches the cap member to a roof molding having a first opening, the attachment member including a support pin that rotatably supports the cap member between the first position where the cap member closes the first opening of the roof molding and a second position where the cap member discloses the first opening, the cap member including a rotary guide that guides the cap member to rotate along the support pin, and the cap member being adapted to be pushed forward to an inside of the roof molding when the cap member has been rotated to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Katayama Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Oki, Daiki Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 10029584
    Abstract: A device for immobilizing an object, in particular a seat in a vehicle, on a rail (1) by at least one securing element (4.1, 4.2). The securing element (4.1, 4.2) is arranged on a reinforcement (2) which is inserted into the rail (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: ALLSAFE JUNGFALK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Ingolf Stubbe, Andreas Limon
  • Patent number: 10029734
    Abstract: An elongated beam, or rocker assembly, is disclosed that includes a first panel and a second panel attached to the first panel to define a cavity. A reinforcement is disposed in the cavity that includes a first tubular member adhesively connected to the first panel inside the cavity and a pair of tubular members are connected with an adhesive to the second panel, to each other, and the first tubular member. The tubular members are arranged in a triangular array within the cavity and extend along the length of the elongated beam. The wall thickness and bending strength of the tubular members are selected to provide an insert that collapses preferentially with the outer tubular member of the insert collapsing before the inner tubular members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Shaikh Akhlaque-e-rasul, Zhenyan Gao, Cheng Luo, William Moore Sherwood
  • Patent number: 10017213
    Abstract: A vehicle panel structure includes a metal outer panel configuring an outer panel of a vehicle, a metal reinforcing member that is disposed at an end portion of the outer panel and that is joined to the outer panel further toward an inner side of the vehicle than the outer panel, and a resin inner panel that is disposed further toward the inner side of the vehicle than the reinforcing member and that is joined to the reinforcing member so as to form a closed cross-section between the inner panel and the reinforcing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tanaka, Yoshitsugu Mukaiyama
  • Patent number: 10017212
    Abstract: A movable loading floor for a trunk of a motor vehicle has an upper surface, defining a support for luggage or other objects, and a lower surface adapted to be arranged in a position facing a bottom floor of the trunk. The loading floor is provided with a rear portion having a through opening, which has a size and shape for allowing a user to insert a hand into the through opening for grasping the rear portion. The loading floor is provided with a band which, in an inoperative configuration, closes the through opening. At least one rear portion of the band is elastically deformable so as to downwardly deform under the pressure of the hand of the user and therefore to define a passage with respect to a rear edge of the through opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: FCA ITALY S.p.A.
    Inventor: Aldo Cassiani
  • Patent number: 10005408
    Abstract: In an embodiment, multi-stage energy absorbing system can comprise: a thermoplastic flanged frame and a crush lobe having a proximal base aligned with the flanged frame and a distal end protruding from the flanged frame. The crush lobe comprises a central slab and slab pairs such that the crush lobe comprises a total of 2i+1 slabs, wherein i is the number of slab pairs and is greater than or equal to 1. The slabs are disposed in a stepped arrangement and configured to absorb impact energy by collapsing in a telescopic manner with increasing energy level. The single energy-absorbing system is able to absorb low energy impact associated with vehicle-to-pedestrian impact; simultaneously with the ability to mitigate damageability associated with low-speed vehicle-to-barrier impact, as well as damageability associated with vehicle-to-vehicle moderate speed impact, head-on, as well as at an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Somasekhar Venkat Bobba, Dhanendra Kumar Nagwanshi, Matthew D. Marks
  • Patent number: 9988087
    Abstract: In a vehicle body side structure, an outer reinforcement lower is configured as a divided structure of a reinforcement body and a divided patch that are joined to each other at a joint portion located in a corner portion. Accordingly, when a load from a front wheel is input to a front pillar at the time of a small overlap collision, the outer reinforcement lower can be bent at the joint portion near the root of the outer reinforcement lower. Consequently, the bending moment that is transmitted to a rocker outer reinforcement can be reduced and therefore longitudinal bending deformation of the rocker outer reinforcement can be suppressed. As a result, deformation of a vehicle compartment can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Youhei Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9981589
    Abstract: A vehicular console box includes a console body that is open on an upper side and that is attached to a floor panel of a vehicle. The console body includes a bottom portion that is positioned on an upper surface of the floor panel and sidewall portions that each stand from a corresponding one of two ends in a vehicle width direction of the bottom portion. The sidewall portions include rails that extend in a front-rear direction, the rails supporting a drink holder so that the drink holder is slidable in the front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryusaku Senda
  • Patent number: 9950678
    Abstract: Two outer skin parts of a vehicle body border one another at a joint. The first outer skin part includes an apron which engages in the interior of the vehicle body and overlaps with the second outer skin part. A screen engages with a guiding contour of the apron running in the direction of the joint from an end of the joint between the apron and the second outer skin part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Friedrich Hein
  • Patent number: 9951540
    Abstract: Systems and methods herein provide a transportable shelter that is retractable while not in use (e.g., traveling, storage, and the like), is fully supported by a vehicle while being hauled without the use of tow wheels, and can be supported and transported by any automobile regardless of its make and/or model. Further, the transportable shelter is expandable while in use (e.g., housing a person therein) and provides shelter from external environmental elements (e.g., rain, wind, temperatures, sun, strangers, bugs, animals, pests, and the like).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Richard W Boettiger
  • Patent number: 9943455
    Abstract: A mobility vehicle including a wheeled frame having two front wheels and two rear wheels; a seat disposed at a widthwise center of the mobility vehicle over the front wheels and the two rear wheels; a first mounting member mounted between a first front wheel and a first rear wheel on a first side of the mobility vehicle; a second mounting member mounted between a second front wheel and a second rear wheel on a second side of the mobility vehicle parallel to the first side of the mobility vehicle; and a protection system mounted to the first mounting member and to the second mounting member and providing cover over the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventor: Crescia E. Hagler
  • Patent number: 9925897
    Abstract: A vehicle armrest including a fabric member tensioned across a gap defined between inner and outer armrest substrates that are formed around a portion of the fabric member. At least one buckling member extends across the gap between the inner and outer armrest substrates and a cover member extends over and vertically supported by the fabric member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Linh Doan, Kenneth S. Laird, Yudong Zhou, Karen Judge
  • Patent number: 9908497
    Abstract: This invention relates to a cab support structure for construction machine. The cab support structure has a rear beam and a front beam, which support front and rear part of cab, and a center beam located and welded between inner and outer frames of the machine. A stopper located at the corner of center beam side of the junction of rear beam and outer frame is formed box shape. The stopper has an L-shaped plate welded to the rear beam and the outer frame, and a doubling L-shaped plate welded to the L-shaped plate, rear beam, and outer frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar SARL
    Inventors: Takahiro Iwamoto, Takuya Yamamoto, Ryo Iguchi, Akito Nakai, Takeshi Tsuneyoshi, Takeshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9902349
    Abstract: A bumper assembly includes a bumper beam, an extension, a crush can, and a bracket. The bumper beam extends longitudinally from a first end to a second end. The extension attaches to the first end of the bumper beam and has a segment parallel to the bumper beam and a leg extending transversely relative to the bumper beam. The crush can is attached to the segment. The bracket extends from the extension and is welded to the crush can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Marcus Jordan
  • Patent number: 9902484
    Abstract: A flight deck arrangement includes, but is not limited to, a window. The flight deck arrangement further includes a surface disposed proximate the window and positioned below the window. The flight deck arrangement further includes a rail mounted to the surface. The rail is disposed proximate the window and positioned below the window. The rail extends along the surface in a direction generally aligned with a lower portion of the window. The flight deck arrangement still further includes a visor mounted to the rail and selectively positionable along the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Aram Kasparian, Tristan Flynn, Robert Magyarosi
  • Patent number: 9902329
    Abstract: A vehicular storage system includes a frame coupled to an interior of a rear of a vehicle and a drawer, which is movably coupled to the frame. The drawer of the system is movable between a stowed position in which most or at least a substantial portion of the drawer is within the rear of the vehicle and a deployed position in which a substantial portion of the drawer is positioned rearward of the vehicle in a manner that makes the contents of the drawer accessible to a user outside of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the drawer includes non-linear drop rails on opposing sides engageable with a pair of corresponding stationary frame rollers so that the drawer is movable along a path defined by the drop rails relative to the frame rollers of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Cap-Pack Truck Products LLC
    Inventor: Jake Izydorek
  • Patent number: 9896137
    Abstract: A unitary floor includes a top layer, floor components, and a bottom layer. The floor components are sandwiched between the top layer and the bottom layer to provide an integral structure that comprises a continuous surface, unitary floor. Each of the floor components has a material strips. Moreover, the material strips that make up a corresponding floor component is a composite assembly that includes a first set of material strips, which may be interleaved with a second set of material strips. The first set of material strips includes a different density compared to the second set of material strips. Moreover, the unitary floor may be fabricated by a vacuum process, such as a vacuum infusion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: NEXGEN COMPOSITES LLC
    Inventors: Robin Banerjee, Michael S. Sheppard
  • Patent number: 9896014
    Abstract: A cargo box has a cargo box body and a tailgate. The cargo box body has two walls, a floor, an opened side, at least one slot defined in the floor, and at least one tab extending from at least one of the walls. The tailgate is selectively pivotally connected to the cargo box body and has at least one tailgate tab extending from a bottom thereof and being received in the at least one slot and at least one recess defined in a side thereof. The at least one tab overlaps a portion of the tailgate when the tailgate is closed thereby preventing opening of the tailgate. The tailgate is generally vertically slidable to align the at least one recess with the at least one tab thereby permitting opening of the tailgate. A vehicle having the tailgate and methods of opening and removing a tailgate are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Jukka Olli, Paavo Sieppi, Hannu Yleva, Heikki Makkonen, Antti Suhanko, Jari Jokelainen