With Protector For The Radiator Or Condenser Patents (Class 180/68.6)
  • Patent number: 11740034
    Abstract: A heat exchanger arrangement having at least a first heat exchanger and having a second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger has a first heat transfer matrix with a first air intake surface and with a first air outlet surface, and wherein the second heat exchanger has a second heat transfer matrix with a second air intake surface and with a second air outlet surface, wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are arranged adjacent to one another in such a manner that the first air outlet surface is opposite the second air intake surface and the two heat exchangers are arranged one behind the other in a primary direction of airflow, wherein at least one sealing strip is arranged on at least one lateral side region of the two heat exchangers or on both lateral side regions of the heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventor: Sascha Unger
  • Patent number: 11597444
    Abstract: A supporting structure for a motor vehicle front end module is disclosed. The supporting structure includes a lower crossmember, a first lateral upright, a second lateral upright, an upper crossmember, and a support wing fixed to one end of the upper crossmember with connection means. The first lateral upright, the second lateral upright, and the upper crossmember define a frame that is formed of a hybrid material comprising a plastics material and a metallic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventor: Sébastien Velasco
  • Patent number: 11566857
    Abstract: A protection device 1 for a heat exchanger, comprising a grid 10 with an upstream surface 11 and a downstream surface 12, both located on opposite sides of the grid 10, the grid 10 being attachable to the heat exchanger 40 with attachment means 11 so that the downstream surface 12 can face a side of the heat exchanger 40, wherein the protection device 1 further comprises a shock absorber 20 attached to the grid 10 so that the shock absorber 20 least partly protrudes from the downstream surface 12 of the grid 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo Autosystemy Sp. z o.o.
    Inventors: Radoslaw Godzina, Grzegorz Cyganek, Tomasz Wator, Lukasz Barus
  • Patent number: 11279306
    Abstract: A front end structure for a vehicle includes a front end body having a front end surface and a grille body having a plurality of openings. The grille body is mounted to be movable with respect to the front end body. The grille body is movable between a position close to the front end surface of the front end body and a position recessed from the front end surface of the front end body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Myeong Woo Park, Jai Hak Kim
  • Patent number: 11260814
    Abstract: A bug screen for mounting to a grille of a vehicle comprises a membrane disposed in a frame. At least one slot is disposed on the frame, and at least one platform is disposed on the grille. At least one extension is disposed on the at least one platform. A leg is included in the at least one extension. The leg projects perpendicularly from the at least one platform and has an end opposite to the at least one platform. A barb is disposed on the end of the leg. A sloping surface is disposed on the barb, and the sloping surface passes through the at least one slot on the frame to mount the bug screen to the grille.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. Elskafoss, Robert D. Charles
  • Patent number: 11255617
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat exchange device (10) for a motor vehicle including a heat exchanger (12) with first and second collector plates (26; 28), first and second header boxes (30; 56) attached to the collector plates (26; 28) and a bundle (18; 20) of pipes (22) extending between the first and second collector plates (30; 56). Each of the collector plates (30; 56) forms a groove (54; 72) between the pipes (22) of the pipe bundle (18; 20) and a lateral end (50; 68) of the respective collector plate (30; 56). A perforated protective device (14) for the pipes (22) is attached to the heat exchanger (12) using attachment means (78, 80) bearing against the inside of the grooves (54, 72) in the first and second collector plates (26; 28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventor: Dinh-Luyen Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11167707
    Abstract: A front fascia assembly for a vehicle includes a front fascia, a support member and a grille member. The front fascia has a front surface and a rear surface. The support member is removably connected to the front surface of the front fascia. The grille member is connected to the rear surface of the front fascia to securely retain the support member to the front fascia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Minerva Nieto Torres, Victor Manuel Alvarez Viveros
  • Patent number: 10829352
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include backscreens, backscreen accessories for implements of power machines, and implements including the same. In the backscreens or backscreen accessories, a first backscreen portion is attached to a frame of the implement, for example by welding. The first backscreen portion includes at least one first portion interface feature. A second backscreen portion has at least one second portion interface feature. The at least one first portion interface feature and the at least one second portion interface feature are configured to engage one another to removably couple the second backscreen portion to the first backscreen portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CLARK EQUIPMENT COMPANY
    Inventor: Robert R. Lacher
  • Patent number: 10793094
    Abstract: A vehicle communication system includes a vehicle body panel and a camera having a field of view. The camera is disposed on the vehicle body panel. A grille assembly is coupled to the vehicle body panel. The grille assembly includes a plurality of light sources, an optic layer defining channels disposed adjacent to the light sources, and a metalized sheet disposed on the optic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, LaRon Michelle Brown
  • Patent number: 10759269
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for sealing an air intake of a motor vehicle, comprising: —at least one sealing means (3) intended to be arranged in an air intake of the motor vehicle, and —a support (5) for the sealing means (3) in order to retain the sealing means (3) and intended to be attached on a load-bearing structure of the motor vehicle. According to the invention, the support (5) comprises damping guidance means (15) for the sealing means (3) in order to allow, in the event of an impact on the sealing means (3), the movement of the sealing means (3) from an initial retaining position to a position retracted with respect to the initial position. The invention also relates to a front-end module for a motor vehicle comprising such a sealing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Frédéric Vacca, Enzo Mitidieri
  • Patent number: 10668969
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided which includes a bumper that holds an enhanced functionality and realizes an improvement in its external appearance. A saddle riding vehicle includes a front bumper having a shape which covers a periphery of at least a headlamp when seen from the front at a front portion of the vehicle. The front bumper includes a pair of left and right upwardly/downwardly extending frame portions configured to extend in an up-down direction, a transversely extending portion configured to extend in a vehicle's width direction to surround the periphery of the headlamp, and a pair of left and right bumper main portion configured to cover the left and right upwardly/downwardly extending frame portions from the front thereof, and the bumper main portions are configured to increase their widths in the vehicle's width direction toward the upper part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Kobayashi, Tetsutaro Takasugi, Anthony M. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 10507721
    Abstract: There is described a closure unit (14) for an air inlet of a motor vehicle which comprises three closure flaps (18, 22, 26) which can be pivoted about a rotation axis (16, 20, 24). In a closed position, the closure flaps (18, 22, 26) close the air inlet and a closure flap which is referred to as a second closure flap (22) abuts a closed position stop (36). In an open position, the closure flaps (18, 22, 26) release the air inlet and a closure flap which is referred to as the third closure flap (26) abuts an open position stop (40). Furthermore, a method for detecting defective closure flaps (18, 22, 26) of such a closure unit (14) is explained. Furthermore, a motor vehicle having one or more air inlets is presented, wherein at least one of the air inlets is provided with such a closure unit (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO KLIMASYSTEME GMBH
    Inventors: Vincent Tran, Bernd Noatsch
  • Patent number: 10449908
    Abstract: A device is removably secured within a vehicle and allows multiple hangers to be properly positioned on the device for clothing transport. The device uses a support bracket that straddles a grab bar of the vehicle. A rod passes through a pair of aligned slots on the support bracket and has end caps thereon to prevent hangers from sliding off of the rod. The rod also passes through a slot on a ladder bracket, this bracket having a relatively flat base plate that abuts against an interior surface of the vehicle, such as the roof surface, a window, or the door frame vehicle in order to stabilize the rod in a generally horizontal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Inventor: Jerry W Bishop
  • Patent number: 10407013
    Abstract: A stone guard for protecting a radiator core of a radiator. The stone guard includes a grate, a first mount, and a second mount. The first mount is at a first end of the grate for mounting the stone guard to the radiator. The second mount is at a second end of the grate for mounting the stone guard to the radiator. A distance between the first mount and the second mount is variable to fit the stone guard to the radiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mario Zeron Hernandez, Jeffrey Basinski
  • Patent number: 10286776
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a grille assembly, a radiator, and a bumper reinforcement beam. In addition, the vehicle includes an air deflector assembly that further includes an air deflector body portion that extends away from the radiator in the vehicle longitudinal direction over the bumper reinforcement beam and toward the grille assembly. The air deflector body portion includes an upper wall portion and an intermediate wall portion. The intermediate wall portion intersects the upper wall portion at an angle. The air deflector body portion includes a lower wall portion that is offset from the upper wall portion in the vehicle lateral direction by the upper wall portion. The intermediate wall portion intersects the lower wall portion at an angle so to facilitate collapsing of the air deflector body portion upon a vertical impact by a leg impactor during a pedestrian leg impact test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Rahul B. Gururaj
  • Patent number: 10137939
    Abstract: A fastening arrangement of a radiator trim and a bumper on the front-end carrier of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The radiator trim and the bumper have at least one fastening part respectively, via which the radiator trim and the bumper are fastened on the front-end carrier by an allocated fastening element, preferably formed by a screw element. A connection element is provided on the fastening part of the radiator trim, the connection element being connected to a corresponding receiver of the fastening part of the bumper to form a mutual fastening device via which the radiator trim and the bumper are fastened on the front-end carrier by the fastening element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Alexander Guenther, Holger Jakobs
  • Patent number: 10077503
    Abstract: A plated resin product includes a resin base including main plated portions and an auxiliary plated portion and metal films respectively arranged on the main plated portions and the auxiliary plated portion. The main plated portions are arranged next to one another. One of the two main plated portions located at two ends in a direction in which the main plated portions are arranged includes an edge at a portion located at a side of the main plated portion that is far from an adjacent one of the main plated portions. The auxiliary plated portion is located farther from the adjacent main plated portion than the main plated portion including the edge and spaced apart from that main plated portion. The metal film on the auxiliary plated portion is located at a section of the auxiliary plated portion that is non-visible when the product is viewed from the front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Moriyuki Hashimoto, Yosuke Maruoka, Tatsuya Oba, Kimihiro Iimura
  • Patent number: 9988096
    Abstract: Several grill assemblies and methods for assembling the same are claimed and disclosed. In one embodiment, the assembly includes slotted panels with a single deformable wall to fix the slotted panels together. In another embodiment, slotted panels are fixed together using two deformable walls, one deformed subsequently after the other. The general shape of panels and grill assemblies is disclosed. Features of grill assembly members used to mount the grill to separate structural frame members and mount separate assemblies to the grill assembly are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Stephen R. Hall, Christopher Johnson, Jason Simpson, Eric Magleby
  • Patent number: 9981545
    Abstract: A zero turning radius mower radiator mounting structure having inclined deflectors extending upwardly from the radiator. The inclined deflectors slide on a cross member extending horizontally across the roll over protection system if the mower is in a rollover position. The inclined deflectors push the radiator rearwardly from the roll over protection system and disengage the radiator from first and second pairs of isolators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Umakanta Padhan, Michael T. Schmidt, Jennifer L. Jaramillo, Curtis D. Ayers, Michael J. Austin
  • Patent number: 9896035
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a utility vehicle front body cowl assembly. The cowl assembly generally comprises a front body cowl and a cargo rack disposed within a reservoir of the front body cowl. More particularly, the front body cowl is connectable to at least a portion of a utility vehicle chassis forward of a passenger compartment dash console of the vehicle, and comprises a pair of opposing shoulders and a rack reservoir or recess provided between the shoulders. The cargo rack is disposed within the reservoir/recess such that the cargo rack and any gear disposed with cargo rack create little or no impedance to a line-of-sight an operator of the vehicle 10. Accordingly, the front cowl assembly provides good visibility and a substantially unimpeded field-of-view for the vehicle operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Jhant, Nick Moore, Matthew Baekelandt
  • Patent number: 9707916
    Abstract: Grille assemblies, vehicles including grille assemblies, and methods of concealing one or more components of a vehicle are disclosed herein. A grille assembly may include an inner frame defining a central opening therethrough. The inner frame may include a lower portion having a concealment flange. The concealment flange may extend from the inner frame toward an engine compartment portion of the vehicle at a depth. The concealment flange may extend such that it obscures one or more vehicle components positioned adjacent to the central opening when viewed from a location outside the engine compartment through the grille assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Kris A. Mohacsi
  • Patent number: 9643482
    Abstract: An active air flap is provided. The active air flap includes a plurality of flaps and an elastic member bonding the plurality of flaps to form a preset angle with respect to each other. The elastic member is insert-molded between the respective flaps and a roller is coupled to the top of the active air flap with a connection member and the active air flap is wound there around by a restoring force of the elastic member. Additionally, a support bracket that rotatably supports the roller through pins protrudes from a plurality of ends of the roller, and has an aperture formed therein and the active air flap is configured to open or close the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Gil-Sang Yoo, Jeong-Ho Lee, Young-Ik Cho
  • Patent number: 9333929
    Abstract: Rock guards can be used to protect parts, such as a radiator, in the engine compartment of highway vehicles. The present disclosure relates to a rock guard that includes a body with self-supporting frameless structure that has a hem and a plurality of mounting points mountable to a structure of the vehicle. The hem comprises a folded section of the material of the body and circumferentially surrounds the body, providing the guard with rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Lund, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean Edward Mettler
  • Patent number: 9327582
    Abstract: The present invention is aimed to provide a working machine provided with: a condenser unit including a condenser of an air conditioner and a cooling fan for cooling the condenser, the condenser unit being disposed in a side of a cabin; and a protection cover covering above the condenser unit, capable of reducing propagation to an operator side of an air intake sound caused by inhalation of air in the protection cover through an air intake vent when the cooling fan causes a wind. In this working machine, each of air intake vents for taking cooling air into the protection cover is formed in an upper surface side of the protection cover and in each of wall parts oriented in a direction opposite to a direction visible from an operator in the cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Matsumiya, Kiyoshi Matsui, Shiro Watanabe, Junichi Fujiwara, Tsukasa Haraguchi
  • Patent number: 9156418
    Abstract: A support structure assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a side member extending in a generally longitudinal direction and having a forward end; a link member having a generally fixed shape and having outer and inner mounting portions with the inner portion being mounted to the side member via an inner hinged connection; and a bumper having a main bumper member and a bumper extension member forming an end portion of the bumper. The bumper extends generally transverse and lateral to the longitudinal direction of the side member, and the bumper extension member extends laterally across and beyond the forward end of the side member. The bumper extension member includes forward and rearward wall portions. The rearward wall portion is sandwiched between the main bumper member and the forward end of the side member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Naipaul D. Ramoutar, Taichi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9102291
    Abstract: A front grille including a rotation plate is attached to the front end of a body. A grille open-state dimension of the rotation plate relative to a shaft is set to be smaller than a minimum distance among distances between the front end of the body and the backside surface of a blade in the front/back direction of the body when the lower end of the blade is in contact with a level surface. In this way, there can be obtained a bulldozer having a front grille that facilitates cleaning, that has excellent durability, and that provides excellent workability in an opening/closing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuki Kure
  • Patent number: 9033080
    Abstract: A debris passage for a cooling box of a work vehicle. Airflow is provided into the cooling box from the exterior environment. A plurality of heat exchangers transfer heat into the airflow. The debris passage is defined between opposing heat exchangers to permit debris to pass from the airflow to the exterior of the cooling box. In one embodiment, the debris passage is underneath an air mover and is substantially vertical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: ACO Corporation
    Inventors: Rex Schertz, Stanley R. Clark, Mark D. Walton
  • Patent number: 9010844
    Abstract: A vehicle body front structure is provided. In the vehicle body front structure, a front grille and a bumper extend in the up-and-down direction in a front end portion of the vehicle body, the bumper bends and extends rearwardly from the front grille, a front end edge of a front hood is positioned adjacent to a top end portion of the extending bumper, a frame upper portion that supports a radiator extends in the body width direction and is supported on the back side of a front end portion of the front hood, and a box-like hollow impact absorber, which is made of sheet metal and extends in the body width direction, is provided in a space surrounded by the front grille, the bumper, the front end portion of the front hood, and the frame upper portion, and is supported by the frame upper portion via a plurality of legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masami Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8997907
    Abstract: A cowling assembly (10) is installed about the radiator (R) of a vehicle (V). A frame (12) fits about the radiator and defines an opening through which air can flow into the radiator. A rack and pinion drive (600) for moving a sheet (618) over the frame to expose a portion of the opening and allow air to flow into the radiator, the frame and sheet producing a smoother flow of air over and about the front of the vehicle thereby reducing the amount of drag on the vehicle while still allowing air flow into the radiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Aero18, LLC
    Inventor: Mark Rode
  • Publication number: 20150090510
    Abstract: A rough terrain vehicle capable of maintaining the cooling performance of a radiator is disclosed herein. A rough terrain vehicle in which a radiator is arranged between left and right front wheels and so as to be overlapped with the left and right front wheels in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the radiator is surrounded by a front cover, wherein: the front cover includes a grille configured to introduce traveling wind into the radiator, and extension portions extending toward the vehicle rear from both ends of the grille in the vehicle width direction; a bumper is attached to a body frame; the front end of the bumper is arranged closer to the vehicle front than the front ends of the left and right front wheels; the extension portions are arranged between the bumper and the radiator outside the radiator in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroki YOSHINO, Hajime UCHIYAMA
  • Patent number: 8967310
    Abstract: An opening through which air is delivered to a radiator for an engine installed in a haulage vehicle is split into separate portions via a support frame. Sound absorbing ducts are each mounted over one of the partitioned opening areas formed by splitting the opening via the support frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ogawara, Shinji Akino
  • Patent number: 8967705
    Abstract: A fascia support structure and aerodynamic shutter assembly for a vehicle includes a fascia support structure, comprising: a top portion comprising a substantially U-shaped body comprising a top fascia support member, a first side fascia support member and a second side fascia support member, the first side fascia support member having a first side baffle, the second side fascia support member having a second side baffle; and a bottom portion comprising a bottom baffle, the bottom portion attached to the first and second side fascia support members, the top portion and the bottom portion comprising a fascia support structure opening, at least one of the first side baffle, second side baffle or bottom baffle having a seal member disposed on a leading edge. The assembly also includes an aerodynamic shutter system comprising a shutter frame having a shutter frame opening and a plurality of rotatable shutters disposed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: James M. Townson, Nicolay E. Vandercar
  • Patent number: 8960359
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a cooling fan, an engine, and a diesel particulate filter (DPF) purifying exhaust gas of the engine, placed under a hood in that order, beginning at the front. Exhaust gas from the engine is exhausted through an exhaust passage after passing through the DPF. The cooling fan supplies cooling air to the rear. The DPF is placed such that a length direction thereof follows a width direction of a vehicle body. The exhaust passage includes a first passage, a second passage, and a third passage. The first passage extends forward and upward from the DPF before extending along the length direction thereof on a front side of the DPF. The second passage extends downward from a downstream portion of the first passage. The third passage extends to the rear from a downstream portion of the second passage and also includes an exhaust outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Nogami, Hironori Tsuchihashi, Takahiro Shiraga, Eiji Sato, Akira Minoura, Takafumi Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8915320
    Abstract: A shutter system for controlling a flow of fluid through an entryway includes a plurality of louvers, wherein each louver includes a pivot axis and an actuating portion. The shutter system also includes a mechanism configured to select a position for the system between and inclusive of fully opened and fully closed by rotating each of the plurality of louvers about the respective pivot axis. The mechanism is configured to engage each actuating portion and rotate each louver at a variable rate. A vehicle employing the shutter system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Balakrishna Chinta
  • Patent number: 8893843
    Abstract: A protection structure is equipped with a protrusion a protector, and a protector fixation portion. An in-vehicle appliance is equipped with a corner portion, a first face, and a second face that the first and the second faces are adjacent to the corner portion. The protrusion is provided on the second face of the in-vehicle appliance. The protector covers the corner portion, equipped with a first portion and a second portion which the faces are opposed to the first face and the second face respectively, and equipped with a notch at an edge of the second portion thereof. The protrusion abuts on an edge of the notch. The protector fixation portion is provided on the first face of the in-vehicle appliance, and the protector is fixed to the in-vehicle appliance through the protector fixation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Hayano
  • Patent number: 8869925
    Abstract: A heat-exchanger protection structure includes a vehicle-body-side member, a heat exchanger unit, and a plurality of attachment pins. The vehicle-body-side member includes an upper member and a lower member, which have a plurality of attachment holes, respectively. The heat exchanger unit includes a heat exchanger. The attachment pins are attachable on and detachable from the heat exchanger, having a fragile portion capable of being broken when external force larger than a predetermined value acts on the attachment pin. The heat exchanger unit is supported on the vehicle-body-side member by the attachment pins being inserted into the attachment holes. At least one of the fragile portions is broken in case of a vehicle crash to protect the heat exchanger against damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8863875
    Abstract: The air guide plate includes a plate body formed of a resin material and deformable skirt portions which are formed of the same resin material as the plate body and integrally formed on an outer periphery of the plate body. The air guide plate is arranged such that the plate body is disposed at a front of an automobile without connecting to automobile parts, thereby forming a gap between the outer periphery of the plate body and the automobile parts arranged around the plate body. The deformable skirt portions are disposed so as to be in contact with the automobile parts under flexural deformation, thereby closing the gap by the deformable skirt portions to prevent the air from leaking through the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Kojima Press Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kawahira
  • Patent number: 8826538
    Abstract: A bracket attaches a heat exchanger to a supporting member. The bracket includes a vibration-proof member, and first and second bracket members. The first member is fixed to the supporting member. The second member is joined to a projection of the heat exchanger through the vibration-proof member. The second member is attached to the first member. The second member includes a joining part and an attaching part. The projection is inserted in the joining part from a projecting direction of the projection so that the joining part is joined to the projection with the vibration-proof member intervening therebetween. The attaching part is inserted in the first member from a direction that intersects with a joining direction in which the joining part is joined to the projection, so that the attaching part is attached to the first member at an arbitrary position of the first member in the joining direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Akihide Itoh
  • Publication number: 20140224558
    Abstract: A front grille including a rotation plate is attached to the front end of a body. A grille open-state dimension of the rotation plate relative to a shaft is set to be smaller than a minimum distance among distances between the front end of the body and the backside surface of a blade in the front/back direction of the body when the lower end of the blade is in contact with a level surface. In this way, there can be obtained a bulldozer having a front grille that facilitates cleaning, that has excellent durability, and that provides excellent workability in an opening/closing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuki Kure
  • Patent number: 8801058
    Abstract: An adjustable, modular grille guard assembly addresses deficiencies of both single-unit grille guard assemblies and conventional modular grille guard assemblies. The adjustable, modular grille guard assembly is stronger and more durable than both conventional modular grille guard assemblies and single-unit grille guard assemblies. Additionally, the adjustable, modular design allows the assembly to fit various vehicles, is conducive to aftermarket exterior modifications, is cost efficient for manufacturers and suppliers, does not require complete removal when work is performed on the front of the vehicle, and allows quick and easy removal/replacement of specific members. Additionally, due to its modular design, the grille guard assembly is cheaper and easier to ship than single-unit assemblies since it may be broken down to fit into smaller containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Overkill Motorsports Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Hanson, Travis O. Kirkman
  • Patent number: 8794363
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has at least one adjustable air-guiding device on the underbody. The air-guiding device has a cross-sectionally U-shaped duct and is adjustable between a closed position and an open position. The motor vehicle also has a radiator device with a radiator and a radiator shutter with adjustable flaps for controlling the air flow through the radiator. A control device actuates the air-guiding device depending on the position of the radiator shutter so that, irrespective of the position of the flaps of the radiator shutter, an at least approximately identical pitching moment is obtained at the motor vehicle and at the same time the aerodynamic drag is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Wolf
  • Patent number: 8752886
    Abstract: The cooling air flap module has a closed mounting frame with bearings and an actuating device for the cooling air flaps, and the mounting frame of the module is arranged so as to be fixed in a forward-mounted reinforcing frame. The mounting frame with the reinforcing frame can be connected as a constructional unit to the front panel so as to form a construction module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christian Wirth, Manfred Würfel
  • Patent number: 8752660
    Abstract: There is obtained a cooling structure for a vehicle that can keep low a temperature of an interior of a power unit chamber in which a power unit is disposed. A cooling structure for a vehicle has: a power unit that is disposed within a power unit chamber disposed at a vehicle front side and at which air intake ports are formed in a front end side in a vehicle front-rear direction; an air-cooling-type heat exchanger that is disposed at a rear side with respect to the power unit, and that is cooled by heat exchange with air that passes from a front side to a rear side; and a communication duct that communicates a rear side portion with respect to the air-cooling-type heat exchanger and a rear side portion of the power unit in the power unit chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Ajisaka
  • Publication number: 20140151140
    Abstract: A bumper assembly is disclosed for use with a mobile machine. The bumper assembly may have a heat exchanger, and a bumper configured to support the heat exchanger. The bumper may have a recess formed in an upper surface and located to provide a clearance space around a lower portion of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Iain J. GILES-BROWN, Ian H. MEARNS
  • Patent number: 8733485
    Abstract: A front module for a motor vehicle includes two longitudinal members arranged one on either side, a bumper sitting in front of the two longitudinal members and connected to front ends of the longitudinal members with the interconnection of a respective deformation element, and a radiator frame arranged between the longitudinal members and supporting the cooling assembly. In a collision, the bumper, after the deformation of the deformation element, comes to bear against the radiator frame, wherein the radiator frame can then be displaced for a limited distance to the rear in the direction of the passenger compartment. After displacement or deformation of the radiator frame, the bumper (1) comes to bear against at least one point of the cooling assembly (5) in order to displace the latter to the rear in the direction of the passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ford-Werke GmbH
    Inventors: Joergen Hilmann, Bert Niessen, Bernd Linden
  • Patent number: 8702157
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure includes a front grille, and a hood edge, disposed above the front grille, configured to receive a front end edge of an engine hood of a vehicle, having a front end edge extending part extending downward from a front end edge thereof. The front grille includes, at an upper end, a grille supporting part, extending between an extending line (plane) of the hood edge and the front end edge extending part. The front end edge extending part is pinched between the grille supporting part and a supporting member provided behind the front grille.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hirose, Hideyuki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8672067
    Abstract: A vehicle front portion structure is provided which can lengthen a wheel base without increasing the size of a vehicle body. A vehicle front portion structure is provided with a bumper reinforcement of a front bumper, a power unit that drives a front wheel arranged to a vehicle rear of the bumper reinforcement, and a cooling unit which is arranged at a vehicle front of a dash panel, and is arranged at a vehicle rear of the power unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Ajisaka
  • Patent number: 8627911
    Abstract: A roller shutter device is mounted in front of a radiator of a motor vehicle for regulating air flow entering into the engine compartment and traversing the radiator. The shutter is wound on a transverse roller which is received in an additional space defined in front of the radiator by a reinforcement crosspiece of the body having a substantially C-shaped outwardly projecting cross-section, which divides the front opening of the body into at least one lower opening and into at least one upper opening. The roller shutter is provided in one of said upper and lower openings; while an auxiliary shutter device which can be of the tilting louver type or even of the roller shutter type is associated to the other opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: C.R.F. Società Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Roberto Tregnago, Silvano Sandri, Irene De Puri
  • Patent number: 8616318
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement for mounting a cooler unit to a work machine has a traveling device, a machine body frame, an engine and the cooler unit disposed adjacent the engine. The arrangement includes a support deck provided in the machine body frame for supporting the cooler unit, an attachment unit for releasably fixing the cooler unit to the machine body frame and a movement mechanism provided between the cooler unit and the support deck, the movement mechanism allowing the cooler unit to effect a translational movement to change a distance relative to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Shinsuke Kotani, Toyoaki Yasuda, Kenji Mitsui, Masanori Fujino
  • Patent number: 8613338
    Abstract: A flat plate nose frame design for a tractor in which a thick, flat structural plate is connected to and forwardly extends from the conventional frame rails of the tractor. The flat plate nose frame design increases vertical clearance under the hood without raising the hood height or reducing ground clearance. The nose plate is contoured to match the exterior contours of the tractor grill and hood eliminating the need for a separate aesthetic component covering the nose plate. The nose plate features a pair of vertically aligned short-height frame plates extending forwardly along the axis from the deep-section frame rails to increase strength in the flat nose plate without significantly increasing vertical height of the nose plate assembly. The flat plate nose frame is capable of withstanding operational loads as well as supporting a weight package or front-mounted implements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: John T. Rasset, Russell V. Stoltman, David S. Booth, Bryan J. Garberg, Carl J. Hagele, Chad A. Bautz, Landon J. Fries