Plug Patents (Class 296/1.06)
  • Patent number: 11472487
    Abstract: A vehicle body may include a dash crossmember, a rocker extending rearwards from an end of the dash crossmember, a front pillar extends upwards from the rocker along the side portion of the cabin and a reinforcement plate including a first end joined to the dash crossmember and a second end joined to the front pillar. An inner wall of the dash crossmember may have an uneven shape that defines at least one bend extending in the right-left direction. The first end of the reinforcement plate may at least partly have a bent shape that conforms with the uneven shape of the dash crossmember.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Nakamura, Osamu Shimasaki, Daisuke Suewaka
  • Patent number: 10124835
    Abstract: A hole plug includes a ceiling part covering an attachment hole formed in an attachment member, a flange part connected to the ceiling part and covering an opening peripheral surface of the attachment hole formed in the attachment member at a predetermined inclined angle against the opening peripheral surface, a cylindrical outer peripheral wall part extending downward from an inner edge part of the flange part, and a connection member connecting the lower part of the outer peripheral wall part to the ceiling part. The outer peripheral wall part includes an upper part extending downward from the inner edge part of the flange part, a lower part formed coaxially with and radially inward to the upper part, and a bent part connecting the upper and lower parts of the outer peripheral wall part and having a thickness less than that of the upper part located above the bent part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Takehiro Sato
  • Patent number: 9969438
    Abstract: A hole plug which includes a flange part which covers an opening peripheral surface of an attachment hole formed on an attachment member at a predetermined inclined angle against the opening peripheral surface and a cylindrical outer peripheral wall part formed to extend downward from an inner edge part of the flange part. A flange part associating bending part is formed as a base point in order for bending an upper part of an outer peripheral wall part of the hole plug from a predetermined position of the outer peripheral wall part in a direction away from a hole edge when a tip of a flange part is contacted with an opening peripheral surface of the attachment member. Thus, the hole plug can reduce an insertion load, corresponding to variation of a plate thickness, and maintain a water sealing property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Takehiro Sato
  • Patent number: 9083163
    Abstract: A mounting structure of an inlet box of a car which includes an outer panel of the car having a hole, an inlet box inserted in the hole, a flange provided around the opening of the inlet box and an engaging claw provided on the outer peripheral surface of the inlet box. The flange is set around the hole from the outside onto the edge. The flange is screwed to the edge of the hole of the outer panel from the inside. The engaging claw engages the hole of the edge of the outer panel from the inside when the flange is set on the edge of the hole. The engaging claw is capable of disengaging from the edge of the hole by a disengagement operation occurring inside the outer panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignees: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruaki Tamaoki, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Hiroshige Ikuta
  • Patent number: 9010829
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of expandable barriers. Expandable barriers are typically barriers made from an expandable material and formed to fit within a cavity. After being placed inside a cavity, expandable barriers generally undergo an activation process, where the expandable barrier expands to fill the cavity and create a physical barrier. Using various extrusion processes to form an expandable barrier allows for a reduction in tooling costs, while also allowing more flexible barrier designs. Such designs can be specifically tailored for a particular cavity or cavities to ensure that the barrier fills the cavity after expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Sika Technology AG
    Inventors: Larry J. LaNore, Raymond D. Helferty
  • Patent number: 8727411
    Abstract: Improved covers for floor-located vehicle identification numbers (VINs) are disclosed. Exemplary VIN cover embodiments may be of a simple one-piece design and may include tabs or other retention elements along underside edges thereof. The retention elements engage the vehicle carpet and trap the carpet when the cover is installed into a VIN viewing window provided in the carpet. The underside of the cover may also include a carpet gripping mechanism that engages the carpet surface and helps to maintain the position of the cover after installation. A section of vehicle carpet removed to permit viewing of the VIN may optionally be retained and installed to the underside of the cover so as to reside in the window area when the cover is in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Marek Myszkowski
  • Publication number: 20140125081
    Abstract: Plug for sealing orifices, particularly for plugging and sealing orifices made in plates of vehicle bodies, basically comprising a body in the form of a pan whose outer wall is peripherally provided on its outer face with an upper flange and a lower flange that are opposite each other and diverge in opposite directions, said flanges defining an intermediate space for receiving the annular segment of the plate that surrounds the orifice to be sealed, and centering ribs to simplify the positioning of the plate and therefore simplify the installation operation, reducing the time needed for this operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Pares Isanta, Carlos Colomer
  • Patent number: 8613476
    Abstract: Device for inserting into an opening of a component of an automobile, comprising a shaft body and a surrounding flange provided on one end of the shaft body, and at least one fastening element provided on the shaft body, wherein the device is insertable into the opening in axial direction of the shaft body such that the shaft body extends through the opening and the flange abuts on a first component surface and the device is fastened to the opening by the fastening element wherein an annular surrounding hollow space is delimited between at least a surface of the shaft body, an interior surface of the flange and the first component surface, further comprising a hot melt adhesive material provided surroundingly on the flange, which hot melt adhesive material adheres sealingly on the first component surface upon heating the flange, characterized in that the hot melt adhesive material is an expanding hot melt adhesive material, which compensates for a pressure change in the hollow space caused by changing tempera
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: David Dominguez, Albert Pares Isanta
  • Publication number: 20130181470
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of expandable barriers. Expandable barriers are typically barriers made from an expandable material and formed to fit within a cavity. After being placed inside a cavity, expandable barriers generally undergo an activation process, where the expandable barrier expands to fill the cavity and create a physical barrier. Using various extrusion processes to form an expandable barrier allows for a reduction in tooling costs, while also allowing more flexible barrier designs. Such designs can be specifically tailored for a particular cavity or cavities to ensure that the barrier fills the cavity after expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventor: Sika Technology AG
  • Patent number: 8388037
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of expandable barriers. Expandable barriers are typically barriers made from an expandable material and formed to fit within a cavity. After being placed inside a cavity, expandable barriers generally undergo an activation process, where the expandable barrier expands to fill the cavity and create a physical barrier. Using various extrusion processes to form an expandable barrier allows for a reduction in tooling costs, while also allowing more flexible barrier designs. Such designs can be specifically tailored for a particular cavity or cavities to ensure that the barrier fills the cavity after expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sika Technology AG
    Inventors: Larry J. LaNore, Raymond D. Helferty
  • Publication number: 20120200104
    Abstract: A tailgate gap cover for covering a gap between two adjacent surfaces includes an elongated top member where the top member has a generally arcuate T-shaped cross-sectional profile and the top member includes left and right wing members, the left and right wing members each having a plurality of relief channels extending along an underside of each of the left and right wing members, where the plurality of relief channels provide added flexibility. An elongated concave relief central portion extends lengthwise along the center of the top member. An elongated insertion panel is affixed to a central bottom portion of the top member, where the elongated insertion panel extends downwardly substantially perpendicular from the top member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventor: Kurt E. Olson
  • Publication number: 20120091755
    Abstract: A vehicle body and a cap are provided for closing off a hollow space formed by one or more structural components of a motor vehicle body with a carrier plate configured to the geometry of the hollow space, whose outer edge is provided with a thermally activatable sealant and/or adhesive and at least one function part is embedded in the carrier plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Werner ENDRICH, Bernd POHL, Stefan STANIK
  • Publication number: 20110233950
    Abstract: While a high pullout force is being achieved, when a hole plug is demolded from a mold, a load on a locking claw is reduced. A leg portion 3 of a hole plug 1 includes an inner tube 11, an outer tube 12 surrounding the inner tube, ribs 15 interconnecting the inner and outer tubes, and locking claws 14 provided on an outer circumferential surface of the outer tube and locked in a circumferential border thereof when the leg portion is inserted into a hole 22 of a body panel 21. The ribs are disposed corresponding to positions of the locking claws, and are structured so as to be tilted relative to a radial direction of the hole plug in a case of being viewed from an insertion direction of the leg portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Takita
  • Publication number: 20110025084
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of expandable barriers. Expandable barriers are typically barriers made from an expandable material and formed to fit within a cavity. After being placed inside a cavity, expandable barriers generally undergo an activation process, where the expandable barrier expands to fill the cavity and create a physical barrier. Using various extrusion processes to form an expandable barrier allows for a reduction in tooling costs, while also allowing more flexible barrier designs. Such designs can be specifically tailored for a particular cavity or cavities to ensure that the barrier fills the cavity after expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Larry J. LaNore, Raymond D. Helferty
  • Patent number: 7390043
    Abstract: The invention relates to a closure cover or closing lid. It is characterized in that the sealing element 15, consisting of an elastic material, is connected via engaging elements 20 with counter-engaging elements 25 of a covering element 10 consisting of a hard component. The sealing element 15 includes a contact flange 30 and, opposite to same, at a distance, at least one elastic sealing lip 35.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Willibald Kraus
  • Patent number: 7014251
    Abstract: An elongate moldable, flexible material or sealing body positioned between adjacent walls of a pickup truck and canopy mounted to a pickup truck bed, to permit windows of the pickup cab and canopy to be open for communication between the cab space and the canopy space, as well as to keep out wind, rain, dust and debris. The sealing body encompassing the perimeter of the windows of the cab and canopy. The sealing body also having a width dimension greater than its thickness dimension. Further, the sealing body having the ability to rotate about its central axis to accommodate varying dimensions of gaps between the cab wall and the canopy wall. The sealing body also having a fast compression rate and a compression memory. The slow expansion rate or “slow memory” giving the added benefit of avoiding abrasion of the sealing body against the cab or canopy walls due to vibration of the cab or canopy structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Inventor: Vernon ‘Russ’ Husk
  • Patent number: 6830274
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cover for closing an opening which is formed in a wall, especially in a trim part of a motor vehicle. The wall has on its inside in the area of the opening a supporting shape for the cover which makes it possible to turn the cover inserted in the opening between a closed position, wherein the cover closes the opening, and a tilted position around a tilt axis in which the cover is tilted from its closed position and is removable from the opening at the outside of the wall and/or insertable into the opening. On the cover a first ramp is formed which, when the cover is turned from its tilted position to the closed position, cooperates with a wall-mounted first guide such that the cover when in the closed position assumes a predetermined relative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Dynamit Nobel Kunststoff GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Burkhardt, Dietmar Preissler, Anton Sautner
  • Patent number: 6786521
    Abstract: A composite material for application during a vehicle manufacturing stage. A selected thermoplastic/thermoset material encapsulates a sheet of a mesh substrate, typically resulting from a first heat forming stage. The composite material is formed into a desired three-dimensional shape. A second heating stage is applied to bond and seal the material to the vehicle. The material selection of the thermoplastic/thermoset may further incorporate a desired coefficient of thermal expansion to provide a desired degree of expansion of the material once applied to the vehicle. The material section of the thermoplastic/thermoset may further incorporate a desired structural enhancement to provide a desired degree of structural rigidity of the material once applied to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Inventors: Elmer L. Jaffke, Lenny B. Francis, II