With Specific Support Structure Patents (Class 296/96.21)
  • Patent number: 11613168
    Abstract: An attach and release system for securing a windshield to a pillar includes an extrusion that is securable to the windshield adjacent the pillar. The extrusion has a connection tab and a seal tab. A bulb seal is connected to the seal tab, and a clamp includes a pillar section securable to the pillar and a connector section securable to the connection tab. The system and method facilitate windshield installation and removal and are suited for a utility task/terrain vehicle (UTV) as part of its rollover protection structure (ROPS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis Mulvane, Brian Castleman
  • Patent number: 11413939
    Abstract: An elastic integrally formed windshield retaining clip includes walls defining a frame channel to receive and retain a portion of an upright windshield frame, and walls defining a pane channel to receive and retain a portion of an edge of a windshield while the portion of the upright windshield frame is retained in the frame channel. The frame channel not only surrounds three sides of a windshield frame, but also surrounds the majority of the fourth side of the frame. Angled walls exert pressure against the retained edge of the windshield and the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Nivel Parts & Manufacturing Co., LLC
    Inventor: Bryan Gulledge
  • Patent number: 11400798
    Abstract: An attach and release system for securing a windshield to a pillar includes an extrusion that is securable to the windshield adjacent the pillar. The extrusion has a connection tab and a seal tab. A bulb seal is connected to the seal tab, and a clamp includes a pillar section securable to the pillar and a connector section securable to the connection tab. The system and method facilitate windshield installation and removal and are suited for a utility task/terrain vehicle (UTV) as part of its rollover protection structure (ROPS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Taylor Made Group, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis Mulvane, Brian Castleman
  • Patent number: 11376930
    Abstract: A cab capable of shielding solar radiation comprises a pair of front pillars and a pair of vertical beams; a front window glass member mounted movably along guide rails formed along the front pillars and the vertical beams, between a closing position for closing a front window formed between the front pillars and an opening position for opening the front window accommodated between the vertical beams; a roll screen and a winding member, wherein the winding member is disposed behind the inner surface of the front window glass member positioned at the closing position and in front of the front end of the front window glass member positioned at the opening position and on the outer side of the pair of guide rails; and a holding means attached to the front pillars and configured to releasably hold the leading end of the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar SARL
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tajima, Shigeyuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11312210
    Abstract: A vehicle body upper structure includes a pair of first structures that constitute portions on both sides in a width direction of a vehicle body in an upper portion of the vehicle body; and a second structure that extends in the width direction and is joined at opposing ends to the first structures so as to define at least a part of a window opening, to which a windshield is attachable in cooperation with the first structures. The second structure includes a low-rigid portion that is joined to one of the pair of first structures in a first area of the one of the pair of first structures, and a high-rigid portion that is separated in distance in the width direction from the first area and that has higher rigidity than the low-rigid portion. The low-rigid portion being joined to one of the first structures via the damping material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Kiyoshita, Takeshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11155307
    Abstract: A front pillar structure has: a front side pillar frame member and a rear side pillar frame member that structure a front pillar disposed at a vehicle transverse direction outer side of a front windshield glass; a transparent member that extends between the front side pillar frame member and the rear side pillar frame member, and that is disposed along a direction intersecting the front windshield glass; a planar portion that is formed at the front side pillar frame member so as to face toward a vehicle front side, and to which a vehicle transverse direction outer side end portion of the front windshield glass is mounted from a vehicle front side; and an angle absorbing member that is provided at a vehicle front side end portion of the transparent member, and that is mounted to the planar portion from the vehicle front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koki Ikeda, Shinya Kamimura, Yoshiki Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 11078714
    Abstract: A universal clip assembly for use in restraining in position two window frame members post-assembly until sealant applied to the frame members fully cures. The universal clip assembly includes an upper panel, a lower panel and a hook plate disposed between the upper and lower panels. Each panel includes one or more protrusions extending outwardly from an interior surface of the panel. Interior surfaces of the upper and lower panels are positioned to face one another and the one or more protrusion from each of the upper and lower panels passes into an opening in the opposite panel as well as openings in the hook plate to secure the hook plate in position therebetween the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: PEERLESS PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Jordan B. Vansickle, Joshua R. Mintz
  • Patent number: 10857859
    Abstract: A vehicle pillar structure includes a plurality of pillar frame structure portions, a transparent member, and a connection member. The pillar frame structure portions are disposed on an edge side of an upper half of a door opening as a portion of a columnar pillar. The pillar frame structure portions are provided in parallel with an interval, and have upper and lower end portions fixed to a frame member of the vehicle side portion. The transparent member is formed of a transparent material and is bridged between the pillar frame structure portions. The connection member is formed separately from the pillar frame structure portions, the frame member, and the transparent member, and connects the pillar frame structure portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koki Ikeda, Motoya Sakabe, Takuya Miura, Kazuki Furukawa
  • Patent number: 10807445
    Abstract: A window assembly for a vehicle includes a plurality of window panels arranged with at least one pair of adjacent window panels. Adjacent edge portions of the adjacent window panels are joined by a respective molded joining element. The molded joining element is at least partially overmolded and joined at the respective edge portions of the adjacent window panels. The adjacent edge portions joined by the respective molded joining element are offset or non-coplanar. The window panels are formed such that the adjacent edge portions and the molded joining element provide a selected pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Troy F. Tooker, David K. Johnson, Julie L. Quinones
  • Patent number: 10737731
    Abstract: A vehicle front pillar structure includes: a pillar lower portion that configures a lower portion of a front pillar; a first pillar frame that extends along an outer edge of a windshield of a vehicle in a vehicle width direction; a second pillar frame that extends in an extending direction of the first pillar frame; a transparent member straddling between the first pillar frame and the second pillar frame; and a load transmission member that can transmit a load applied from a vehicle front side to a front side portion of the upper portion of the pillar lower portion in a vehicle longitudinal direction, to the second pillar frame, wherein a top surface of the second pillar frame is disposed continuously from a top surface of the load transmission member, and the top surface of the second pillar frame linearly extends in a vehicle rearward and upward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Miura, Motoya Sakabe, Kazuki Furukawa
  • Patent number: 9586465
    Abstract: A connecting structure includes: a molding having a fixed portion that is fixed on an inner surface of a lower edge of a windshield glass, and a fitting portion that receives an engagement rib that protrudes downward from a location near an upper edge of a cowl louver, wherein the engagement rib and the fitting portion include slip-out prevention projections that prevent the engagement rib from slipping out. On both sides of the engagement rib are provided elastic lips and that are supported by the fitting portion, and these elastic lips extend in the extending direction of the engagement rib and press on the engagement rib at a side closer to a tip of the engagement rib than the slip-out prevention projections, these elastic lips press each other in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Sanada, Koji Usui, Eiji Nishikawa, Yasuhiko Fukuzumi, Kentaro Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9205876
    Abstract: An object is to restrain an adhesive from dropping or from being scraped off when a joining portion is adhered to a joined portion. A panel joining structure of the present invention includes: a first panel including a stepped portion extending in an intersecting direction with a vertical direction, and a joining portion extending toward a vertical direction upper side from one end of the stepped portion in the intersecting direction; and a second panel including a facing portion extending in the intersecting direction and superimposed on the stepped portion from the vertical direction upper side, a joined portion extending toward the vertical direction upper side from one end of the facing portion in the intersecting direction and joined to the joining portion by adhesion and welding, and a suspended portion extending toward a vertical direction lower side from the other end of the facing portion in the intersecting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshihiro Goto
  • Patent number: 9193249
    Abstract: A roof apparatus includes plural panels including a first panel for opening and closing an opening, and a second panel being positioned at a front or a rear of a vehicle and next to the first panel, the second panel being fixed to establish a state where the opening is closed. The roof apparatus further includes a weather strip including a weather strip body being attached to an entire periphery of the opening of a roof, the weather strip body sealing a portion between an opening rim of the opening and a peripheral rim formed by the plural panels, a border weather strip attached to the second panel and sealing a border portion between the first panel and the second panel, and a connection portion integrally connecting the weather strip body and each opposing end of the border weather strip in a vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuki Sawada
  • Patent number: 9162707
    Abstract: A motor vehicle column includes an inner shell and an outer shell made from a metal, which are connected to each other in respective flange regions and which enclose a hollow space between them. In the hollow space a reinforcement element having a basic body made from a fiber composite plastic is arranged to strengthen the body component. The reinforcement element includes a metallic insert, which connects the reinforcement element to the inner and/or outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Konrad Eipper, Peter Feuser, Dietmar Kallfass, Uwe Lobenwein, Patrick Schuster, Thomas Schweiker, Kai Von Strzemie
  • Patent number: 9073411
    Abstract: In at least one implementation, a releasably mounted windshield assembly for a vehicle having a passenger compartment includes a windshield and a control mechanism. The windshield has an inner surface defining part of the passenger compartment when the windshield is in a first position and the control mechanism is coupled at one end to the vehicle and at its other end to the windshield. The control mechanism includes a pivot that permits the windshield to move relative to the vehicle so that the inner surface of the of the windshield faces the vehicle when the windshield is in a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Dorinel Neag, Carl Mather, Deyan Ninov
  • Patent number: 9033403
    Abstract: A vehicle, an assembly for the vehicle and a method of assembling the vehicle are disclosed. The assembly includes a windshield and a panel disposed adjacent to the windshield. The assembly also includes a first retainer member secured to one of the windshield and the panel. Furthermore, the assembly includes a second retainer member secured to the other one of the windshield and the panel. Additionally, the assembly includes a third retainer member selectively attached to the first and second retainer members to selectively couple together the panel and the windshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David T. Renke, Ronald Chupick
  • Publication number: 20150091331
    Abstract: A cowl top cover is disclosed that can be placed flush with a windshield and that makes it possible to efficiently absorb an impact load by appropriately allowing the windshield to deform, when the windshield is subjected to the impact load. The cowl top cover according to the present invention includes: a glass-parallel portion including an outer surface that is flush with the windshield at a rear end portion of a cover-main-body portion. The glass-parallel portion includes at least single linear fragile portion having a reduced thickness of the glass-parallel portion along the vehicle width direction. The fragile portion is configured to be deformable or breakable when the cover-main-body portion is subjected to a load equal to or greater than a predetermined magnitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Daisuke TAKEI, Hidehiko OSADA, Norio HAYAKAWA, Naoto ONUMA
  • Patent number: 8979165
    Abstract: A motor vehicle having a windshield, A-pillars laterally enclosing the windshield and a window cross member connected to the A-pillars is provided. The window cross member supports a lower edge of the windshield in that it comprises a support section touching the windshield. The window cross member includes a point of action fastened to the A-pillar, which is offset in the direction of a surface normal of the windshield against the support section. The window cross member also includes a compressible section that connects the point of action with the support section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Stefan Wolff, Uwe Schmitz, Joachim Schaefer
  • Patent number: 8960777
    Abstract: A lower crossbeam for a window opening, the lower crossbeam to be installed between an edge of a windshield and a firewall. The lower crossbeam includes: a first portion having an attachment edge connected to a firewall and a receiving edge for receiving the windshield edge; and a second portion having a bearing edge and a connecting edge connected to the first portion while dividing the first portion into a receiving portion and an attachment portion. The bearing edge is connectable to the firewall so as to form a transverse hollow shell between the second portion and the attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Olivier Bisror, Guillaume Camus
  • Publication number: 20150035318
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a divisional cowl-top cover. In an upper cowl-top cover, a first engaging claw is formed on a front face side of a supporting portion configured to support a sealing member, and at an upper end of a lower cowl-top cover, a second engaging-receiving portion configured to engage with the first engaging claw from an upper side is formed. If an impact load acts on a hood and then the upper cowl-top cover moves downward, the first engaging claw and the second engaging-receiving portion are disengaged from each other, and the upper cowl-top cover lowers while supporting lowering of the hood, and is capable of absorbing the impact load while lowering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Daisuke SERIZAWA, Yuichi HINATA, Yasumasa HORIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20150028629
    Abstract: A structure for a front part of a vehicle includes a pair of air-liquid-separating chambers disposed on both sides in a vehicle-width direction, and to separate air from water having flowed in from the outside of the vehicle; a windshield lower to support a windshield glass from under the windshield glass, and having an extending section extending forward more than an front end of the windshield glass; and a cowl top supported by the extending section, and to cover an opening formed between the extending section and an engine hood. The cowl top is provided with a first drain section positioned on a rear end side of the engine hood, extending in the vehicle-width direction, and to drain water having flowed to the cowl top from the engine hood to the sides of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Kazutada Sasaki, Hidefumi Nihei
  • Patent number: 8931821
    Abstract: An adhesively bonded window and hardware assembly includes a window member (12) presenting a surface (12a), a hardware member (14) having a flange (14a) and a projecting portion (14b) contiguous with and projecting from the flange, an adhesive member (18) disposed between the flange and the surface of the window member and adhesively bonding the hardware member (14) to the window member (12), and a sealing member (20) that envelopes part of the flange, fully surrounds the adhesive member, and bonds to and seals against the surface of the window member. The sealing member (20) serves to protect the adhesive member (18) from heat and humidity in the surrounding environment. The sealing member (20) can comprise an overmolded member formed of a polymer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignees: AGC Automotive Americas R&D, Inc., AGC Flat Glass North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Ackerman, Daniel Bennett
  • Patent number: 8915541
    Abstract: Provided is a sunroof apparatus capable of opening and closing an opening of a fixed outer roof panel of a vehicle, the closing being done by locating a front edge of a movable roof panel at a location adjacent to an upper edge of a front window without the fixed outer roof panel between the front edge of the movable roof panel and the upper edge of the front window. The sunroof apparatus comprises a front roof rail whose cross sectional shape is approximately closed, the front rail extending in a width direction of the vehicle and being attached to an inside of the upper edge portion of the front window. And the front edge portion of the movable roof panel is located over the closed cross sectional shape of the front roof rail when the opening of the fixed outer roof panel is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Kanai
  • Patent number: 8899654
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a structure, system, and method for ingress and egress. The structure includes a frame assembly defining at least one frame aperture. A removable panel may be secured to the frame assembly and define at least one removable panel aperture configured to align within the frame aperture. At least one fastener may removably couple the panel to the frame, the fastener extending through a corresponding one of the removable panel aperture and the frame aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Harold Alan Ellsworth, William Henry Gross, Gail Leroy Detar, Kevin Harmon, William R Miller
  • Publication number: 20140265422
    Abstract: An encapsulated windshield molding surrounds at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the windshield and includes one or more seals, such as multiple lip or whisker-type seals. The encapsulated molding aims to provide a water-tight installation of the windshield into the windshield opening of the vehicle and allows for butyl-free or adhesive-free restraint of the windshield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: PACCAR Inc.
    Inventors: Dimitri T. Medina, Phillip J. Hall, David Leetz, Edward Patrick Reeves, Frank H. Schneck
  • Patent number: 8820816
    Abstract: The present invention provides an outer panel for a back door that includes a glass-fitted opening and a plurality of guide grooves provided on an outer peripheral edge of the glass-fitted opening. Each of the guide grooves is arranged on opposing left and right sides on the outer peripheral edge and has a shallow groove and either a deep groove or a through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Iwabuchi, Shigeo Suzuki, Takashi Yokoo
  • Patent number: 8757706
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cowl top positioning structure for determining the relative positions of a windshield and a front cowl top by means of a clip. The clip has: a cowl top mounting section to which the front cowl top is mounted; a windshield facing section facing the lower end surface of the windshield; and a reaction force generation section for generating a reaction force acting against a pushing force with which the lower end surface of the windshield pushes the windshield facing section toward the front of the vehicle body. The relative positions of the windshield and the front cowl top are determined by causing, by means of the reaction force generated by the reaction force generation section, the rear end surface of the front cowl top to abut against the lower end surface of the windshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazutada Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20140159415
    Abstract: A system for mounting a windshield to a small vehicle such as an all-terrain vehicle (“ATV”), a utility-terrain vehicle (“UTV”), or a snowmobile, is disclosed. The system typically comprises a pair of receiving members configured to be mounted to, or integrated with, the vehicle, typically the lighting pod thereof, and a corresponding pair of mounting members mounted to, or integrated with, the windshield panel or panel assembly. The mounting members are configured to be respectively releasably received into the receiving members. Each receiving member comprises a receiving cavity and at least one locking opening, and each mounting member comprises at least one resilient locking arm configured to releasably engage the at least one locking opening such that the mounting members can respectively engage the receiving members in a releasable locking engagement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Soucy International Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Pellerin, Guillaume Provencher, Denis Archambault, Vincent Morin
  • Patent number: 8746787
    Abstract: A roof frame for a motor vehicle has a cowl frame with upper and lower segments and a plurality of chambers in each segment. An upper connecting surface is on top side of the free end of the lower segment. A lower connecting surface is opposite the upper connecting surface and is connected to a reinforcing element of an A pillar. The upper segment is arranged offset back from the lower segment of the cowl frame and is shortened by mechanical machining to form a step-shaped shoulder in which the outer roof frame is held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Pawel Adamski
  • Patent number: 8720967
    Abstract: A windshield adjusting system for adjusting a windshield of a vehicle includes a rail adapted for connection to the vehicle and a bracket connected to the windshield. The rail includes a position profile and the bracket includes an alignment portion and a latch with a lock profile that is configured to selectively engage the complementary position profile to secure the windshield in a desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: National Cycle, Inc.
    Inventor: Barry Alan Willey
  • Patent number: 8690232
    Abstract: A front pillar for an automobile includes an outer panel, an inner panel, a hollow member sandwiched between the outer and inner panels, and a reinforcing member. The outer panel has a glass attachment flange section extending along an edge of the windshield. The hollow member has a first concave section provided on an upper wall section at a terminal end of the hollow member. The first concave section is downwardly separated from the glass attachment flange section of the outer panel. The reinforcing member has a second concave section welded to the first concave section and downwardly separated from the glass attachment flange section of the outer panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 8678467
    Abstract: A system for mounting a windshield to a small vehicle such as an all-terrain vehicle (“ATV”), a utility-terrain vehicle (“UTV”), or a snowmobile is disclosed. The system typically comprises a pair of receiving elements, each of them configured to be secured to the vehicle, typically the handlebar(s) thereof, and a corresponding pair of mounting elements secured to a windshield panel or panel assembly and configured to be respectively releasably received in the receiving elements. Each receiving element comprises a rotatable cam and each mounting element comprises a groove on an outwardly extending protrusion such that the cams can selectively engage the grooves in a locking engagement when the mounting elements are received in the receiving elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Soucy International Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandre Coulombe, Alexandre Cloutier, Marc-Andre Patry, Vincent Morin, Benoit Lauziere, Genevieve Therrien, Genevieve Demers
  • Patent number: 8651551
    Abstract: A windshield device for saddle-ride vehicles includes a front wheel, a front suspension, a steering handlebar, a windshield, a windshield stay, and a connecting structure. The front suspension includes left and right front forks and top and bottom bridges. The left and right front forks pivotally support the front wheel. The top and bottom bridges connect the left front fork to the right front fork and are steerably supported by a head pipe in a front portion of a vehicle body. The steering handlebar is connected to the top bridge. The windshield is detachably provided forward of the steering handlebar. The windshield stay is attached to the windshield. The connecting structure connects the windshield stay to an upper surface of the front suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Fukuda, Masayuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8651552
    Abstract: A support structure of a windshield of the present invention comprises a frame having an open section opening forward in a vehicle and a support member provided inside the frame and connecting an upper face portion and a lower face portion of the frame. The frame has a windshield support portion supporting a lower side portion of the windshield at part of the upper face portion. The support member includes a rear support portion attached to the upper face portion of the frame and a front support portion attached to a cowl panel at a specified location positioned in front of the rear support portion. The windshield support portion is positioned between the front and rear support portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shibutake, Toshiharu Ikeda, Yoshikazu Ide, Hiroshi Sogabe, Yasuhiko Nishida, Naoki Shibata, Kohji Hashida, Toshinori Toyohara, Nobuhiko Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8641093
    Abstract: A retractable limb guard assembly for a tractor with a pair of opposed loader brackets and a hydraulic system. The assembly includes a pair of opposed removable brackets connected to the pair of loader brackets. One pair of rocker arms is pivotally connected to each one of the pair of removable brackets. A limb shield is pivotally connected to each of the two pairs of the rocker arms. The pair of hydraulic cylinders is actuated by the tractor hydraulic system wherein each of the hydraulic cylinders extends between one of the removable brackets and one of the rocker arms in order to move the limb shield between a retracted position to an angled protection position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventor: Daniel U. Knight
  • Patent number: 8573682
    Abstract: A vehicle cowl component configured to extend between a hood's rear edge and a vehicle front windshield comprises a cowl and a seal, the seal including a U-shaped cross section attached to the under-hood edge and having upwardly extending front and rear curved walls, each of the curved walls having an unconnected free end. In one embodiment, the seal is two-shot molded onto the cowl, which eliminates secondary attachment operations. A method includes steps of first-shot molding a cowl, and then second-shot molding a U-shaped seal onto the cowl along an under-hood front edge. A modified cowl includes a seal with a downwardly extending wiper for sealing engagement with a body support structure under the cowl and seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventor: Craig Martin Oomen
  • Patent number: 8567851
    Abstract: A vehicle cowl cover includes a windshield support portion and a channel portion. The windshield support portion includes a first windshield supporting wall and a second windshield supporting wall coupled to the first windshield supporting wall to define a windshield receiving cavity that is configured to receive a bottom edge of a windshield. The windshield receiving cavity extends in a lateral direction along the bottom edge of the windshield. The channel portion extends from the second windshield supporting wall and defines a water receiving channel that is configured to receive water that flows over a top edge of the second windshield supporting wall from the windshield receiving cavity. The channel portion is angled relative to an inner surface of the windshield to direct water laterally along the channel portion to at least one side edge of the vehicle cowl cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc., Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Morden, Vinod Desai
  • Patent number: 8523264
    Abstract: A windshield glass support structure includes a windshield glass (1), a lower end support member (3) supporting a lower end portion of the windshield glass, and a dynamic damper (7) provided at a position corresponding to a resonance antinode of the lower end support member. The dynamic damper is an additional vibration system including an additional spring and an additional mass with respect to a main vibration system in which a glass support rigidity of the lower end support member is a main spring and the windshield glass is a main mass. A resonance frequency of the dynamic damper is set in a frequency band in which the additional mass vibrates in an antiphase with respect to a vibration phase in which the lower end portion of the windshield glass vibrates in a resonance node in a front-back direction of the vehicle caused by a vibration input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kuroki, Kanako Takikawa
  • Patent number: 8523275
    Abstract: A polycarbonate window system having an integrated ROPS that reduces the thickness of cab posts of machine such that the operator's visibility is increased. The polycarbonate window system also facilitates secure retention of the polycarbonate window without requiring holes to be formed near the periphery of the polycarbonate window, thereby increasing the structural integrity of the polycarbonate window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Chad K. Jorgensen, Greg D. Finnes
  • Patent number: 8516770
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly of a fixed pane on a car body flange and to a fastening clip for mounting the fixed pane which has a molding arranged on the pane circumferential edge and wherein on the molding at least one retaining member facing towards the body flange is provided for accommodating said fastening clip before the fastening clip for mounting the pane to the body flange is fixed in an insertion through-hole of the body flange in an automatically locking manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Richard Fritz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rainer Bissinger, Erich Herbst, Guido Knupfer, Joachim Scheufler
  • Publication number: 20130119696
    Abstract: An encapsulated windshield molding for attaching a windshield to a vehicle structure includes a body that at least partially encapsulates the windshield. A windshield receiving portion is defined by the body and is configured to receive the windshield. A carrier that is formed of a different material than the body is attached to the body and is configured to be adhered to the vehicle structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: International Truck Intellectual Property Company,
    Inventor: Raymond William Baggett
  • Publication number: 20130026779
    Abstract: A windshield glass support structure includes a windshield glass (1), a lower end support member (3) supporting a lower end portion of the windshield glass, and a dynamic damper (7) provided at a position corresponding to a resonance antinode of the lower end support member. The dynamic damper is an additional vibration system including an additional spring and an additional mass with respect to a main vibration system in which a glass support rigidity of the lower end support member is a main spring and the windshield glass is a main mass. A resonance frequency of the dynamic damper is set in a frequency band in which the additional mass vibrates in an antiphase with respect to a vibration phase in which the lower end portion of the windshield glass vibrates in a resonance node in a front-back direction of the vehicle caused by a vibration input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Yusuke Kuroki, Kanako Takikawa
  • Publication number: 20130015676
    Abstract: A system for mounting a windshield to a small vehicle such as an all-terrain vehicle (“ATV”), a utility-terrain vehicle (“UTV”), or a snowmobile is disclosed. The system typically comprises a pair of receiving elements, each of them configured to be secured to the vehicle, typically the handlebar(s) thereof, and a corresponding pair of mounting elements secured to a windshield panel or panel assembly and configured to be respectively releasably received in the receiving elements. Each receiving element comprises a rotatable cam and each mounting element comprises a groove on an outwardly extending protrusion such that the cams can selectively engage the grooves in a locking engagement when the mounting elements are received in the receiving elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Alexandre Coulombe, Alexandre Cloutier, Marc-Andre Patry, Vincent Morin, Benoit Lauziere, Genevieve Therrien, Genevieve Demers
  • Patent number: 8328273
    Abstract: A vehicle including at least one glass pane, bodywork, and at least one layer of viscoelastic material interposed between the glass pane and the bodywork.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignees: Renault S.A.S., S.A. Artec Aerospace
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Baroggi, Marc Capdepuy, Regis Dornez, Laurent Miro, Charles Zhang
  • Patent number: 8209813
    Abstract: In a vehicle windshield wiper system, a support base includes a connecting rod (9) fixedly attached to a vehicle body and extending across a width of the vehicle body, and a base member (10, 11) depending from an intermediate part of the connecting member. A wiper motor (2) attached to a lower surface of a horizontal wall portion (11) of the base member, and a crank arm (3) is attached to an output shaft of the wiper motor. The base member is formed with an opening (13) to avoid an interference with the crank arm as the crank arm undergoes the rotative movement. The opening in the support base prevents an interference with the movement of the crank arm, and this allows the crank arm and an associated link mechanism (6) to be placed opposite to a vertically intermediate part of the support base, and immediately adjacent to the support base. Therefore, the windshield wiper system can be accommodated in a readily available space (24) under the lower edge of the windshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Igarashi, Kazuhiro Sekiguchi, Mikito Kato, Junji Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20120126567
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement for vehicle panes, having: a mounting rail, a pane, and a cover connected by means of a connection point to a latching rail, wherein the mounting rail comprises a latching channel formed by a contact tongue and a support body, the cover is latched in the latching channel of the latching rail, and a spring element is mounted between a contact surface of the cover and the support body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: Alwin Timmermann
  • Patent number: 8152227
    Abstract: A structure of mounting a cowl top cover which has a back end portion mounted to a lower end portion of a front windshield panel. The structure includes: a surface portion disposed at the back end portion of cowl top cover, the surface portion covering a surface of lower end portion of front windshield panel and extending in a vehicular widthwise direction; a plurality of clip portions disposed at back end portion of cowl top cover, the lower end portion of front windshield panel being clamped between the clip portions and the surface portion in a plurality of places along the direction in which the surface portion extends; and a thin plate portion disposed at back end portion of cowl top cover, wherein the thin plate portion connecting plurality of clip portions with each other is thinner than surface portion and is spaced apart from front windshield panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nihon Plast Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takenori Kurata, Hirofumi Harada, Fumihiko Kimura, Toshiyuki Terada, Takahiro Murata, Manabu Fujisawa, Naoki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20120032468
    Abstract: A support structure of a windshield of the present invention comprises a frame having an open section opening forward in a vehicle and a support member provided inside the frame and connecting an upper face portion and a lower face portion of the frame. The frame has a windshield support portion supporting a lower side portion of the windshield at part of the upper face portion. The support member includes a rear support portion attached to the upper face portion of the frame and a front support portion attached to a cowl panel at a specified location positioned in front of the rear support portion. The windshield support portion is positioned between the front and rear support portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SHIBUTAKE, Toshiharu IKEDA, Yoshikazu IDE, Hiroshi SOGABE, Yasuhiko NISHIDA, Naoki SHIBATA, Kohji HASHIDA, Toshinori TOYOHARA, Nobuhiko YOKOYAMA
  • Patent number: 8087711
    Abstract: A golf cart windshield assembly is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the assembly includes a longitudinal U-shaped channel, where a first longitudinal slot is disposed adjacent to the U-shaped channel and the first slot is adapted to receive an edge of a lower windshield pane. A second longitudinal slot is disposed adjacent to the first slot, where the second slot is adapted to slidingly engage an edge of an upper windshield pane. A flange is joined along a longitudinal edge of the second slot and extends generally at a right angle to the second longitudinal slot and includes at least one aperture. The assembly also includes a spring loaded pin secured to the upper windshield pane, where the pin is adapted to engage the aperture of the flange to restrain the upper windshield pane in a desired vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Inventor: Edward Mauro
  • Patent number: 8029040
    Abstract: A vehicle including a window fastened to a body wall and a method of assembling the vehicle. The window is lined with a safety film adhering to an inner face of the window. A border at the periphery of the window is free of film such that a peripheral limit of the film is situated at a distance from the edge of the window, the distance separating the edge of the window and the limit of the film being alternately variable such that first peripheral portions of the film are in contact with a strip of adhesive, which fastens the window to a vehicle body wall, and second peripheral portions of the film are free with respect to the strip of adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Vincent Perrin, Eric Rouffignac