Patents Examined by Barry Gooden, Jr.
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Patent number: 11305718Abstract: A driver airbag module with a lighting device installed in a steering wheel of a vehicle is proposed. The driver airbag module includes an inner cover extending in a direction of a plane parallel to the steering wheel and having an accommodation space recessed downwards; an emblem panel accommodated in the accommodation space to be disposed in an upper portion of the inner cover and integrally coupled with the inner cover; a lighting device accommodated in the accommodation space to be disposed between the emblem panel and the inner cover; and an outer cover extending in the direction of the plane parallel to the steering wheel and integrally coupled with an upper surface of the inner cover while covering the emblem panel and the inner cover.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2020Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.Inventors: Seok Hoon Ko, Do Hyoung Kim
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Patent number: 11305716Abstract: [Problem] To enable an airbag module to be assuredly assembled to a cored bar. [Resolution Means] The present invention is applied to a steering wheel including: a cored bar member; and an airbag module which houses an airbag cushion and an inflator and is coupled to the cored bar member via a coupling pin, wherein the steering wheel employs a configuration in which the coupling pin extends from the airbag module side to the cored bar member side. The steering wheel according to the present invention includes: a coil spring arranged outside the coupling pin; and a support member supporting the upper end of the coil spring at a peripheral part of the coupling pin. Moreover, the support member includes a hook which includes: a support surface protruding in the direction vertical to the shaft of the coupling pin in order to support the upper end part of the coil spring; and a side extending from this support surface towards the lower side of the coupling pin.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Yutaka Hirota, Sumit Kumar, Kazuhiro Abe
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Patent number: 11305715Abstract: A driver airbag device may include: a housing having an airbag module mounted therein, and configured to induce a horn operation while moved backward by an external force; a boss part formed on the housing; a steering wheel part mounted in the housing, configured to sense a horn operation and perform a steering operation, and having the boss part installed therethrough; and a movement prevention part mounted on the boss part, and configured to prevent movement of the housing connected to the boss part.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.Inventor: Oh Koang Kwon
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Patent number: 11267424Abstract: Problem: To provide a damper mechanism of a steering wheel and a steering wheel apparatus for a vehicle in which it is possible to ensure a damping effect comparable to that of the known art and to decrease an airbag module in size so as to achieve a reduction in cost. Solution: A damper mechanism of a steering wheel includes: two damper units 11 that are provided between a steering wheel 1 and an airbag module 2 functioning as a damper mass and damp vibration of the steering wheel; and an engaging mechanism (hook of a plate-shaped damper 18) that is provided in parallel with the damper unit, between the steering wheel and the airbag module, and holds the steering wheel and the airbag module in a relatively displaceable manner.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2019Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Yutaka Hirota, Kazuhiro Abe, Hiroyoshi Shimono
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Patent number: 11267435Abstract: An airbag arrangement for a motor vehicle includes an airbag, which can be unfolded by filling with a gas, and a sheathing, in which the airbag is arranged before and after filling. The airbag is provided and is to be arranged on the motor vehicle in such a way that, before filling, it is located in the region of a first end of the sheathing and/or a vehicle pillar of the motor vehicle and can be unfolded by filling inside the sheathing and along at least one section of the vehicle pillar up to a second end of the sheathing and/or the vehicle pillar. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle having such an airbag arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2018Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: DAIMLER AGInventors: Yves Clauss, Till Heinrich, Ingo Kalliske, Marco Porstmann, Norman Steinke
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Patent number: 11260746Abstract: A vehicle has a frame defining a cockpit area. The frame has a roll cage disposed over the cockpit area. The vehicle has driver and passenger seats, an engine connected to the frame, and a plurality of ground engaging members operatively connected to the frame, at least one ground engaging member of the plurality of ground engaging members being operatively connected to the engine. The vehicle also has a fuel tank assembly including a fuel tank connected to the frame. The fuel tank is forward of the seats and at least a portion of the fuel tank is disposed under the roll cage.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2017Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.Inventors: Andre Denis, Simon Filion, Jean Guillemette
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Patent number: 11260922Abstract: A work vehicle includes a vehicle body, a plurality of traveling devices for driving traveling, a plurality of bending link mechanisms supporting the plurality of traveling devices to the vehicle body with allowing the plurality of traveling devices to be elevated/lowered independently of each other, a driving mechanism capable of changing respective postures of the plurality of bending link mechanisms independently of each other, and an idle wheel freely rotatably supported to an intermediate bending portion of each one of the plurality of bending mechanisms.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2018Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATIONInventors: Junichi Ishikawa, Minoru Hiraoka
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Patent number: 11255402Abstract: A spring element for a vehicle shock absorber. The spring element includes a longitudinal axis and a basic body that extends along the longitudinal axis and is deformable resiliently between an uncompressed basic state and a state compressed in the direction of a longitudinal axis, and which includes an end side with a stop surface configured for contact against a damper cap of the vehicle shock absorber. The stop surface is at least partially structured. A passenger motor vehicle car can include such a spring element.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2017Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: BASF SEInventor: Frank Thye-Moormann
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Patent number: 11254372Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle may include a base portion and a modular portion. The base portion may be a four wheel vehicle having an operator area with seating for at least two occupants in a side-by-side arrangement. The modular portion may be coupled to the base portion resulting in a six wheel vehicle. The wheels of the modular portion may be powered by an engine of the base portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2021Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.Inventors: Joshua J. Leonard, Richard Raymond Maki, Eric Bjerketvedt, Michael D. Schneider, Bradley Robert Morisch, Brian D. Krosschell
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Patent number: 11247634Abstract: The invention relates to a hybrid inflator especially for a vehicle safety system, comprising an igniter (10), a combustion chamber (16) including a propellant charge (18) which is separated from the igniter (10) by a first bursting element (14) held by a bursting element holder (13), and comprising a compressed gas tank (20) filled with compressed gas and having at feast one discharge opening, the discharge opening being closed by a second bursting element (24) and the compressed gas tank (20) being fluid-communicated with the combustion chamber (16) so that the compressed gas surrounds the propellant charge (18). The invention excels by the fact that the bursting element holder (13) at least in portions delimits an ignition chamber (30) containing a booster charge (15), wherein a shock wave (SW) for opening the second bursting element (24) can be formed only when both the igniter (10) and the booster charge (15) have been ignited and, respectively, activated.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBHInventor: Sebastian Bierwirth
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Patent number: 11241927Abstract: A vehicle has a frame, seats, front and rear suspension assemblies, front and rear wheels, a motor, a rear differential, left and right constant velocity joints operatively connected to the rear differential; and left and right half-shaft operatively connecting the constant velocity joints to the rear wheels. Each of the rear suspension assemblies has: a trailing arm having a front end pivotally connected to the frame; a knuckle pivotally connected to a rear portion of the trailing arm; lower and upper links pivotally connected between the trailing arm and the frame; and a toe link pivotally connected between the knuckle and the frame. Each of the rear suspension assemblies has an instant center axis passing through a connection between the trailing arm and the frame. Centers of the velocity joints are laterally outward of their corresponding instant center axes when viewed in a top plan view of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2020Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.Inventors: Charles Despres-Nadeau, Martin Heon, Daniel Leclerc
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Patent number: 11230257Abstract: A seat belt device includes a webbing and a tongue. The webbing includes a lap belt and a shoulder belt. At least a portion of the lap belt is configured to be disposed to extend in a vehicle-width direction along a front of an abdomen of an occupant. At least a portion of the shoulder belt is configured to be disposed obliquely along a front of a chest of the occupant. The tongue is provided between the lap belt and the shoulder belt of the webbing and is configured to be coupled to a vehicle body when the tongue is to be mounted. The tongue rotates in accordance with a collision or a warning of the collision of a vehicle in a direction in which the shoulder belt is twisted with respect to the vehicle body.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Isamu Nagasawa
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Patent number: 11230247Abstract: An assembly includes a seatbelt and an inflation chamber connected to the seatbelt. The inflation chamber is inflatable from an undeployed state to a deployed state. The inflation chamber includes a first inflation chamber and a second inflation chamber. The first inflation chamber is positioned above the second inflation chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Allen Charles Bosio, Brad Staines, Pieter Christopher van Ast, Gerhard Wichmann
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Patent number: 11220236Abstract: A seat belt system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle, the system having seat belt webbing connected to a seat belt retractor that includes (a) a frame; (b) a spool with the seat belt webbing wound around, wherein the spool is rotatably mounted to the frame and configured to rotate in a webbing extraction direction and a webbing retraction direction; (c) an energy absorbing device for absorbing energy when the spool is rotated in the webbing extraction direction after an emergency event has occurred; and (d) a mechanism for selectively cancelling the operation of the energy absorbing device by preventing motion of the spool in the webbing extraction direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2019Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS ACQUISITION LLCInventors: Mark Gray, Steve Reed
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Patent number: 11214219Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag, an inflator and an attachment base. The airbag includes a body portion, and an inflow port portion, into which the distal end side of the inflator is inserted. The attachment base includes a holding plate portion including a pressing portion and a support portion that are provided at positions displaced around an axial center of the inflator so as to surround a periphery of the inflow port portion into which the distal end side of the inflator is inserted. The pressing portion is plastically deformable so as to approach a side of the support portion by being crimped, and the distal end side of the inflator inserted between the pressing portion and the support portion and the inflow port portion are sandwiched between the crimped pressing portion and the support portion, and are held by the attachment base.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2020Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Minoru Ono, Tetsuya Ogata, Naoki Hotta
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Patent number: 11208072Abstract: An ejector for ejecting a combustion product including, an igniter including an ignition charge and an ignition portion, a pyrotechnic agent, and a cup made of metal, the cup including a bottom surface and a peripheral wall, the peripheral wall being contiguous with a peripheral edge of the bottom surface and disposed to surround the ignition portion, the cup further including an accommodating space accommodating therein the pyrotechnic agent, the bottom surface of the cup including a through hole being defined by a plurality of through-hole peripheral edges, and the adjacent through-hole peripheral edges being connected together at a predetermined connection point, and the through hole including a narrow part, in which a width of the through hole defined by each of parts of the two through-hole peripheral edges of the plurality of through-hole peripheral edges decreases gradually with an increasing distance from a center of the bottom surface toward the peripheral edge of the bottom surface, and the narrow pType: GrantFiled: July 9, 2018Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: DAICEL CORPORATIONInventors: Koji Yamamoto, Mikio Yabuta
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Patent number: 11207938Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a lift axle of a vehicle. To assist with braking according to an operation of a forward collision avoidance (FCA) system by using the lift axle in an emergency braking situation, the vehicle lift axle control apparatus includes a lift axle actuator that drives the lift axle of the vehicle, an interworking device that interworks with the FCA system, and a controller that controls the lift axle actuator based on information obtained from the FCA system.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2019Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATIONInventor: In Ho Seo
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Patent number: 11203240Abstract: Wishbone-style control arm assemblies for a vehicle and methods for assembling the same are disclosed. A control arm assembly includes a first elongated segment having a first connection feature at one end of the first segment. The control arm assembly includes a second elongated segment having a second connection feature at one end of the second segment. Opposite longitudinal ends of the first and second segments may include third and fourth connection features, respectively, that are configured to interface with the vehicle. The first and second connection features are aligned to form an aperture that extends at least partially through the first and segment connection features, through which a bushing is press-fit and then swaged to form a strong connection that reduces or eliminates the need for mechanical fasteners or adhesive bonds.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2019Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: DIVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventor: Thomas Samuel Bowden, Jr.
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Patent number: 11192572Abstract: A column jacket includes a hollow outer jacket having a pair of clamped portions disposed to sandwich a slit between the clamped portions and a tubular inner jacket having, in an area where the inner jacket is fitted in the outer jacket, an elongated hole extending in an axial direction. A clamping mechanism clamps the pair of clamped portions with a pair of side plates of a fixed bracket. The elongated hole is disposed on any one of a first side and a second side, in the lateral direction, of a vertical plane passing through a central axis of the inner jacket, at a position other than on a straight line that extends in a vertical direction through the central axis.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATIONInventors: Yusuke Nishimine, Masayoshi Sakuda, Atsumune Nagatani, Daiki Goto, Naohiro Oosono, Yu Myohoji
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Patent number: 11167719Abstract: An advanced four-point seat belt may include: a three-point seat belt to diagonally hold a passenger with a webbing; and a motorized seat belt to allow a tongue of the webbing to maintain a state of being fixed to a side surface of a seat cushion to an initial position. In particular, when a vehicle collision situation is recognized, the motorized seat belt forms an “X” shape webbing confinement state by withdrawing the webbing and another webbing to locate the tongue at a central position of a body of the passenger.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2019Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATIONInventor: Yong-Woon Song