Patents Examined by Barry Gooden, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11407378
    Abstract: An airbag system and related method of inflating an airbag is disclosed. The airbag system has an airbag cushion having an interior cavity. At least one pyrotechnic gas generating compound is positioned within the interior cavity of the airbag cushion. At least one ignition source is in communication with the at least one pyrotechnic gas generating compound. A control unit is in communication with the at least one ignition source, wherein activation of the at least one ignition source by the control unit causes the at least one pyrotechnic gas generating compound to inflate the airbag cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventors: Andras Fenyves, Christopher Swatta
  • Patent number: 11390244
    Abstract: A seat belt pretensioner for a motor vehicle includes a cam that rotates, a cable with a first end and a second end, a section of the cable positioned on an outer portion of the cam. Upon deployment the cam rotates and guides the first end from a first location to a second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Scott D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11377067
    Abstract: Entanglement of bush main bodies is suppressed. At a bush, a shaft portion of a bush main body, which extends in a circumferential direction of a mounting hole of an outer anchor, covers a peripheral surface of the mounting hole. A first flange portion and a second flange portion of the bush main body are placed on an front and back sides of the outer anchor, respectively. Moreover, a connection portion connects both circumferential direction sides of the bush main body. The connection portion allows elastic deformation of a diameter of the bush main body, and the second flange portion can pass-through the mounting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Kaoru Yuasa, Giko Makino
  • Patent number: 11351956
    Abstract: An airbag device is to be mounted on a vehicle and includes an outer airbag, an inner airbag and a friction generating member. The outer airbag is made of a base cloth and configured to expand and deploy outward of the vehicle. The inner airbag is made of a base cloth and configured to expand and deploy in the outer airbag. The friction generating member is provided on at least one of an inner surface of the outer airbag and an outer surface of the inner airbag. When the inner surface of the deployed outer airbag contacts the outer surface of the deployed inner airbag, the friction generating member generates a frictional force that is greater than a frictional force that is generated when the base cloths of the outer airbag and the inner airbag overlap one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 11338752
    Abstract: An airbag module has an airbag and a gas generator, between which a gas supply with a valve arrangement is arranged. The valve arrangement has an electrically actuatable pilot valve and a hydraulic transmission arrangement for amplifying a stroke action of the pilot valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Bleeck, Christoph Aumueller
  • Patent number: 11338756
    Abstract: An airbag device with a horn switch body, configured so as to be installed in an upper surface side in a boss portion near a center of a steering wheel, includes: an airbag which inflates by receiving inflation gas; an inflator for supplying inflation gas to the airbag; a pad covering the folded airbag; a mounting base made of sheet metal which holds the airbag, the inflator, and the pad; a horn switch body having an assembling pin to be assembled to a main body side of the steering wheel; and a support plate made of a sheet metal which supports the horn switch body as a configuration attached to a lower surface side of the mounting base. A case around the assembling pin, the mounting base, or the support plate is provided with a spacer capable of preventing rattling of the switch disposition portion in the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Matsuo Nagata, Koji Sakurai, Hirotoshi Kanzaki, Kenji Sumita, Hiroki Sakamoto, Yuki Nonoyama
  • Patent number: 11338764
    Abstract: The present invention describes a restraining system (20) for a seat belt buckle (22) comprising: a housing (44), a motor (24), a set of gears (25, 26, 28, 30), locking mechanism (46, 48, 50), and a controlling unit (41); the restraining unit is mounted on the housing (44) for providing restraining force to the seat belt buckle (22); the restraining unit comprises at least one motor; the set of gears (25, 26, 28, 30) are mounted on the housing (44) and connected with the at least one motor (24) for providing either first direction motion or second direction motion to the seat belt buckle (22), on receiving the restraining force; the locking mechanism is mounted on the housing (44) for controlling rotation of one or more gears from the set of gears (25, 26, 28, 30); the controlling unit is operatively connected with the restraining unit and the locking mechanism, the controlling unit (41) is configured for controlling operation of the motor (24) and the locking mechanism, based on a predefined instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Rudi Grzic
  • Patent number: 11305715
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Oh Koang Kwon
  • Patent number: 11305716
    Abstract: [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: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Yutaka Hirota, Sumit Kumar, Kazuhiro Abe
  • Patent number: 11305718
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Hoon Ko, Do Hyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 11267424
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Yutaka Hirota, Kazuhiro Abe, Hiroyoshi Shimono
  • Patent number: 11267435
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Yves Clauss, Till Heinrich, Ingo Kalliske, Marco Porstmann, Norman Steinke
  • Patent number: 11260922
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Ishikawa, Minoru Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 11260746
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Andre Denis, Simon Filion, Jean Guillemette
  • Patent number: 11255402
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventor: Frank Thye-Moormann
  • Patent number: 11254372
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua J. Leonard, Richard Raymond Maki, Eric Bjerketvedt, Michael D. Schneider, Bradley Robert Morisch, Brian D. Krosschell
  • Patent number: 11247634
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: TRW AIRBAG SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventor: Sebastian Bierwirth
  • Patent number: 11241927
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Charles Despres-Nadeau, Martin Heon, Daniel Leclerc
  • Patent number: 11230247
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allen Charles Bosio, Brad Staines, Pieter Christopher van Ast, Gerhard Wichmann
  • Patent number: 11230257
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isamu Nagasawa