Patents Examined by Caitlin Anne Miller
  • Patent number: 11565563
    Abstract: A suspension travel control system (1046) for a vehicle suspension is disclosed. The suspension travel control system includes a stop post (834) secured to the vehicle frame and a suspension travel control formation that includes a base (1042) and a body (1048). The stop post (834) is positioned in a space defined by the body (1048). The suspension travel control formation may be secured to the axle, the main support member or incorporated into the axle coupling assembly to provide a rebound and jounce stop as well as longitudinal redundancy in the event of the failure or loss of a longitudinal linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Hendrickson USA, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ashley Thomas Dudding, Jerry Michael Lovett, Richard John Aumann, Foster Kolbe Pyle, Matthew Edward Michael DiCianni
  • Patent number: 11548549
    Abstract: A steering system for a trailing axle of a motor vehicle includes an electric motor, a hydraulic pump, a first valve, and a working cylinder. The electric motor is configured to drive the hydraulic pump. The working cylinder has a central bore and a piston positioned in the working cylinder. The first valve is fluidically connected to the pump such that the first valve is configured to block flow between the central bore and the pump in response to pressure generated by the pump, and to release the flow in response to a non-pressurized state of the pump in order to divert hydraulic fluid from the working cylinder through the central bore via an adhesion-driven movement of the piston into a central position in the central bore. A method includes operating a steering system for a trailing axle of a motor vehicle of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH
    Inventors: Falk Hofmann, Michael Haegele, Kai Eckmann
  • Patent number: 11549551
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a shaft adapted to be at least partially inserted into an opening of a shaft receiver. The shaft comprises a nominal shaft portion adapted to be at least partially inserted into the opening of the shaft receiver, followed by an intermediate shaft portion that in turn is followed by a guide shaft portion terminating the shaft. The shaft comprises a cross-section with a cross-sectional contour in a plane including the central axis, the cross-sectional contour comprising a nominal shaft portion contour of the nominal shaft portion, an intermediate shaft portion contour of the intermediate shaft portion and a guide shaft portion contour of the guide shaft portion. The cross-sectional contour comprises a radial direction being perpendicular to the central axis, wherein, as seen in the radial direction, the nominal shaft portion contour is located at a nominal radial distance from the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Zachrisson, Martin Sjöholm
  • Patent number: 11548472
    Abstract: A seat belt assembly unit includes a seat belt retractor, seat back, seat back frame, a rear wall interconnecting the side walls of a vehicle, a tubular member extending along the length of the rear wall and a belt guide disposed adjacent to the seat back and rigidly attached to the tubular member. The seat belt guide is a rod-shaped member formed substantially into a U-shape with its side portions inserted into holes on the tubular member. A shoulder belt extending from the retractor and passing through the seat belt guide, restrains occupants to the seat. The pulling force of the shoulder belt which restrains the occupant in the seat is transferred to the tubular member via the belt guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Igor Tchepikov, Nuttaphon Boonyarangkavorn, Alan Dyer, Christian Trentin, Brett Carroll
  • Patent number: 11548555
    Abstract: A sub-frame arranged to be mounted on a chassis of a car and to have the rear wheels of the car mounted thereon is arranged to receive an electric drivetrain arranged to drive the car. The sub-frame includes a cage including bars arranged to form an upper perimeter and a lower perimeter and a plurality of struts extending between the upper and lower perimeters; a pair of rear wheel suspension mounts, each rear wheel suspension mount being arranged to have one of the rear wheels of the car mounted thereon; and a plurality of brackets located on the cage and arranged to facilitate connection of the sub-frame to the chassis of the car and/or to the electric drivetrain. A frame and vehicle including such a sub-frame and a method of installing such a sub-frame are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: RBW Sports & Classics Ltd.
    Inventor: Peter Swain
  • Patent number: 11541842
    Abstract: A system includes a seatbelt retractor and a webbing payable from the seatbelt retractor. A marker is fixed to the webbing. A proximity sensor is fixed relative to the seatbelt retractor. The proximity sensor is designed to detect the marker when the marker is within sensing range of the proximity sensor. The marker is positioned along the webbing to be out of sensing range of the proximity sensor when the webbing is engaged with a 6-year-old anthropomorphic test device and to be in sensing range of the proximity sensor when the webbing is engaged with a child seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, S.M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Robert William McCoy
  • Patent number: 11535332
    Abstract: A rotation locking device includes a locking module and at least one engaging member. The at least one engaging member is rotatably coupled to the locking module. The locking module is configured to engaging and disengage the at least one engaging member, thereby refraining the at least one engaging member from rotating relative to the locking module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
    Inventor: Ching Juan
  • Patent number: 11529920
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a rollover protection structure (ROPS) around a driver's seat and a receiver supported at an upper portion of the ROPS to receive positional information from a satellite. A harness for the receiver is routed along an outer peripheral surface of the ROPS. A cover is provided to cover the harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Misaki
  • Patent number: 11511584
    Abstract: A decoupling bearing for a suspension strut or a pneumatic suspension strut may include a suspension strut cup and a connecting element that can be connected to a vehicle body. A damping element may be arranged between the suspension strut cup and the connecting element. The suspension strut cup may be connected to the connecting element by the damping element. Further, the damping element may be adhesively bonded to the connecting element and the suspension strut cup in a force-transmitting manner, and/or the damping element may be adhesively bonded to the connecting element and an intermediate element in a force-transmitting manner. The intermediate element may be connected to the suspension strut cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: ThyssenKrupp Bilstein GmbH, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Klaus Schmidt, Holger Hennen, Ole Götz
  • Patent number: 11505026
    Abstract: Suspension assembly including a body associable to the chassis of the tilting vehicle and two junction devices opposite with respect to the body; the junction devices being articulated to the body by means of connecting elements, wherein each junction device includes a first structural junction portion rotationally coupled in a first coupling site to a first connecting element and a second structural joint portion rotationally coupled in a second coupling site to a second connecting element; and wherein the suspension assembly further includes elasto-damping elements associated with the hinge devices and adapted to damp the stresses transmitted by the wheels; and wherein each hinge device includes a dynamic junction portion rotationally coupled to a elasto-damping element in a dynamic junction coupling site; and wherein the junction device rigidly determines the relative positioning and spatial orientation of the first structural joint portion, the second structural joint portion and the dynamic joint portion
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventors: Onorino Di Tanna, Stefano Bartolozzi, Mario Donato Santucci
  • Patent number: 11498380
    Abstract: An arrangement of an angle measurement device on the chassis of a vehicle. The chassis includes a control arm (1) and a pivot bearing (2) with a pivot axis. The control arm (1) pivots about the pivot axis and the angle measurement device has a sensor (3) and a signal emitter. The sensor (3) is arranged on the control arm (1), in the area of the pivot axis, and the signal emitter is arranged on the pivot bearing (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Julian Stratmann, Florian Bäumer, Josef Holtheide, Felix Kallaß, Thorsten Sander
  • Patent number: 11499291
    Abstract: The invention relates to a work machine (1, 1.1, 1.2) comprising: a work unit (2, 2.1, 2.2) or a receptacle (16) for a work unit, exactly one primary vehicle axis (3), wheel elements (4) arranged on both sides of the primary vehicle axis (3), drive units associated with the wheel elements (4), at least one control, wherein the control comprises at least one control circuit and effects a self-balancing of the work machine (1, 1.1, 1.2) about the main vehicle axis (3), and a counter-weight (5), wherein a position of the counter-weight (5) relative to the primary vehicle axis (3) is controllable via the control, and therefore the work machine (1, 1.1, 1.2) can be balanced about the primary vehicle axis (3) and controlled in the movement directions thereof via a position shift of the counter-weight (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventor: Jonas Heinzler
  • Patent number: 11479072
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension system includes a damper top mount including a top mount body defining an interior cavity, a damper coupled to the top mount and including a damping member and a damper rod coupled to the damping member, and a jounce shock assembly including a jounce shock body coupled with the damper top mount and encircling the top mount body. The jounce shock body includes an exterior wall and a dividing wall generally parallel to and interior of the exterior wall, a first chamber defined by the top mount body and the dividing wall, a second chamber fluidly coupled with and parallel to the first chamber and defined by the dividing wall and the exterior wall, a floating piston movably disposed within the second chamber, and a piston configured to translate within the first chamber between an extended position and a compressed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel J. Parrino, Andrew S. Rogers, Scott B. Janson
  • Patent number: 11472474
    Abstract: A vehicle small in width and capable of ensuring both driving stability and drivability includes: a vehicle body with two or more wheels including steered wheels (right front wheel, left front wheel) for steering; an inclination angle detection part that detects the inclination angle of the vehicle body about a roll axis thereof; and a torque applying part (turning mechanism) that applies a steering torque to the steered wheels in accordance with an inclination angular velocity or an inclination angular acceleration of the vehicle body calculated from the inclination angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keizo Araki, Akira Mizuno, Shota Kubo
  • Patent number: 11453456
    Abstract: A personal mobility apparatus includes: a support platform having a pair of footplates and a cavity; two drive wheels disposed on both sides of the support platform, respectively; and a steering wheel connected to the support platform to be received in the cavity. The steering wheel is connected through a telescopic tube to be received in the cavity of the support platform and the telescopic tube includes a first tube and a second tube moving telescopically with respect to the first tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hun Keon Ko, Dong Han Koo, Jun Hwan Park
  • Patent number: 11453359
    Abstract: An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14b) includes a front panel (102b) and a rear panel (122b) that are interconnected to at least partially define an inflatable volume (54b) of the protection device. The rear panel (122b) has a conical configuration resulting from portions of the rear panel being interconnected with each other. The rear panel (122b) comprises portions interconnected along a seam (214), the seam being configured to deviate laterally from a deployment direction so that portions of the air bag that engage and move along the seam shift laterally during deployment to reduce damage due to friction with the seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: Jorge Valles, Rigo Solis, Oscar Garcia
  • Patent number: 11440500
    Abstract: A partition portion that partitions a cabin in a front-rear direction of a vehicle is disposed on a vehicle rear side with respect to a seat. A restraint device is partially attached to the partition portion, and a webbing of the restraint device is withdrawn from a partition portion side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jumpei Watanabe, Yasuhiro Hara, Norimasa Koreishi, Hirotaka Ishioka
  • Patent number: 11427250
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotary sensor assembly and a rear wheel steering system including the same. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a rotary sensor assembly includes: a rotary sensor subassembly configured to sense a stroke of a driving shaft configured to receive rotating power to move linearly; a sensing guide configured to be moved by receiving a moving force when the driving shaft moves such that the rotary sensor subassembly senses movement of the driving shaft; and fasteners which couple the sensing guide to the driving shaft, wherein the rotary sensor subassembly senses movement of the sensing guide to sense the stroke of the driving shaft when the driving shaft moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Han Sang Chae
  • Patent number: 11420677
    Abstract: A wheel-mounting assembly for an agricultural utility vehicle includes a chassis and a telescopic axle arrangement fixed to the chassis. The telescopic axle arrangement includes an inner axle telescopically received in an outer axle, which is fixed to the chassis. A wheel-support assembly is mounted to an outboard end of the inner axle. A steering-control actuator is connected between the inner axle and the wheel-support assembly. The steering-control actuator is connected to the inner axle through an opening provided in the outer axle, which allows the steering-control actuator to translate together with the inner axle when track width is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: AGCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Aron Crowley, James McGrath Slawson, Nathan Stewart Felix
  • Patent number: 11407380
    Abstract: A seatbelt retractor for a seat belt device in a vehicle. The retractor including a frame and a spool. The spool is configured to be fixed to one end of a webbing which is wound around the spool. A pretensioner device configured to rotate the spool in response to an excessive acceleration of the vehicle. The pretensioner device comprises a power transmission element carried in a pretensioner tube that is driven by a piston located in the pretensioner tube. The pretensioner device includes a gas generator for driving the piston into the power transmission element. The pretensioner device includes a seal system that includes a stopper tube located in a downstream end of the pretensioner tube to create a stop location for the piston to prevent operating gas from exiting the end of the pretensioner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS ACQUISITION LLC
    Inventor: Mark F. Gray