Patents Examined by Dana D Ivey
  • Patent number: 12195946
    Abstract: A construction machine includes a cabin, an operator seat provided in the cabin, a seat right side console provided on the right side of an operator to be seated in the operator seat, and extending along a front-to-back direction of the operator seat, a right operating lever provided at the front of the seat right side console, a switch panel provided on the seat right side console, and a right armrest extending from the back side toward the front of the operator seat, and placed above the seat right side console. The switch panel is placed between the right armrest and the right operating lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ko Ogata
  • Patent number: 12188274
    Abstract: A door hinge apparatus of a vehicle may include a rail plate provided on one side of a vehicle body corresponding to an end portion of a door of the vehicle and formed with a rail in a width direction of the vehicle, a hinge slide unit including a slide bracket provided on the rail and a door hinge bracket provided on the door where the slide bracket includes a guide slot formed in a diagonal direction of the slide bracket and the slide bracket and the door hinge bracket are pivotally coupled each other through a hinge shaft, and an actuator having a roller configured at a rod to roll along the guide slot so that the slide bracket moves along the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jaeseung Lee, Dae Hee Lee, Seung Sik Han, Yonghyun Nam, Chungsik Yim
  • Patent number: 12187166
    Abstract: A sliding rail transmission device includes a driving portion and at least one sliding rail assembly, the sliding rail assembly includes a rail and a movable member, the rail is provided with a flanging, the flanging forms a first transmission toothed belt, and the rail is provided with a damping strip at a position of the first transmission toothed belt, the damping strip forms a second transmission toothed belt, the first transmission toothed belt and the second transmission toothed belt are arranged side by side, the movable member is provided with a transmission gear, the transmission gear is arranged below the first transmission toothed belt and the second transmission toothed belt, and the transmission gear can mesh with the first transmission toothed belt and the second transmission toothed belt simultaneously; and the driving portion drives the transmission gear to rotate to drive the movable member to move along the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: HUBEI HAPM MAGNA SEATING SYSTEMS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yuanlin Li, Yuanhe Gao, Renlei Xu, Xiukong Wang, Yanzhe Shi
  • Patent number: 12172505
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a retractable tonneau cover for a vehicle that has been modified in order to generally minimize the size of a housing of the tonneau cover, providing more vehicle cargo space for a user. The modified retractable tonneau cover can be automatically closed through an electronic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: ROLL-N-LOCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Richard Gregory Bernardo
  • Patent number: 12157517
    Abstract: The present floor tunnel is laid on a floor surface of a vehicle interior along a vehicle front-rear direction, extends substantially linearly along the vehicle front-rear direction, has a front end and a rear end, and has an open cross-sectional shape of a hat shape in which a shape of a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction protrudes from the floor surface. The floor tunnel includes a front end region that has the front end and a main region that has the rear end and continues to the front end region. When a total length from the front end to the rear end is L (mm), a boundary position between the front end region and the main region is within a range between a position at 30 mm from the front end toward the rear end and a position at L/5 from the front end toward the rear end. Yield strength of the front end region is lower than yield strength of the main region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Hirose
  • Patent number: 12139254
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a moonroof accessory panel. The moonroof accessory panel may be a structure that may be removably attached to a moonroof area of a vehicle. The moonroof accessory panel may be used to hold a drone associated with the vehicle such that the drone may take-off from and land on the moonroof accessory panel. The top of the moonroof accessory panel may also be accessible from the cabin of the vehicle such that a user may place the drone on top of the moonroof accessory panel while inside the cabin. The moonroof accessory panel may also be used for other purposes beyond holding drones as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Nelson Alexander Brock
  • Patent number: 12134422
    Abstract: A vehicle front body structure includes a front side frame extending forward from a dashboard separating a cabin and an engine compartment, an apron reinforcement extending in a front-rear direction, a suspension housing, a braking force booster between this suspension housing and the dashboard, and a coupling member coupled to the front side frame and the apron reinforcement. The coupling member is formed of a material with higher tensile strength than the suspension housing. The coupling member includes a body section fixed to a rear surface of the suspension housing, and a wall section bent from a lower end of this body section and extending rearward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawano, Ippei Kuroda
  • Patent number: 12128743
    Abstract: A resin window panel provided in a vehicle including a vehicle body that has a peripheral edge surrounding a window frame, the resin window panel that is attached to the peripheral edge with an adhesive containing a plasticizer, the resin window panel includes: a first resin panel part whose top surface has a hard coating layer, the first resin panel part made of polycarbonate; and a second resin panel part stacked on a backside surface of the first resin panel part, the second resin panel part made of polyethylene terephthalate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yuya Maruyama, Ken Noda, Hidenori Munekata, Hisashi Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 12128960
    Abstract: A tailgate support cable assembly includes a cable and a retainer portion attached to an end of the cable. The retainer portion rotatably attaches the end of the cable assembly to a vehicle tailgate. The retainer portion includes a tailgate retention portion, an object contact portion extending from the tailgate retention portion, and a sensor engagement portion extending from the object contact portion. The retainer portion is structured to rotate with respect to the tailgate responsive to contact between the object contact portion and a foreign object positioned in a seam between the tailgate and another portion of the vehicle, during a closing movement of the tailgate. Rotation of the retainer portion brings the sensor engagement portion into contact with (and activates) a touch sensor mounted on the tailgate. Activation of the touch sensor causes a stoppage and/or reversal of tailgate movement, thereby preventing “pinching” of the foreign object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tarakorn Soonthornwinate, Kevin J. James, James D. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 12122453
    Abstract: A body structure of a vehicle includes a coupling member made of fiber reinforced plastic including fibers impregnated with synthetic resin and a pair of rear fixing members that have a bending rigidity higher than the coupling member and fix both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the coupling member to a vehicle body. Boundary portions between the pair of fixing members and the coupling member are formed in both end portions in the longitudinal direction. A distance between the boundary portions on the rear side is different from that between the boundary portions on the front side that extend along neutral axes defined by the lines of intersection between the neutral plane of bending moments of the coupling member and the lateral cross sections of the coupling member when a bending load is input through the pair of rear fixing members to the coupling member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Nishida, Chikara Kawamura
  • Patent number: 12123227
    Abstract: An opening-closing member including an outer panel that faces an outside of a vehicle body, and opening and closing a rear opening of the vehicle body in response to operation of an operation part arranged at a rear end part, the opening-closing member including a bracket member in the operation part, the bracket member including a bracket member body extending along a vehicle body front-rear direction, and a vertical wall extending in a vehicle body vertical direction from at least one end part of the bracket member body in the vehicle body front-rear direction, the vertical wall being fixed to an inner side of the outer panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Miyake, Go Shimizu, Fumiyoshi Mizutani, Takashi Haga
  • Patent number: 12116041
    Abstract: The invention relates to a structural assembly (1) for a vehicle comprising a side rail line and an upper support cup (2) for a suspension system, the assembly comprising a wheel arch wall (3), the assembly (1) further comprising at least one metal sheet (4) shaped to form a stress path (5) extending from the side rail line towards the cup (2), the wall being arranged between the cup (2), the stress path (5) and the side rail line, the assembly (1) being characterized in that it comprises a connecting member (11) connecting the cup (2) and the stress path (5), the connecting member (11) being shaped so as to deform in a predefined manner in order to transmit at least some of the longitudinal forces generated on the stress path (5) along a transverse axis (A) of the vehicle towards the cup (2) during a small front overlap test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: STELLANTIS AUTO SAS
    Inventors: Mihaela Maria Magas, Ronan Breal, Manaf Karkar
  • Patent number: 12109874
    Abstract: A tonneau cover apparatus for removable attachment to a cargo box of a pickup truck including a support frame assembly and a cover assembly. The cover assembly includes a plurality of pivotally interconnected rigid panels that can be folded up and secured to the cargo box such that respective upper surfaces of at least two of the plurality of rigid panels reside in an upright folded orientation. The tonneau cover apparatus further includes a mechanism for securing the at least two of the plurality of rigid panels in the upright folded orientation. A method of removably securing the tonneau cover apparatus to the pickup truck is also described, as is an alternate embodiment of the tonneau cover apparatus, wherein the cover assembly includes first and second pivotally interconnected rigid panels and a pair of hinge support mechanisms that generally restrict the way the second rigid panel pivots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Agri-Cover, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M. Schmeichel, Brendan T. Bohn, Mark E. Beam, John W. Simon
  • Patent number: 12103498
    Abstract: A glove box includes a cover mounted in a dashboard of a vehicle in a state in which a front surface of the cover is open and including a guide hole having an arch shape and directed from an upper side to a lower side on a side wall of the cover, a housing accommodated in a state in which an open surface thereof is covered by the cover and configured for selectively opening or closing the open front surface of the cover through a preset rotational trajectory, a plurality of transfer links that are arranged between first and second outer ends of the housing and first and second inner ends of the cover and provide a rotational trajectory of the housing, and an elastic member that corrects rotational forces of the transfer links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae Whoan Park
  • Patent number: 12097904
    Abstract: A gutter member has a flow path portion that receives the water dripping from a front windshield and flows the received water in the vehicle width direction and a drain portion that drains the water to a drain member on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the flow path portion, in which at least a part of the flow path portion overlaps with the drain path in vehicle plan view, the gutter member has guide portions that guide the water dripping from the drain portion to the drain path, and the guide portions, include a cushioning material that absorbs an impact load at least in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hosei Mogi, Kenji Fujita, Etsuji Saiki
  • Patent number: 12090819
    Abstract: A removable panel assembly for a vehicle window, the panel assembly includes a removable panel sized and shaped to overlie at least a portion of an outward-facing surface of a vehicle window. A first retainer is configured to secure the panel in abutting relation to the window, the first retainer including a first engagement element configured to engage a first edge of the window and a second engagement element configured to engage an inward-facing surface of the window. A second retainer is configured to secure the panel in abutting relation to the window, the second retainer including a third engagement element configured to engage a second edge of the window and a fourth engagement element configured to engage the inward-facing surface of the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: K2 Products LLC
    Inventors: Stephen M. Kellerman, Charles P. Kellerman
  • Patent number: 12090817
    Abstract: A windowshield attachment structure includes a windowshield defining the front or rear of a vehicle compartment of an off-road vehicle, a pillar arranged inward of the vehicle compartment with respect to the windowshield in a front-rear direction, a door defining a side of the vehicle compartment, and a bracket attached to the windowshield and fixing the windowshield to the pillar. The pillar has a seal surface facing outward of the vehicle compartment. The door has a seal contacting the seal surface in a closed state. The bracket extends from the windowshield to the seal surface along a surface of the pillar on the side opposite to the windowshield. A tip end portion of the bracket is arranged on the seal surface. An upper edge of the tip end portion is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction so as to be positioned downward toward the windowshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiromasa Kurioka
  • Patent number: 12083869
    Abstract: A window assembly for attachment to a frame of a vehicle includes a window having a top, a bottom, sides, an outer surface, and an inner surface. A height of the window extends from the top to the bottom of the window. A width of the window extends between the sides of the window. A thickness of the window extends between the outer and inner surfaces. The window defines a plurality of slots. A clamp is securable to the frame of the vehicle for mounting the window assembly to the vehicle. A bolt is extendable through the clamp and window to couple the window to the clamp and frame. A fastener is engageable with the bolt to secure the window assembly to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Optic Armor, LLC
    Inventor: James Howard
  • Patent number: 12077114
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure includes side frames in pairs, a bumper beam, a lower beam, coupling members in pairs, and gussets. The bumper beam and the lower beam extend in the vehicle width direction. Each coupling member extends in a vehicle upward-downward direction on an outer side of a corresponding one of the side frames in the vehicle width direction. The coupling members couple the bumper beam and the lower beam. A vehicle-front-side end part of each gusset is coupled to a middle part of a corresponding one of the coupling members in the vehicle upward-downward direction. A vehicle-rear-side end part of each gusset is coupled to the corresponding one of the side frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshio Wada
  • Patent number: 12077937
    Abstract: To provide a frame of construction machines that can enhance the rigidity of support members. The frame comprises a bottom plate, a pair of vertical plates being disposed spacedly in a width direction on a top surface of the bottom plate and extending longitudinally and vertically, and multiple support members extending toward outside in a width direction from breadthwise outer surface of the pair of vertical plates. At least one of the multiple support members comprises a vertical wall perpendicular to the bottom plate. A breadthwise inner end part of vertical wall is welded on breadthwise outer surface of one of pair of vertical plates. A lower end of the pair of vertical plates is welded intermittently on a top surface of the bottom plate, and there exists a non-welded part where the lower end of the vertical plates is not welded on the top surface of the bottom plate under breadthwise inner end part of the vertical wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar SARL
    Inventors: Takeshi Tsuneyoshi, Masato Tamura