Patents Examined by Dana D Ivey
  • Patent number: 10946899
    Abstract: A vehicle framework structure includes: a framework body portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction in a vehicle end portion in a vehicle width direction, the framework body portion forming a closed section by an inner panel constituting an inner part of the framework body portion in the vehicle width direction and an outer panel constituting an outer part of the framework body portion in the vehicle width direction; and a reinforcing member placed inside the closed section of the framework body portion, the reinforcing member including a body portion inclined from the vehicle front-rear direction and provided over the inner panel and the outer panel, and a flange portion extending from an outer peripheral edge of the body portion and joined to the inner panel and the outer panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 10946901
    Abstract: In a rear opening structure of a vehicle, a roof panel and a trough are arranged on an upper end of an opening for coupling a back door. Each of left and right ends of a vertical wall of the roof panel in the width direction includes a welding point where the roof panel and the trough are welded to each other. Beads that extend in the vertical direction are provided such that each of the beads is arranged in a vicinity of one of the welding points of the left and right ends of the vertical wall and on an inner side of the one of the welding points of the left and right ends. An end of each bead in the vertical direction is connected to at least one of a rear end surface and a horizontal wall of the roof panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mai Ijima, Yu Katou
  • Patent number: 10941601
    Abstract: A method for damping a movement of a door system of a vehicle that is equipped with a damping system having an adjustable and controllable damping action. A movement of the door system between a closed position and an open position is damped in a controlled manner. A measurement of the change in speed of the speed of movement of the door system is calculated and if the change in speed exceeds a predefined limit value, a set, gentle damping action is changed over to a greater damping action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: INVENTUS Engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Battlogg, Markus Mayer
  • Patent number: 10940808
    Abstract: A trim panel member for a vehicle includes a body portion and first and second arm portions connected to the body portion. The body portion is configured to be connected to a first structural member. The first arm portion is connected to the body portion and extends in a first direction from the body portion. The second arm portion is connected to the body portion and extends in a second direction from the body portion. The second body portion is configured to be connected to a second structural member. The second arm portion includes an outboard portion and an inboard portion. The outboard portion has a hook member configured to engage the second structural member. The hook member extends downwardly from the outboard portion. The inboard portion is configured to be spaced from the second structural member when the trim panel member is connected to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: David Kovie, Matthew Mccormick
  • Patent number: 10926815
    Abstract: A deflector mounts to a pickup truck. The deflector may include a mounting flange, mounted to and pivot with a bottom of a tailgate, and spaced from a rear bumper, and a louver extending downward from the mounting flange into a gap between the tailgate and the bumper, with the louver including a portion curving rearward as the louver extends downward such that air flow around the bumper from under the pickup truck is redirected upward along an outer panel of the tailgate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Paul K. Dellock, Aaron Halonen, Sashank Vuttaluru
  • Patent number: 10919197
    Abstract: A device for reinforcing, sealing or insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle includes a support having a clip for pre-fixing the device in the structural element. The clip includes a base and two flexible wings arranged on the base. The device furthermore includes an adhesive for adhesively bonding the support in the structural element. The device furthermore includes an insertion element, which can be inserted in such a way into an interspace between the base and the wings of the clip when the device is pre-fixed on the structural element by the clip that the flexible wings are restricted in their freedom of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SIKA TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventor: Heinz Etterli
  • Patent number: 10913418
    Abstract: An attachment structure for a protector member is provided, wherein a positional accuracy regarding the protector member for a reinforcement can be improved. The attachment structure for the protector member for attaching the resin-made protector member located between the reinforcement and a bumper to the reinforcement includes a fastening structure of fastening the protector member to the reinforcement such that an attachment position of the protector member relative to the reinforcement is adjustable in a longitudinal direction of the reinforcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Tsunehisa Isomura
  • Patent number: 10913338
    Abstract: A lift assist lock-down assembly for a soft top assembly, the lock-down assembly operably coupled to first and second bows selectively rotatable between an open/sunroof position and an open/downward position. A handle member is rotatable between unlocked and locked positions. A cam and a cam lockout selectively prevent the bows from rotating. When locked in a first position, the bows are prevented from rotating generally rearward/downward, thereby preventing the soft top assembly from moving into the open/downward position. When locked in a second position, the bows are prevented from rotating generally forward/upward, thereby generally preventing the soft top from bouncing or from moving into the open/sunroof position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Bestop, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Lewis, Tavis Lutzka
  • Patent number: 10906478
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a door assembly including an outer door panel and an inner door panel defining a volume therebetween and a window frame that receives a window therein. A molding assembly includes a corner molding component including a portion that extends along an A-pillar portion of the window frame and a portion that extends along a lower portion of the window frame. A lower molding component extends along the lower portion of the window frame having a connector receiving notch located at a front end of the lower molding component that defines at least part of a catch tab portion. An engagement component comprising a body that is connected to the portion of the corner molding component that extends along the lower portion of the window frame and a connector that projects outward in a vehicle lateral direction and engages the catch tab portion thereby connecting the corner molding component and the lower molding component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufactuirng North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingher F. Shen, Nora Arellano, Ansari Ahamed Abdul Shukkoor
  • Patent number: 10906487
    Abstract: An interface module for a vehicle crash management system wherein the interface module includes a support structure and a covering layer, and the interface module is adapted for attaching a crash box to a bumper beam. A first section of the support structure is adapted for being placed in direct contact with the bumper beam. A second section of the support structure comprises a recess adapted for receiving one end of the crash box, and the second section is further adapted for being covered by the covering layer. The covering layer is adapted for being arranged on the second surface, such that the support structure is completely enclosed between the bumper beam and the covering layer. Also disclosed are a crash management system and a method for assembling such a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: CHINA-EURO VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY AB
    Inventors: Emil Eriksson, Oskar Ewehag
  • Patent number: 10906597
    Abstract: A car comprising a pair of front wheels, a pair of rear wheels, an outer body having a front hood and a front bumper, and a passenger compartment formed inside the outer body between the front and the rear wheels and frontally delimited by a windscreen connected with the front hood; the car being also provided with: an aerodynamic duct extending between an inlet opening formed through the front bumper and an outlet opening formed through the front hood to allow an ascending air flow during the travel of the car; and a wing-shaped profile positioned at the inlet opening and configured to increase the air suction effect by means of the duct during the travel of the car and to increase the front aerodynamic load on the car by acting as a spoiler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: FERRARI S.p.A.
    Inventor: Matteo Biancalana
  • Patent number: 10906599
    Abstract: A garnish is provided with a protrusion portion which protrudes outwardly, in a vehicle width direction, so as to suppress a side-face airflow flowing below a door maximum-width portion of a side portion of a cabin from going around below a vehicle floor. A plate-shaped tire deflector is provided at a lower end portion of a front edge of a rear wheel house which corresponds to a position, in a vertical direction, of a rear end portion of the protrusion portion, wherein the tire deflector is configured to deflect a side-face airflow flowing above the protrusion portion such that the side-face airflow is turned toward an outward side, in the vehicle width direction, so as not to flow into the rear wheel house and adheres to a tire-wheel outer face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei Nishida, Yoshiatsu Kuga, Issei Yasuda, Masaru Chikita
  • Patent number: 10899287
    Abstract: A vehicle bed liner for providing additional weight to a vehicle includes a support layer including a base material having a thickness, where the thickness of the base material is substantially constant across the entirety of the base material, a weight-receiving compartment within the support layer, and a weight-storing article within the weight-receiving compartment adapted to receive a plurality of weight-providing articles, wherein the plurality of weight-providing articles are capable of being positioned in the weight-storing article to thereby provide additional weight to a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Traction Master LLC
    Inventor: John E. Conley
  • Patent number: 10899389
    Abstract: A vehicle substructure, comprising a pair of rockers arranged apart in a vehicle width direction, and extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and a floor cross member that extends in the vehicle width direction and connects to the pairs of rockers, wherein the floor cross member includes a pair of floor cross member low-strength sections that are of weaker strength than a center portion, on both sides in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Kasai, Shinobu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10899281
    Abstract: A backing section is adjacently disposed in front, in a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle, of an upper portion of a door section of a glove box, and inhibits the door section from moving further forward from a position at a time of the glove box being in a closed state. A reinforcing bead for enhancing rigidity is formed on a contact surface of the backing section with the door section. When a vehicle comes into a frontal collision, and knees K of a passenger collide with the backing section, the backing section becomes difficult to deform. If the backing section does not deform, a reaction force from the backing section is transmitted to the knees K via the door section, and forward movement of the knees K is restrained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasunobu Yamazaki, Manami Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10899390
    Abstract: A self-supporting underframe for a vehicle, the vehicle, and a production method thereof. The underframe has two elongate monocoques arranged parallel and spaced apart from each other and at least 50% closed on at least four sides, wherein the monocoques each have a single-part, trough-like element having at least one lower base and two side walls extending upwards from the base. At least one cover element closes the trough-like elements over at least 50% of the longitudinal extent of the particular trough-like element. The at least one cover element of each of the two monocoques in each case includes at least one cross-strut cover element, and the cross-strut cover elements of the two monocoques are designed as a common, single-part cross-strut cover element spanning an intermediate space located between the trough-like elements of the monocoques. The cover elements are fixedly connected to the side walls of the monocoques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Carbon Truck & Trailer GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Jürgen Lange, Ria Kaiser, Gerret Kalkoffen
  • Patent number: 10894467
    Abstract: A vehicle is described herein that includes a body structure such as a windshield and/or a windshield frame, a compartment such as a passenger compartment, one or more body panels around the compartment, and an at least partially floating cover, such as a roof, disposed over the compartment. The floating cover includes one or more body structure mounts and an overhang extending from the body structure over the compartment to an aft portion of the compartment. Other similar embodiments include features such as support structures, support structure mounts that mount the floating cover to the support structures, and various aerodynamic features incorporated into the floating cover. For example, some embodiments include roll bars and roll bar mounts, aerodynamic arcs, and aerodynamically continuous surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Hall Labs LLC
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Stephen R. Hall, Christopher Johson, Jason Simpson, Jedediah Knight
  • Patent number: 10894563
    Abstract: A vehicle framework structure includes: a framework body portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction in a vehicle end portion in a vehicle width direction, the framework body portion forming a closed section by an inner panel constituting an inner part of the framework body portion in the vehicle width direction and an outer panel constituting an outer part of the framework body portion in the vehicle width direction; and a reinforcing member placed inside the closed section of the framework body portion, the reinforcing member including a body portion inclined from the vehicle front-rear direction and provided over the inner panel and the outer panel, and a flange portion extending from an outer peripheral edge of the body portion and joined to the inner panel and the outer panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 10889332
    Abstract: A connecting member includes at least one of a tilting allowing structure configured to allow tilting of the connecting member, a buckling allowing structure configured to buckle at a first portion of the connecting member and a bending deformation allowing structure configured to allow the connecting member to be bent at a second portion of the connecting member. When a force equal to or larger than a predetermined force is loaded on the connecting member, an upper portion of an instrument panel can be deformed without being resisted by the connecting member. Further, the connecting member is constructed such that the connecting member does not buckle when a force smaller than the predetermined force is loaded on the connecting member. Therefore, the upper portion of the instrument panel can be prevented from being deformed downward at a normal operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasunobu Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10882433
    Abstract: A console has a separable cup holder in which the mounting height of the separable cup holder can be adjusted depending on the height of a beverage container to be stored therein. The position of the separable cup holder can be slidingly moved to store beverage containers with a large volume and diameter or a small volume and diameter, as well as other small items, by allowing the separable cup holder to be coupled to the console space such that the height and front and rear positions are adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Min Han Kim, Dong Ho Shin, Keun Chul Lee, Jung Yup Lee