Patents Examined by Darlene P Condra
  • Patent number: 11242096
    Abstract: A steering apparatus of a vehicle includes a plurality of coupling portions formed in a rack housing of a gear box and coupled to mounting portions of a vehicle body; and a nut member having a support surface and installed in each of the mounting portions of the vehicle body. In particular, each of the plurality of coupling portions has a seating surface formed as a curved surface with a predetermined curvature, and the seating surfaces are respectively seated on the support surface of the nut member installed in each of the mounting portions of the vehicle body such that the rack housing of the gear box is fixed to the vehicle body by a bolt which passes through each of the plurality of coupling portions to be engaged with the nut member of each of the mounting portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Young Uk Park
  • Patent number: 11230339
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a forecarriage of a rolling motor vehicle with three or four wheels, comprising: a forecarriage frame (16); at least one pair of front wheels (10?, 10?) kinematically connected to each other and to the forecarriage frame by a kinematic roll mechanism (20) which enables the same to roll in a synchronous and specular manner; an anti-roll system (100) comprising a rod (110) having a first (111) and a second end (112) opposite each other which connect by means of hinging means (101?, 101? and 102?, 102?) a first (60) and a second anchoring portion (60) of forecarriage (8) directly to each other. At least one of said first (60) and second anchoring portions (60) is subject to roll movements of said two front wheels (10?, 10?). The hinging means (101?, 101? and 102?, 102?) are configured to passively follow the movements of two anchoring portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A
    Inventor: Andrea Raffaelli
  • Patent number: 11230184
    Abstract: In a work vehicle including a pair of left and right link mechanisms disposed between a vehicle body and a wheel support member and configured to support the wheel support member to the vehicle body to be vertically pivotable, a suspension mechanism disposed between the vehicle body and the wheel support member and configured to elastically support the wheel support member, and an engine disposed between the pair of left and right link mechanisms, each one of the pair of left and right link mechanisms including an upper link provided between a link support portion formed in the vehicle body and the wheel support member and a lower link provided between the link support portion and the wheel support member, there are provided a radiator disposed on lateral outer side of the vehicle body relative to the link mechanisms, a cooling water circulation hose connected to the engine and the radiator and configured to circulate engine cooling water between the engine and the radiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Nagatomi, Shinya Izumi
  • Patent number: 11230151
    Abstract: Motor vehicle control arm (1) comprising two profiles (2, 3) made from a metallic material, which are arranged at a distance opposite each other, and are connected to at least one plastic element (11) made from a fiber-reinforced plastic, wherein a plastic element (11) is designed in particular as a spring seat, which is designed to accommodate a motor vehicle spring. Such a motor vehicle control arm (1) is optimized with respect to weight and costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Günter Fortmeier, Frank Höcker, Matthias Körner, Stephan Meyer, Alex Mirau
  • Patent number: 11230343
    Abstract: A locking device is provided for a scooter when being telescopically collapsed to lock the steering shaft when being folded and to lock a telescopic front frame when being telescopically collapsed. The locking device includes a steering shaft locking unit is coupled to a pivot seat of a telescopic front frame and a pivot portion of the steering shaft. The steering shaft locking unit is at least provided to hold the steering shaft in place when being in a horizontally folded mode. A front frame telescopically collapsed locking unit includes a first positioning portion disposed on a shank section of the steering shaft and a second positioning portion disposed on one of a rear frame and a foldable seat. The first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are engaged to each other for positioning the telescopically collapsed front frame when the steering shaft is in a horizontally folded mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventor: Chien-Liang Chiu
  • Patent number: 11214109
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension arm includes: a wheel support portion which supports a wheel through a ball joint serving as a joining member; a front side vehicle body installation portion serving as a vehicle body installation portion which is installed in a vehicle body; and a wheel side portion which joins the wheel support portion to the front side vehicle body installation portion. The wheel side portion includes an offset portion, which has a cross-sectional shape with a gravity center being offset upward or downward from a straight line that connects the ball joint to the front side vehicle body installation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kosuke Matsushita, Hidehiro Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11214266
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to using vehicle telematics data to assess parameters associated with vehicle operation. In some instances, a driving assessment system may include a first computing device associated with a user in a vehicle and a second computing located remotely from the first computing device. The first computing device may collect, by way of one or more of an accelerometer and global positioning system (GPS), vehicle operational data and vehicle locational information associated with the vehicle and corresponding to a trip of the vehicle and may transmit such information to the second computing device. The second computing device may identify actionable and second order actionable trip data from the vehicle operational data and vehicle locational information and may calculate a behavior score for the trip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Dana Ferguson, Jared S. Snyder, Anna Yum-Wai-Shan Chou, Craig Chang, Aaron D. Daly, William F. Polisson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11208307
    Abstract: Vehicles, systems and methods for providing articulating two section vehicles with tracks, and a front body attached superstructure with telescopic forklift, for use on all terrain condition applications. The vehicle can include front and rear track assemblies that can tilt up and down while traveling over different ground surfaces. Each of the track assemblies can have rotatable articulating/oscillating track wheels which can traverse different contoured surfaces. The right and left tracks on both the front and rear track assemblies can separately extend outward and inward from underneath the vehicles to add stability to the vehicles. The cab can be raised and lowered to add greater visibility for the operator. Hydraulics can be used for raising and lowering the extendable boom and operator cab, as well as controlling the body articulating hinge, the articulating tracks and the tilting controls for the front track assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Teletrax Equipment, LLC
    Inventors: Tim Ourada, Terri Ourada
  • Patent number: 11208068
    Abstract: A side airbag inflatable between an occupant of a vehicle seat and structure of the vehicle adjacent the vehicle seat. The side airbag includes a first airbag panel for being positioned facing away from the vehicle seat and a second airbag panel for being positioned facing the vehicle seat. The first and second panels define an inflatable volume of the side airbag. A tether assembly includes a first anchor panel attached to a first portion of the first airbag panel, a second anchor panel attached to a second portion of the first airbag panel, and a strap that interconnects the first anchor panel and the second anchor panel. The tether assembly is dimensioned and configured to limit movement of the first and second portions away from each other in response to inflation of the side airbag so that the side airbag assumes a curved shape when inflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventor: Young S. Kim
  • Patent number: 11203319
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle includes an airbag inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag includes a first panel, a second panel, and an inflation chamber between the first panel and the second panel. The assembly includes an inflation restraint exterior to the inflation chamber. The inflation restraint includes a first end fixed to the first panel and a second end fixed to the second panel. The inflation restraint includes a releasable extension between the first end and the second end. The releasable extension is movable from an unreleased position to a released position as the airbag inflates to the inflated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Zhibing Deng, Joseph E. Abramczyk, Deepak Patel
  • Patent number: 11198483
    Abstract: Flexibility in design of steering characteristics is enhanced in a leaning vehicle including two front steerable wheels. A vehicle includes a body frame, a left front wheel, a right front wheel, a rear wheel, a leaning mechanism, a steering mechanism, and a leaning-responsiveness-adjusting mechanism. The leaning mechanism includes arms rotatably supported by the body frame. The arms rotate with respect to the body frame so that the body frame leans. The steering mechanism mechanically transfers rotation of the handle to the left front wheel and the right front wheel. Accordingly, the body frame leans in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the handle. The leaning-responsiveness-adjusting mechanism controls a motor by using an instruction value based on a time derivative value of a physical quantity generated by a motion of a rider affecting leaning of the body frame to thereby adjust responsiveness of leaning of the body frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 11198344
    Abstract: A suspension device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure which is equipped with an upper arm which is supported by a knuckle of the vehicle wheel so as to be capable of oscillation, and also supported by a side member which extends in the vehicle front-rear direction so as to be capable of oscillation, wherein: the upper arm has a tip end section positioned at the outside end in the vehicle widthwise direction, and also has arm sections which fork from the tip end section toward the inside in the vehicle widthwise direction; and the upper arm is formed in a manner such that the cross-sectional area of one arm section is greater than the cross-sectional area of the other arm section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMI TED
    Inventors: Daisuke Senoo, Atsushi Itou
  • Patent number: 11192414
    Abstract: Multi-link suspension systems for vehicle are described having various linkage arms that connect to distinct points of a wheel mount. Each of the linkage arms are preferably coupled to the wheel mount via a spherical ball joint and mounted such that they can independently move with respect to the other linkage arms. A shock assembly is preferably mounted between two of the linkage arms on a separate links that is configured to vary its length based on movement of one or both of the two linkage arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: XTRAVEL SUSPENSION, LLC
    Inventor: Nestor Alexander Berardi
  • Patent number: 11192589
    Abstract: A subframe structure of a front suspension that leads a subframe and a vehicle driving apparatus to the lower side after separation of a rear portion of the subframe due to a frontal collision without increasing weight and parts. A subframe structure of the front suspension provides a subframe that supports a vehicle driving apparatus in a mounting manner, and a rear portion of the subframe is mounted on a lower portion of a vehicle body via a fastening member. Fastening between the subframe and the fastening member is configured such that the rear portion of the subframe is separated when a collision load to a vehicle rear side is applied to the subframe. A leading guide portion that abuts against the fastening member and leads the subframe to a lower side after separation from the fastening member is integrally formed on the rear portion of the subframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Okamoto, Fumihiro Kurohara, Norio Asano, Hiroto Kido, Yasunori Takahara
  • Patent number: 11186132
    Abstract: A suspension system for a vehicle may include a knuckle rotatably supporting a wheel, and a lower control arm disposed along a vehicle's width direction and connecting the knuckle and a vehicle body, wherein the lower control arm includes a wheel-side end portion connected to a lower portion of the knuckle through a front lower external joint and a rear lower external joint, and two vehicle body-side end portions connected to the vehicle body through a front lower inner joint and a rear lower inner joint, the two vehicle body-side end portions including first and second vehicle body-side end portions, wherein the first vehicle body-side end portion among the two vehicle body-side end portions is connected to the vehicle body interposing a compliance control arm between the first vehicle body-side end portion and the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Dongil Shin, Sang Min Han, Suh In Kim, Seok Won Kang, Yoon Young Kim, Yong Sub Yi, Moon Won Kang, Seungmin Kwon
  • Patent number: 11186308
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a steering column for a vehicle including an upper column on which a bracket is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the upper column, a lower column having an inner peripheral surface supported on the outer peripheral surface of the upper column and having a telescopic driving device fixed to a side corresponding to the bracket, a connecting member coupled to the telescopic driving device so as to be movable in the axial direction during a telescopic operation, and a bending plate fixed to the bracket and having one end being bent and spaced apart from a portion fixed to the bracket and coupled to the connecting member, thereby it is possible to perform the smooth collapse operation and to reduce the number of components, assembling process and cost of the steering column of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: HyunBi Kwon, Sang Hyun Park
  • Patent number: 11179990
    Abstract: A bushing collar assembly on a vehicle includes a subframe formed of a first material and a bushing collar formed of a second material. The subframe has an engagement face. The bushing collar has a sleeve shaped main body defining axial end faces. At least one of the axial end faces has a plurality of spaced apart nubs disposed thereon that are configured to deform and fully embed into the engagement face of the subframe upon application of a predetermined compressive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Claude B. Lawrence, Abhijith Sadananda, Christopher Dendis, Binoy J. Rodrigues, Michael Joseph Zimcosky
  • Patent number: 11180102
    Abstract: A restraint system includes a seat having a seatback and a seat bottom extending from the seatback in a seat-forward direction. A first airbag is fixed to the seatback at a side of the seat, and a second airbag is fixed to the seat bottom at the side of the seat. The first and second airbags are each inflatable to an inflated position. The second airbag in the inflated position overlaps the first airbag in the inflated position in a seat-rearward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Cameron Hein
  • Patent number: 11173761
    Abstract: An integrated module for a vehicle suspension includes a bearing outer ring and a suspension upright or knuckle, the outer ring being formed of a first high-strength material, and at least part of the suspension upright or knuckle being made from a second, metallic material, the second material being lighter than the first material. The upright or knuckle is co-moulded radially onto the outside of the bearing and is directly fixed to the bearing ring by means of an interface for form coupling. Opposite axial ends of the bearing outer ring are configured to receive closing and sealing devices for protecting one or more races of the bearing outer ring during co-moulding and for removing heat from the races during co-moulding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Marco Falossi, Paolo A Re
  • Patent number: 11173762
    Abstract: A method controls a user interface and an air-conditioning unit of a vehicle. The user interface includes display and operating elements. The method displays a plurality of the elements on the user interface, receives at least two operation parameters of the air-conditioning unit, determines one or more display parameters for a first element from the plurality of elements on the basis of the at least two operation parameters, and displays the first element on the basis of the one or more display parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ludwig Seethaler