Patents Examined by Dennis H. Pedder
  • Patent number: 11820433
    Abstract: A motor-vehicle lattice frame that includes a plurality of structural nodes each having a central body and at least one hollow arm protruding from the central body. The lattice frame also includes a plurality of beam elements connected to each other by means of the hollow protruding arms. The structural nodes are made by an additive manufacturing technique and at least one arm of one of the nodes has an end portion opposite to said central body having a channel shape with an open cavity both at a front end of the arm and along one side of the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: C.R.F. SOCIETÀ CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Daniele Bassan, Silvano Sandri, Michele Longo, Stefano Paradiso, Carlo Carcioffi
  • Patent number: 11820434
    Abstract: This vehicle body side structure includes: side sills provided at both end portions of a floor section in a width direction of a vehicle and extending in a forward/rearward direction of the vehicle; a pillar extending upward from each of the side sills and having a pillar outer provided on an outside in the width direction of the vehicle; a crushing member provided inward in the width direction of the vehicle with respect to the pillar outer and having a lower portion joined to the side sill and extending above the side sill; and an impactor which is provided above the crushing member, which is joined to an inside of the pillar outer in the width direction of the vehicle, and in which the impactor and the crushing member at least partially overlap in an upward/downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Hasegawa, Hitomi Yamada, Ryotaro Takeuchi, Takayuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 11820276
    Abstract: A sheet of flexible material can be deployed or stored by unfurling or furling the sheet using one or more inflatables. After the sheet is deployed to, for example, cover a load on a flatbed trailer, the inflatable can be deflated for storage. A sheet that has been removed from the load can be stored by placing an inflatable along an edge of the sheet. The inflatable is pressurized, and the sheet is furled onto the inflatable by rolling the inflatable. The inflatable is deflated and rolled up with the sheet for storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Farmer Innovations LLC
    Inventors: Jason Farmer, Lance Lowell Nordby
  • Patent number: 11820212
    Abstract: A front connecting rod for a sunroof linkage, a sunroof linkage, and a sunroof assembly. The sunroof linkage is configured to drive front glass of a sunroof assembly to slide relative to rear glass, and the front connecting rod is configured to connect a glass-supporting rod of the sunroof linkage to a front slider. The front connecting rod may have an anti-turn-over structure, configured to be matched in shape to a sealing strip disposed on a peripheral edge of the rear glass, so as to prevent the sealing strip from turning over when the sunroof linkage drives the front glass to slide. The front connecting rod for a present sunroof linkage enables a sunroof to open to the maximum extent, and during sliding will not cause the sealing strip of the rear glass to be turned over and folded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Webasto SE
    Inventors: Jerry Hu, Fisher Yu, Sulzer Zhu, Andreas Zunzer, Maximilian Ehrmann
  • Patent number: 11813932
    Abstract: A drive system for operation of a roll top cover for covering a cargo bed of a vehicle enables improved and smoother roll top cover movement. The drive system includes: an elongate housing that defines a longitudinal axis and first and second ends, the housing including an axially extending aperture for receiving the roll top cover therethrough; first and second receiving plates disposed transversely within the housing at the respective first and second ends thereof, the receiving plates comprising opposed spiral-shaped slots extending therethrough, each of the spiral-shaped slots having an open end proximally and a closed end distally; and a drive shaft assembly disposed within the housing and extending axially between the first and second ends thereof; wherein the drive shaft assembly is adapted for being operably connected to a drive chain and driving movement thereof within the spiral-shaped slots during operation of the roll top cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Oakmoore Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Shane Fowler, Wolfgang Schollhammer, Zenon Theodoulou
  • Patent number: 11813931
    Abstract: A glazed panel includes a glass panel, two longitudinal reinforcement armatures in order to reinforce the glass panel against deformations by flexure, and two longitudinal securing armatures in order to secure the glazed panel in an outer structure provided for this purpose. The armatures can be overmolded in a polymer material which is arranged on the periphery of the glass panel. The two reinforcement armatures and the two securing armatures are joined in pairs by their longitudinal ends in order to form a frame by means of an assembly by nesting, optionally using an intermediate part. This measure makes it possible to reduce the concentrations of stresses in the corners of the glass panel, and simplifies the molding operation during the production of the glazed panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Christophe Kleo, Li Zhao
  • Patent number: 11814110
    Abstract: A system for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle including a structural element having a first constituent part and a second constituent part which are joined together at a first joining point and a second joining point and form a cavity. The system furthermore includes a device having a carrier and a first expandable adhesive, wherein the carrier is arranged on the first constituent part of the structural element by way of a fastening element. The system furthermore includes a second expandable adhesive which is arranged on the second constituent part of the structural element. In this case, the first expandable adhesive and the second expandable adhesive are configured, and arranged, in such a way that, after the adhesives have been expanded, the device and the second expandable adhesive substantially completely fill a cross section of the structural element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: SIKA TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Henrik Lindgren, Gino Saint Medar, Didier Henrion
  • Patent number: 11813992
    Abstract: A roof module for forming a vehicle roof on a motor vehicle, the roof module having a panel component whose outer surface at least partially forms the roof skin of the vehicle roof, the roof module having at least one environment sensor configured to send and/or receive electromagnetic signals for detecting the vehicle surroundings. The environment sensor can be disposed below the roof skin formed by the panel component, the roof module having at least one support module, and at least two environment sensors being jointly mounted on the support module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventors: Michael Huelsen, Cédric Langlais, Michael Mailhamer, Juraj Lehotsky
  • Patent number: 11813923
    Abstract: A riding vehicle is provided with a downdraft fan assembly mounted on a vehicle roll bar for providing a flow of ambient air over the vehicle operator and a canopy carried by the fan assembly and providing solar and precipitation protection for the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Accu-Form Polymers, Inc.
    Inventor: William Russ
  • Patent number: 11814015
    Abstract: A truck body with an enclosure assembly that has a plurality of storage compartments with doors each movable between an open position that provides access to respective storage compartments and a closed position that prevents access to that storage compartment. The enclosure assembly includes at least one hidden hinge coupled with at least a portion of the doors to pivot the door between the open/closed positions. There are door flanges surrounding the openings of the storage compartments that, in some embodiments, include: (i) a longitudinally-extending channel dimensioned to receive a mounting portion of the at least one hidden hinge; and (ii) a rim configured to receive a seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: The Shyft Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Bill Cleaves, Steve Mayo, James Rutter, Jordan Brown
  • Patent number: 11814105
    Abstract: Provided is a body side panel body side panel (BP) including one metal panel (P1); another metal panel (P2) that forms a space (A) between the one metal panel (P1) and the other metal panel (P2); a resin member (R) that is molded integrally with the one metal panel (P1). The resin member (R) includes link ribs (11A, 11B, 12A, and 12B) that continuously extend respectively along a front edge and a rear edge of a center pillar portion (CP), and along an upper edge and a lower edge of a sill portion (SL), and includes a lower intersection rib (14) that is arranged in an intersection region where a lower end portion of the center pillar portion (CP) and the sill portion (SL) intersect with each other. A clearance (S1) from a distal end portion of each of the link ribs (11A, 11B, 12A, and 12B) to the other metal panel (P2) is smaller than a clearance (S2) from a distal end portion of the intersection rib (14) to the other metal panel (P2). Impact energy in case of side collision is released in two steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Takemoto, Naoya Matsuoka, Toshikazu Torigaki, Shinya Mihara
  • Patent number: 11814108
    Abstract: A vehicle has a vehicle body provided with a pair of rockers, the rockers each being provided on one side of a floor panel in a right-left direction and on another side of the floor panel in the right-left direction. The vehicle has a battery pack that is disposed below the floor panel, and that stores electric power to be supplied to a traveling motor. The vehicle has a pair of fixing members, the fixing members each being disposed on one side of the battery pack in the right-left direction and another side of the battery pack in the right-left direction, that is configured to fix the battery pack to the rockers. The vehicle has an elastic member disposed between the battery pack and the fixing members. The elastic member is disposed in a state compressed by the battery pack and the fixing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Hirota, Naoki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11807087
    Abstract: A tonneau cover system, comprising: (a) a retractable tonneau cover having a plurality of interconnected panels; (b) a first retainer secured to a first sidewall of a cargo box of a vehicle; and (c) a second retainer secured to an opposing second sidewall of the cargo box, wherein the first retainer and the second retainer are substantially parallel to each other so that the tonneau cover spans between the first retainer and the second retainer; and wherein the plurality of panels each include a bearing positioned within the first retainer to guide the tonneau cover in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: RETRAX HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventor: Tyler Alyce Voegele
  • Patent number: 11807088
    Abstract: An open roof construction for a vehicle comprises at least a movable lever to which, by means of a pin-like member, a slide shoe is connected that, for defining a movement of the movable lever, cooperates with and moves longitudinally along a guide. The pin-like member at a first end is connected to said lever and at a second end is connected to said slide shoe and the guide and slide shoe are provided with at least one pair of cooperating guide part and slide shoe part. The pin-like member at its second end is provided with an enlarged head configured to engage the slide shoe at a side thereof facing away from the lever. The dimensions of the enlarged head are such that, as seen in a direction from the enlarged head towards the lever, at least part of said enlarged head overlaps at least one guide part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: INALFA ROOF SYSTEMS GROUP B.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Anton Martijnszoon Albers, Eduardus Christianus Henricus van Boxtel
  • Patent number: 11807084
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a front door of a vehicle, a detachable pillar assembly, and a rear door that is aft the front door along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The rear door is configured to selectively pivotably couple to the detachable pillar assembly. A method of providing an opening to a vehicle includes detaching a pillar assembly from a structure of a vehicle, and pivoting a rear door of a vehicle together with the pillar assembly from a closed position to an open position. The rear door pivots relative to the pillar assembly when the pillar assembly is latched to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Marcos Silva Kondrad, Kevin Preuss, Scott Nydam
  • Patent number: 11807178
    Abstract: A cross member for a bumper beam includes an outer beam, an inner reinforcement element extending inside at least a part of the outer beam inner volume and comprising at least two reinforcement ribs protruding towards the front beam wall, the reinforcement ribs being connected together at least at their back end, opposite to the front beam wall, by an upper transversal branch and a lower transversal branch, the upper and lower transversal branches being attached respectively to the upper and lower beam flanges of the outer beam, wherein each reinforcement rib abuts the front beam wall and the length of the upper transversal branch is less than the length of the upper beam wall and the length of the lower transversal branch is less than the length of the lower beam wall, the lengths being measured in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: ArcelorMittal
    Inventors: Elie Gibeau, Yannis Kheyati, Nabil Menegady
  • Patent number: 11801899
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle roof, the system includes a roof structure defining a roof opening and a functional type roof assembly, the functional type roof assembly including a functional type panel and an intermediate frame supporting the functional type panel, the intermediate frame having an outer peripheral edge configured to be mounted to the roof structure such that the roof opening is watertightly sealed by the functional type roof assembly, the outer peripheral edge of the intermediate frame having contour features consistent with those of an outer peripheral edge of a standard type panel, the outer peripheral edge of the standard type panel being configured to be mounted to the roof structure when the roof opening is watertightly sealed by the standard type panel in place of the functional type roof assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Hakan Runius, Malin Aronsson
  • Patent number: 11801735
    Abstract: On an outer circumferential edge of the closing plate, an elastic fitting portion protruding to the outer side of the inner circumferential edge of the service hole and fitting with the inner circumferential edge projects with a thickness larger than the plate thickness of the closing plate and extends in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential edge. The elastic fitting portion is provided with an inner circumferential edge accommodating recessed groove that opens in the center of a protruding end surface of the elastic fitting portion and extends in the circumferential direction to accommodate the inner circumferential edge of the service hole, and the inner circumferential edge of the service hole is clamped between a pair of elastic clamping pieces that face each other with the inner circumferential edge accommodating recessed groove interposed between the pair of elastic clamping pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Haruka Nakano, Motohiro Yokoi, Shigeki Ikeda, Kenta Ito, Daisuke Ebata, Yuya Fukami, Masaki Mizushita, Tetsuya Nishimura, Ryuta Takakura, Housei Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11801800
    Abstract: An energy absorbing device is designed to increase the amount of absorbed energy and control the deformation of the device in case of an impact. The energy absorbing device consists in a hollow longitudinal member extending along a first longitudinal axis and a longitudinal guide extending along a second longitudinal axis, arranged within the longitudinal member and suitable for guiding the deformation of the longitudinal member in case of an impact. The length ratio between the longitudinal guide and the member is comprised between the values of 1/5 and 3/5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: ARCELORMITTAL
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Colmont, Thierry Derchu, Sébastien Albeaux, Guillaume De Taillac
  • Patent number: 11801901
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a body and doors protection assembly for a vehicle, a hood assembly comprising such a body and doors protection assembly, a vehicle comprising such a hood assembly and a manufacturing method for such a body and doors protection assembly. The body and doors protection assembly comprises a first protecting member, a second protecting member and a sliding member. The first protecting member is attachable on an inner surface of a vehicle hood at a rear edge of the vehicle hood. The second protecting member is attachable in a front side portion of a vehicle body facing the rear edge of the vehicle hood in a closed position of the vehicle hood. The sliding member is at least partially enclosed in the second protecting member and configured to contact the first protecting member in the closed position of the vehicle hood. The sliding member is movable in a lateral direction relative to the vehicle hood in the closed position of the vehicle hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sreten Tabakovic, Pawel Kwasniak, Piotr Dolega