Patents Examined by Dennis H. Redder
  • Patent number: 11807303
    Abstract: Splayed front horn for vehicle frames are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a first structural member extending along an axial direction of a vehicle, a second structural member coupled to the first structural member, the second structural member splayed relative the first structural member, second structural member including a first section having a first material property, the first section adjacent to the first structural member, and a second section joined to the first section, the second section having a second material property, the first material property different than the second material property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Greg Gombert, Jeffrey A. Walesch, Leonard Anthony Shaner, Yu-Kan Hu, Mikolaj Tyksinski, Sukhwinder Singh Dhindsa, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, Srinivasan Sundararajan
  • Patent number: 11794669
    Abstract: A fastening structure for a vehicle includes an upper trim of which an outer clip inserted into a panel is formed thereon, and a lower trim of which an inner clip inserted into the outer clip is formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION, A-SUNG PLATECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Han Shin, Janghyun Cho, Kyusung Park, Giung Park
  • Patent number: 11787273
    Abstract: A roof module for a vehicle roof of a passenger vehicle includes a module frame which includes a front module frame transverse element, a rear module frame transverse element, a first lateral module frame longitudinal element, and a second lateral module frame longitudinal element, where the first and the second lateral module frame longitudinal elements connect the front and the rear module frame transverse elements to each other. A cover element is mounted on the module frame. The front module frame transverse element is a first shell element and the first shell element is connectable to a second shell element of a roof frame of the vehicle roof. When the first shell element is connected to the second shell element they together form a roof crossmember of the vehicle roof which encloses a cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Achim Demmer, Eberhard Benz
  • Patent number: 11780392
    Abstract: A bumper arrangement for a motor vehicle has a crossmember which can be coupled to the motor vehicle via crash boxes and is produced as a press-formed component of the same material and in one piece therewith, with a top-hat-shaped cross section. The crossmember is designed in a respective end region to run with an orientation obliquely downwards with respect to the vertical direction of the motor vehicle, and the end region is of ring-shaped design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Mirko Paare, Elmar Mollemeier
  • Patent number: 11772470
    Abstract: A wind deflector assembly includes a flexible wind deflecting material attached by a lower connecting part to a stationary part and by an upper connecting part to an upper elongate member to keep the flexible wind deflecting material taut in at least an effective position. The flexible wind deflecting material comprises a frontal part extending substantially along the front of a roof opening and further a lateral part extending from the frontal part to an end part of the flexible wind deflecting material near a hinge member. The flexible wind deflecting material comprises a first area having a first weaving density and at least a second area having a second weaving density. The second area is shaped as a strip and extends at least partly in the frontal part and in the lateral part and is bound by flexible wind deflecting material having a different weaving density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: INALFA ROOF SYSTEMS GROUP B.V.
    Inventor: Tom Theodorus Maria Coenen
  • Patent number: 11772713
    Abstract: There is described a system for assembling a frame for a containing structure adapted to be mounted on a vehicle chassis. The system comprises a plurality of joints, each having a central core and a plurality of arms extending from the central core and forming securing members for a respective plurality of segments of tubular profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: REVO.STRUCT S.R.L.S.
    Inventor: Michele Citti
  • Patent number: 11767062
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to reinforcing a vehicle pillar. The vehicle pillar includes a corner member and a reinforcement member. The reinforcement member is additively manufactured and may utilize functionally graded materials. The reinforcement member may be directly deposited on the corner member or may be manufactured separately and coupled thereafter to the corner member. The reinforcement member includes a first component, and a second component. Additionally, the reinforcement member may include a third component that extend angularly from the first and second component to form a Y-shaped structure. The reinforcement member can include multiple attachment joints that facilitate consolidating and coupling the reinforcement member with various vehicle components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Mike James Freeman
  • Patent number: 11760286
    Abstract: A bumper crossmember for a vehicle, with a hollow profile body which has a vehicle frame-side proximal vertical wall and a distal vertical wall which are connected to one another by way of transverse walls and extend along a vertical direction. The transverse walls laterally delimit hollow chambers which are arranged in the hollow profile body. The center longitudinal direction of the hollow chambers are oriented in each case along the vertical direction, and the hollow chambers are open on the end side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventor: Tassilo Heilmann
  • Patent number: 11760419
    Abstract: An embodiment plastic composite material panel includes an outer plate portion bent in a predetermined shape and configured to be bonded to a vehicle body frame through an adhesive, and a material filling portion integrally formed with the outer plate portion, the material filling portion being thicker than the outer plate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Minsoo Kim, Joonghyun Shin, Yoonkyoung Han
  • Patent number: 11752845
    Abstract: A sunshade system for a vehicle, comprises a sunscreen having at least a main part and two opposed, laterally placed, inwardly folded parts. The sunscreen includes an intermediate part extending in between the main part and the inwardly folded parts each connected to the intermediate part by means of a fold. Two opposed longitudinal guides retain the adjacent inwardly folded part and at least a part of the corresponding intermediate part of the flexible sunscreen. The guides engage the inwardly folded part. Each intermediate part includes a first compressed part extending in longitudinal direction and comprising at least material of the main part. The first compressed part is established under the influence of a compression treatment such that said material in the first compressed part has a thickness smaller than the thickness of the same material in the main part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: INALFA ROOF SYSTEMS GROUP B.V.
    Inventors: Bernardus Jacobus Marie Verhaeg, Jose Alberto Garcia Flores
  • Patent number: 11745682
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper is provided integrally to include metal beam-extension portions on both right-and-left end sides of a metal bumper-beam portion. In this vehicle bumper, the bumper-beam portion and the beam-extension portion include a vertical wall portion, an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion, and a resin reinforcing rib is joined to inner surfaces of a void formed of each of the wall portions. In addition, in this vehicle bumper, an extension dimension of the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion of the beam-extension portion is larger than an extension dimension of the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion in the bumper-beam portion, the resin reinforcing rib in the beam-extension portion is joined to the vertical wall portion, the upper wall portion, and the lower wall portion of the beam-extension portion; and the stiffness of the bumper-beam portion is higher than the stiffness of the beam-extension portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichirou Takemoto, Shinya Mihara, Masaki Koyama
  • Patent number: 11745803
    Abstract: In an embodiment a rear quarter vehicle body structure includes a quarter complete including a quarter pillar upper reinforcement and a quarter complete outer welding surface formed at an outside of a vehicle body and a side outer rear extension assembly including a side outer rear extension having a rear extension outer flange formed at the outside of the vehicle body, wherein an inner surface of the rear extension outer flange is joined to the quarter complete outer welding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Yoonkyoung Han, Joonghyun Shin, Minsoo Kim
  • Patent number: 11745801
    Abstract: A vehicle body structure 10 formed a first ridgeline 35, a second ridgeline 36, and a concave portion 33 in a roof side inner panel 26 of a roof side rail 16. The first ridgeline continuously extends from a front end to a rear end of the roof side rail so that a load input from a front and rear direction of a vehicle body is able to be transmitted to the roof side rail. A second ridgeline includes a bent portion 38 which is recessed toward a first ridgeline to form a concave portion at a position matching a roof arch connection portion in the front and rear direction of the vehicle body. An upper end portion of a center pillar 14 is joined to the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taku Nagahama, Kodai Baiju
  • Patent number: 11731495
    Abstract: To allow receiving rain water by moving a drip member upward and downward in a substantially horizontal direction with a tilting motion of a roof panel, a drip mechanism has a drip member including a trough in an upper surface and covering the entire length of a lower side of a rear edge of a roof panel; left and right movable bodies disposed on guiderails in left and right side portions of a frame; a lifting unit connecting the drip member to the left and right movable bodies that allows the drip member to move upward and downward; and an interlocking member connecting the drip member with the roof panel. In the lifting unit, front and rear link members connect the drip member with the movable body and a member urging, in a rising direction, portions of these front and rear link members and on the drip member-connected side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Toru Shibue
  • Patent number: 11718165
    Abstract: A JeepĀ® cargo enclosure device is comprised of two [left/right] side-arm panels which allow for mounting of the two-part enclosure panels from the rear and toward the front seats of the vehicle, a single rear sliding cargo panel to enclose the space behind the back seat to the tailgate of the vehicle, a four-section hinged top cover panel to enclose the space in front of the rear sliding cargo panel and up to the front seats of the vehicle, and a single additional forward enclosure panel to discourage access from the front of the vehicle when its doors have been removed. All components of this cargo enclosure device work in accord with and without impediment to all ordinary functions of the JeepĀ® vehicle while installed, including the operation of the soft-top, the use of the vehicle's back seat, and the ability to carry taller cargo items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Inventor: Isaac Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 11718160
    Abstract: A vehicle roof having a cover which is movably mounted on the vehicle roof by a bearing mechanism and is adjustable between a closed and a ventilation position in which at least the rear cover edge is raised, the cover being adjustable by the bearing mechanism in such a way that, in the closed position of the cover, the rear cover edge assumes a defined vertical position relative to a roof area portion which adjoins the roof opening or the cover in the region of the rear cover edge, wherein, according to the invention, the cover in its closed position rests on at least one supporting element which is held fixedly on the roof side in a position central with respect to the roof opening and below the rear cover edge and which supporting element holds the cover in its defined vertical position relative to the roof area portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventor: Reinhard Wenzel
  • Patent number: 11718251
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a Vehicle front structure as defined above is provided, in which the front structure comprises: a side member for supporting a vehicle bumper beam, the side member extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end for connecting to the vehicle bumper beam and a second end for connecting to a bulkhead, and a lateral extension member extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis of the side member and outward with respect to the vehicle front structure, the lateral extension member is connected to the side member such that the lateral extension member can exert a bending moment to the side member, and a bending strength of the lateral extension member in backward direction towards the side member is higher compared to a bending strength in the forward direction away from the side member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Babak Nejabat, Weijia Wu, Asmer Ibrovic, Ejder Eken, Frida Madsen, Martin Swahn
  • Patent number: 11708016
    Abstract: An assist handle assembly for use in an interior of a vehicle is provided. The assist handle assembly includes an assist handle configured to be gripped by a user, a connector configured to secure the assist handle assembly to a structural component in the interior of the vehicle, a proximity sensor assembly coupled to the assist handle for generating a sensed signal indicative of a user gripping the assist handle, and a controller controlling one or more vehicle devices based on the sensed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Jim Baumbick, Annette Lynn Huebner, David Brian Glickman, Benjamin Yilma, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Patent number: 11707973
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a first pillar and a second pillar spaced from the first pillar along a vehicle-longitudinal axis. A rotational actuator is disposed at the first pillar. The rotational actuator is fixed relative to the first pillar. A cable is engaged with the rotational actuator and is elongated along the vehicle-longitudinal axis to the second pillar. The cable is moveable to a deployed position by the rotational actuator and is under tension in the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Abdelmonaam Sassi, Joseph E. Abramczyk, Jamil M. Alwan
  • Patent number: 11702143
    Abstract: A hood for closing a compartment of a vehicle includes an outer panel forming a vehicle body outer side portion of the hood. The hood further includes a cooling channel structure arranged at an inner side portion of the outer panel, wherein the cooling channel structure is adapted for transferring a cooling fluid from a vehicle component and back to the vehicle component such that heat is exchanged via the outer panel with the vehicle surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO.
    Inventor: Robert Nagy