Patents Examined by Dennis Pedder
  • Patent number: 8870268
    Abstract: A motor vehicle with a front opening hood and windshield ascending from a rear edge of the front opening hood is provided. The motor vehicle includes a cross member, whose front edge section supports a front lower edge of the windshield, and whose rear edge section abuts against a structural element of the body. A first side of the cross member faces the passenger cabin and a second side faces the engine compartment. The cross member is divided by slits into a plurality of webs spaced apart in the transverse direction of the body, and the slits are tightly sealed by a film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Ringel, Lothar Brod, Gerald Heck
  • Patent number: 8827359
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control rod for an adjustable closing element or a vehicle roof. The adjustable closing element is designed to selectively close a roof opening in a closing position or at least partly release same in further positions. The control rod is formed from a drawn steel spring wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: WEBASTO AG
    Inventor: Rudolf Wimmer
  • Patent number: 8770658
    Abstract: A sliding roof system for a motor vehicle, having at least one guide rail, a cover holder which is adjustable relative to the guide rail, and a slide which is shiftable in the guide rail, wherein the slide and the cover holder each have a locking member provided thereon, each locking member being configured to engage into each other at least when the cover holder is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Roof Systems Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Grimm, Stefan Vogel
  • Patent number: 8733826
    Abstract: A conversion system that converts a four-door style vehicle into a pick-up style vehicle. The conversion system converts the four-door style vehicle into a pick-up style vehicle when rear doors of the vehicle are removed and replaced by inner and outer side panels that form a side panel assembly for the bed of the vehicle. Additional features of the conversion system include a bed floor assembly, a bulkhead assembly, and a roof assembly that isolate the cabin of the vehicle from the newly formed bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Keith D Montone, Steven T Houtman, Anthony D Cavallo, Pietro Gorlier, James P Sassorossi
  • Patent number: 8720968
    Abstract: A door latching system for the door covering the charge port of an electric vehicle, or for the door covering the fuel filler port of a conventional vehicle, is provided. The door latching system is comprised of a ferromagnetic member attached to an interior surface of the door, and a latching assembly integrated into the port housing, where the latching assembly includes an assembly case, an electromagnet, and a permanent magnet that maintains the door in a closed position when the electromagnet is not energized and releases the door when the electromagnet is energized. The latching assembly may include a magnetic flux sensor that monitors when the port door is open or closed. The magnetic flux sensor may be coupled to a system controller that performs a preset response when the magnetic flux sensor determines that the door is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Daryl Zalan, Joshua Willard Ferguson, Troy Adam Nergaard, Nicholas Robert Kalayjian
  • Patent number: 8714615
    Abstract: A motor vehicle interior structure comprises a receptacle having an opening; a door for covering the opening; a pivot connection of the door to the receptacle for movement around a first axis of rotation; and a member for impeding the displacement of the door. The member includes a movable piston carried by a body that is attached to the receptacle. The structure further includes a link pivotally mounted on the receptacle and interconnecting the piston and door via first and second connecting points, respectively. The link pivots about a second axis of rotation and the first and second connecting points are located relative to the second axis of rotation so that a rotary movement in the counter-clockwise direction of the first connecting point around the first axis of rotation drives the second connecting point into rotation around the second axis of rotation in the clockwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Faurecia Interieur Industrie
    Inventors: Nicolas Mercey, Guillaume Malatre
  • Patent number: 8714617
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a vehicle floor console is provided that includes a support structure and a retaining feature pivotally biased toward the support structure. The retaining feature is configured to secure cargo between the support structure and the retaining feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jason M. Hipshier, Jacob Maki, David J. McCarthy, Craig D. Flowerday
  • Patent number: 8708390
    Abstract: In a vehicle-body structure of a vehicle which comprises vehicle-body forming members forming a closed-section portion and having a dent portion which dents toward an inside of the closed-section portion, and a reinforcing member provided in the closed-section portion and joined to the vehicle-body forming members, a joint portion of the vehicle-body forming members and the reinforcing member includes a rigid joint portion where the vehicle-body forming members and the reinforcing member are joined with a direct contact thereof and a flexible joint portion where the vehicle-body forming members and the reinforcing member are joined via a damping member provided therebetween, and this joint portion is provided at or in the vicinity of the dent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Kurogi, Tsuyoshi Sugihara, Kohya Nakagawa, Kuniaki Nagao, Sakayu Terada, Miho Kowaki, Akira Iyoshi, Shigeaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8702153
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicular door including a load transfer member. The load transfer member includes a transfer member body disposed in a wide-thickness portion in a door body, and a projection projecting downward from the transfer member body. The transfer member body has a lower region whose surface on a door-outer-panel side abuts on, or comes close to, the inner surface of the door outer panel, and an inclined region whose door-outer-panel side surface is inclined to come apart from the door outer panel and whose surface on a door-inner-panel side abuts on, or comes close to, the inner surface of the door inner panel. The thickness of the lower region and the inclined region in a door-thickness direction is set narrower than the width of an insertion portion between the door inner panel and a door beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kiyohito Kurokawa, Masakazu Takahashi, Itaru Genpei, Shingo Hakamata, Isamu Nakanishi, Tomofumi Ichinose, Daichi Okamoto, Hakurei Watanabe, Mai Kato, Yuji Nozawa, Yoshihisa Sugamata
  • Patent number: 8702160
    Abstract: In a frame having a closed-section portion which is formed by joining a first member having a U-shaped section and a second member having a flat-plate shape, a bulkhead is provided in the closed-section portion as a reinforcing member, flanges of the bulkhead and the first and second members are joined with a rigid joint portion where they are joined by a spot welding and a flexible joint portion where they are joined via a damping member. Thereby, transmission of vibrations can be properly restrained, improving the rigidity of the portion having the closed-section portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Kurogi, Tsuyoshi Sugihara, Kohya Nakagawa, Kuniaki Nagao, Sakayu Terada, Miho Kowaki, Akira Iyoshi, Shigeaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8696046
    Abstract: A tailgate hinge retaining mechanism for a truck bed. The retaining mechanism can have a post bracket and a tailgate bracket. A retaining bracket is also included and attached to the tailgate bracket, the retaining bracket having a sleeve with an offset slot that prevents the tailgate bracket from being undesirably removed from the post bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jay Leonard Sackett
  • Patent number: 8690235
    Abstract: An operating device for a sunroof of a vehicle may include a motor housing disposed at a rear side of a roof panel and a mounting space, an operating motor disposed at one side of the motor housing and a worm inserted into the mounting space, a gear unit rotatably disposed in the mounting space engaged with the worm and is rotated by the operating motor, a glass cable connected to the gear unit and to a moving glass disposed outside of the roof panel to move the moving glass, a sun shade cable connected to the gear unit at an upper side of the glass cable and is connected to the sun shade inside the roof panel to move the sun shade, and a locking unit disposed on the motor housing corresponding to the gear unit and selectively locks the gear unit such that the cable is separately operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Inalfa Roof Systems Korea Ltd.
    Inventors: Hoyul Lee, Chang-Jin Yoon
  • Patent number: 8690220
    Abstract: An inner panel of a lift gate includes an outer-frame forming portion comprising a pair of side edge frame portions including a pair of pillar portions and a lower end frame portion integrally formed at the side frame portions, an inner-frame forming portion formed at a lower edge portion of a window opening to connect to the outer-frame forming portion, and a panel portion covering over a portion enclosed by the outer-frame forming portion and the inner-frame forming portion. The panel portion comprises an outside panel portion provided to contact the outer panel and an inside panel portion integrally formed at the outside panel portion to connect to the outside panel portion and project toward a vehicle-compartment side beyond the outside panel portion and connects to the outer-frame forming portion and the inner-frame forming portion of said inner panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation, DaikyoNishikawa Corporation
    Inventors: Natsuki Tsukiyama, Koichi Matsumoto, Issei Harima, Naoyuki Ikemizu, Tsuyoshi Igura, Junichiro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8690234
    Abstract: A vehicle roller blind arrangement, with a roller blind web that can be wound or unwound in an extension direction, a band-shaped guide element that extends along the extension direction and is guidable in a guide rail, which can be coupled fixedly to a vehicle, in such a manner that said guide element extends parallel to the roller blind web, and a band element that extends along the extension direction and is arranged between the roller blind web and the guide element and, on a first longitudinal side, is coupled fixedly to the roller blind web and, on a second longitudinal side, is coupled fixedly to the guide element. The band element has a T-shaped or Y-shaped cross section, is formed of a different material from the roller blind web, and has a smaller material thickness than the roller blind web. In addition, the invention relates to correspondingly configured subassemblies and roof arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Webasto SE
    Inventors: Andreas Rockelmann, Martin Pollak, Dominik Hoelzel, Erwin Steiner, Tobias Nowack, Ulrike Bruggaier, Susanne Schandel, Manfred Faerber
  • Patent number: 8678477
    Abstract: A utility vehicle (10) comprising a cab (12) mounted to a frame (14) by cab suspension means (16) is provided. The cab suspension comprises rolling linkage (20) which permits only circumferential movement of the cab around a generally longitudinal axis (24;44), and vertical linkage (22) which permits only radial movement of the cab relative to said axis (24) or radial movement of the axis (44) relative to the frame. The rolling linkage and vertical linkage are connected in series between the cab and the frame thus allowing independent resolution of rolling movement and vertical movement. The cab suspension means further comprises two spring/dampers (28,38; 58,38) arranged to independently control the stiffness and damping within the two degrees of freedom, namely roll and vertical movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: AGCO SA
    Inventor: Geoffroy Husson
  • Patent number: 8678488
    Abstract: A roll blind system for a panorama sun roof of a vehicle opens front and rear roll blinds independently by dividing the panorama sun roof into two parts. The roll blind system includes: front and rear roll blinds disposed between right and left guide rails, disposed in front of and behind of the panorama sun roof and includes front and rear blind bars disposed on opposite ends of the and rear roll blinds; one cable engaged with a motor gear; a front shoe attached to a left end of the front blind bar and movable via the cable and a second cable end; a rear shoe attached to a right end of the rear blind bar and being movable via the cable and third and fourth cable ends; and a return spring connected to a front blind shaft extendable when the front blind bar is moved in the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Do Won Kim
  • Patent number: 8678481
    Abstract: A structure for a side portion of a vehicle body, wherein the respective lower parts of a front pillar are joined to a side sill. A pillar's lower part (64) of a center pillar(21) and a pillar's lower part (65) of a front pillar (16) are provided with overlapping joining sections (31) having circular arc sections (68) which are formed so as to be separated outward from a corner (67) of a side sill (14). The overlapping joining sections (31) are overlapped on a vertical wall section (27) of the side sill (14). The overlapping joining sections (31) are provided with bead sections (72) separated from the vertical wall section (27). The overlapping joining sections (31) are also provided with contact sections (101) in contact with the vertical wall section (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoyuki Tamura
  • Patent number: 8678482
    Abstract: A motor vehicle hood having a non-functional air scoop that appears to be a functional air scoop is provided. The motor vehicle hood can have a module with an opening and a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending in a first direction away from the opening and providing an enclosure thereof. A grid can be attached to the module across the opening and the grid, top wall and bottom wall can be operatively arranged such that an appearance of an open passageway through the motor vehicle hood is provided when an individual stands a distance away from the hood and looks at the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith O'Brien, Paul Sherman, Arthur Whitney
  • Patent number: 8678487
    Abstract: A glazed roof of a motor vehicle is provided, which includes at least one opening and a fixed glazed structure bearing at least one element sliding on the inside of the vehicle and intended to close the opening(s). The glazed structure has an external contour coinciding with an accommodating surround on the chassis of the vehicle so the contour can be secured to the accommodating surround, as a flush fit. Each of the sliding elements is guided along two rails secured to the surface of the fixed structure, in a region distant from the external contour so as not to interfere with the securing of the latter to the accommodating surround. The roof has at least one retaining element, having a first end secured to one of the rails and a second end secured to the chassis. Each of the retaining elements is positioned at right angles to the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Wagon SAS
    Inventors: David Billy, Pascal Fourel, Xavier Sandrin
  • Patent number: 8678483
    Abstract: A window for an automobile hood, made of a transparent material, such as a polycarbonate sheet, sized and shaped to be a loose fit to an automobile hood cut-out. The window element may be held in place on the automobile by ring shaped, metallic trim elements. The trim elements may have outer edges that are an enlarged copy of the periphery the cut-out in the hood of the automobile and inner edges that are a reduced copy of the periphery the window element. In this way, the window element may be held in the cutout in the automobile hood, sandwiched between the upper and lower trim elements. By applying a suitable adhesive between the trim elements and the automobile hood, the trim and window elements may be fixed in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Inventor: Kevin Quirk