Patents Examined by Dennis Pedder
  • Patent number: 8567856
    Abstract: A front structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including (i) a pair of front rails spaced apart in a widthwise direction with each rail extending lengthwise, and where each rail is comprised of a polygonal-shaped upper hollow channel and a polygonal-shaped lower hollow channel with the upper and lower channels sharing a common wall; and (ii) a pair of curvilinear torque boxes, where one curvilinear torque box is mechanically attached to the upper and lower polygonal-shaped channels of each front rail, where each curvilinear torque box is mechanically coupled to a rocker panel, where the upper polygonal-shaped channel of each front rail is in a horizontal plane located above the top surface of the corresponding rocker panel, and where the lower polygonal-shaped channel of each front rail is in a horizontal plane that is aligned with the corresponding rocker panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya
  • Patent number: 8567855
    Abstract: A front structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including (i) a pair of front rails (i.e., front left hand rail and front right hand rail) spaced apart in a widthwise direction with each rail extending lengthwise, and where each rail is comprised of a polygonal-shaped upper hollow channel and a polygonal-shaped lower hollow channel with the upper and lower channels sharing a common wall; and (ii) a pair of bumper mounting plates, where one bumper mounting plate is interposed between the end portion of each channel of each rail and the vehicle's bumper, and where each bumper mounting plate aligns the upper rail channels with the vehicle's bumper while transferring impact loads to both the upper and lower rail channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau, Nils Petter Winberg
  • Patent number: 8567859
    Abstract: A sliding roof system, in particular for motor vehicles, with at least one guide rail, a carriage which is shiftable in the guide rail, a guide element located at the front, which can cooperate with a cover of the sliding roof, and a swing-out lever located at the rear, which likewise can cooperate with the cover and can be moved by the carriage from a starting position into a position swung out, is wherein the swing-out lever is mounted on the guide rail with a fixed swivel axis and that at least in the starting position the end of the swing-out lever associated to the cover lies on the side of the swivel axis facing the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Roof Systems Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Grimm, Juergen Schrader, Achim Demmer
  • Patent number: 8567849
    Abstract: A system for absorbing and distributing front impact forces in a vehicle is provided, the system including a primary impact system and a secondary impact system, each of which includes a bumper and a structure for transferring impact loads. The primary impact system includes a primary bumper and a pair of front rails spaced apart in a widthwise direction with each rail extending lengthwise, where one end portion of each rail is mechanically coupled to the vehicle's bumper and the other end portion of each rail is mechanically coupled to a torque box. The secondary impact system includes a secondary bumper and an assembly of sub-frame components separate from the front rails that allow impact loads to be transferred in parallel through the front rails and the sub-frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Dore Rawlinson
  • Patent number: 8567854
    Abstract: An impact absorption member is provided behind a bumper face, a lower stiffener is provided below this member and projects forward to sweep a leg portion of an object hitting against a front potion of a vehicle, and headlamp units are provided at both side portions of the bumper face. A lamp housing of the headlamp unit is supported at a vehicle-body member located in back of the lamp housing, a load absorption portion provided on the inside of and rearward from an edge of the bumper face to absorb an impact load is provided integrally at the lamp housing, and a load transmission portion to transmit the impact load inputted to the bumper face to the load absorption portion is provided at the bumper face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nishi, Yasuyuki Emi, Tetsuo Nagata, Toshiaki Wakabayashi, Kazuma Kondo, Toshio Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8567858
    Abstract: A sunshade for a vehicle includes a plastic panel configuring a part of a roof of the vehicle and including a translucent portion, a shading sheet for unshading and shading the translucent portion, a pair of guide rails, which are fixed to the panel to face each other and extend in an opening-and-closing direction of the sheet to hold the sheet in a manner permitting the sheet to be opened and closed, a roll-up member for rolling up the sheet, a frame, which extends in a facing direction of the rails, that links the rails and holds the roll-up member, an elongated hole, which is formed in end portions of the frame and extends in the facing direction, and an engaging member inserted into the hole. The engaging member engages with the rails and the frame to permit relative movement of the rails and the frame in the facing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kitani, Kazuhiko Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 8562070
    Abstract: The invention relates to a frame of an openable vehicle roof comprising two frame parts extending to the side of a roof opening, said frame parts being defined in each case by an end piece arranged on the rear end of the frame part. The invention is characterized in that a resiliently mounted stop element is integrally formed on the end piece, said stop element extending in the region between the frame parts. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for mounting a frame of an openable vehicle roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Webasto AG
    Inventors: Peter Weyl, Mattias Hirvonen
  • Patent number: 8562068
    Abstract: When front side members are bent by a front-rear-directional collision of a vehicle, the front side members come in surface, not point, contact with an adjacent member in the vehicle by a contact surface formed at a contact portion. Accordingly, the front-rear-directional collision load is stably transmitted to a member, such as an adjacent engine, such that it is possible to efficiently improve the effect of distributing and reducing the load in a collision. Further, since the bent front side members stably come in surface, not point, contact with the adjacent member, such as the engine in the vehicle, it is possible to decrease the possibility of unexpected fracturing of the front side members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8562071
    Abstract: A roof apparatus for a vehicle includes a shoe member and a support member including an end portion rotatably connected to the shoe member within a predetermined rotation range. One of the end portion of the support member and the shoe member integrally includes first and second vertical wall portions and a support portion including a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion. The other of the end portion of the support member and the shoe member includes a bearing portion pivotally supporting the large diameter portion and including an opening through which an insertion and removal of the small diameter portion is allowed in a state where the support member is positioned out of the predetermined rotation range and through which the insertion and removal of the small diameter portion is prohibited in a state where the support member is positioned within the predetermined rotation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hirata, Chitose Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 8556327
    Abstract: A fuel housing assembly for a vehicle includes a fuel housing having sidewalls and an interior wall defining a fuel nozzle receiving volume for receiving a fuel nozzle. A sealing retainer assembly includes a retainer base integrally formed with the fuel housing and a seal member that engages a locking shaft of a fuel door lock system in both unlocked and locked configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Michael Higgins
  • Patent number: 8556330
    Abstract: A hinge assembly may include first and second hinge portions, a pivot pin, and a retaining member. The first hinge portion may be secured to one of a vehicle body and a door, and may include a first aperture and a protrusion. The second hinge portion may be secured to another of the vehicle body and the door, and may include a second aperture and a first detent. The protrusion may engage the first detent when the door is in an open position. The pivot pin may selectively engage the first and second apertures to provide relative rotation between the first and second hinge portions. The retaining member may engage a portion of the pivot pin and may be axially movable relative to one of the first and second apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Robert R. Lazarevich, Richard M. Kleinhoffer
  • Patent number: 8556333
    Abstract: A sunroof structure for a vehicle may include a mounting frame made of plastic material, and an insert plate inserted into a front upper side of the mounting frame, forming an upper exposed surface of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corp.
    Inventor: Jeong Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 8556326
    Abstract: A tank flap module is provided for installation in a motor vehicle, having a recess body insertable into an opening of the vehicle body, which has a passage opening for receiving a fuel filler neck in the area of a base section, and which has a flange-like fastening edge protruding radially outward facing away from the base section. A flexibly deformable and peripheral axial sealing tab is provided extending along the fastening edge, which extends axially outward in relation to the passage opening and comes into contact on an interior of a tank flap, which is located in the closed position and is mounted so it is pivotable on the recess body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Christian Zentner
  • Patent number: 8556334
    Abstract: A hatch protection system provides protection to personnel against contact with a hatch. In one embodiment, the system includes a hatch protection system for a hatch on a vehicle. The hatch protection system includes a hatch pad. The hatch pad is attached to the hatch. The hatch pad includes a protective padding. The hatch protection system also includes a plurality of brackets. The plurality of brackets is secured to the vehicle and to the hatch pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Black Mountain Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle L. Greenwood, James Buckner, Joshua Price, Matthew Howell, Devin Gerland
  • Patent number: 8550533
    Abstract: Provided is a sunroof apparatus of the present invention including a sunroof panel that divides a roof panel, except for left and right side fillers of the roof of a vehicle, into a front panel, a middle panel, and a rear panel, and link units composed of an interlink that moves middle panel by the operation of a driving link moving rear panel and a driven link that moves front panel by the operation of interlink, such that all of the portions, except for left and right side fillers of the roof of the vehicle are completely opened while rear panel, middle panel, and front panel are folded in several steps and horizontally stacked when the sunroof is opened, such that open feel, which is maximized like a convertible vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kookmin University Industry-Academy Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Seung-Jin Heo, Jay-Il Jeong, Il-Hwan Kim, In-Sik Hwang
  • Patent number: 8550510
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper is provided that can increase the rigidity while ensuring a superior drainage capability in the vicinity of the location where the bumper is attached to a side face member. A vehicle bumper includes a middle portion extending in vehicle width direction, two lateral portions extending from the two ends of the middle portion towards side face members (front fender panels), an upper flange protruding inward, with respect to a vehicle body, from an upper edge of the lateral portions, an attachment flange that is continuous with the upper flange near an end of the lateral portions and protruding further inside the vehicle body than the upper flange, a long groove formed by a depression in an upper face of the upper flange, at least one rib that partitions the long groove in vehicle width direction into depressions, and water drainage holes formed in the depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroo Mizoguchi, Yusuke Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8550545
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle, having: a front-end support frame, including: a driver side rail; and a first bend in the driver side rail configured to change a vertical position of the driver side rail. The driver side rail has a circular cross-sectional configuration in the first bend and a non-circular cross-sectional configuration in another portion of the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dragan Stojkovic, Gerhard Lueschen, Robert Hasse
  • Patent number: 8544940
    Abstract: A rear floor for an automobile, including a series of ribs punched into the metal sheet of the floor and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. At least one of the punched-in ribs is connected to an adjacent rib by a rib portion that is inclined relative to the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Philippe Kowalski, Anne Corbel-Hey
  • Patent number: 8544934
    Abstract: A roll up cover for a box of a pick-up truck includes a plurality of substantially rigid slats connected by hinge joints. A flexible sheet of material is attached to the top surface of the slats. The hinge joints include a stop which allows pivoting of adjacent slats only in a direction moving the top surfaces of the slats towards each other, to allow the cover to be rolled up with flexible sheet facing inwardly, and with bottom surfaces of the slats facing outwardly, and not vice versa. Side rails are attached to the box of the pick-up truck. A roll rod in each side rail pivots into closed position when the cover is unrolled, with the roll rods engaging the end fittings on the slats, to hold the cover down onto the side rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Inventors: Israel Maimin, Julian Maimin
  • Patent number: RE44548
    Abstract: An open roof construction for a vehicle comprising a roof opening that can be closed by a panel of which at least the rear edge can be pivoted upward and downward. A three-dimensional body is provided on the underside of said panel to influence the air flow, near the rear edge of the panel. The three-dimensional body generates swirls in the air flow over the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Inalfa Roof Systems Group B.V.
    Inventor: Petrus Gerardus Marie Reivers