Patents Examined by Dennis Pedder
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Patent number: 8465087Abstract: An energy absorber includes a base sheet and a plurality of crush lobes extending from the base sheet. Each crush lobe includes a side wall oriented to crush and collapse to absorb energy when impacted in a first direction and includes an end wall. At least one of the base sheet and the end wall of at least one crush lobe includes an integrally-formed protruding countermeasure of lower standing strength than the crush lobes so that the protruding countermeasure acts to dampen movement causing buzzes, squeaks and/or rattles between the end wall and an adjacent structure. The countermeasure can be integrally formed or an insert, such as a magnet or other insert. Methods related to the above are also described.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2010Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Oakwood Energy Management, Inc.Inventors: Matthew M. Gerwolls, Michael A. Rossi, Dane Winbigler, Donald S. Smith, Joel M. Cormier, Richard F. Audi
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Patent number: 8459729Abstract: Wind deflector assemblies for an opening of a vehicle roof having a plurality of pretensioned movable arms. In one approach, a wind deflector assembly for a vehicle having a roof opening, is provided having a wind deflector guide attached to a vehicle along a front edge of the roof opening in a generally transverse axis of the vehicle on its lower edge; the wind deflector guide extendible above the roof opening by attachment on its upper edge to a plurality of movable deflector arms mounted to and extending rearward along a generally longitudinal axis of the vehicle; the plurality of movable deflector arms having an pretensioning element to extend the wind deflector guide from a retracted position to a deployed position. The plurality of movable deflector arms can be two reciprocal assemblies of three deflector arms, each assembly movable on four pivot mounts.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2012Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Webasto Roof Systems Inc.Inventors: Adrian Nania, Michael McBryar
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Patent number: 8459730Abstract: A roof apparatus includes a functional bracket supporting a movable panel, a guide rail extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, a drive shoe moving along the guide rail, a front link connected to the functional bracket to move in the longitudinal direction in conjunction with the movement of the drive shoe, a front guide portion guiding the functional bracket and the front link in the longitudinal direction, a check member engaged with the drive shoe to move rearward with the drive shoe when a distance of the rearward movement of the drive shoe is shorter than a predetermined distance, the check member disengaged from the drive shoe when the distance of the rearward movement of the drive shoe is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance, a rear link engaged with the check member, and a rear guide portion guiding the rear link in the longitudinal direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2012Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazuki Sawada, Makoto Muranaka, Shinichi Hiramatsu
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Patent number: 8454071Abstract: A slide mechanism for use with a vehicle armrest includes a sliding plate and a stationary plate in sliding engagement with each other via a coupling that includes an elongated guide and a guide follower. The elongated guide defines a slide direction for the slide mechanism and is retained to one of the plates by guide retention features located at each end of the guide. Each retention feature is constructed to restrict movement of the elongated guide in all directions transverse to the slide direction. A spacer is disposed at one end of the elongated guide to hold the guide in place in the slide direction so that retention is maintained. The spacer can be interposed between a retention feature stop and an end of the elongated guide and/or can extend from a cover attached to the plate that includes the retention features.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc.Inventor: Jonathon Stoia
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Patent number: 8454074Abstract: A structure of instrument panel parts is proposed that is capable of increasing the support strength of a striker and the rigidity of an opening portion, and with which an enlarged storage volume can be achieved. The structure of an instrument panel has a storage portion arranged above a glove box. The structure includes an opening portion for a tray provided above the glove box; a tray constituting the storage portion, the tray being provided as a separate member from the instrument panel and being attached to the opening portion for the tray; a striker engaging a lock of the glove box; and a substantially flat plate-shaped striker reinforcement member supporting the striker. The lower side of the tray and the striker reinforcement member are fastened together to the instrument panel.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Suzuki Motor CorporationInventors: Toshiyuki Ono, Gouki Ata
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Patent number: 8453946Abstract: With a front structure for a motor vehicle, a holding mechanism for connecting a bumper to a fender includes a fastening strip and a guide rail. The fastening strip spring-elastically supports itself on the fender and is screwed to the guide rail. The bumper is latched to the guide rail.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Martin Leonhard Sachs, Theobald Hock, Rolf Ewert
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Patent number: 8454081Abstract: A sliding door safety device for heavy construction equipment is provided, which includes an outer side wall having a doorway formed thereon, an upper rail and a lower rail formed on an upper part and a lower part of the outer side wall, respectively, a sliding door sliding to move to a front or rear side of a cab by an upper roller and a lower roller engaged with the upper rail and the lower rail, respectively, to open or close the doorway, and first and second door position sensing switches mounted on one side of the outer side wall to sense a door position when the door is in its open position where the door is fully opened or in its closed position where the door is fully closed.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2009Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment Holding Sweden ABInventor: Kang Tae Kim
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Patent number: 8449025Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to a roof assembly for a vehicle having a roof opening in its fixed roof. It comprises a stationary part having longitudinal guides positioned on either side of the roof opening. A closure is movable at least between a closed position closing the roof opening and an open position in which the closure is at least partly opening the roof opening. A closure operating mechanism is provided for opening and closing the closure, and is sliding in said longitudinal guides when opening and closing the closure. The longitudinal guides each comprise at least a drain channel and a water drainage member for draining water from said longitudinal drain channel to a water drainage hose. Each water drainage member communicates with the respective drain channel on one end, and connects to the corresponding water drainage hose on its opposite end to form a drain. A sieve member for catching debris but allowing water to run through is provided in the drain upstream of said water drainage member.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2011Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Inalfa Roof Systems Group B.V.Inventors: Egbert Boersma, Michael Cornelis Anthonius Relouw, Danny Wilhelmus Arend Kok, Leonardus Gerardus Maria Verbeek
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Patent number: 8444206Abstract: A cover system for covering an open top of an open-topped container with a flexible cover includes a bail member having a first end pivotally connected to the container and an opposite second end connected to an end of the flexible cover, a hold-down bow member including an end portion pivotally connected to the bail member and an opposite end configured for bearing against the flexible cover, and a spring pack between the bail member and tensioning bow member.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2012Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Aero Industries, Inc.Inventor: Donald Prince
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Patent number: 8444208Abstract: An attachment member has a first holding member and a second holding member that are oppositely positioned on a door impact beam while holding the door impact beam therebetween. The first holding member has a claw portion formed therein. The claw portion is capable of being elastically deformed by contacting the door impact beam when the attachment member is attached to the door impact beam. At least one of the first holding member and the second holding member is adhered to the door impact beam. The first holding member and the second holding member are bonded while being electrically connected to each other. The attachment member is attached to the door impact beam while the claw portion contacts the door impact beam.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2009Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Norihito Inoue, Nobuo Hayama
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Patent number: 8444217Abstract: An open roof construction for a vehicle comprises a stationary roof part, a roof opening provided therein, and a roof assembly mounted to the stationary roof part, having a panel which is movable between closed and open positions for closing and opening, respectively, said roof opening. A moving mechanism is provided for connecting the movable panel to the stationary roof and moving it with respect thereto, wherein the moving mechanism at least comprises two longitudinal curved parts attached to the movable panel, two stationary guides extending along opposite longitudinal edges of the roof opening and two linking mechanisms for movably linking the stationary guides with the respective curved parts.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2011Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Inalfa Roof Systems Group B.V.Inventors: Marcel Johan Christiaan Nellen, Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders, Joseph Petrus Johannus Sanders, Robert Rikkert, Ronny Doornink
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Patent number: 8444197Abstract: A pair of parallel pins abutting against the inner peripheral surface of a hollow shaft are provided to a first arm part of a shank at a predetermined spacing in the longitudinal direction. This prevents the shank from tilting or rattling. Further, an insertion hole of the retaining cap and the cross section of the first arm part each have an elliptical shape, and thus the rotation of the shank with respect to the hollow shaft is restricted and the position of the shank is kept such that the interlocking part points upward.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2010Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.Inventor: Seiji Takemura
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Patent number: 8439433Abstract: A single motor structure for operation of a panorama sunroof glass and a roll blind may include a motor supplying a motive power to the panorama sunroof glass and the roll blind, a rotating shaft rotatably connected to a side of the motor, a first actuating gear and a second actuating gear, which may be spaced symmetrically from the rotating shaft with a predetermined distance, a first actuating member combined with the first actuating gear so as to rotate with the first actuating gear to control open-shut of the panorama sunroof glass, a second actuating member combined with the second actuating gear so as to rotate with the second actuating gear so as to control open-shut of the roll blind, and a first actuating relay member and a second actuating relay member, which may be combined with each of the first actuating member and the second actuating member respectively.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2011Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Chong-Heon Kim, Kyung-Soon Jang, Gi-Won Kim, Ho-Seok Kang
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Patent number: 8439434Abstract: An automotive vehicle having a front end, a rear end, and a longitudinal axis. The vehicle includes a passenger compartment disposed between the front end and the rear end. A roof overlies the passenger compartment. The roof is comprised of a pair of roof beams extending parallel to the longitudinal axis adjacent opposed sides of the vehicle. A first forward transverse beam extends between the roof beams. A second rearward transverse beam extends between the first and second roof beams. A first removable roof panel closes a space between the first and second transverse beams. A second removable roof panel closes a space rearward of the second transverse beam. The roof panels can be assembled to form a shelf in a storage compartment of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2011Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Travis Newberg, Yousuf Riad, Michael P. Hullihan, Christopher David Hall, Joshua Kramer
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Patent number: 8439432Abstract: A vehicle roof system enabling elimination of the B-pillar is disclosed. A particular aspect of the invention is to transfer vertical roof loads onto an enhanced rear structure of the vehicle. An additional aspect of the invention is to employ a rear upper cap reinforcement to directly assume roof crush loads applied at front of the vehicle during testing. A specific load transfer mechanism is disclosed. Vertical roof crush force applied near the front of the vehicle is transferred into both a torsional load upon a rear header of the vehicle, and a bending moment upon the C-pillar of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2011Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Saied Nusier, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, Jamel E. Belwafa, Saeed David Barbat
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Patent number: 8434805Abstract: A protective shield for a bus driver which comprises a partition. A mechanism is for mounting the partition onto a floor and about a seat of the bus driver to protect the bus driver while operating a bus.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Inventor: Harry F. Bonniville
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Patent number: 8434806Abstract: A barrier net mounting structure may include a roof bracket provided on a head lining, and a hook provided on a lateral portion of a barrier net and inserted into the roof bracket, wherein the hook includes a rod having one end provided on the lateral portion of the barrier net, and the other end inserted into the roof bracket, and a locking portion and a stopper portion which may be provided on the other end of the rod in a spaced state therebetween, wherein one end of the locking portion may be locked to an inner surface of the roof bracket, and one end of the stopper portion may be supported by an outer surface of the roof bracket.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2011Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Seung Kwon Cha, Tae Hoon Song
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Patent number: 8434811Abstract: This invention relates to a vehicle visor, comprising a visor pivot rod, a carrier on the visor pivot rod, a spring mechanism inside the carrier, and an open channel with a first end and a second end, wherein at least a portion of the carrier extends into the interior.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Brent D. Rockafellow, Thomas S. Hodgson, Stacy G. Frye, Bryan T. Jones, Philip A. Lehman, Kenneth D. Kreuze
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Patent number: 8430450Abstract: A work machine comprises an operator station, a filter door, and a fresh air filter to filter fresh air that flows from outside the operator station into the operator station. The fresh air filter is mounted to the filter door for movement therewith relative to the operator station. An associated method is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2008Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Joshua J. Stephens, Bobby G. Martin, Thomas A. Knopp, Richard L. Forest
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Patent number: 8424951Abstract: A mounting slide clamp for a bow of a cover assembly, which permits the bow to be easily removed or replaced, the cover assembly including a cable drawing system to cover or uncover the open trailer with a tarpaulin, the tarpaulin being supported on the cable drawing system with at least one bow, and the mounting slide facilitating the repair thereof.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Inventor: William P. Martin