Patents Examined by Drew J. Brown
  • Patent number: 11958526
    Abstract: A steering column assembly includes a telescope drive bracket. The steering column assembly also includes a first jacket operatively coupled to the telescope drive bracket. The steering column assembly further includes a second jacket, wherein the first jacket is telescopingly moveable relative to the second jacket. The steering column yet further includes a collapse limiting feature having a cam portion and a blocking portion, wherein the blocking portion defines a first range of travel of the first jacket in a first position, wherein contact between the telescope drive bracket and the cam portion biases the blocking portion out of a first jacket path to allow a second, greater range of travel for the first jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Jacob A. Caverly, James E. Rouleau, Randy W. Jones
  • Patent number: 11958525
    Abstract: A telescoping steering column having a lower jacket extending along a central axis between a lower jacket lower end and a lower jacket upper end and an upper jacket extending along the central axis between an upper jacket lower end and an upper jacket upper end, with an actuator configured to impart a pressure between the lower jacket and the upper jacket to move the upper jacket from an extended operating position to a retracted stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventor: Lee M. Tinnin
  • Patent number: 11951881
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly installed in a cabin of a vehicle having a vehicle seat and a side airbag device; the vehicle seat having a seat back and a seat base; the seat back connected to the seat base in a manner movable relative to the seat base in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The side airbag device arranged on the vehicle seat including: a first side airbag and a second side airbag not in fluid communication with each other and configured to be unfolded between the vehicle seat and the side wall of the vehicle when in an inflated state; a controller for determining the orientation of the vehicle seat and detecting an impact signal to output a control signal; and a gas generator for generating gas on the basis of the control signal of the controller to inflate the first side airbag or second side airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Jin Zhang, Kongfu Xie
  • Patent number: 11952055
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electric independent steering apparatus comprising: a first knuckle having one end coupled to the lower end of a strut part, and including an upper support part extending and protruding outwardly from the one end and a lower support part extending and protruding from the other end so as to face the upper support part; a second knuckle which is rotatably disposed on the lower support part inside the first knuckle, has a motor installed therein, and has a driving wheel coupled to the outside thereof; and a harmonic gear which is disposed so as to be rotatable from the upper support part and relatively rotates from the first knuckle together with the second knuckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: Seohan Innobility Co., Ltd., Korea Movenex Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung Ki Oh, Jae Geun Bang
  • Patent number: 11952034
    Abstract: A power driven, telescoping steering column having a tubular outer jacket, a tubular inner jacket, and a tubular intermediate jacket arranged for coaxial telescopic movement relative with one another via actuation of an actuator assembly includes, a mounting device operably coupled against relative axial movement with the tubular outer jacket, with the actuator assembly being coupled to the mounting device without being fixedly connected or attached to the tubular outer jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Randy W. Jones, James E. Rouleau, Todd M. King, Robert D. Maida
  • Patent number: 11945493
    Abstract: Disclosed is a steering column for a vehicle. A steering column for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing provided in a vehicle and having an opening formed at one side thereof, a hollow shaft installed in the housing and configured to be movable in an axial direction through the opening of the housing, a roller having an outer peripheral surface configured to press an outer peripheral portion of the hollow shaft, an actuator configured to provide driving power for rotating the roller, and a first shaft configured to rotate relative to the hollow shaft and installed in the hollow shaft so as to be movable together with the hollow shaft, in which when the roller rotates, the hollow shaft and the first shaft are moved by a frictional force generated between the hollow shaft and the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kyungseok Hwangbo
  • Patent number: 11945494
    Abstract: According to the present embodiments, the lever handling and tilt handling of a driver can be improved by reducing noise caused by collisions between components, which can be generated if the driver manipulates a lever from a locking state into an unlocking state or if the driver adjusts the angle of a steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hyun Bi Kwon
  • Patent number: 11945495
    Abstract: A steering column assembly for a vehicle comprising a shroud comprising an axially movable upper part and an axially fixed lower part, the upper and lower parts moving telescopically to provide adjustment for reach of the steering column assembly; a steering shaft which is supported by the shroud, a pivot which connects a part of the lower part to a fixed part of the vehicle, a clamp mechanism which releasably fixes the upper and lower shroud parts in position relative to one another and which also fixes the shroud in position relative to a further fixed part of the vehicle, a mounting bracket, fixed relative to the vehicle, a sprung support assembly which includes at least one guide element that has an outer surface that engages a complimentary shaped guide track of the mounting bracket, characterised in that the sprung support assembly is fixed in position to the upper shroud part and bears upon the mounting bracket such that the sprung support assembly provides a reaction force that at least partially s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Steering Systems Poland Sp. Z.o.o.
    Inventors: Pawel Ponikiewski, Artur Wojtalik, Damian Uchyla
  • Patent number: 11938771
    Abstract: A shock absorber mounting assembly for an off-road vehicle is provided. The shock absorber mounting assembly provides a shock absorber adapter bracket that selectively interconnects a lower portion of the shock absorber and the original equipment manufacturer A-arm of the off-road vehicle. The present invention thus enables any model year shock absorber to be adapted to operatively associate with the steering system of any off-road vehicle of the same make and model, regardless of model year. The shock absorber adapter bracket may be of unitary construction of resilient material adapted to provide a main portion for selectively and rotatably connecting the original shock fork, wherein two fork portions of the shock absorber adapter bracket operatively associate with the lower portion of the shock absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventors: Richard Mellick Zock, Miles John Zock
  • Patent number: 11938891
    Abstract: An external emergency brake apparatus has an air fairing, an airbag assembly for holding a plurality of airbags, a sliding unlock lever, a bracket assembly that comprises two sliding grooves and two fixing grooves, a bracket release assembly that latches said sliding unlock lever horizontally to a first position and a contact power switch device that is coupled to the car's brake power control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventor: Jinghua Zheng
  • Patent number: 11938780
    Abstract: A wheel suspension and transmission gear assembly may include: a main arm pivotally connectable at a connection point of the main arm to a shaft point of a wheel; a first linkage unit pivotally connected at its first end to the main arm; and a second linkage unit pivotally connected at its first end to the main arm such that at least a portion of the main arm is between the first linkage unit and the second linkage unit and such that a second end of the first linkage unit and a second end of the second linkage unit are at opposing sides of the main arm with respect to each other; wherein (i) the main arm and (ii) the first linkage unit or the second linkage unit each may include: a first gear and a second gear pivotally connected thereto and interconnected to transmit rotational motion between each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: REE AUTOMOTIVE LTD
    Inventors: Ahishay Sardes, Ran Dekel, Tomer Segev, Eran Starik, Eylon Avigur
  • Patent number: 11938770
    Abstract: A shock absorber mounting assembly for an off-road vehicle is provided. The shock absorber mounting assembly may provide A-arm brackets dimensioned and adapted to interconnect body and wheel framing of the off-road vehicle, wherein the lower bracket adjustably engages a lower portion of the shock absorber. The present invention also enables any model year shock absorber to be adapted to operatively associate with the steering system of any off-road vehicle of the same make and model, regardless of model year, through a shock absorber adapter bracket assembly that attaches to the original equipment manufacturer A-arms of the off-road vehicle adding the non-model year shock absorbers. The brackets may be of unitary construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventors: Richard Mellick Zock, Miles John Zock
  • Patent number: 11938886
    Abstract: A curtain airbag apparatus for a vehicle, the curtain airbag apparatus including a mounting tab folded in an upward/downward direction so that portions of the mounting tab overlap one another, and having a decreased vertical length in an assembled state, a cushion folded in the assembled state and configured to move downward while inflated when deployed, and a tab strap having one end coupled to the mounting tab and the other end fixed to the mounting tab in a state in which the tab strap surrounds the cushions, in which when the cushion is deployed, a folded portion of the mounting tab is unfolded, such that the mounting tab is extended, and a position of the cushion is moved downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji Hyuk Im
  • Patent number: 11926361
    Abstract: An adjusting drive for a motor-adjustable steering column may include an outer threaded spindle that has an external thread that engages with a spindle nut and that has an internal thread that is engaged by an inner threaded spindle. The spindle nut, the outer threaded spindle, and the inner threaded spindle can be driven in rotation relative to one another about an axis by a motor-type drive unit. The adjusting drive may also include a blocking device that is switchable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the outer threaded spindle is locked together with the spindle nut for conjoint rotation. In the second position the outer threaded spindle is locked together with the inner threaded spindle for conjoint rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Simon Blaettler, Sebastian Huber, Jean-Pierre Specht, Tim Bayer
  • Patent number: 11926362
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a camber adjustment system for a control arm of the subject matter of the present disclosure which allows the quick change of camber settings of a vehicle by utilizing a pill adjustment component containing several camber settings including a track and street setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventors: Abraham Fischer, Ben Schaffer
  • Patent number: 11927293
    Abstract: A locking assembly for a door assembly of an agricultural vehicle includes: an actuator that defines an actuator axis and is linearly movable between a first position and a second position and rotatable about the actuator axis between a first locking orientation and a second locking orientation and includes a pair of locking features; a biaser configured to bias the actuator toward the first position; an energizer configured to bias the actuator toward the first locking orientation when the actuator is in the second locking orientation; and a lock configured to engage a second locking feature when the actuator is in the second locking orientation. Linear movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position while the actuator is in the second locking orientation causes the lock to disengage from the second locking feature so the energizer rotates the actuator towards the first locking orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Brian Payne, Gerard Restaino, III, Jerry L Brinkley
  • Patent number: 11926279
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a roof airbag apparatus for mobility which protects the occupant seated in the cabin in such a manner that the roof airbag is deployed downward from the cabin roof, and safely protects the occupant from impact in such a manner that the occupant is securely restrained by the airbag as the deployment shape of the airbag is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Byung Ho Min
  • Patent number: 11919565
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electric steering column, and the electric steering column includes: a telescopic motor; a telescopic screw unit having one side connected to the telescopic motor, and reciprocating linearly while being rotated by a driving force provided by the telescopic motor; a tube bracket provided on a tube surrounding the column shaft and connected to the other side of the telescopic screw unit; and a positioning member provided in the tube bracket to which the other side of the telescopic screw unit is coupled, and for adjusting the position of the other side of the telescopic screw unit so that the center of the telescopic motor and the central axis of the telescopic screw unit are positioned on a virtual straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seok Park
  • Patent number: 11919357
    Abstract: A suspension system for a wheel assembly of a vehicle includes a telescopic damper configured to mediate between respective sprung and unsprung portions of the wheel assembly, a rebound spring arranged to moderate wheel travel, and a force-transfer system operative to apply a force to change one or more parameters of the suspension system. The application of the force by the force-transfer system is effective in a first operating mode to change a length of the telescopic damper and in a second operating mode to regulate a wheel rate of the wheel assembly. The force-transfer system is controllable to modify a wheel-travel value at which the wheel rate of the wheel assembly changes in the second mode of suspension operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: REE AUTOMOTIVE LTD
    Inventors: Ivan Jefferies, Damian Andrew Harty
  • Patent number: 11919562
    Abstract: Steering assembly mounts with curved interfaces are disclosed herein. An apparatus disclosed herein includes a first bushing including a first outer diameter, a first inner diameter, and a first curved surface disposed between the first outer diameter and the first inner diameter, the first curved surface to receive a corresponding second curved surface of the first structure, a second bushing including a second outer diameter, a second inner diameter, and a third curved surface disposed between the second outer diameter and the second inner diameter, the third curved surface to receive a corresponding fourth curved surface of the first structure, and a fastener extending through the first bushing and the second bushing, the fastener to extend through a portion of the second structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Anselm Yau-Ching Lam, Matthew Lee Brimmer, Jackson E. Barry