Patents Examined by Faye M. Fleming
  • Patent number: 12291164
    Abstract: A motor vehicle seat with adaptive seatbelt adjustment may have a chassis, a seat frame and a backrest. A rear end of the seat frame is rotatably connected to the chassis. A seat frame angle drive mechanism is provided between a front end of the seat frame and the chassis. The backrest is rotatably mounted at the rear end of the seat frame. The motor vehicle seat may also have a three-point seatbelt having a seatbelt guide component, a buckle and a lower anchor. The seatbelt guide component is fitted at a shoulder position on the backrest to be movable up and down by means of a lifting/lowering mechanism. The buckle and the lower anchor are fitted at two sides of the chassis, each by means of a front/rear adjustment mechanism, in such a way as to be slidable forwards and backwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: ADIENT (CHONGQUING) AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhiyong Chen, Ming Zhang, Ying Guan, Yawei Liu, Zhangneng Shi
  • Patent number: 12291269
    Abstract: An accident safety device for a motor vehicle includes two separate accident safety bodies which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and are fastenable opposite each other to a motor vehicle bodyshell. One of the accident safety bodies is fastenable to an underbody element of the motor vehicle body shell. Another of the accident safety bodies has a catch element which corresponds to the one accident safety body and is designed to block the two accident safety bodies from avoiding each other in the event of an accident of the motor vehicle. A motor vehicle is equipped with such an accident safety device and a method controls the conversion of impact energy into work of deformation by use of the accident safety device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Predrag Cavnic
  • Patent number: 12291070
    Abstract: An emergency operating method for operating an active chassis of a motor vehicle in the event of a failure of a pump of the active chassis. The method includes (a) detecting a termination of a proper electrical supply of an electric drive machine of the pump; (b) short-circuiting the electric drive machine operated at high voltage; and (c) disconnecting the high-voltage supply of the electric drive machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Christoph Lenniger
  • Patent number: 12291161
    Abstract: An airbag device includes: an inflator generating gas at a time of a collision of a vehicle; and an airbag to which the gas is supplied, and that inflates and expands from a seat rear side of an upper portion of a vehicle seat toward a seat front side, and slips-through between a ceiling of a vehicle cabin and a head of a passenger seated in the vehicle seat. The airbag has at least one gas supply path that is provided so as to be directed toward the seat front side and whose angle of incidence with respect to the ceiling in a side view seen from a seat transverse direction is set to be an acute angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Ohno, Toshiki Iwama, Tatsuya Hashido, Yu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 12285987
    Abstract: The electric suspension apparatus is mountable in a vehicle and includes: an electric actuator configured to perform a stroke operation in response to behavior by the vehicle; a motor configured to drive the electric actuator; a rotation angle sensor configured to detect an angle of rotation of the motor; and a controller configured to control the electric actuator, wherein the controller calculates a stroke amount for the electric actuator based on an amount of change in the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor, and controls the electric actuator based on the calculated stroke amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 12286149
    Abstract: An intermediate shaft for a steering system includes a main body having a radially outer surface. The intermediate shaft also includes a grooved portion located along the main body and defining at least one groove to allow deformation of the main body when a predetermined force on the main body is exceeded, wherein the entirety of the grooved portion does not radially exceed the radially outer surface of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Kyle R. Mazure, Benjamin J. Kolhagen, Jeffrey J. Toth, Leslie E. Edmundson
  • Patent number: 12285989
    Abstract: A torsion bar for a vehicle steering system includes a first end region. The torsion bar also includes a second end region. The torsion bar further includes a main body extending about a longitudinal axis of the torsion bar from the first end region to the second end region, wherein the main body defines a plurality of splines circumferentially spaced from each other to form a splined outer surface extending along the entire length of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Allyn J. Strickler, Christopher L. Walsh, Eric D. Pattok
  • Patent number: 12281460
    Abstract: A manipulator mechanism includes a rotary shaft rotatable about an axis extending in a first horizontal direction, an operation member disposed at one of opposite ends of the rotary shaft in an axial direction thereof to rotate together with the rotary shaft, an angle sensor disposed at the other of the opposite ends of the rotary shaft in the axial direction to detect a rotation angle of the rotary shaft, and a neutral return mechanism provided between the operation member and the angle sensor to return the operation member to a neutral position from a post-operation position which is a position to which the operation member has been moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Horii, Ryohei Masuda, Kunihiko Bito
  • Patent number: 12280819
    Abstract: According to the present embodiments, it is possible to separate the steering wheel from the driver's seat with a simple structure, thereby enhancing structural stability and rigidity, reducing the number of parts for changing the steering wheel structure, and minimizing the volume and mass of the steering device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: HL MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jeongrae Kim
  • Patent number: 12269307
    Abstract: A leaf spring device for a vehicle, comprising a leaf spring apparatus made of a fiber composite plastic, a first bearing point provided at a first end section of the leaf spring apparatus for supporting the leaf spring device on the vehicle, the first bearing point comprising exactly three rotational degrees of freedom, and a second bearing point provided at a second end section of the leaf spring apparatus facing away from the first end section for supporting the leaf spring device on the vehicle, the second bearing point comprising exactly one rotational degree of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Rheinmetall Invent GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Weissert, Ingo Goutier
  • Patent number: 12269410
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a backrest, a seat pan, and an airbag having two components placed on sides of the seat. Each component includes an airbag cushion and a strap sewn to the airbag cushion. The strap is fixed to an upper area of the backrest and an anti-submarining hump of the seat pan. The backrest includes a seat cushion and a rigid shell surrounding the seat cushion. Each strap passes between the seat cushion and the shell. The seat includes a seat belt provided with a retractor fixed to the backrest and placed inside a receiving portion delimited by a front casing located in a backrest upper area, the shell covers the front casing, thereby forming a space between them to pass the strap of one of the two components in the backrest upper area, and the shell delimiting the receiving portion to the rear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignees: RENAULT S.A.S, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: François Lesartre, Nicolas Renaud, Jean-Baptiste Roy, Philippe Souville
  • Patent number: 12263874
    Abstract: A motorized cart for transporting game animals includes a cart body. The cart body has a support assembly generally horizontal to support a game animal and a handle assembly extending upwardly at an angle from the support assembly. The motorized cart includes a restraining system to securely hold the game animal to the support assembly. The motorized cart further includes wheels disposed on the cart body and supporting the cart body above the ground, a motor connected to at least one of the wheels, and a battery connected to the motor to supply electrical energy to the motor. The motorized cart further includes a control switch attached to the handle assembly and electrically connected to the battery and the motor to control the flow of electrical energy from the battery to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Inventor: Daniel Ransom
  • Patent number: 12263803
    Abstract: A vehicle airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a cushion which includes a chamber inflated by gas and in which vent holes are formed in both side surfaces of the cushion, a vent tube which is disposed in the chamber, into which the gas is introduced, and which is connected to the pair of vent holes to connect the pair of vent holes to each other and guides the introduced gas toward the vent holes, and a tether which is disposed in the chamber and tightens and closes the vent tube as the cushion inflates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kwang Soo Cho
  • Patent number: 12257970
    Abstract: A vehicle interior panel for use over an airbag includes a hinge layer with a folded portion having nested folds. The folded portion interconnects a first portion embedded in an airbag door region of a panel substrate with a second portion embedded in the panel substrate outside the airbag door region. The nested folds are simpler and faster to form than other types of folds and contribute to improved airbag door kinematics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Carlos Gerardo Lopez Martinez
  • Patent number: 12252093
    Abstract: A webbing height adjusting device connected to a main webbing extending out from a webbing retractor of a seat belt system of a vehicle has a shock absorbing component and a webbing height adjusting unit. The shock absorbing component has a D-loop, a supplementary webbing, and an elastic element connected to the supplementary webbing for shock absorbing. The webbing height adjusting unit has an adjuster base, a slider, an elastic member, and an outer shell. The main webbing is mounted through the D-loop and the adjuster base; the supplementary webbing is mounted through the webbing height adjusting unit and clamped by the slider and the adjuster base pressed by the elastic member. The outer shell allows an operator to move the slider and the adjuster base relatively so as to unclamp the supplementary webbing and adjust the height of a top position formed by the webbing height adjusting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: HORNLING INDUSTRIAL INC.
    Inventors: Liang-Hsiung Wang, Chia-Chun Chu
  • Patent number: 12252090
    Abstract: An instrument panel for vehicles includes a substrate and a an airbag door assembly having one or more gaps forming openings. The substrate includes a breakaway web below the airbag door assembly. An upper skin extends over a portion of the substrate and the airbag door assembly. Foam is disposed between the substrate and the upper skin. An airbag module is positioned below the breakaway web. When deployed, the airbag causes the breakaway web and foam above the airbag door assembly to rupture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yoon Kim, Israel Martinez Martinez, Alejandro Nieto Gaspar, Francisco Ronquillo Melendez, Thomas Junior Luckett
  • Patent number: 12246781
    Abstract: An agricultural vehicle including a supporting structure and a coupling system connected to the supporting structure for the movable coupling of a vehicle cab to the supporting structure. The coupling system includes at least one spring-elastic bearing element. The vehicle cab releasably connects via at least one clamping element to the at least one spring-elastic bearing element. A clamping force direction of the clamping element runs transversely to a vehicle vertical axis in a transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Abhijit G. Hingne, Thiemo Flebbe
  • Patent number: 12246568
    Abstract: A method of controlling a hydraulic actuator of an active spring damper element in a vehicle for damping a relative movement between a vehicle structure and a wheel suspension. A hydraulic arrangement is provided for controlling the hydraulic actuator, which includes a hydraulic pump and at least one control valve. In a first method step, a relative movement between the vehicle structure and wheel suspension is detected. A force to be provided by the hydraulic actuator and a volume flow to be provided by the hydraulic pump are determined based on the detected relative movement. Then, a speed of the hydraulic pump is set to provide the volume flow required for the position of the force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Witte, Jochen Liebold
  • Patent number: 12240401
    Abstract: An impact protection device includes a cushion formed from a first material having a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) and a second material having a positive Poisson's ratio (PPR). The first material and the second material can be layered or can be formed as a matrix of cells. The impact protection device can be an airbag with the cushion coupled to an inflation source or an expulsion source for deploying the airbag in response to an impact. The impact protection device can also be an impact vest with the cushions positioned on the vest body for absorbing impact forces to the vest body. The combination of the NPR and PPR materials improve the impact absorption of the impact protection devices compared to conventional materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Inventor: Joon Bu Park
  • Patent number: 12233807
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seat assembly defining a seat-forward direction. The assembly includes a middle console adjacent the seat assembly. The assembly includes a first airbag inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position. The first airbag is supported by the seat assembly in the uninflated position and the inflated position. The assembly includes a second airbag inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position. The second airbag in the uninflated position and the inflated position is forward of the seat assembly in the seat-forward direction. The assembly includes an inflator supported by the middle console, the inflator operatively connected to the first airbag and the second airbag to provide inflation medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Patel, Zhibing Deng, Joseph E. Abramczyk