Patents Examined by Faye M. Fleming
  • Patent number: 12043194
    Abstract: A system includes a body structure that defines a enclosure, a support system that is located in the enclosure, and a support structure that includes a top portion and an adjustable support assembly. The top portion is located adjacent to the support system, the adjustable support assembly includes actuators, and the adjustable support assembly is configured to move the top portion with respect to the support system. The system also includes sensors that are configured to generate sensor outputs regarding an environment outside of the system, and a controller that detects an event based on the sensor outputs. In response to the detection of the event, the controller outputs a control signal that controls the adjustable support assembly so that the adjustable support assembly moves at least part of the top portion away from the support system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Arturo Llamazares Domper, Nicholas A. White, Alexander M. Zoellner
  • Patent number: 12042442
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a first post and a second post spaced cross-vehicle from the first post. The vehicle includes a vehicle roof above the first post and the second post. The vehicle includes a first track supported by the vehicle roof, a second track supported by the first post, and a third track supported by the second post. The vehicle includes a seatbelt assembly including a retractor slidably engaged with the first track, an anchor slidably engaged with the second track, and a buckle slidably engaged with the third track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque
  • Patent number: 12043077
    Abstract: A levelling valve assembly for an air suspension system of a heavy vehicle is provided, including an air valve configured to allow air to either enter or escape from an air spring based on a position of a control arm of the air valve, and including a linkage rod assembly configured to translate movement between a sprung and unsprung mass of the vehicle into a rotation of the control arm to regulate a ride height of the vehicle. The linkage rod assembly further includes a spring and damper arrangement configured to dampen or block movement of the control arm not caused by a change in a mass loading of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chidambaram Subramanian, Jared Landau
  • Patent number: 12043311
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a camber adjustment assembly, comprising: first and second end plates coupled to a substantially planar center portion, wherein the first and second end plates comprise a generally triangular configuration; a chassis element coupled to a trailing arm and the camber adjustment assembly, and wherein a force may be applied to the camber adjustment assembly so as to desirably induce a positive or negative camber condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Inventors: Robby Gordon, Mike Niemiec
  • Patent number: 12043313
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame and a body. The body defines a passenger cabin and has a front bulkhead. The vehicle includes a crossmember supported by the frame and elongated along a vehicle-lateral axis. The crossmember is movable forward from a stowed position at the bulkhead along a vehicle-longitudinal axis away from the front bulkhead to a deployed position. The vehicle includes a pyrotechnic actuator configured to move the crossmember from the stowed position to the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 12043195
    Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag that is supplied with gas generated by an inflator during a vehicle collision, and that inflates and deploys from a rear side of a vehicle seat toward a front side via an upper side. In an inflated and deployed state, the airbag includes a pair of front-rear chambers extending in a seat front-rear direction via left and right sides of a head of a passenger, an airbag body that is communicated with the pair of front-rear chambers and that is disposed at a front side of the passenger between the pair of front-rear chambers, and an auxiliary chamber into which gas inside the airbag body flows indirectly at least during restraint of the passenger by the airbag body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Ohno, Takeshi Yamamoto, Toshiki Iwama, Yoshito Kusuhara, Tsutomu Ishii
  • Patent number: 12036903
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seat bottom, a scissor mechanism, and a pyrotechnic actuator. The seat bottom includes a rear seat cushion and a front seat cushion in a seat-forward direction from the rear seat cushion. The rear seat cushion is movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the front seat cushion. The scissor mechanism is coupled to the rear seat cushion and movable between an extended position and a compressed position. The scissor mechanism in the extended position holds the rear seat cushion at the raised position. The scissor mechanism in the compressed position holds the rear seat cushion at the lowered position. The pyrotechnic actuator is connected to the rear seat cushion and dischargeable to move the rear seat cushion from the raised position to the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Srinivas Reddy Malapati, Mangesh Kadam, Yuqin Zhao
  • Patent number: 12030454
    Abstract: An airbag device includes a driver airbag cushion and a curtain airbag cushion. The curtain airbag cushion includes a first seam portion formed so as to extend vertically within a range in which the driver airbag cushion is projected outward in the vehicle width direction, a first chamber expanding so as to be thicker in the vehicle width direction than the first seam portion on the front side of the first seam portion, and a second chamber expanding so as to be thicker in the vehicle width direction than the first seam portion on the rear side of the first seam portion. The driver airbag cushion is expanded and deployed in a state separated from the first chamber while being in contact with a curved portion of the second chamber that is curved toward the first seam portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventor: Atsushi Nakashima
  • Patent number: 12024112
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seat bottom, a rear bladder, a front bladder, and a check valve. The seat bottom includes a rear seat cushion and a front seat cushion in a seat-forward direction from the rear seat cushion. At least one of the rear seat cushion or the front seat cushion is vertically movable relative to the other one of the rear seat cushion or the front seat cushion. The rear bladder supports the rear seat cushion. The front bladder supports the front seat cushion. The check valve fluidly connects the front bladder and the rear bladder. The check valve is oriented to permit fluid to pass from the rear bladder to the front bladder and block fluid from passing from the front bladder to the rear bladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mangesh Kadam, Srinivas Reddy Malapati, Yuqin Zhao
  • Patent number: 12024117
    Abstract: Provided is a belt assist device having a compact configuration and being configured to move a seatbelt to an easily reachable position. A vehicle seat includes a belt assist device attached to a lateral portion of a seat back and configured to move a portion of a seatbelt placed on the lateral portion to the easily reachable position. The belt assist device includes a rotary member attached to a recessed housing portion of the lateral portion via a rotary shaft and configured to rotate up and down between a housing position at which the rotary member is housed in the seat back and a protruding position at which the rotary member rotates to protrude forward of the seat back to push out a portion of the seatbelt. The rotary member is disposed forward of a belt guide provided at the periphery of an upper end of the seat back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamabe, Noriyuki Yamato, Haruki Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 12017600
    Abstract: An airbag having a first cushion for protecting the side of the head of an occupant and a second cushion connected to the lower side thereof, the airbag device includes: an airbag for protecting the occupant seated in the seat of a vehicle, and an inflator that injects gas supplied to the airbag, the airbag in the expansion completed state where expansion and deployment are complete includes: the first cushion that covers at least the side of the head of the occupant, and a second cushion connected to the rear section of the first cushion at a height near the shoulder of the occupant which extends downward from this connecting point, and in the expansion completed state, the notched section is formed extending from the front towards the rear in between the first cushion and the second cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Yoshiki Ito, Yutaka Nakajima
  • Patent number: 12017602
    Abstract: An in-seat airbag device having an airbag main body including: an outer side airbag portion having a front-rear chamber that expands past one side of a head of a passenger toward a seat front side, a left-right chamber that expands from a seat front side end portion of the front-rear chamber toward a seat width direction inner side and is disposed at a seat front side of a face of the passenger, a distal end chamber that expands from a seat width direction inner side end portion of the left-right chamber toward a seat rear side and is disposed at another side of the head of the passenger, and a tether that joins the front-rear chamber and the distal end chamber; and an inner side airbag portion that expands and is disposed between the front-rear chamber, the left-right chamber and the distal end chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Ohno, Toshiki Iwama, Takeshi Yamamoto, Masashi Hotta, Yoshito Kusuhara
  • Patent number: 12013000
    Abstract: A vehicle steering system and a vehicle are provided. The vehicle steering system includes a steering shaft and a steering transmission shaft. The steering shaft or the steering transmission shaft includes a first shaft section and a second shaft section. A clutch mechanism is arranged between the first shaft section and the second shaft section. In an engaging state, a transmission connection is established between the first shaft section and the second shaft section, and in this case, a controller determines that the vehicle enters a driving mode. In a disengaging state, the transmission connection between the first shaft section and the second shaft section is disconnected, and in this case, the controller determines that the vehicle enters a game mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Peng Zhang
  • Patent number: 12010936
    Abstract: A tractor includes a link mechanism and a power extractor. The link mechanism includes a top link, a right lower link, and a left lower link. A work apparatus is connectable to the link mechanism to move the work apparatus upward and downward. The power extractor is connectable to a power input of the work apparatus to take power from a power source and supply the power to the work apparatus. The power extractor is located at a position lower than a lowest position of the right lower link and a lowest position of the left lower link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kumiko Kobayashi, Kenzo Ushiro, Sadao Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 12005778
    Abstract: A work machine includes an engine, a hydraulic pump, a work apparatus driver to receive a pressurized fluid, a hydraulic circuit connecting the hydraulic pump with the work apparatus driver, a control valve in the hydraulic circuit, a relief valve connected to a first portion upstream of the control valve, a drain path connected to a second portion upstream of the first portion, an on-off valve to open and close the drain path, and a controller to control the on-off valve based on a state of the engine. The controller is configured or programmed to keep the on-off valve open after detecting an operation to start the engine until detecting a start of the engine and to close the on-off valve in response to detecting the start of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoya Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11999313
    Abstract: A vehicle side structure includes a window, which has a window opening defined in a side wall of a vehicle and a window glass for covering the window opening, a curtain air bag device attached to a position above the window, and a bar-shaped member configured to partition the window opening into upper and lower sections when viewed along a lateral direction of the vehicle. In the vehicle side structure, the bar-shaped member is placed inside the window opening or at a position located, in a vehicle width direction, on an inner side of the window opening and also on an outer side of a fully inflated curtain air bag, and at least a part of the fully inflated curtain air bag expands to a region below the bar-shaped member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Patent number: 11999275
    Abstract: Provided is a conveyance seat equipped with a side airbag device with which an airbag can be inflation-deployed in a more stable state. The conveyance seat includes a seat back and a side airbag device attached to a side portion of the seat back. The seat back includes a back frame having a side frame and a side support member attached to the front part of the side frame and protruding to the seat front side beyond the side frame. The side airbag device has a first airbag inflated on the outside surface side of the side frame and a second airbag inflated on the inside surface side of the side frame. The second airbag passes through a gap formed between the side frame and the side support member in the seat front to back direction and is inflated on the inside surface side of side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinichi Tanabe, Tatsuki Nonaka, Atsushi Yamabe
  • Patent number: 11993124
    Abstract: A utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground-engaging members, a frame assembly, a cab frame assembly, a front suspension assembly, a rear suspension assembly, a power steering assembly, and a powertrain assembly, all of which may be configured to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron D. Deckard, Adam J. Schlangen, Dennis J. Lutz, Alex R. Scheuerell, Aaron J. Nysse
  • Patent number: 11993116
    Abstract: An air-suspension module for a rigid axle including an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which engages with a coupling recess formed at the respectively other component along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path; one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a latching recess such that the latchin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Jost-Werke Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Ens, Christof Germershausen, Tobias Neutze
  • Patent number: 11993338
    Abstract: A vehicle (300), comprising: a frame (310) comprising a head tube (314) and a rear driven axle support (312); a motion control system; and a payload support (320) movably connected to the frame (310) via the motion control system such that the payload support (320) moves non-linearly relative to the frame (310), wherein the payload support (320) comprises a seat support, and in a first operating state of the vehicle (300), the motion control system, in response to a driven acceleration of the frame (310) in a forward direction, imparts a force onto the payload support (320) that accelerates the seat support (320) in the forward direction at an acceleration no less than an acceleration of the rear driven axle support (312) in the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Inventor: Darrell W. Voss