Patents Examined by Glenn Dayoan
  • Patent number: 11884396
    Abstract: An apparatus for rigging and derigging lashings of an airdrop platform with one action includes a rapid release interface assembly. A loop member replaces the D-ring at the one end of a lashing. The rapid release interface system is installed in the space between the platform side rail and panel end members. Pins will slide through the lashing loop members to secure the end of the lashing to the rapid release interface system. With all of the pins on a common drive, the pins are all opened and closed together, or at the same time. In this manner, the one end of the lashing can be secured or released with one action making it faster and easier to derig a payload from an airdrop platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: U.S. Government as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Todd M Grenga
  • Patent number: 11673505
    Abstract: A cargo restraint assembly may comprise a first bracket slidingly coupled to a housing. A retention block may be pivotably coupled to the first bracket. A second bracket may be slidingly coupled to the housing. The first bracket may be coupled to the second bracket via a spring. The first bracket and the second bracket may be configured to attenuate in response to a cargo deck bending during transportation of cargo in an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventor: Nicholas T. Axline
  • Patent number: 11660652
    Abstract: A multi-tubular beam for a vehicle, such as a vehicle structure or a bumper reinforcement, includes an elongated beam formed with a metal sheet. The metal sheet has a central section and outer sections extending along a length of the metal sheet. The outer sections are disposed in opposing directions from the outer edges of the central section to provide adjacent first and second tubular portions. The central section forms a common center wall between the adjacent first and second tubular portions. A first edge portion of the metal sheet is disposed along and in parallel alignment with the center wall. The first edge portion is attached to the center wall at a first weld joint to form the first tubular portion. The first weld joint includes a weld material that extends through a thickness of the center wall and into a thickness of the first edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Baas, Joseph R. Matecki, Shawn R. Jasman
  • Patent number: 11654831
    Abstract: A console assembly for a vehicle includes a unitary main body. The unitary main body includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and a top finish portion that extends between the first and second side walls. The top finish portion defines at least one of a shifter receiving aperture and a cup holder opening. A cross bracket is coupled to the first and second side walls and extends between the first and second side walls of the unitary main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuti Sinha, Mohamed A. Elmadari, Chad M. Bross, Patrick T. Beaudoin, Martin J. Drumb
  • Patent number: 11654756
    Abstract: An articulating slanted back soft top assembly for 4-door and 2-door SUVs. A fabric cover is supported by a frame that is at least partially articulatable from at least a closed position to at least one open air position. The frame includes at least one forward fabric support bow member and at least one rearward fabric support bow member. The rear fabric support bow member being positioned when in the closed position in a manner which allows the fabric to clear a sport bar or “roll bar” member of a vehicle in the closed position such that a rear portion of the top is angled from the vertical when viewing the vehicle from the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Bestop, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Haberkamp, Eric D. Getzschman, Jose N. Vigil, Andy Waite, Rick H. Troeger, Blake A. Jensen, James A. Robertson, Ronald Manzanares, George C. Stickles
  • Patent number: 11648831
    Abstract: A modular, multi-component hard top assembly for a vehicle having an interior with front passenger seating, rear passenger seating, and a rear cargo area is provided. In one example implementation, the hard top assembly includes a base frame configured to removably couple to a body of the vehicle, and a plurality of removable roof panels selectively coupleable to the base frame to create a substantially contiguous roof over the vehicle interior. Each removable roof panel of the plurality of removable roof panels is separately removable from the base frame to provide an open air configuration at that specific location of the hard top assembly while enabling a user to detach, remove, and transport a smaller portion of the hard top assembly without assistance or specialized equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Michael S Boyle, Mikil L Sockow, David C Fischer, Richard T Stuedemann
  • Patent number: 11648830
    Abstract: A soft top assembly which includes lift assist and improved fabric management. The assembly includes front side rails pivotally connected to rear side rails. A plurality of fabric control bows with control linkages provide fabric control to the top material during pivoting of the front side rails. A first and second gas strut are attached to the rear side rails to assist lifting and controlled motion as the top is moved between a closed position and open sunroof position, as one strut is fully loaded and compressed while the other strut is fully loaded and open, for lift assist and dampening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Bestop, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Lewis, Tavis Lutzka, William H. Haberkamp, Eric D. Getzschman, Jose N. Vigil, Andy Waite
  • Patent number: 11648993
    Abstract: Various disclosed embodiments include illustrative telescoping tailgate systems for an automotive vehicle and illustrative automotive vehicles with a telescoping tailgate system for carrying cargo or passengers. In an illustrative embodiment, a telescoping tailgate system for an automotive vehicle includes: a primary tailgate configured to be movably attached to a body of an automotive vehicle, the primary tailgate defining an opening therethrough; a secondary tailgate movably attached to the primary tailgate; and a telescoping mechanism configured to move the secondary tailgate between a retracted position and an extended position, the secondary tailgate being configured to close the opening in the primary tailgate when the secondary tailgate is in an extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Gase, Patrick Hunt, Kyle Mulligan, Larry Parker
  • Patent number: 11642998
    Abstract: A dump trailer and system for a semi-trailer truck are disclosed. The dump trailer and system includes a tub, a coupling plate configured to engage the dump trailer to the tractor, a first hydraulic cylinder hinge, a second hydraulic cylinder, and a draft arm attached to the coupling plate and the tub that cooperate to improve manufacturing economics and/or dumping of a load carried by the dump trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: VERADYN LLC
    Inventor: Dustin R. Randle
  • Patent number: 11642948
    Abstract: A tonneau cover apparatus for removable attachment to a cargo box of a pickup truck including a support frame assembly and a cover assembly. The cover assembly includes a plurality of pivotally interconnected rigid panels that can be folded up and secured to the cargo box such that respective upper surfaces of at least two of the plurality of rigid panels reside in an upright folded orientation. The tonneau cover apparatus further includes a mechanism for securing the at least two of the plurality of rigid panels in the upright folded orientation. A method of removably securing the tonneau cover apparatus to the pickup truck is also described, as is an alternate embodiment of the tonneau cover apparatus, wherein the cover assembly includes first and second pivotally interconnected rigid panels and a pair of hinge support mechanisms that generally restrict the way the second rigid panel pivots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Agri-Cover, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M. Schmeichel, Brendan T. Bohn, Mark E. Beam, John W. Simon
  • Patent number: 11643019
    Abstract: A multi-position device holder is provided for holding one or more mobile devices in a vehicle interior in a center console/console assembly. The multi-position device holder may accommodate one or more mobile devices used/placed on the multi-position device holder in various orientations. A platform of the multi-position device holder provides multiple angular orientations of one or more mobile devices, to accommodate different charging mechanisms (wireless and corded), as well as provide increased stability/retention of one or more mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Que-Whang Rhee
  • Patent number: 11639197
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a rail assembly that includes an outer rail and an inner rail opposite to the outer rail. The rail assembly also includes a cavity formed between the outer rail and the inner rail. The rail assembly further includes a first corner reinforcement coupled to the outer rail and the inner rail in such a way that at least a portion of the first corner reinforcement is located in the cavity. The rail assembly also includes a second corner reinforcement coupled to the outer rail and the inner rail in such a way that at least a portion of the first corner reinforcement is located in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen William Gallagher, Vladimir Vladimirovich Bogachuk, Musheeruddin Syed
  • Patent number: 11634014
    Abstract: A retractable truck bed cover having an array of parallel aluminum slats joined together by connective hinges including leading and trailing edge configuration for improving the security of the cover by covering and concealing the seam between adjacent slats while improving the connective hinge's resistance to the effects of aging and/or exposure to temperature fluctuations. The truck bed cover connective hinge slat is designed to be in an array of discrete slats, which are joined to one another by means of joiner members secured at each end to slat end caps. The distal ends of the joiner members are attached to slat end caps at the distal ends of the slats, thereby preventing the joiner members from shrinking in relationship to the slats due to aging and I or exposure to temperature fluctuations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: ROLL-N-LOCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Gregory Bernardo, Brandon Gregory Bernardo
  • Patent number: 11634011
    Abstract: A road vehicle with a vehicle frame and a rear axle connected to the vehicle frame is provided with an ambient air purification device with filter elements for removing dust, particulate matter, and gases from ambient air. The ambient air purification device is arranged transverse to a longitudinal vehicle axis in an exterior region of the road vehicle at a vehicle rear of the road vehicle in an underfloor region such that at least the filter elements are arranged behind the rear axle of the road vehicle in a travel direction of the road vehicle. The ambient air purification device is received in an installation space of the vehicle frame. The ambient air purification device is flowed through in longitudinal vehicle direction. A free outflow zone of the ambient air purification device is arranged, in travel direction of the road vehicle, behind the ambient air purification device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Inventors: Florian Keller, Andreas Pelz, Gunnar-Marcel Klein, Thomas Loehl, Thilo Mueller, Christoph Schulz, Jens Gusek
  • Patent number: 11634016
    Abstract: A roofing system for a Jeep type multiple row seating Jeep type SUV having a parallel separated longitudinal support beam structure extending roll cage with rear ends of the longitudinal support beams inclined to a belt line of the vehicle, the system including a rear rigid portion extending transverse of the vehicle, a cloth portion forward of the rigid portion covering at least a front seating row of the vehicle being openable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: BESTOP, INC
    Inventors: John Larson, David A. Smith, Eric D. Getzschman, Tommy L. Knight
  • Patent number: 11634183
    Abstract: A hood of a tractor including a front grill, a light unit, and an upper cover is provided with a center pillar. The front grill is attached to the center pillar, the light unit is attached to the front grill, and the upper cover is supported by the center pillar. The hood is further provided with a side frame and a lower cover, where the side frame is attached to the center pillar, and the lower cover is attached to at least the upper cover and the side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 11628891
    Abstract: An automobile panel that are formed using at least partially using a pultrusion forming process. Examples of automobile panels formed using pultrusion include, but are not limited to tail gates, roofs, hatches, doors, hoods, bed liners, floor liners, bed steps, running boards, bumper covers etc. The automobile panel includes a pultruded core panel formed of a polymer resin material having continuous fibers extending across a length of the pultruded core panel, wherein the pultruded core panel has a plurality of channels extending across a surface of the pultruded core panel, wherein the channels have openings at opposing ends of the surface. Also included is an interior finish panel connected to a first side of the pultruded core panel and an exterior finished panel connected to a second side the pultruded core panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: MAGNA EXTERIORS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark P. Birka, Peter G. DeMarois
  • Patent number: 11628883
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle frame, a vehicle bumper and a load transfer assembly. The vehicle bumper is coupled to a front end of the vehicle frame and includes a center beam and a bumper beam extension that extends laterally from an end of the center beam. The load transfer assembly includes first and second pivot pins and a load beam. The first pivot pin is fixed to the bumper beam extension and the second pivot pin is fixed to the vehicle frame. The load beam has a first end pivotably coupled to the first pivot pin and a second end pivotably coupled to the second pivot pin. The load beam is configured to load the vehicle frame in a lateral direction upon a vehicle impact event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Lakshmi P Bhatta, Zheng Qin, Hassan H El-Hor
  • Patent number: 11628782
    Abstract: A sash cover assembly for a vehicle includes a sash cover and a spacer cap. The sash cover includes a projection configured to be received by a sash of the vehicle. The spacer cap is connected to and surrounds the projection. The spacer cap is configured to prevent contact between the projection and the sash when the sash cover is connected to the sash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Marlo Martino, James Haupt
  • Patent number: 11623595
    Abstract: A vehicle cushioning member includes first and second bending portions including first and second convex-bending portions, and first and second concave-bending portions. The first and second convex-bending portions and the first and second concave-bending portions are formed perimetrically while switched from each other between the adjacent side walls. When a length from a top surface of the top plate to a flange portion is 100%, a length from the top surface to the first bending portion is 24% or more and 47% or less, a length from the first bending portion to the second bending portion is 34% or more and 49% or less, and a length from the second bending portion to a top-plate-side surface of the flange portion is 13% or more and 33% or less, concerning a height direction along the axis of a substantially polygonal tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: KASAI KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinsuke Miotani