Patents Examined by Hau V Phan
  • Patent number: 11292332
    Abstract: An axle assembly for a low floor vehicle is described herein. The axle assembly includes an axle housing and a drive unit for driving a wheel assembly. The drive unit includes an axle shaft, a wheel end assembly, an electric machine, and a transmission unit. The axle shaft extends along an axle centerline axis between a first axle end and a second axle end. The wheel end assembly is coupled to the first axle end. The electric machine is positioned within the axle housing and includes a rotor shaft, a drive pinion coupled to the rotor shaft, and an electric motor for rotating the rotor shaft. The rotor shaft extends along a rotor shaft centerline axis that is orientated parallel to the axle centerline axis. The transmission unit is positioned within the axle housing and is configured to transfer torque from the electric machine to the axle shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: ALLISON TRANSMISSION, INC.
    Inventors: Shaun Mepham, Vikram Chopra, Christopher G. Baillie
  • Patent number: 11292347
    Abstract: An electric power distribution system includes a first path through which electric power is supplied to a main load; a second path through which electric power is supplied to the backup load; a third path that connects a second DC/DC converter and a first battery; a fourth path that connects the first battery and the first DC/DC converter in parallel to the main load; and a control unit that controls an output voltage of the second DC/DC converter according to an assumed output capacity derived from travel route information of a navigation system mounted on the vehicle. The assumed output capacity is a capacity that is able to supply electric power used for a driven load in the backup load, and is set to be lower than a threshold battery capacity that is lower than in a fully charged state of the second battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Sasahara
  • Patent number: 11292334
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a stacked reinforcement assembly for a grille of a motor vehicle. An example vehicle includes a fascia, an active grille shutter assembly including a housing, and a reinforcement assembly connected to the fascia and the housing. The reinforcement assembly includes a first bar at least partially nested within a second bar. An assembly and method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Michael Polito, Vince S. Carnes, Kevin Berington Johnson, Matthew Smith, Mohammed Shenaq
  • Patent number: 11292499
    Abstract: Maneuverable strollers are disclosed. An example stroller includes a frame that includes an upper frame support, an intermediate frame support, a lower frame support, and a handle coupled to the upper frame support. The example stroller also includes a front wheel coupled to the lower frame support, an intermediate wheel having an axis of rotation, and a rear wheel. The intermediate wheel is located between the front wheel and the rear wheel. The intermediate wheel and the rear wheel are coupled to upper frame support via the intermediate frame support. The example stroller also includes a pivot axis, where the intermediate frame support is coupled to the upper frame support about the pivot axis, and the pivot axis is offset above and forward to the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Kolcraft Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Rolicki, Liviu Iftinca, Wes Thomas, Ted Bretschger
  • Patent number: 11285795
    Abstract: A low-floor electric bus includes a plurality of battery packs mounted under the floor of such that the floor inside the bus between a front axle and a rear axle of the bus is substantially flat. Each battery pack may include an enclosure and multiple battery modules positioned within the enclosure. And, each battery module may include a plurality of battery cells electrically connected together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Dale Hill, Michael Walker, Shaun Onorato, Donald Morris, Stephen Misencik, John Winkel
  • Patent number: 11285800
    Abstract: An air flow regulation device for an air inlet of a front-end module for a motor vehicle includes a support frame with multiple blocking flaps mounted mobile on the support frame. At least one of the blocking flaps of the support frame includes a leading edge and a trailing edge, and one of the leading and trailing edges is arranged to come into abutment against the support frame. The support frame includes an obstacle configured to generate disturbances in the flow of the air between the support frame and the flap that comes into abutment against the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Frédéric Vacca, Simon Tierce, Karim Arab, Sophie Bede
  • Patent number: 11273714
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an autonomous mobile robot and a walking method thereof. The autonomous mobile robot includes a machine body, a driving wheel assembly and an obstacle crossing assembly. The driving wheel assembly is rotatably arranged on the machine body through a first rotating shaft. The driving wheel assembly includes a driving wheel. When the driving wheel moves from a first position to a second position relative to the machine body, the obstacle crossing assembly applies a force to the driving wheel assembly to make a change amplitude of positive pressure between the driving wheel and a traveling surface less than or equal to a set threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: ECOVACS ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenjie Cheng, Jie Hou
  • Patent number: 11267347
    Abstract: A power storage device includes a plurality of power storage units which are stacked and disposed in a predetermined direction, a plurality of terminal portions which are provided in the plurality of power storage units, and a plurality of conductive members which extend in the predetermined direction along the plurality of power storage units and are connected to the plurality of terminal portions. Each of the plurality of conductive members includes a connection portion attached to the terminal portion, a main body portion provided integrally with the connection portion, and an electrically insulating coating covering a surface of the main body portion. In each of the plurality of conductive members, a length of the connection portion in the predetermined direction is formed to change with a trend of increasing as a length of the main body portion in the predetermined direction increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11267376
    Abstract: A car seat carrier can include a carrier body sized and shaped to receive a complementary sized and shaped car seat. Moreover, the car seat carrier can include at least one rear wheel assembly attached to the carrier body and the at least one rear wheel assembly can include a fixed wheel. The car seat carrier can also include at least one front wheel assembly attached to the carrier body and the at least one front wheel assembly includes a swiveled wheel. Further, the car seat carrier can include at least one handle extending from the carrier body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ILLA DESIGNS, LLC
    Inventors: Nicole Lorraine Churilla, John Eric Churilla
  • Patent number: 11267379
    Abstract: A stroller having a frame, a seat on the frame for receiving a child and a heating/cooling system operably coupled to the seat. The heating/cooling system includes a single heating and cooling element proximate the seat. A reversible compressor is operably coupled to the single heating and cooling element. A first coil operably coupled to the compressor. A reversible expansion valve is operably coupled to the first coil. The reversible expansion valve is operably coupled to the single heating and cooling element. A refrigerant circulates through the single heating and cooling element, reversible compressor, first coil and reversible expansion valve. The heating/cooling system provides a first operating configuration for cooling the seat by having the refrigerant within the single heating and cooling element absorb heat, and a second operating configuration for heating the seat by having the refrigerant within the single heating and cooling element dissipate heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Inventor: Manuel Abreu
  • Patent number: 11267522
    Abstract: A vehicle corner module (VCM) is provided for regulating motion of a host vehicle which comprises a vehicle-onboard vehicle-controller. The VCM comprises a sub-frame mountable to a reference frame of the host vehicle; a wheel-hub assembly comprising a wheel-hub; VCM-sub-systems mediating between the sub-frame and the wheel-hub assembly, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: REE AUTOMOTIVE LTD.
    Inventors: Ahishay Sardes, Tomer Segev, Ran Dekel, Shmuel Chioclea, Neta Doron
  • Patent number: 11258128
    Abstract: This disclosure details reinforcement assemblies and associated methods for reinforcing a battery pack of an electrified vehicle. An exemplary battery pack may include a battery internal component (e.g., a battery array), an enclosure assembly for housing the battery internal component, and a reinforcement assembly secured to the enclosure assembly. The reinforcement assembly may include a beam and a bracket secured to the beam. The reinforcement assembly may be positioned at expected high impact load locations of the enclosure assembly and is configured for absorbing and transferring energy during vehicle impact loading events, thereby minimizing transfer of the impact loads inside the battery pack where relatively sensitive battery internal components are housed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Shamsuddin A. Syed, Ihab Grace, Mumtaz Hussain, David J. Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 11247553
    Abstract: A device for closing a motor vehicle front end air intake is disclosed. The device has a support frame in which at least one set of pivoting slats is installed. At least one control element that controls the positioning of the slats includes an actuator having fixing holes, a housing that receives the actuator, and a cap that comes to cover the housing. The cooperation between the cap and the housing being effected by clipping. The housing includes positioning elements to be inserted into the fixing holes, and the cap includes at least one specific shape that keeps the actuator fixed relative to the positioning elements when clipping the cap onto the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Sylvain Gerber, Enzo Mitidieri
  • Patent number: 11230177
    Abstract: A battery system of a vehicle is provided and includes a battery module assembly (BMA) formed by overlapping a plurality of battery modules along a first direction, a cooling fan installed to be aligned along the first direction on one side of the BMA and configured to discharge air cooling the BMA while passing therethrough, a low voltage battery installed to be aligned along the first direction on the other side of the BMA, a power relay assembly (PRA) aligned along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and installed adjacent to the low voltage battery, and a battery management system (BMS) aligned along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction and installed adjacent to the low voltage battery and the PRA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Byung Su Kim, Jun Seok Choi, Jin Won Kim
  • Patent number: 11230161
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus are provided for optimizing control of the rotational speed of a fan in a vehicle so as to reduce the aerodynamic drag of a vehicle in a given operating parameter, and accordingly, to improve fuel efficiency of operation of the vehicle. Certain exemplary embodiments include determining an optimized speed of rotation of a cooling fan of the vehicle for reducing overall fuel demand in given operating conditions, and controlling rotation speed of the fan at the optimized speed in order to minimize fueling demand of a prime mover of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Rohit Saha, Long K. Hwang
  • Patent number: 11228070
    Abstract: This disclosure details exemplary electrical architectural layouts for distributing high voltage power within electrified vehicles. An exemplary battery pack associated with an electrical architectural layout of an electrified vehicle may include an enclosure assembly that houses one or more battery arrays. The battery arrays may be efficiently arranged relative to one another inside the enclosure assembly to establish an open channel within the enclosure assembly. A high voltage wiring harness may be routed through an interior of the battery pack within the open channel. The exemplary electrical architectural layouts of this disclosure may be employed within all-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or front-wheel drive electrified vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brad Warren Probert, Luis Javier Sanchez
  • Patent number: 11225135
    Abstract: A flap position sensing device of an active air flap system, and a method of manufacturing the same are described. The flap position sensing device includes a rotating body, a sensor casing, a first hall sensor and a second hall sensor, and a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet. The rotating body is formed of a resin material, and rotates the flap by receiving torque while the rotating body is coaxially fixed to a rotation shaft of the flap. The sensor casing is formed of a resin material, and is fixed to the housing to rotatably support the rotating body. The first hall sensor and the second hall sensor are integrally formed with the sensor casing by injection molding, and are disposed corresponding to an open position and a closed position, respectively, of the flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: TSMOST CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Choon Sik Kim, Sung Jun Kim, Hee Sung Lee
  • Patent number: 11220169
    Abstract: An electric or hybrid sport car comprising a battery pack incorporating at least one structural element of the vehicle frame, and wherein said structural element can be removed from the vehicle frame only together with the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Fabrizio Favaretto
  • Patent number: 11214136
    Abstract: A cradle assembly for housing and supporting a motor and a gearbox of an electric axle assembly. The cradle assembly has generally an “open air” design which provides a space for a motor and/or gearbox to be positioned within a pre-assembled cradle assembly and allows for easy access to the motor and gearbox for maintenance. The cradle assembly includes two end caps, a plurality of tube portions connecting the end caps and a plurality of motor mounts for supporting the motor and gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: David A. Brock, Jeremy M. Frenznick, Brian A. Mattila, Scott L. Steward, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11207587
    Abstract: An upper through hole is formed in a support base, a lower end of the upper through hole being opened in an upper-side sliding contact surface of the support base, the upper through hole being configured to receive insertion of an upper portion of a pivot shaft; a lower through hole is formed in a rockable section, the lower through hole and the upper through hole being provided on the same axis, an upper end of the lower through hole being opened in contact with the upper-side sliding contact surface, the lower through hole being configured to receive insertion of a lower portion of the pivot shaft; an enlarged diameter hole section is provided in the lower through hole, the enlarged diameter hole section being configured to accommodate a needle bearing having a cylindrical shape, the needle bearing being fit to an outer side of at least a lower shaft portion of the pivot shaft; and the needle bearing having the cylindrical shape bears the lower shaft portion of the pivot shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: SURPATH TRADING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Yamada