Patents Examined by Hilary L Johns
  • Patent number: 10814914
    Abstract: A chassis frame including a top plate, a bottom plate spaced apart from the top plate, a plurality of side plates extending from the top plate to the bottom plate, a plurality of mounting tabs extending from at least one of the top plate and the bottom plate and being integrally formed therewith, and a plurality of mounting brackets permanently coupled to at least one of the top plate and the plurality of side plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Blaine A. Schwalbe, Brian J. Pilney, Steven N. Winkel
  • Patent number: 10807632
    Abstract: An adjustable steering column (5) that is designed to absorb energy by collapsing is described. The steering column (5) has a jacket body (10) secured to the vehicle and a steering shaft assembly (17) adjustably and slidably positioned in the jacket body (10). An energy absorbing strap (23) has a second end (26) secured to the jacket body (10) and a first end (25) releasably secured to the steering shaft assembly (17). The energy absorbing strap (23) being disposed to deform to absorb energy when the steering shaft assembly (17) is displaced with respect to the jacket body (10). The energy absorbing strap (23) is deformed at a second predetermined energy absorbing rate. A spring plate (41) has its first end (43) secured to the jacket body (10) and a second end (45) releasably engaging the energy absorbing strap (23). At least one elongated slot (47) is positioned adjacent the first end (43) of the spring plate (41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering LLC
    Inventors: Olivier Perichon, Ricky Mains, William F. Scroggin
  • Patent number: 10787144
    Abstract: A headliner bar assembly for securing a compliant airbag within a vehicle, the assembly including a front mounting plate, including a first front end and a first rear end, a rear mounting plate, including a second front end arranged adjacent to the first rear end, and a second rear end, a mounting bracket arranged adjacent to the first front end, wherein the compliant airbag is secured to at least the front mounting plate and the rear mounting plate, and a panel operatively arranged to cover at least the compliant airbag, the front mounting plate, and the rear mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Fenton Mobility Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Ivan Fenton, Damon Lee Brown, Gerald James Hildom
  • Patent number: 10780911
    Abstract: A steering column includes a jacket tube with a clamping section with a slot extending longitudinally. A clamping collar has transversely opposed legs are interconnected via an arcuate section between which the clamping section of the jacket tube is at least partially accommodated. An actuating unit is arranged in the jacket tube, with a steering spindle rotatably mounted therein around the longitudinal axis. A clamp fixes the actuating unit longitudinally relative to the jacket tube and in a release position unclamps the clamping collar and frees the actuating unit longitudinally and presses the legs toward each other transversely to the longitudinal axis in the fixing position. Driver elements are arranged on the jacket tube in opposite edge regions of the slot, and the legs include contact elements which in the fixing position can be pressed against the outer sides of the driver elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP PRESTA AG, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Huber, Francisco Sinis Jáuregui
  • Patent number: 10772776
    Abstract: An embodiment can include a suspension system for a powered wheelchair, the suspension system comprising an arm and an air suspension subsystem. The air suspension subsystem in this embodiment can comprise a coil spring and an air bag surrounded by the coil spring. The arm in this embodiment can be configured to (a) couple a drive axle to a frame of the powered wheelchair and (b) move the drive axle relative to the frame. In this embodiment, a first end of the drive axle can be coupled to a wheel of the powered wheelchair, while the frame is closer to a second end of the drive axle than the first end, and the first end of the drive axle is opposite the second end of the drive axle. A first end of the air suspension subsystem in this embodiment can be coupled to the frame when a second end of the air suspension subsystem is coupled to the arm and the second end of the air suspension subsystem is opposite the first end of the air suspension subsystem. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: EARTHWATCH, LLC
    Inventor: James M. Allen
  • Patent number: 10766447
    Abstract: An airbag system for a vehicle table is provided. The system includes a table disposed in front of a passenger and an airbag cushion that is provided inside the table. The airbag cushion expands while being deployed in a state in which a first end portion of the airbag cushion is fixed to an internal portion of an edge of the table to allow a second end portion to protrude above the table and to cover an upper surface of the table. The airbag cushion also includes a bottom surface portion that faces the table, which is positioned at an interval from the upper surface of the table while the airbag cushion is deployed. An inflator supplies gas to the airbag cushion to deploy the airbag cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Yu Mi Jung
  • Patent number: 10766332
    Abstract: The invention relates to structural components of vehicles, and more particularly to the suspension of both conventional and special vehicles, such as ambulances, baby carriages and wheelchairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Inventors: Georgiy Volodymyrovych Beylin, Sergiy Yuriiovich Petrenko
  • Patent number: 10759376
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a seat having a seat bottom and defining a seat-forward direction. The vehicle includes an interior component. The vehicle includes an airbag supported by the interior component and inflatable to an inflated position having a main body elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis and an extension extending from the main body transverse to the vehicle-longitudinal axis in front of the seat bottom relative to the seat-forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Pardeep Kumar Jindal, Rahul Makwana, Dinkar Sadashiv Karanth
  • Patent number: 10759370
    Abstract: An instrument panel assembly includes a support beam and an exterior panel. The instrument panel assembly includes an energy absorbing device between the support beam and the exterior panel and having a variable crush resistance based on a temperature of the energy absorbing device. The instrument panel assembly includes a heater operatively coupled to the energy absorbing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yali Li, Mohammad Omar Faruque, James Chih Cheng, Saeed David Barbat, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 10745915
    Abstract: A truss structure is suitable for supporting lighting fixtures is provided which employs wheeled leg carriages to support such trusses during transport. Each leg carriage has two legs, one extending vertically from each end of an elongated crossmember. A caster is attached proximate to the bottom of each leg. The top of each leg can be inserted in a tube fixed in a corner of the truss, elevating the truss so as to produce a volume below the truss structure into which lighting fixtures and other loads can safely project during transport. The ground clearance produced is determined by the amount that the leg is inserted in the tube and an improvement allows the retention of a mechanical stop in the tube that determines the amount of insertion allowed. Stiffeners used to brace two leg carriages, one to the other, are provided with features that allow their use in forming a cart for storing leg carriages not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Inventor: Michael Callahan
  • Patent number: 10737607
    Abstract: A mobile cart includes a frame; a front pair of wheels and a rear pair of wheels. At least one carrier is movably attached to the frame and configured to receive a drum thereon. The carrier is movable between a transport position, wherein the carrier is supported upon the frame, and a loading position, wherein the carrier is oriented generally upright. A corresponding at least one motorized drive member is attached to the frame and to the carrier, the motorized drive member being configured, when actuated, to move the corresponding carrier between the transport position and the loading position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Inventor: Richard I. Moore
  • Patent number: 10738878
    Abstract: A lubricating system of a vehicle transmission device includes a third oil storage part that is provided above a first oil storage part and a second oil storage part in a vehicle height direction. The third oil storage part stores lubricating oil, and includes a first outlet that allows the lubricating oil to flow out by gravity toward the first oil storage part without passing through the second oil storage part. As the lubricating oil is thus returned from the first outlet to the first oil storage part without passing through the second oil storage part, the oil level in the first oil storage part can be stably maintained with the lubricating oil supplied thereto regardless of the oil level in the second oil storage part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kiyokami, Kazuki Iwakura
  • Patent number: 10737743
    Abstract: A personal mobility vehicle, such as a scooter, includes at least one battery and motor for powering at least one driven wheel. The vehicle also includes a braking assembly configured to isolate the motor from the at least one driven wheel such that power is terminated from the motor to the at least one wheel in response to a user engaging a braking assembly of the vehicle. The vehicle can include a switch or position sensor that interacts with the braking assembly to initiate the isolation of the motor from the at least one driven wheel and the switch or position sensor preferably is inaccessible to the foot of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: RAZOR USA LLC
    Inventors: Robert Hadley, Robert Chen
  • Patent number: 10730470
    Abstract: An inflatable safety restraint system that is downwardly deployable from a roof of a vehicle for protecting an occupant of the vehicle. The inflatable safety restraint system includes at least one inflatable airbag and at least one joint closing the shape of the at least one inflatable airbag to circumscribe an internal cavity. At least one inflator is in fluid communication with the at least one inflatable airbag for inflating the at least one airbag. Upon deployment, the inflatable safety restraint system defines a closed shape for surrounding the occupant of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventor: Changsoo Choi
  • Patent number: 10717458
    Abstract: A displaceable steering column for motor vehicles may include an actuating unit in which a steering shaft is rotatably mounted. The actuating unit may be displaceable relative to a holding unit in the axial direction of the steering shaft, and optionally in the vertical direction, and can be clamped by means of a clamping device so that the actuating unit is fixed in an non-displaceable manner when the motor vehicle is operating normally. The steering column may also include an energy absorption device disposed between the actuating unit and the holding unit, which in the event of a vehicle crash absorbs at least part of the energy applied to the steering column by material deformation of an energy absorber. The energy absorption device may have a central portion on which an energy absorber is disposed and is engaged with the actuating unit. The central portion may be connected to a clamping portion that can be clamped by the clamping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP PRESTA AG, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Daniel Kreutz, Sebastian Forte
  • Patent number: 10710622
    Abstract: A hand truck includes a frame, a handle attached to a rear side of the frame, a platform extending from a front side of the frame, a plurality of feet attached to an underside of the platform, at least one support member attached to the front side of the frame, and an axle supporting a plurality of wheels, wherein the axle is attached to the frame. The hand truck may include a standing configuration and a mobile configuration. In the standing configuration, the plurality of wheels and at least one of the plurality of feet contact a ground surface to support the hand truck such that the platform is arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: OLDCASTLE BUILDINGENVELOPE, INC.
    Inventors: William Joshua McDonald, Christopher Todd Herndon
  • Patent number: 10696258
    Abstract: A vehicle window structure for preventing a person from being thrown out, applied to a vehicle, includes a fixing frame. An inner frame surface of the fixing frame is provided with a plurality of fixing portions spaced apart from each other. An arresting net includes at least one plastic rope fixedly connected to the fixing portions in an interlaced manner. The fixing frame is provided with a light-permeable unit that is mounted and fixed within the inner frame surface and covers the arresting net. When the vehicle has an accidental rollover unfortunately, even if the light-permeable unit is damaged or the fixing frame is deformed during the overturning of the vehicle, the arresting net is still able to arrest the user effectively because the arresting net is directly fixed to the fixing frame, thereby preventing the user from being thrown out of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Inventor: Chun-Nan Liu
  • Patent number: 10696326
    Abstract: The steering angles of front wheels 3f and rear wheels 3r of a vehicle 1 can be respectively controlled by a front wheel steering angle control actuator 35 and a rear wheel steering angle control actuator 44. If a steering wheel 20 is operated in a turning direction of the vehicle 1 while the vehicle 1 is traveling in a straight line, then a controller 60 changes the steering angle of the front wheels 3f to approach to a steering angle specified on the basis of an operation amount after the steering wheel 20 is operated, and also controls the front wheel steering angle control actuator 35 and the rear wheel steering angle control actuator 44 to change the steering angles of the rear wheels 3r to the opposite direction of the turning direction of the vehicle 1 immediately after the steering wheel 20 is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Hiroshi Gomi, Yoshinao Sodeyama, Kazushi Akimoto, Osamu Kikuchi, Takashi Kudo
  • Patent number: 10696120
    Abstract: A leveling valve (101) for discharging and supplying air from and to a plurality of utilization elements (205a, b), in particular pneumatic suspension bellows, includes a valve arrangement (103) for directing air between a source (207) of pressurized air, an exhaust port (3) and the utilization elements, a supply port (1) in fluid communication with the valve arrangement (103) and the source (207) of pressurized air, and an exhaust port (3) having an exhaust air channel (a) for discharging exhaust air. The exhaust port (3) includes at least one air-permeable damping element, which is at least partly positioned within the exhaust air channel (a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: WABCO Europe BVBA
    Inventors: Marek Repela, Przemyslaw Zak
  • Patent number: 10688842
    Abstract: A leveling valve (101) for discharging and supplying air from and to a plurality of utilization elements (205a,b), in particular pneumatic suspension bellows, includes a valve arrangement (103) for directing air between a source (207) of pressurized air, an exhaust port (3) and the utilization elements (205a,b), and a supply port (1) in fluid communication with the valve arrangement (103) and the source (207) of pressurized air. A check valve (5) is mounted upstream of the valve arrangement (103) and is configured to allow fluid flow from the supply port (1) towards the valve arrangement (103) and to block fluid flow from the valve arrangement (103) through the supply port (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: WABCO Europe BVBA
    Inventors: Marek Repela, Przemyslaw Zak