Patents Examined by Jacob B Meyer
  • Patent number: 12714614
    Abstract: A drive apparatus includes a drive assembly and an engagement assembly. The drive assembly includes a motor and a sprocket operatively coupled to the motor. The sprocket defines an engagement hole. The engagement assembly includes an engagement pin and an engagement control member configured to insert the engagement pin into the engagement hole of the sprocket in a first position and withdraw the engagement pin from the engagement hole of the sprocket in a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2026
    Inventors: Kent A Tabor, Kirk J Noll, Denis A Pettee
  • Patent number: 12715304
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes: an electric motor; a power transmission device; a driving battery to be connected to an external charger; an electric-power control device for controlling an electric power transferred between the battery and the electric motor; a connector connecting between the electric-power control device and an electrical wire connected to the battery; a relay box for switching power supply paths to the battery; and a power source compartment which houses a drive apparatus including the electric motor and the power transmission device and which is provided on a front or rear side of a driver's seat compartment in a longitudinal direction of the electric vehicle. The electric-power control device, connector and relay box are disposed in the power source compartment. The connector is located adjacent to the relay box and is located between the relay box and the driver's seat compartment in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2026
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sho Ito, Kazuaki Ishiura, Takashi Katayama, Yoshihiro Morita
  • Patent number: 12703237
    Abstract: An in-wheel motor with improved driving force has a simplified cooling structure for the motor and a braking device. The in-wheel motor has a motor that transmits motive power to a wheel, at least a portion of the motor being disposed inside the wheel; a first cooling part and a second cooling part that cool a stator of the motor; and a braking device that applies braking to the wheel. The braking device 25 is formed from a brake disc that rotates with the wheel and a brake caliper that induces braking by imparting friction to the brake disc. The brake caliper operates in the axial direction of the motor to induce braking in the brake disc. A portion of an axial-direction end of the brake caliper is in contact with the stator. The first cooling part and the second cooling part cool the braking device through the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2026
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Suto, Akeshi Takahashi, Makoto Ito
  • Patent number: 12697259
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a wheelchair configured to reposition an occupant between a lowered and a raised position. The wheelchair can include a frame, a seat moveable relative to the frame, a drive wheel, one or more pairs of arm assemblies, and one or more sensors. The arm assembly includes a wheel configured to move from a first spatial location when the wheelchair is operating on flat, level ground to a second spatial location that is different than the first spatial location. Arm limiters can selectively engage the arm assembly based on at least one of a seat position, position of the arm assembly, and surface conditions of ground surface. The arm limiters can limit the range of motion of the arm assembly and sometimes other operational aspects of the chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2026
    Assignee: Pride Mobility Products Corporation
    Inventors: James P. Mulhern, Stephen J. Antonishak
  • Patent number: 12696974
    Abstract: A postal service cart includes a base member and a support member extending from the base member. The support member includes a first end connected with the base member and a second end. A system support surface is connected to the support member at the second end. The system support surface includes a first support zone configured to support a first portion of a customer interface system and a second support zone including a component placement location restrictor configured to support a second portion of the customer interface system. The component placement location restrictor confines placement of the second portion of the customer interface system to a section of the second support zone adjacent the forward edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2026
    Assignee: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
    Inventors: William A. Tartal, Joel Dewnandan, Gabriel M. Yessin, Joram Shenhar
  • Patent number: 12691745
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a structure (8) with a floor, a tray (2) for electrical traction energy accumulators, which tray is arranged under the floor and comprises two side profile members (6), and a rear drive unit (4) arranged at the rear of the tray (2) and attached to the structure by attachment means (10). The motor vehicle is characterized in that the attachment means are additionally attached to each of the two side profile members via a connecting piece (20, 30, 40), respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2026
    Assignee: Stellantis Auto SAS
    Inventors: Vincent Boisgard, Marc Peru, Christophe Picquet, Richard Zeitouni, Sylvain Marcille
  • Patent number: 12686453
    Abstract: A system to field install solar racking components and torque beams includes a trailer base with structural supports, having independent left and right cantilever axles and a wheel configured to level said base on a horizontal axis a first vertical lift system connected to said base and pivotably connected to a cross brace and a table top rail configured to raise and lower a set of torque beam above beam post to traverse field, and a second vertical lift system connected to said base and connected to said cross brace and top rails position at one end of said cross brace and said table top rail to extract torque beam from said cross brace and a said table top rail to position torque beams relative to beam post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Inventor: Lance Webb
  • Patent number: 12689085
    Abstract: A military vehicle includes a battery structure. The battery structure includes walls and battery cells positioned within the walls. The battery structure is coupled with the military vehicle and includes a partition. The partition divides the battery structure into a first inner volume and a second inner volume. The plurality of battery cells are positioned within the first inner volume. The battery structure also includes at least one of a fluid, a crushable structure, or a compressible material positioned within the second inner volume. During an impact event, the fluid, the crushable structure, or the compressible material are configured to absorb kinetic energy transferred from the battery cells to the at least one of the fluid, the crushable structure, or the compressible material due to a mass of the plurality of battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Chad Smith, Nader Nasr, Rachell Harsh, Mike J. Bolton, Bradon Zeitler, Ryan Crabtree
  • Patent number: 12686263
    Abstract: An active grill shutter assembly incorporating at least one locking mechanism in the case where a vane component is missing to improve the ability of an actuator to sense damage within the active aerodynamic system. This functionality may be achieved by including these features within the frame as an integral component, or it may be added as a separate component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: Magna Exteriors Inc.
    Inventors: Paul N. Woodson, Jeffrey B. Manhire
  • Patent number: 12679237
    Abstract: An electric vehicle, including a vehicle structure, four ground engaging wheels, and a suspension system operably coupling each of the four ground engaging wheels with the vehicle structure, a battery operably coupled to the vehicle structure, and an onboard battery charger in electrical communication with the battery, the onboard battery charger operably coupled to the vehicle structure by a battery charger suspension system, the battery charger suspension system including one or more dampers tuned to counteract resonance vibrations experienced by the vehicle structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: POLESTAR PERFORMANCE AB
    Inventor: Stefan Wedin
  • Patent number: 12672991
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of wheelchair equipment, and more particularly relates to a handle folding structure of a wheelchair, including a backrest rod and a handle bar, where the handle bar is provided with a handle portion and includes a horizontal section and a vertical section which are connected to each other; the horizontal section is bent and extends backwards relative to the vertical section, and an end portion of the vertical section is rotatably connected to the backrest rod and forms a rotation axis; the backrest rod and the vertical section are jointly provided with a locking device; an end of the rotation axis close to an inner side of the wheelchair is tilted towards a front side of the wheelchair; and the handle bar can be switched between unfolded and folded states relative to the backrest rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2026
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG HFIZER MEDICAL EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaoneng Hu
  • Patent number: 12673253
    Abstract: A skateboard that is collapsible. There is a collapsible deck having a first end and a second end, the first end is supported and fixedly attached to one support body, the second end is supported and fixedly attached to an opposite support body. The deck is comprised of a plurality of individual slat units in a scissor lift configuration that allows for expansion and contraction of the deck in a linear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2026
    Inventors: Ryan Douglas Pelletier, James Chester Pawloski
  • Patent number: 12669171
    Abstract: A vehicle including an engine, an air-cooled CVT to which driving force output from the engine is input, a transmission to which the driving force from the engine is transmitted via the CVT, an exhaust pipe connected to the engine and adjacent to the transmission at an interval in a horizontal direction, and a CVT exhaust duct connected to the CVT and including a discharge port through which air inside the CVT is discharged, the discharge port being directed to a space between the transmission and the exhaust pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2026
    Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Nakamura, Shoya Yamamoto, Takahiro Jyouzaki
  • Patent number: 12669213
    Abstract: A movable bracket comprises a supporting mechanism. A bottom part of the supporting mechanism is provided with a universal wheel assembly, the supporting mechanism comprises at least two relatively sliding supporting platforms, and an adjusting mechanism is arranged between every two adjacent supporting platforms to drive the two supporting platforms to approach or move away from each other to adjust a bearing width between the two supporting platforms. The supporting mechanism, the universal wheel assembly and the adjusting mechanism are cooperatively arranged, and the width of the supporting platforms is adjusted by the adjusting mechanism, so that the movable bracket is adapted to electrical appliances with different widths and sizes, thus achieving an effect of one bracket for multi-purposes, reducing a purchase cost of a user, having strong practicability, satisfying bearing requirements of different electrical appliances, and bringing a better use experience to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2025
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2026
    Assignee: Shenzhen Huahanxing Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wenfeng Xue
  • Patent number: 12643506
    Abstract: A system, and device for supporting a vehicle, the system may include a substantially rigid pad bracket and include a jack pad configured to engageably connect to the pad bracket, the jack pad includes body having an upper surface and a lower surface joined by a side wall and defining a recess for retaining a portion of the pad bracket, wherein the jack pad is formed of a flexible or elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: ORIGEN RV ACCESSORIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Mark Jeffrey Selanders, Devon Wilson
  • Patent number: 12643480
    Abstract: A stowable tailgate step assembly system comprises a frame with two interconnected frame arms adapted to be mounted longitudinally in a vehicle tailgate. A slide module, releasably latched to the frame, comprises two longitudinal carrier arms which translate in relation to the frame arms, and a step assembly. The step assembly comprises two slide arms which translate in relation to the carrier arms, and a first step and at least one additional step pivotally connected by at least one link rod to facilitate synchronous rotation of the steps. Control means to control rotation of the steps during translation of the carrier arms from a stowed position to an extended position are provided. Deployment means to control rotation of the steps between the extended position and a deployed position are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: Multimatic Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Lausch, James Hollingworth, Ahmed Ibrahim, Muamer Hodza, Michael Gordon Lehti
  • Patent number: 12636962
    Abstract: A battery armor system and method of deploying the same are provided. The battery armor system may comprise one or more sensors configured to detect whether one or more conditions within an environment of a vehicle are met, a moveable skid plate, positioned under a vehicle battery, configured to move between a retracted position and a deployed position, and one or more actuators configured to move the moveable skid plate between the retracted position and the deployed position. In the deployed position, an airgap may be formed between the moveable skid plate and the vehicle battery. The one or more actuators may be configured to move the moveable skid plate into the deployed position upon detection that the one or more conditions are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Link, Yue Ming Chen, John Harber, Shihong Fan
  • Patent number: 12633612
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for a battery pack. The locking mechanism comprises a fixing piece, the fixing piece being provided with a locking space. When the battery pack is placed relative to the bracket, the locking mechanism is used to lock a connecting rod on the battery pack. The locking mechanism is provided facing the battery pack on a side of the locking space and is close to an opening of the battery pack in the vertical direction so that the connecting rod enters the opening along the vertical direction facing the bottom wall of the bracket and moves into the locking space. Thus, the complexity process of installing and fixing a battery pack are effectively reduced, and the reliability of fixation is also ensured. Also provided are a bracket assembly, an electric vehicle and a locking method for a battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignees: AULTON NEW ENERGY AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY GROUP, SHANGHAI DIANBA NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO.. LTD.
    Inventors: Jianping Zhang, Danliang Qiu
  • Patent number: 12617359
    Abstract: A clamp assembly configured to hold a battery in place is configured to interface with a locking lug nut key. The clamp assembly provides a balance between preventing unintended movement or displacement of the battery, without overly complicating the process of tightening or loosening the clamp assembly. Further, a number of component parts is reduced, as separate keys are not required for the locking lug nuts and the clamp assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Miguel Ángel Figueroa Tamayo, Oscar Xavier Hurtado Reynoso, Luis Angel Mota Hernández, Saulo Ivann García Vega
  • Patent number: 12606048
    Abstract: The embodiments disclose a swappable battery system for electrified vehicles includes a rigid frame formed from metal or composite materials and configured for mounting on the vehicle roof. A rooftop cover encloses at least a portion of the frame, and a fire-retardant hard plastic plate forms the insulated floor. At least two openable side panels allow access to the compartment. Integrated front, rear, and side ventilation sections feature motorized louvers that regulate airflow and internal temperature. A plurality of swappable low voltage battery modules are removably installed within the frame and provide power to the vehicle's electric motor and battery control systems. A main battery management system is operatively coupled to the battery modules and configured to monitor voltage, temperature, charge state, and operational parameters. The system extends vehicle range by enabling fast battery replacement and maintaining safe, efficient energy delivery and thermal regulation during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2025
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2026
    Inventor: Tofik Rasulov