Patents Examined by James A English
  • Patent number: 12291256
    Abstract: A carrier device includes a coupling mechanism for connecting an automatic controlled vehicle to a carriage. The coupling mechanism includes a first roller assembly and a second roller assembly. The first roller assembly includes a first roller and a third roller, provided on a first common shaft. The second roller assembly includes a second roller and a fourth roller, provided on a second common shaft. The first roller and the second roller can enter a gap of the guide rail section in the automatic controlled vehicle. When the lock member moves from the first position to the second position, the lock member is sandwiched between the third roller and the fourth roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Amemiya, Yuta Souda
  • Patent number: 12286186
    Abstract: An airbag device for a saddle-type vehicle which can restrict an airbag from being separated until the airbag is deployed so that the airbag can be separated in a deployed state. The airbag device includes an inflator and an airbag, and has a first restriction portion that restricts separation between the inflator and the airbag. The first restriction portion has an elastic member positioned inside the inflator. When the inflator releases a gas having a first gas release pressure, the elastic member is increased in diameter due to the gas pressure, and the inflator and the elastic member enter a locked state and restrict separation of the airbag. When the inflator releases a gas having a second gas release pressure, the elastic member diameter is decreased to be smaller than the diameter in the locked state, the locked state is canceled, and separation of the airbag is unrestricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Aikyo
  • Patent number: 12286185
    Abstract: In a saddled vehicle, a vehicle, and a rider protector, an airbag is made compact, and the airbag is prevented from being obstructed by arms of a rider, so that the airbag properly protects the rider. A saddled vehicle includes a seat for a rider and an airbag provided in front of the seat. The airbag includes a first deploying portion that is deployed upward when deployed, a second deploying portion that branches and extends from the first deploying portion when deployed; and the second deploying portion extends outward in a vehicle width direction from the first deploying portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Aikyo
  • Patent number: 12286033
    Abstract: A seat monitoring system for monitoring a state of at least one seat arrangeable in a vehicle's interior and determining the position of the seat in the interior. The monitoring system has a control module, two sending modules signally connected to the control module, and at least one seat module associated with at least one seat and a receiving module. The two sending modules are spaced apart from one another and each have one antenna, the receiving module has two antennas. A first antenna of the receiving module is configured to receive a signal from a first sending module of the sending modules, and a second antenna of the receiving module is configured to receive a signal from a second sending module of the sending modules. The receiving module is configured to determine signal strengths of the signals received by the antennas of the receiving module for position determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Marquardt GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Fischer, Daniel Hoerr, Antoine Bacle, Wolfgang Stehle
  • Patent number: 12280818
    Abstract: A steering column device includes a lower tube that is attached to a vehicle body so as to be pivotable in an up-down direction, a column shaft to which a steering wheel is attached, an upper tube that rotatably supports the column shaft and that also is attached to the lower tube so as to be movable in a front-rear direction, a motor for generating motor torque, a link mechanism that couples the lower tube and the upper tube so as to be capable of moving in conjunction, and a power transmission mechanism that acts to transmit the motor torque to the link mechanism. The link mechanism causes the pivoting of the lower tube in the up-down direction and the movement of the upper tube in the front-rear direction to be performed in conjunction, when the motor torque is transmitted to the link mechanism by the power transmission mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, JTEKT COLUMN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naofumi Kawamura, Hiroaki Suzuki, Tetsuya Ebisu, Yuki Fujioka, Tomonori Sugiura, Kosuke Ito, Takahiro Baito, Takao Nakaaki, Yoshiaki Murakami, Kazuhisa Asakawa
  • Patent number: 12280849
    Abstract: A pedal driven cycle comprising a cantilevered frame member coupled to a power input sprocket and a driven sprocket; a belt drive connecting the power input sprocket to the driven sprocket; and a side mounted rear wheel releasably coupled to a multi-speed gear hub that is coaxial with the side mounted rear wheel, wherein the multi-speed gear hub is coupled to the driven sprocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Karbon Kinetics LLC
    Inventor: Richard Thorpe
  • Patent number: 12275487
    Abstract: A moving body includes: a vehicle which includes a front wheel and rear wheels and which a passenger gets on; an unmanned carrier vehicle which is arranged at the back side of the vehicle, and includes a wheel and a driving unit which drives the wheel; and a coupler which couples the vehicle and the unmanned carrier vehicle. The coupler includes a biasing mechanism which biases a rear part of the vehicle toward an upper side of the vehicle, the biasing mechanism includes a first elastic member; when the passenger is on the vehicle, the first elastic member is deformed by the weight of the passenger to place the rear wheels in contact with a road surface, and when the passenger is not on the vehicle, the rear wheels are separated from the road surface by the elastic force of the first elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 12275485
    Abstract: A rear wheel suspension system for a bike, includes a seat tube, left and right side flexible chainstays, left and right side seatstays. A leaf spring interconnects the seatstays and the seat tube, wherein one end of the leaf spring is connected to the upper end area of said seatstays, the leaf spring extending upwardly from its point of connection to the upper end area of the seatstays to a point of connection to the seat tube of said bicycle. The leaf spring is arranged at a distance D to the seat tube in a direction perpendicular to top and bottom surfaces of the leaf spring to allow flex of the leaf spring towards the seat tube and thus vertical flex of said flexible chainstays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: LAUF CYCLES HF.
    Inventors: Benedikt Skulason, Bergur Benediktsson
  • Patent number: 12269427
    Abstract: A system is provided for carrying, receiving and unloading loads and goods for motor vehicles and to a vehicle in which the system is installed. The system allows a maximally variable and simultaneously ideal cuboidal loading area by combining a foldable loading area on the lower face of the vehicle with a rail system, which is positioned on the vehicle lower base in order to receive a wide variety of transport goods and carrier systems and a level-regulating function. Thus, a reduction of the environmental impact of the motor vehicle equipped with the system according to the invention can be combined with a versatile use, whether as a car-sharing concept or private or logistical applications, and excellent loading ergonomics. Additionally, the rail system, the folding mechanism and the transported goods to be conveyed are weatherproofed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Inventor: Stefan Zeuner
  • Patent number: 12269531
    Abstract: A moving body includes a body, and a wheel coupled to the body to be rotatable, and the body includes a first body part, a second body part connected to the first body part to be slid in a forward/rearward direction with respect to the first body part, a first coupling part formed in the first body part or the second body part, and a second coupling part coupled to the first coupling part and constrains sliding between the first body part and the second body part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, MOBBIN Inc.
    Inventors: Sun Myoung Jo, Jin Choi, Hoon Chung
  • Patent number: 12269332
    Abstract: A charging vehicle for a stack storage assembly includes a chassis; a first impeller assembly structured and arranged to move the chassis in a first direction; a second impeller assembly structured and arranged to move the chassis in a second direction transverse to the first direction; and a hoisting device comprising a hoisting drive acting perpendicularly to the first direction and to the second direction. The hoisting device has a hoisting platform movable, with the hoisting drive, upwardly in the direction of gravity from an initial position into a lifted position. The hoisting drive acts downwardly on the second impeller assembly in the direction of gravity and downwardly moves the second impeller assembly beyond the first impeller assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Jungheinrich Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jörg Cavelius, Michael Becker, Markus Liebhaber, Timm Morawietz
  • Patent number: 12263710
    Abstract: A mechanical leg comprises a frame, a retractable member, a wheel, an extension and retraction driving member, a travel driving member, an auxiliary leg, and an auxiliary wheel. The extension and retraction driving member is located on a side of the frame. The retractable member is connected to the extension and retraction driving member. The wheel is connected to the retractable member. The wheel is further connected to the travel driving member. A first end of the auxiliary leg is connected to the auxiliary wheel, and a second end of the auxiliary leg is located on the frame. The retractable member extends under the driving of the extension and retraction driving member to drive the wheel to jump. The wheel is driven by the travel driving member to move. When the auxiliary wheel contacts the ground, the mechanical leg moves with the rolling of the wheel and the auxiliary wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Jie Lai, Dongsheng Zhang, Shuai Wang, Ke Chen, Sicheng Yang, Zhengyou Zhang
  • Patent number: 12256655
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a hydraulic steering device for an agricultural work vehicle comprising a steering pump for supplying working fluid; an automatic steering unit which is connected to the steering pump, and which changes, according to automatic steering performed by a control part, the traveling direction of the agricultural work vehicle by using the working fluid supplied from the steering pump; a manual steering unit which is connected to each of the steering pump and the automatic steering unit, and which changes, according to manual steering performed by the operation of a steering wheel, the traveling direction of the agricultural work vehicle, and a manual switching unit connected to each of the steering pump and the manual steering unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: LS MTRON LTD.
    Inventor: Sang Heon Lee
  • Patent number: 12252088
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system includes an airbag module (18) that is disposed in a roof area (16) of a vehicle and is assigned to a front seat (14). The airbag module (18) comprises an airbag (20) that is disposed so that it deploys in the vehicle longitudinal direction (L) in front of a vehicle occupant (12) seated in the front seat (14), wherein a baffle (24) of the airbag (20) in the filled state is aligned transversely to the vehicle longitudinal direction (L) and faces the vehicle occupant (12). In a situation of restraint, it can be decided whether the airbag (20) is filled depending on whether the vehicle occupant (12) is touching a steering wheel (38) of the vehicle, wherein a steering wheel airbag is exclusively filled when a contact with the steering wheel (38) is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: DALPHI METAL ESPANA, S.A.
    Inventors: Chaochao Qian, Emiliano Core Almarza, Andrés Casanova Mateo, Adrían Gutiérrez Garcia, Ramon Mirones Gomez, Antonio Navarro Arranz, Alfonso Bustos Garcia
  • Patent number: 12251973
    Abstract: A tuned mass damper includes a damper mass having a first mass portion and a second mass portion connected by a third mass portion. The first mass portion, the second mass portion, and the third mass portion form a U-shaped configuration of the damper mass. The damper mass is configured to separate within the third mass portion in response to a force transferred to the damper mass of the tuned mass damper to allow relative motion between the first mass portion and the second mass portion. The damper mass may include geometric features that promote rotation of the tuned mass damper relative to an axis, when subjected to impact loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Jacob L. Dawson, Daniel T. Williams, Andrew J. Gunnion
  • Patent number: 12251975
    Abstract: A snowmobile including a chassis including a tunnel; a motor; at least one ski; an endless drive track; a rear suspension assembly including: a front suspension arm; a rear suspension arm; a pair of slide rails; a first rear shock absorber connected between the front suspension arm and the slide rails; and a second rear shock absorber connected between the rear suspension arm and the front suspension arm or the slide rails; at least one sensor for sensing an angular position of the front suspension arm or the rear suspension arm relative to one of the tunnel and a component of the rear suspension assembly near at least one of the front suspension arm and the rear suspension arm; and a controller communicatively connected to the sensor to receive electronic signals therefrom representative of the angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Pascal Gagnon, Maxime Boisvert
  • Patent number: 12246589
    Abstract: A vehicle body having a high voltage battery may include a load path formed by a reinforcing frame provided between a vehicle body frame and a battery frame and the battery frame may be installed on the vehicle body frame via the reinforcing frame, improving the robustness and collision rigidity of the battery frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seung Won An, Young Jun Kim, Jong Jin Choi
  • Patent number: 12246666
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system for guarding a vehicle from an incoming collision. The system can include a plurality of electromagnetic panels installed on a vehicle, each electromagnetic panel being configured to, in response to receiving current, generate a magnetic field comprising field lines external from the vehicle, wherein the magnetic field interacts with a second magnetic field associated with an approaching object to generate a repulsive force; a plurality of sensors installed on the vehicle, each sensor being associated with a respective electromagnetic panel, wherein each sensor is configured to detect the approaching object; and a central component configured to provide the current to at least one of the plurality of electromagnetic panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Farian Inc.
    Inventors: Arran Mozafarian, Ramin Mozafarian
  • Patent number: 12246783
    Abstract: A spread axle assembly for a trailer has the ability to pivot about itself to achieve a storage configuration that advantageously shortens the overall length of the trailer and reduces tire wear. It also has the ability to extend between a close position in which the rear axle of the trail is proximate to its axle and one or more spread or extended positions for better distribution of a load carried by the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: E.D. Etnyre & Co.
    Inventors: Ken Poole, Justin Blackwell
  • Patent number: 12246786
    Abstract: A method for reconfiguring a truck body that includes selecting a truck with a cab section and two original frame rails extending from beneath the cab section and rearwardly to a distal first and second end. The truck body also includes an axle with a differential. The truck body also includes a drive shaft with a first end and a second end, the first end of the driveshaft operably connected to an output shaft of a transmission, the drive shaft extending rearwardly for operable engagement of the second end with the differential. Next, the drive shaft and axle are disconnected and the two frame rails are severed proximate the cab section resulting in new first and second distal ends for the frame rails and an operable unit supported by a support frame is secured to the new distal ends of the frame rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Custom Truck One Source, Inc.
    Inventors: Zach Minor, Hayden Ernst, Kyle Gerber