Patents Examined by Jeffrey J. Restifo
  • Patent number: 11731499
    Abstract: A drive train for a motor vehicle has at least one internal combustion engine with an output shaft for providing torques for driving the motor vehicle and having a full load curve, and at least one electrical machine with an electrical operating voltage of at most 60 volts that is designed to drive the output shaft in order to assist the internal combustion engine in driving the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Hoesl, Holger Jeebe
  • Patent number: 11728496
    Abstract: Presented are battery assemblies with integrated fuel tanks, methods for making/using such battery assemblies, and fuel cell electric vehicles having rechargeable traction battery packs with integrated fiber-composite hydrogen fuel tanks. A rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) assembly includes a battery pack housing with an internal battery module compartment located between two tank mounting cavities. Each mounting cavity is recessed into a respective lateral side of the battery pack housing. Multiple rechargeable battery modules are electrically interconnected with one another and mounted inside the battery module compartment. Each battery module contains multiple battery cells, such as a stack of series-connected lithium-ion pouch cells. A fuel tank is mounted in each of the tank mounting cavities on the lateral sides of the battery pack housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Randall S. Champagne, Alexander M. Bilinski, John A. Martuscelli, Michael E. Fraeyman
  • Patent number: 11713082
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame including two frame rails spaced from each other along a cross-vehicle axis and a bulkhead extending from one frame rail to the other frame rail. The frame rails are elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis. An engine is disposed between the frame rails and is spaced from the bulkhead along the vehicle-longitudinal axis. A cable is elongated along the cross-vehicle axis and is disposed between the engine and the bulkhead. The cable is connected to each frame rail between the engine and bulkhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi, Saeed David Barbat, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche
  • Patent number: 11708007
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, a traction battery electrically connected to the electric machine, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in response to the vehicle approaching a decline, overrepresent a state of charge (SOC) of the traction battery to cause a torque command to the engine to decrease and a torque command to the electric machine to increase such that discharge of the traction battery increases in advance of the decline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Yeakle, Alec Bolthouse, Judhajit Roy, Jonathan Barker, Jared King
  • Patent number: 11702012
    Abstract: The present disclosure relate to a vehicle running board apparatus and a retractable device thereof. In some embodiments, a retractable device includes a running board holder and an arm assembly. The running board holder has a connecting portion, and the arm assembly is configured to drive the running board holder to move between an extended position and a retracted position. The arm assembly includes a first arm and a second arm. The first arm has a first end and a second end. The second end of the first arm is pivotally connected to the connecting portion of the running board holder. The second arm has a first end and a second end. The second end of the second arm is pivotally connected to the connecting portion of the running board holder. The second end of at least one of the first arm or the second arm straddles the connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: T-MAX (HANGZHOU) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xinfa Du, Qi Zhang, Songfeng Wang, Yongyong Zhan, Yiming Wang, Tao He, Xing Fan
  • Patent number: 11702168
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle body structure of a straddle-type vehicle in which an accommodation space of a battery is formed inside a pair of left and right seat rails supporting a seat. The vehicle body structure includes: a seat rail bridge connecting the pair of left and right seat rails; a pair of left and right frame covers covering the pair of left and right seat rails from sides; a battery cover covering the battery arranged in the accommodation space from above; and a frame cover bracket to which the pair of left and right frame covers are attached. The battery cover and the frame cover bracket are attached to the seat rail bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiaki Yagi
  • Patent number: 11685268
    Abstract: The invention relates to a chassis arrangement for an electrified heavy vehicle, the chassis arrangement comprising a chassis frame with at least one rail extending in a longitudinal direction of the chassis arrangement; at least one battery module for propulsion of the heavy vehicle; and a battery module support arrangement including a rail attachment part attached to the rail, and a battery module attachment part attached to the battery module, the battery module attachment part being releasably connected to the rail attachment part by a stub connection extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the chassis arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Martin Sjöholm
  • Patent number: 11679660
    Abstract: A structural assembly for use in an electric vehicle having a lower body frame and a battery pack secured within the lower body frame. The structural assembly includes a subframe rear mount, a battery cage longitudinal member, a rocker, a hinge pillar, and a rail torque unit. The battery cage longitudinal member is secured to the subframe rear mount. The rocker extends along and is secured to the battery cage longitudinal member. The hinge pillar includes a lower portion that is secured to the rocker. The rail torque includes an s-brace and an inner rail. The s-brace is secured to the hinge pillar at one end and to the inner rail at another end. The inner rail is secured to the hinge pillar at one end and is configured to extend around a wheel of the electric vehicle and form a portion of a wheel well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jamil M. Alwan, Jeffrey Wrenbeck, Joseph Prescott Hickey, Chelliah Madasamy, Djamal Eddine Midoun
  • Patent number: 11679796
    Abstract: A foldable baby stroller that can comprise collapsible telescoping support shafts connected by a hinged handle. Pivot assemblies support the support shafts and two pairs of legs including at least one pair of rotating legs and one pair of fixed legs, each leg including an attached wheel. The pair of rotating legs when in a closed configuration fit below, adjacent, and parallel to the fixed pair of legs with the attached respective wheels of each pair arranged in tandem. A hinged support brace links the pair of pivot assemblies and locks in an extended configuration. Two seat supports attaching a seat to the stroller and fold upward 90° to facilitate configuring between the extended configuration and folded configuration by folding upward. The pivot assemblies facilitate folding the support shafts when in the retracted configuration, and the two pairs of legs when in the retracted configuration, together into the folded configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Inventor: Jacob Morrise
  • Patent number: 11673594
    Abstract: A wheel dolly is disclosed that includes a first and a second swing caster assembly. Each swing caster assembly includes a stationary frame supporting a swing axle and a lift bar channel, a swing frame constructed to rotate about the swing axle, thus defining a swing plane, and a swivel caster connected to the swing frame. A lift bar with a first longitudinal member extending orthogonally away from a second longitudinal member is connected to both swing caster assemblies through the lift bar channel. The swing plane of the first swing caster assembly is orthogonal to the swing plane of the second swing caster assembly, when the assemblies are mounted to the lift arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel B Goetsch, Clint Griffith
  • Patent number: 11667339
    Abstract: An articulated electric bus includes two units with: a passenger compartment including a main floor forming a low and thin platform with a planar surface extending over the majority of the width of the passenger compartment, a wheel housing adjacent to the planar surface, a longitudinal row of seat places on the wheel housing, and a driving wheel which is housed in the wheel housing under the longitudinal row of seats. The driving wheel defines a rotation axis and includes an electric engine, and a rim with a rim top above the planar surface. The driving wheel is vertically movable with respect to the planar surface, and the wheel housing actually receives a pair or a couple of driving wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ALPHA EC INDUSTRIES 2018 S.À.R.L.
    Inventor: Jørgen Hallundbæk
  • Patent number: 11667241
    Abstract: A foldable guardrail assembly is provided for selectively facilitating access to a machine component located onboard a vehicle. The vehicle has a platform with a handrail disposed thereon and located adjacent to the machine component. The guardrail assembly includes a set of guardrails pivotally connected to each other in a successive manner via at least a corresponding number of hinge assemblies. A first one of the guardrails is pivotally connected to an upright portion of the handrail via a first hinge assembly. The guardrail assembly further includes a first latch assembly provided, at least in part, on a last one of the guardrails. The first latch assembly is configured to releasably secure the last one of guardrails to the platform when the guardrails operably move into in a fully unfolded position, via the hinge assemblies, for providing access to the machine component located onboard the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Sunil Koshy
  • Patent number: 11660523
    Abstract: A blade guard is described for protecting the edges of an ice-skate blade. To manage more than one blade size, the blade guard consists of or comprises a monolithic element elongated along a longitudinal axis (X) and provided with a longitudinal groove for receiving the edges, wherein the groove is formed in a bellows-like-like structure that is deformable along the axis (X) to vary the overall length of the element and of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: VIS-VERSA' S.R.L.
    Inventor: Sabrina Merlo
  • Patent number: 11661095
    Abstract: A child seat includes a base and a seatback movable relative thereto between a retracted position, in which the seatback preferably is flush with a top of the base, and an extended position, in which a sitting area of the child seat is exposed for sitting and in which the seatback serves to support a child's back. The seatback of the child seat preferably includes a seat belt for restraint of a child when seated in the sitting area. A shopping cart includes the child seat. The seatback includes a gate movable between a retracted position, in which the gate preferably is flush with the seatback, and an extended position, in which the gate extends in a generally upright manner and partially blocks leg openings of the basket to keep items from falling there through when the seatback is in the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ZIBRA, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Milton Sherman, William Lane Ball
  • Patent number: 11661114
    Abstract: A vehicle floor structure includes a center floor panel, a tunnel extending along a central longitudinal axis of the center floor panel, and having a tunnel cavity, a hydrogen tank located in the tunnel cavity of the tunnel, and a tank support frame configured to support the hydrogen tank so that the hydrogen tank is held in the tunnel cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Cornoration
    Inventor: Ji Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 11654948
    Abstract: A car seat holder is used to support a portable infant car seat by providing a flexible support. The apparatus comprises a first support, a second support, and a canvas. The first support and the second support are elongated members that extend across a shopping cart. The first support and the second support are rigid members that distribute the weight of an infant carriage device. The canvas is a flexible surface that extends from the first support to the second support across the shopping cart. The canvas provides a mechanism for transmitting the weight of the infant carriage device to the first support and the second support. In this way, the first support and second support hold the canvas in optimal position for holding an infant car seat. This arrangement frees up space within a shopping cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Inventors: Stanley Carl Valiulis, Lindsey Fleischhauer
  • Patent number: 11654765
    Abstract: A vehicular motor mount made of a motor mount assembly and a frame mount assembly made of four components: a base plate, a capture ring, a post and a bushing. The post mechanically connects directly to the engine mount bracket and the base plate directly connects to the subframe of the vehicle. The polymer bushing is bonded directly to the post. The concave capture ring is directly connected to the base plate forming a capture housing with a cavity wherein the post and bushing of the motor mount assembly are constrained but not directly connected to the base plate or capture ring of the frame mount assembly. With no direct connection between the two assemblies, the engine is not directly connected to the subframe. This improves vehicle's ride. The bushing and the capture ring are common to all vehicular motor mounts. The motor mount may be replaced in pieces rather than in its entirety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Inventors: Max Chapin, Jordan Chapin, Joshua Chapin
  • Patent number: 11652250
    Abstract: An accessory component assembly is provided that includes a frame, a first vehicle accessory, and a second vehicle accessory. The frame is configured to support vehicle accessories. The first vehicle accessory is mounted to the frame. The second vehicle accessory is mounted to the frame. The frame is configured to simultaneously couple the first vehicle accessory and the second vehicle accessory to a chassis of a vehicle such that the accessory component assembly can be functionally coupled to at least two other vehicle sub-systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Hexagon Purus North America Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Todd F. Sloan, Chris Forsberg, Eric M. Coupal-Sikes, Landon Tyerman, Benjamin Parker
  • Patent number: 11648809
    Abstract: A vehicle incorporates a gravity-assist energy harvesting suspension system including one or more gravitational positive displacement pumps. The positive displacement pump has a cylinder and a reciprocating piston inside the cylinder. The piston is adapted for movement along a compression stroke and an opposite extension stroke in response to a gravitational bounce of the vehicle when in motion. A turbine comprising a rotor shaft and attached blades is mounted relative to a distal end of a fluid outlet hose connected to the pump. Fluid discharged through the outlet hose acts on the blades, thereby moving and imparting rotational energy to the rotor shaft. A generator is operatively connected to the turbine, and is adapted for converting the rotational energy generated by the rotor shaft to electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Inventor: Matthew Alan Kaskowicz
  • Patent number: 11643018
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a step assembly that is movable back-and-forth between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the step assembly is adjustable between a tailgate deployed position and a tailgate stowed position while the step assembly is removably coupled to a tailgate of a vehicle. In the second configuration, the step assembly is adjustable between a vehicle deployed position and a vehicle stowed position while the step assembly is removably coupled to an area of the vehicle other than the tailgate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Adrian Nania