Patents Examined by Joselynn Y Sliteris
  • Patent number: 11192517
    Abstract: An assembly includes an airbag having an inflation chamber. The inflation chamber is defined by a first inflatable section, a second inflatable section, and a duct fluidly connecting the first inflatable section and the second inflatable section. A tether is external to the inflation chamber. The tether has a cinching loop encircling the duct. The tether has a tail extending from the cinching loop and the tail is fixed to the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey C. Paddock
  • Patent number: 11186245
    Abstract: A seat including a seatback having a top and two sides extending downwardly from the top and an airbag supported by the top and the two sides of the seatback and including a tube inflatable forward and downward from the top. The airbag defining at least one inflation chamber in fluid communication with the tube. The inflation chamber extending from at least one side of the seatback towards the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mangesh Kadam, Srinivas Reddy Malapati, Yuqin Zhao
  • Patent number: 11117544
    Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle includes a curtain airbag inflatable from a stored condition in which the airbag is rolled and/or folded to a deployed condition in which the curtain airbag is positioned between a side structure of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant. The curtain airbag comprises an inflator mouth configured to receive an inflator. The curtain airbag comprises a bracket tab proximate to the inflator mouth and configured to receive an inflator bracket. A tether has first and second end portions. The first end portion of the tether is connected to a portion of the curtain airbag adjacent to the bracket tab. The second end portion of the tether is connected to the bracket tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: Dylan P. Moran, Richard C. Patton, Avadhoot R. Paranjpe
  • Patent number: 11104368
    Abstract: A steering column assembly for a motor vehicle, having a vehicle-fixed mounting dement and a sleeve element which is received within the mounting element and is mounted for displacement in the axial direction in the mounting element for adjustment of the steering column assembly, includes an energy absorption device having two absorption elements, a locking element for locking a steering wheel, and a coupling device. The locking element has an open position, in which the steering wheel is adjustable and a coupling element is movable in the axial direction, and a closed position, in which an absorption dement is firmly coupled to the mounting element. The coupling device has a coupled position and an uncoupled position, both absorption elements being firmly connected to each other in the coupled position. During normal operation of the motor vehicle, the locking element is in the closed position and the coupling device is in the coupled position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Bueker, Tomasz Karp, Patrick Ericke, Milos Krivan, Niclas Davies
  • Patent number: 11072211
    Abstract: A load based tire pressure regulation system for trucks or trailers employing an air spring maintained at a variable pressure PAS depending upon the load on the truck or trailer, includes an air pilot pressure regulator receiving air at pressure PAS and air at the pressure of at least one tire of a truck or trailer, and configured to feed air to and bleed air from the at least one tire of the truck or trailer as a function of the load on the truck or trailer. The pressure regulator is configured to feed air to and bleed air from the at least one tire of the truck or trailer based upon the pressure of the air spring PAS as a function of the load on the air spring (FAS), and further upon the recommended pressure PT of the at least one tire as a function of the load on the tire (FT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Inventor: Santo A. Padula
  • Patent number: 11034319
    Abstract: An assembly includes a housing (12) and a cover (20) that define a cavity (15). An air bag (22) is positioned in the cavity (15), and the cover (20) has hooks (46) that engage with the housing (12) to secure the cover (20) to the housing (12). The air bag (22) expands to absorb kinetic energy of a driver. The hooks (46) are energized into engagement with the housing (12) directly or indirectly by the air bag (22) as it expands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Byron Spencer
  • Patent number: 11014596
    Abstract: A steering column for a motor vehicle includes a case with a steering gear-side end and a steering wheel-side end. The case includes an outer casing tube in which an inner casing tube is arranged telescopically and in which a steering spindle is mounted rotatably about a longitudinal axis. The steering spindle includes a hollow shaft in which a steering shaft is arranged telescopically. The steering spindle is mounted rotatably in a rear bearing in the steering wheel-side end portion. A safety element may be arranged between the steering gear-side end of the case and the rear bearing between the case and the steering spindle, which leaves a circumferential radial safety distance between the case and steering spindle which is smaller than the radial distance between the case and steering spindle outside the safety element between the steering gear-side end of the case and the rear bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventors: Matthias Ancelin, Hieronymus Schnitzer, Tobias Heeb
  • Patent number: 11014523
    Abstract: An airbag device for a panorama roof may include: a roller disposed under a panorama roof and having a blind wound therearound, the blind serving to cover the panorama roof; a head liner covering the roller; an inflator disposed at sides of the panorama roof; a guide tunnel connected to the inflator to guide gas; and a cushion connected to the guide tunnel, and deployed by gas guided through the guide tunnel so as to cover the panorama roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung Ho Min, Sang Won Hwangbo, Kyu Sang Lee, Hae Kwon Park
  • Patent number: 10974692
    Abstract: A seatbelt system comprising a buckle; a spool with a ratchet wheel and webbing that is windable onto or off of the spool as the spool rotates. A control mechanism is operatively engaged with a pawl located proximate the ratchet wheel. When the control mechanism is in a first condition, the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel and spool are rotatable to wind the webbing onto or off of the spool. When the control mechanism is in a second condition, the pawl is moved into engagement with the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel and spool are only able to rotate the webbing onto the spool. The control mechanism includes electronic switches and sensors that have to be actuated along with engaging the locking tongue in the buckle in order to move the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Tool, Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Liteplo, Jason G. Sidman, Eric A. Miller, Jr., Michael D. Tinstman, Arnold J. Herberg, Paul DiTullio, Marcus R. Hanna, Thomas Gernetzke, John D. Fiegener, Ryan Thompson, Daniel Bloch
  • Patent number: 10974679
    Abstract: An arrangement for a vehicle roof is provided having a roof element, which can be coupled to a roof body of a motor vehicle and permits a view through the vehicle roof, and a safety device, which is assigned to the roof element and which has a safety element and a drive which is configured to move the safety element relative to the roof body and to transfer same from a first, retracted state, in which the safety element is stowed in a predetermined manner, into a second, extended state, in which the safety element covers a surface portion on a lower side of the roof element in a predetermined manner and opposes penetration of a body through the roof element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventor: Ulrich Sommer
  • Patent number: 10969046
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas venting pipe (10) for a vehicle (100) having a forward tiltable cab, which gas venting pipe comprises: a first pipe section (12) mountable to a chassis of the vehicle; a second pipe section (14) mountable to a rear wall of the forward tiltable cab of the vehicle; and a flexible magnet connection (16) adapted to releasably interconnect the first and second pipe sections. The present invention also relates to a liquefied gas driven vehicle (100) comprising a gas venting pipe, and to a method of venting gas from a liquefied gas driven vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Marcus Leidefeldt
  • Patent number: 10946896
    Abstract: A suspension is provided for coupling a front wheel with a chassis of an off-road vehicle. The suspension comprises upper and lower suspension arms that each includes two inboard mounting points to the chassis and one outboard rod-end joint to a spindle assembly coupled with the front wheel. A ball comprising each outboard rod-end joint is fastened by way a bolt between a pair of parallel prongs extending from the spindle assembly. The upper suspension arm is configured to facilitate coupling a strut between the lower suspension arm and the chassis. A steering rod is coupled with the spindle assembly by way of a steering rod-end joint that is disposed forward of a drive axle, thereby decreasing leverage of the front wheel on the steering rod and substantially eliminating bump steer that may occur due to rough terrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventor: Robby Gordon
  • Patent number: 10933833
    Abstract: An airbag device for a panorama roof may include: a roller disposed under a panorama roof and having a blind wound therearound, the blind serving to cover the panorama roof; a head liner covering the roller; an inflator disposed between the panorama roof and the roller; a guide tunnel connected to the inflator to guide gas; and a cushion connected to the guide tunnel, and deployed by gas guided through the guide tunnel so as to cover the panorama roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hae Kwon Park, Byung Ho Min
  • Patent number: 10906499
    Abstract: Provided is a side impact airbag which is deployed between two seats in the width direction of a vehicle to thereby prevent passengers seated on the two seats from colliding with each other. The airbag is configured to, when being fully inflated, form recesses on both sides thereof to accommodate the shoulders and arms of the passengers, such that the fully inflated airbag is configured to be maintained in a certain posture by the pressure applied to the shoulders and arms of the passengers accommodated in the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Jong Ki Byun, Wan Dong Yoo, Tae Ik Gwon
  • Patent number: 10889155
    Abstract: A device for adjusting the height of a motor vehicle body (3), including an actuator (1) for actuating a vertically adjustable spring seat of a suspension spring (15), characterized in that a pin (4) is provided for connecting the device to the vehicle body (3), an actuator side pin section (10) extends through a support eye (6) in a support plate (7) of the actuator (1), and an elastomer support (2) is disposed at least on the face of the support plate (7) facing the vehicle body, between the support plate (7) and a flange (9) provided on the bolt (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Kraus, Christian Harkort, Szilard Josvai, Michael Loos
  • Patent number: 10864881
    Abstract: A side airbag device may include: an inflator mounted to a seat frame; a cushion covering the inflator and configured to be deployed by gas discharged from the inflator to protect a side portion of an passenger; and a tether mounted to the inflator and configured to enclose the cushion and reduce collision energy applied to the passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hae Kwon Park, Jiwoon Song
  • Patent number: 10850699
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seatback. The assembly includes a first airbag and a second airbag, each inflatable to an inflated position spaced from each other at the seatback and abutting each other in front of and spaced from the seatback. The assembly includes a sheet extending from the first airbag to the second airbag in front of where the first airbag abuts the second airbag in the inflated positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Srinivasan Sundararajan, Johnathan Andrew Line, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma, Derek Board, S. M. Akbar Berry
  • Patent number: 10843519
    Abstract: An independent front axle suspension preferably includes a front drive axle, an upper suspension frame, a lower suspension frame, a pair of hydraulic cylinders and a pair of pivot plates. A front pivot plate is attached to a front and middle of the front drive axle and a rear pivot plate is attached to a rear and middle of the front drive axle. A rear of the upper suspension frame is pivotally engaged with a rear of the lower suspension frame. A front and rear of the front drive axle is pivotally retained in the lower suspension frame with the pair of pivot plates. One end of the pair of hydraulic cylinders are preferably spherically retained on opposing sides of the upper suspension frame. An opposing end of the pair of hydraulic cylinders are preferably spherically retained on opposing ends of the front drive axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignees: ZOOMLION HEAVY INDSUTRY NA, INC., ZOOMLION HEAVY INDUSTRY SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CO, LTD.
    Inventors: Edgar N. Calago, Gregory M. Downs, Alan D. Nickel
  • Patent number: 10807430
    Abstract: An axle/suspension system (1) has an axle (5) supported from the frame of the vehicle by a pair of rigid longitudinal beams (4) pivoted to frame hangers (3). Air springs (7) and shock absorbers (8) connect between the rigid beams (4) and the frame above to control suspension movement. The axle/suspension system is particularly suited as a mid-lift axle on the tractor of a tractor-trailer vehicle. A characteristic feature is the pivotal connection (21) between each hanger (3) and beam (4), which is through a resilient bush (6) having a compliance ratio—being a ratio of the longitudinal spring rate to the vertical spring rate—of at least 10:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Hendrickson United Kingdom Ltd
    Inventors: Sathya Babu, Nathan Wilson, Gerhard Seck
  • Patent number: 10807557
    Abstract: An airbag device includes an airbag provided with an inlet port of inflation gas, an inflator which includes gas outlet ports in an upper region of the body, a bag holder which is formed from synthetic resin and includes an insert opening for receiving the inflator body, and an airbag cover which includes a door openable at airbag deployment. The bag holder includes a support board which supports a bottom surface of the airbag as folded including a periphery of the inlet port, and a gas guide tube which extends upward from a periphery of the insert opening and is fitted in the inlet port of the airbag. The guide tube as fitted in the inlet port is greater in height than the upper region of the inflator body. The airbag further includes, in a vicinity of the bottom surface, a joint section which is joined to the support board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryotaro Ishida, Wataru Miura