Patents Examined by Joseph D. Pape
  • Patent number: 12378946
    Abstract: A passive vehicle drag reduction system including an airflow capture inlet, a flow consolidating conduit, an air driven rotor assembly, and one or more flow exhaust conduits. The airflow capture inlet defines an airflow capture inlet direction. The flow consolidating conduit is close sided. The air driven rotor assembly has a rotor assembly inlet and an air driven rotor. The rotor assembly inlet defines a rotor airflow inlet direction. The air driven rotor has a laterally extending rotation axis transverse to the rotor airflow inlet direction and one or more air redirecting blades defining one or more rotor airflow outlet directions substantially parallel to the rotation axis. Each of the one or more flow exhaust conduits has a redirecting exhaust outlet located laterally of the air driven rotor assembly. The redirecting exhaust outlet defines an exhaust outlet airflow direction that is substantially parallel to the airflow capture inlet direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2025
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: PURUS POWER CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Michael Kourtoff
  • Patent number: 12377799
    Abstract: An equipment part for a vehicle having a base and having a pivot part which can be pivoted relative to the base about a pivot axis between a first position and a second position and forms a pivot joint with the base, and having at least one line between the base and the pivot part, which line includes a first portion associated with the base and a second portion associated with the pivot part. A guide device for the line includes a first part fixed to the pivot part and forming a first connection with the first portion, as well a second part fixed to the base and forming a second connection with the second portion, wherein between the first connection and the second connection the line forms a line store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: GRAMMER AG
    Inventor: Sebastian Zapf
  • Patent number: 12370934
    Abstract: A table device includes a first table expandable forward from a center console, and a second table expandable rearward from an instrument panel. The first table and the second table are configured such that end portions thereof are detachably cooperative with each other to form a continuous table surface extending in a front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuyoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 12370954
    Abstract: A console box includes a box main body having an upper opening, and a lid that opens and closes the upper opening. The lid includes a lid main body, a pivot, and an operation portion. The pivot is provided at one side in a width direction of the lid main body and couples the lid main body to the box main body. The operation portion is provided to correspond to the pivot, and decouples the pivot and the box main body from each other when operated. The lid is configured to be pivotal about the pivot and to be detached from the box main body when the operation portion is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Fukui, Yu Hishida, Etsuo Ozawa, Tasuku Shimizu
  • Patent number: 12370964
    Abstract: A seat device for a vehicle includes: a support member detachably attached to a floor of the vehicle; an occupant seat movably supported by the support member and provided with an electrical component; and a wireless power supply mechanism configured to supply electric power to the electrical component. The wireless power supply mechanism includes a power transmitting unit attached to the floor, and a power receiving unit attached to the support member so as to face the power transmitting unit and configured to receive the electric power wirelessly from the power transmitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chase Hemmelgarn, Steven Johnson
  • Patent number: 12365280
    Abstract: A camper for a vehicle includes a first cabin portion and a second cabin portion adapted to telescopically extend and retract relative to the first cabin portion in a horizontal direction. Further, each of the first cabin portion and the second cabin portion includes a base portion, and an extension portion. The extension portion is adapted to telescopically extend and retract relative to the base portion in a vertical direction. Moreover, the extension portions are configured to be extended or retracted together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ricky Jukuei Hsu, Jia Wei Lin, Romain Daniel Charles Mivelle, Franco Corral, Jean-Hugues Tuan Huy Nguyen
  • Patent number: 12365281
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented herein for a mounting apparatus configured to arrange a retractable kitchen within a vehicle enclosure. The mounting apparatus comprises a first slot configured to accommodate an alignment protrusion of a kitchen module. The mounting apparatus further comprises a second slot configured to accommodate a locking assembly, which, when actuated into a locking position prevents translation of the kitchen module along the second slot. The mounting apparatus shall be arranged on a bottom side of the vehicle enclosure and shall have a retractable kitchen module fixedly attached to the mounting apparatus. The retractable kitchen module comprises a kitchen module enclosure configured to move from a stored position to an extended positioned, and a kitchen work surface configured to extend away from the front side of the vehicle enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan David Salerno, Stephen Gillette, Daniel Geoffrey Walker
  • Patent number: 12351242
    Abstract: A rear panel extending in a vehicle width direction at a rear portion of a vehicle, and a rear in-panel extending in a vehicle front-rear direction on a vehicle width direction side surface of the rear portion of the vehicle are provided. The rear panel includes: a rear panel body extending in the vehicle width direction, and a front extension portion bent and extended from an outer side of the rear panel body in the vehicle width direction toward a front side. The front extension portion and the rear in-panel are connected to form a side surface of a luggage room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 12351007
    Abstract: An assembly includes a door panel. The assembly includes a door-trim panel movably supported by the door panel. The assembly includes an actuator between the door panel and the door-trim panel. The door-trim panel is selectively movable relative to the door panel in a cross-vehicle direction by the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 12336940
    Abstract: The embodiments described and claimed herein include an automated securement system that secures a wheeled mobility device for transit in a vehicle, and periodically re-secures the wheelchair to ensure proper securement despite shifting of the wheelchair during transit. The embodiments also include improvements to a compression-based wheeled mobility device securement system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Valeda Company, LLC
    Inventor: Edgardo Cardona
  • Patent number: 12337798
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a rear seat bench, a storage compartment arranged behind the rear seat bench in the direction of travel, and a storage compartment floor. A hat shelf is positionable behind the rear seat bench in a usage position such that it separates a passenger compartment from the storage compartment. In order to thereby provide an easily actuatable hat shelf which is also sturdy when in its non-usage position in the motor vehicle, a gap is provided between the rear seat bench and the storage compartment floor. The hat shelf and the gap interact such that the hat shelf can be inserted into the gap in a non-usage position and can be fixed to the rear seat bench via a fixation device such that, in its non-usage position, the hat shelf adjoins a rear side of the rear seat bench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Margret Metzger, Uwe Schwitzgäbel
  • Patent number: 12337667
    Abstract: A cover apparatus for covering a flatbed trailer includes a frame comprising a hub and a plurality of support members. The plurality of support members is coupled to the hub. Each support member of the plurality of support members comprises a beam and a mounting bracket. The beam of each support member of the plurality of support members is coupled to the hub and extends outwardly and downwardly therefrom. The mounting bracket of each support member of the plurality of support members is coupled to a distal end of the beam with respect to the hub and is configured for mounting the frame to a platform of the flatbed trailer. A sheet is removably coupled to the frame and is positioned over and around the frame, bounding an interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Inventor: Paul Minichiello, Jr.
  • Patent number: 12330485
    Abstract: An apparatus for moving a lower lid of a split tailgate in a car, including: a Bowden cable; a drive unit configured to drive the Bowden cable; and a mechanical interface configured to be connected with an end portion of the Bowden cable and with the lower lid of the split tailgate of the car; the mechanical interface including a structural element configured to be connected with a hinge of the lower lid of the split tailgate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Christer Dominique, Ebrahim Shakil, Gerardo Morales
  • Patent number: 12330205
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a vehicle center pillar member is formed to have a hat-shaped cross-section by press-molding a tailored blank material formed by joining a plurality of members in a longitudinal direction along at least one joining line. The vehicle center pillar member includes a top plate portion and vertical wall portions on both sides of the top plate portion. The at least one joining line of the tailored blank material in the vertical wall portions is in the same direction as a pressing direction during press molding. According to the embodiment, in a configuration of the tailored blank material, the at least one joining line is bent in such a shape that members on both sides forming the tailored blank material are fitted together in a concave-convex manner in the top plate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Toyoda Iron Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kosaka
  • Patent number: 12330592
    Abstract: Disclosed is a glove box opening and closing apparatus. The apparatus includes a knob rotatably coupled to a glove box and configured to be disposed at one of a first position and a second position, a rotator that rotates in conjunction with rotation of the knob, and rods that move in conjunction with the rotation of the rotator. The rotator includes a link in contact with the knob, an interlocking surface is formed on the link, and the knob is configured to come into contact with a different area of the interlocking surface when the knob moves from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ju Han Shin, Dong Nyung Jin
  • Patent number: 12325465
    Abstract: There are provided a vehicle-body member provided at a vehicle-body front portion, a bumper-face support member supporting a bumper face in front of the vehicle-body member, and plural brackets fixedly connecting the vehicle-body member and the bumper-face support member. The bracket comprises an inclination portion which is inclined such that a front side thereof is positioned on an inward or outward side, in the vehicle width direction, of the bracket, a high-rigidity portion, at least part of which is positioned at the inclination portion and which is configured to have high rigidity against an input of a load applied in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and a fragile portion which is configured to be deformable by receiving the input of the load applied in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The high-rigidity portion and the fragile portion are provided adjacently to each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kuniyoshi Tashiro, Masayuki Furutani
  • Patent number: 12311848
    Abstract: A trim assembly of a vehicle includes a first component, a second component, and an attachment element attaching the first component to the second component. The attachment element includes a main body extending from the first component at a first main body end of the main body. The main body includes main body arms extending from the main body at a second body end of the main body. One or more secondary bodies are located at a lateral side of the main body and spaced apart from the main body. A secondary body of the one or more secondary bodies includes a tip protrusion located at a secondary tip end of the secondary body. The attachment element is installable to an attachment opening in the first component to secure the first component to the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alejandro Barrera, Jose Roberto Cabrera, Juan Escobar
  • Patent number: 12311825
    Abstract: A vehicle mounted mobile kitchen is provided, which includes a first storage box and a second storage box, a longitudinal section of the first storage box is in a shape of a rectangular frame, inner walls of both sides of the first storage box are provided with a sliding groove at positions near a bottom of the first storage box; outer walls of both sides of the second storage box are provided with a sliding strip at positions near a bottom of the second storage box. The second storage box is slidably connected to the inner walls of two sliding grooves through the sliding strip. The second storage box is located in the first storage box and includes a storage platform and a placement platform. The placement platform is installed at one side of an outer wall of a top of the storage platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Inventor: Zengbao Wang
  • Patent number: 12296659
    Abstract: A door device includes a door configured to open or close a door opening formed in a vehicle body, a guide pin provided at a lower end portion of the door and extending toward a lower end portion of the vehicle body, and a guide module provided on the lower end portion of the vehicle body and slidably coupled with the guide pin as the guide pin is inserted in the guide module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Hyungin Yun, Chungsik Yim
  • Patent number: 12296896
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a vehicle body lower structure, which can improve aerodynamic performance and improve driving stability. The vehicle body lower structure includes an airflow guiding plate that is arranged on the vehicle body of a vehicle and is movable between a receiving position covering the lower part of the vehicle body and a deploying position protruding downward. The airflow guiding plate includes a first airflow guiding plate and a second airflow guiding plate. The first airflow guiding plate is arranged in front of the left and right front wheels of the vehicle, and the second airflow guiding plate is arranged under the center of the vehicle body. Moreover, the protruding amount of the first airflow guiding plate is different from the protruding amount of the second airflow guiding plate in the deploying position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Ando, Yoshiteru Hoshida, Kei Ambo, Yuki Nakamura, Hidefumi Nihei, Yasunari Miyauchi