Patents Examined by Karen Beck
  • Patent number: 11964625
    Abstract: A side airbag that is to be inflated and deployed to a side of an occupant, includes: an upper chamber provided at an upper portion; a lower chamber provided at a lower portion; a middle chamber between the upper chamber and the lower chamber; a first partition panel that partitions the upper chamber from the middle chamber; a second partition panel that partitions the lower chamber from the middle chamber; a third partition panel that partitions the middle chamber from an inflator installation chamber; a first opening that is provided in the first partition panel and through which the upper and middle chambers communicate with each other; and a second opening that is provided in the second partition panel and through which the lower and middle chambers communicate with each other, and each of the first and second partition panels is joined to the third partition panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan G.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Yuki, Masatoshi Yokota
  • Patent number: 11964603
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a foot support device for a footwell of a vehicle. The present disclosure includes a plurality of support elements arranged one behind the other and rotatably connected to one another. The plurality of support elements can each move from a rest position to an active position upon the detection of a predetermined driving situation. When set in the rest position, the plurality of support elements are each arranged parallel to the floor of the footwell, and when set in the active position, the plurality of support elements are each inclined with respect to the floor of the footwell to support at least one foot of an occupant. The foot support device includes a drive arrangement lifting at least a foremost support element to the active position, which causes movement of a subsequent support element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignees: AUDI AG, ZF Automotive Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Jakobs, Franz Fürst, Walter Krönes, Christoph Grundheber
  • Patent number: 11958324
    Abstract: A multifunctional all-terrain vehicle having a body for accommodating people and cargo, an engine, and a transmission having axles and wheels. Disposed on the axles are brake discs gripped within brake pads which are actuated by brake cylinders disposed in a carriage and forming a brake system, and can be used for traveling over land, water, swamps, snow. According to the invention, a single frame is configured as a three-dimensional structure, and waterproofing is additionally provided with a vertically adjustable seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventor: Kseniya Maksimovna Belonogova
  • Patent number: 11958457
    Abstract: A military vehicle includes a passenger capsule having a front end and a rear end, a front module coupled to the front end of the passenger capsule, a rear module coupled to the rear end of the passenger capsule, a generator, and an export power kit. The front module includes a front subframe, a prime mover, a front axle assembly, and a front differential coupled to the front axle assembly. The rear module includes a rear subframe, a rear axle assembly, and a transaxle coupled to the rear axle assembly, the prime mover, and the front differential. The generator is configured to be driven by the prime mover to generate electricity. The export power kit is coupled to the generator and configured to facilitate exporting power off of the military vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Don Verhoff, Gary Schmiedel, Chris Yakes, Rob Messina, Brian Wilkins, Kent Schulte, Daniel R. Seffernick, Joseph Holda, Michael Peotter, David McGraw, Anthony Seefeldt, Dave Pelko, Jesse Gander, Jerry Reineking, Jesse Steinke
  • Patent number: 11951929
    Abstract: An occupant protection system for a vehicle may include an expandable curtain and/or an expandable bladder configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed state. In the deployed state, the expandable curtain may include first and second sides configured to extend along respective portions of first and second interior sides of the vehicle. The expandable curtain may also include a transverse portion extending between the first and second sides, and the first and second sides, and the transverse portion of the expandable curtain may form a contiguous barrier. The expandable bladder when deployed may be supported by the expandable curtain during contact by an occupant. The occupant protection system may also include a deployment control system configured to cause the expandable curtain and/or the expandable bladder to expand to the deployed state. The occupant protection system may be used in vehicles having a carriage-style seating arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Markus Jost, Timothy David Kentley-Klay, Andrew John Piper, Josh Alexander Jimenez
  • Patent number: 11945307
    Abstract: An integrated control apparatus for an autonomous vehicle includes: a movable control device corresponding to a portable device that performs steering, gear-shifting, acceleration, and braking of a vehicle by a user's control when a driving mode is shifted from an autonomous driving mode to a manual driving mode; and a fixed display device controlled in a touch manner to perform other functions other than steering, gear-shifting, acceleration, and braking, wherein a steering dial switch, a gear-shifting slide switch, an acceleration rotary switch, and a brake button switch are disposed in the movable control device and are manipulated differently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, SL Corporation
    Inventors: Eun Sik Kim, Seok Woo Ye, Jae Hoon Jung, Ji Hoon Yang
  • Patent number: 11919471
    Abstract: An airbag module (10) for a restraint device (14) includes an airbag (24), in particular a seat-integrated side airbag, and a slidable actuator (40), wherein the airbag (24) has at least a first chamber (26) and at least a second chamber (28) which are fluidically connected to each other via a fluid communication, wherein the actuator (40) has a blocking position in which the fluid communication is blocked and a release position in which the fluid communication is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Marco Wahl, Gerd Zischka
  • Patent number: 11919468
    Abstract: A side airbag of a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) which is provided to be mounted on a vehicle seat (14) comprises an inflatable head gas cushion (18) and an inflatable torso gas cushion (20) connected to the head gas cushion (18) both of which form separate inflatable compartments of the side airbag (12). The head gas cushion (18) and the torso gas cushion (20) are formed by separate inflatable cushions which are fastened to each other in a connecting section (22). In a vehicle occupant restraint system, the side airbag (12) is mounted on a vehicle seat (14) of a vehicle on the side facing a passenger seat (16) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Dominique Acker, Jürgen Scherr, Kathrin Weinhardt, Andreas Loos, Javier Acedo Ibanez
  • Patent number: 11919469
    Abstract: The invention describes a side airbag (2) of a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) provided to be mounted on a vehicle seat (4) and having at least one fabric cut (6, 7) and one gas cushion (8), wherein the side airbag (2) includes at least three fastening points (12, 14, 16) for mounting on the vehicle seat (4), in particular on a vehicle seat frame, wherein at least a first fastening point (12) and a second fastening point (14) are arranged in the at least one fabric cut (6, 7), wherein the first and second fastening points (12, 14) are arranged, in a condition mounted on the vehicle seat (4), in an upper area of the side airbag (2) and in a vehicle seat transverse direction (Q) are arranged at a distance (a) from each other. The invention also describes a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) comprising a seat-integrated airbag module (30) and a vehicle seat (4) comprising a seat-integrated airbag module (30) each of which comprises a side airbag (2) of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Stojan Bogdanovic, Dominique Acker, Achim Kartenberg, Joana Hessel, Sotirios Fotopoulos
  • Patent number: 11912228
    Abstract: An occupant crash protection includes: a seat-side airbag device configured to deploy a seat-side gas cushion portion between an aisle and an occupant sitting on a seat, the seat-side airbag device being placed around the seat on which the occupant sits; and a wall-side airbag device configured to deploy a wall-side gas cushion portion toward the seat-side gas cushion portion to be deployed from the seat side to the aisle, the wall-side airbag device being placed inside a vehicle cabin wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fumito Akiyama
  • Patent number: 11912225
    Abstract: A side airbag device capable of restricting an occupant from moving to the inner side in the vehicle width direction while restraining the head of the occupant is inflatable and deployable in a space beside an occupant seated in a vehicle seat. The side airbag device includes an inflator configured to generate a gas and a bag-shaped airbag inflatable and deployable in response to the gas upon activation of the inflator to protect a lateral portion of the occupant. The airbag includes a torso protection portion, and a head protection portion configured to be provided above the torso protection portion and inflatable and deployable between an upper portion of a shoulder of the occupant and a lateral portion of a head of the occupant. The head protection portion is bendable at an acute angle relative to the torso protection portion in an inflated and deployed state of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: ASHIMORI INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Azuma, Yuta Minami, Yoshitaka Okagami, Kazuya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11904788
    Abstract: A vehicle seat and an airbag system, the seat having a backrest and a squab, extending from the backrest in a longitudinal direction, the backrest extending in height from the squab at a first lower position to a second upper position arranged proximal to shoulders of an occupant in a seated position, the airbag system having an airbag to receive inflating gas from an inflator to inflate the airbag, in which the airbag includes an upper region that extends over a head of the occupant in the seated position and a lower region that extends between a first and second side of the backrest and around a mid-section of the seated occupant, the airbag system having a tether system interconnecting the seat at the second upper position of the backrest and airbag to restrain the lower region of the airbag in the inflated configuration in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Per Axblom, Anders Einarsson, Mats Berntsson, Stephane Pretot, Par Sandinge, Fredrik Kjell, Alexander Riess, Jules Houessou, Charlotte Lundqvist, Carl-Johan Svenson, Hanna Karlsson, Ola Henriksson
  • Patent number: 11904799
    Abstract: A seat-belt retractor having a seat-belt spool and a drive device, both the seat-belt spool and the drive device being modular sub-assemblies and designed as a seat-belt spool module and a drive device module, and said seat-belt spool module and drive device module being interconnectable in different orientations relative to one another via a structural interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventor: Günter Clute
  • Patent number: 11897563
    Abstract: At least one machine configuration system provides formation of machines/tools in order to realize different works by means of various components and equipment which can be essentially fixed onto and removed from at least one body having at least one drive element, at least one wheel which is moved by said drive element, and at least one chassis whereon said wheel and the drive element are positioned. The novel side of the machine configuration is that in order to transfer any item from one location to another location, there is essentially at least one platform which is positioned at the upper vicinity of said body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: MODULER MAKINA SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI
    Inventor: Mansuri Caynak
  • Patent number: 11891123
    Abstract: A steering rack support assembly with a support shaft and a sleeve. The support shaft has a first end, a second end, and at least two mounting members. The cross section of the support shaft may be substantially the same along the length of the support shaft. A first of the at least two mounting members may be affixed to the first end of the support shaft, while a second of the at least two mounting members may be affixed to the second end. Each of the at least two mounting members may be configured to couple to the frame of the vehicle. The sleeve is disposed around an outer surface of the support shaft and is slidably coupled to the support shaft. A bracket affixed to the sleeve may be configured to couple to a rack and pinion assembly, a first tie rod, and a second tie rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Sandcraft LLC
    Inventors: Brent G Reynolds, Jonathan D. Roberts
  • Patent number: 11884199
    Abstract: A vehicle may be configured with an adjustable horizontal planar platform for receiving a load, such as a boom arm of a crane and transporting the load to a new location. In some cases, the platform is configured to swivel and tilt in order to maintain an alignment with a second vehicle during transport of a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventor: James Larry Jester
  • Patent number: 11878669
    Abstract: A military vehicle includes a front axle, a rear axle, a front differential coupled to the front axle, and a transaxle coupled to the rear axle and the front differential. The transaxle includes an internal mechanical disconnect that facilitates mechanically decoupling the transaxle from the front differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Don Verhoff, Gary Schmiedel, Chris Yakes, Rob Messina, Brian Wilkins, Kent Schulte, Daniel R. Seffernick, Joseph Holda, Michael Peotter, David McGraw, Anthony Seefeldt, Dave Pelko, Jesse Gander, Jerry Reineking, Jesse Steinke
  • Patent number: 11872948
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle includes a roof and a headliner. The vehicle includes a seat having an occupant seating area. The vehicle includes a curtain airbag. The curtain airbag includes an extension. The curtain airbag is inflatable from an uninflated position to an inflated position. The curtain airbag is between the roof and the headliner in the uninflated position. The curtain airbag is inflatable downwardly from the headliner to the inflated position. In the inflated position, the curtain airbag has a main chamber and the extension extending cross-vehicle from the main chamber and vehicle-forward of the occupant seating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 11866019
    Abstract: A military vehicle includes a passenger capsule, a front module coupled to a front end of the passenger capsule, and a rear module coupled to a rear end of the passenger capsule. The passenger capsule has a frame rail-less monocoque hull structure. The front module includes a front axle, a front differential coupled to the front axle, and a prime mover. The rear module includes a rear axle and a transaxle coupled to the prime mover, the rear axle, and the front differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Don Verhoff, Gary Schmiedel, Chris Yakes, Rob Messina, Brian Wilkins, Kent Schulte, Daniel R. Seffernick, Joseph Holda, Michael Peotter, David McGraw, Anthony Seefeldt, Dave Pelko, Jesse Gander, Jerry Reineking, Jesse Steinke
  • Patent number: 11866018
    Abstract: A military vehicle includes a passenger capsule. The passenger capsule includes a sidewall defining a front door aperture and a rear door aperture, a front door positioned over the front door aperture, a rear door positioned over the rear door aperture, and a latching mechanism configured to secure the front door and the rear door in a closed positioned. The sidewall includes an interlocking door frame portion positioned (i) along an exterior of the sidewall between the front door aperture and the rear door aperture and (ii) proximate the latching mechanism such that the front door and the rear door engage with the interlocking door frame portion positioned along the exterior of the sidewall between the front door aperture and the rear door aperture when the front door and the rear door are closed and engaged with the latching mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Don Verhoff, Gary Schmiedel, Chris Yakes, Rob Messina, Brian Wilkins, Kent Schulte, Daniel R. Seffernick, Joseph Holda, Michael Peotter, David McGraw, Anthony Seefeldt, Dave Pelko, Jesse Gander, Jerry Reineking, Jesse Steinke