Patents Examined by Karen Beck
  • Patent number: 11752966
    Abstract: The present invention is a side airbag device housed in the side support part of a vehicle seat and includes an airbag for restraining an occupant and an inflator. The airbag includes a first bag housing the inflator which is capable of inflating and deploying, and a second bag capable of inflating and deploying on the side of the first bag. The second bag is configured to be deployed by inflation gas flowing in from the first bag. At the upper edge of the second bag, an inclined part is formed that is inclined to be lower at the front thereof than at the rear thereof when viewed from the vehicle width direction. The front portion of the inclined part is configured to be located lower than the center line extending in the longitudinal direction of the upper arm of the occupant seated in a vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Yuto Kobayashi, Tsutomu Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11745694
    Abstract: For example, even when an occupant is seated offset in a left-right direction, an airbag is reliably expanded and deployed. An airbag device contains: an airbag that protects at least a side portion of a shoulder region, upper arm region, and chest region of an occupant seated on a vehicle seat; and an inflator that supplies gas to the airbag. The airbag has a pair of side part protection chambers that are housed on at least both left and right sides of the vehicle seat. The side part protection chambers, when expanded and deployed, expand and deploy forward independently from both left and right sides of the vehicle seat. A pair of the inflators are provided to allow gas to be supplied to each side part protection chamber, and the ignition timing of the inflators can be controlled separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshiki Ito
  • Patent number: 11732443
    Abstract: A safety mechanism for use on a vehicle is provided. The safety mechanism comprises a buffer and a sensor that is configured to send an electrical signal to processing circuitry in the vehicle when the sensor is activated. Sufficient movement of the buffer activates the sensor. A drive line may also be provided with the buffer connected to the drive line. Movement of the buffer may cause rotation of the drive line, and sufficient rotation of the drive line may activate the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Inventor: Zachary Paul Liollio
  • Patent number: 11731578
    Abstract: An automobile vehicle deployable cocoon airbag system includes an airbag cushion having a first side oriented in a vertical configuration in a non-deployed condition and a second side oriented substantially ninety degrees from the first side in the non-deployed condition and adapted to receive an occupant on the second side providing an occupant sleeping position. At least one retracting tether is connected to the first side and the second side and is retracted using a retraction mechanism. The retraction mechanism acts upon receipt of a signal to retract the at least one retracting tether and pull the second side toward the first side thereby enclosing the occupant between the first side and the second side in a deployed condition of the airbag cushion. At least one energy absorbing (EA) element is connected to the airbag cushion acting to restrict a fore-aft motion of the airbag cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Yi-pen Cheng, Chin-hsu Lin
  • Patent number: 11718141
    Abstract: In each of a first stabilizer device and a second stabilizer device, a stabilizer bar is supported by one or more cylinders, a communication passage via which two fluid chambers of each cylinder are connected is provided, and an opening-closing valve is disposed in the communication passage such that an inter-fluid-chamber communication state where the two fluid chambers communicate with each other and an inter-fluid-chamber shutoff state where the two fluid chambers are shut off from each other are selectively established. Hereby, a vehicle body roll restraining effect is achieved in the inter-fluid-chamber shutoff state while the vehicle body roll restraining effect is cancelled in the inter-fluid-chamber communication state. A linkage mechanism by which those two states of each of the stabilizer devices are changed in conjunction with each other is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Tabata, Kazuyuki Murata, Masashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11713016
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat comprising a seat cushion and a seatback, the seatback comprises a seatback frame including a right and a left side member extending vertically, a side airbag unit attached to one of the side members, a flexible seatback pad provided with a pad side slit to permit an airbag to be deployed opposite to the side airbag unit, a skin member having a skin side slit in a part thereof corresponding to the pad side slit, and a retaining sheet connected to a part of a back side of the seatback pad opposing the side member, and to the side member so as to fixedly secure a position of the seatback pad relative to the side member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kota Akai, Masahiro Okabe
  • Patent number: 11713018
    Abstract: A system includes a body structure, an assembly that is connected to the body structure, an airbag assembly that includes a housing that is located behind a first portion of the body structure and a deployable structure. The deployable structure is located in the housing in a stowed position and extends outward relative to the housing in an inflated position. The deployable structure includes a main chamber that is located adjacent to the seat assembly in the inflated position, and a reaction chamber that is spaced from the seat assembly by the main chamber in the inflated position. The deployable structure is configured so that forces that are applied to the main chamber of the deployable structure in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle cause the reaction chamber to move in a lateral direction so that the reaction chamber engages the body structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Adam J. Golman, Arturo Llamazares Domper, Nicholas A. White, Jesse T. Buehler
  • Patent number: 11691473
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to suspension assemblies for vehicles. More specifically, this disclosure is directed to secondary springs for suspension assemblies of vehicles. In some embodiments, a secondary spring can comprise a base, a tip, and one or more extension members positioned between the base and the tip that are configured to be removably coupled to the base and/or the tip to adjust a length of the secondary spring. In some embodiments a user can adjust the length of the secondary spring, so that the secondary spring is compatible with a given coil spring of the suspension assembly, by increasing or decreasing the number of extension members included in the secondary spring and/or by replacing one or more of the extension members with longer or shorter extension members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Metal-tech Cage, LLC
    Inventor: Mark D. Hawley
  • Patent number: 11691588
    Abstract: A vehicle side airbag device including an inflator, a side airbag, and a duct is installed at a side section on a vehicle width direction outer side of a seatback of a vehicle seat configured to restrain an occupant using a three-point seatbelt. The side airbag receives a supply of gas from the inflator in a vehicle side-on collision. As a result, a waist chamber is inflated and deployed from a lower portion of the side section toward a side of a waist of the occupant, and a head chamber is inflated and deployed from an upper face side of the side section toward a side of a head of the occupant. The duct extends along a vertical direction of the side airbag inside the side airbag, and is configured to guide gas from the inflator into the waist chamber and into the head chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Kazuhiro Kawamura, Yuto Ota, Yuta Arai
  • Patent number: 11688545
    Abstract: A removable weighted vehicle safety guard system having a safety attachment that removably attaches to the back end of a vehicle to add weight, thereby helping to keep the back end of the vehicle stabilized while driving in inclement weather or on slippery road surfaces, and additionally forms a brush guard to prevent damage to the vehicle should another vehicle rear-end the user's vehicle. The removable weighted vehicle safety guard system attaches to the back end of the vehicle via the hitch and is secured using bolts or trailer pins. The removable weighted vehicle safety guard system provides static weight to the back end of the vehicle but may optionally also receive additional if needed. The additional weight may take a number of forms, including weight blocks, and can be added to the removable weighted vehicle safety guard system via bolts or trailer pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventor: Jordan Seanard
  • Patent number: 11679967
    Abstract: A lift machine includes a base having a first end and a second end, a first assembly, and a second assembly. The first end has first and second pivot points defining a first lateral axis. The second end has third and fourth pivot points defining a second lateral axis. The first assembly is pivotably coupled to the first and second pivot points. The first assembly extends away from the base in a first direction such that first and second tractive elements are longitudinally offset from the first lateral axis and spaced from the first end of the base. The second assembly is pivotably coupled to the third and fourth pivot points. The second assembly extends away from the base in a second direction such that third and fourth tractive elements are longitudinally offset from the second lateral axis and spaced from the second end of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: JiHong Hao, Ignacy Puszkiewicz
  • Patent number: 11679736
    Abstract: Portable seatbelt systems, kits, and related methods of manufacture and use. A portable seatbelt system may be carried onto and temporarily or permanently installed to an automobile seat, and includes a back strap, a bottom strap, and a securement strap. The back strap may be secured to a backrest of the seat and the bottom strap may be secured to a bottom of the seat. A passenger may be seated in the seat and secured to the seat with the securement strap which attaches to the bottom strap. The securement strap secures the passenger in the seat and prevents the passenger from being ejected from the seat during a collision, a rollover, or another automobile incident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Inventor: Toni Yvonne Lane
  • Patent number: 11667168
    Abstract: An axle arrangement for a baler having a chassis includes a first axle having opposite ends and a pair of suspension cylinders, with each suspension cylinder positioned at a corresponding end of the first axle to accommodate generally vertical loads. The first axle is coupled with the chassis to accommodate generally horizontal loads. A second axle has opposite ends and a pair of suspension cylinders, with each suspension cylinder positioned at a corresponding end of the second axle to accommodate generally vertical loads. The second axle is coupled with the first axle to accommodate generally horizontal loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Sven Monbaliu
  • Patent number: 11667167
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an elongate link arm member of a support link arm. A ball joint socket is disposed on a first longitudinal and of the link arm member. The link arm member in a sheet-metal shell construction mode is formed from sheet metal and has a cavity portion. The ball joint socket is a forging or casting from metal and possesses a fastening appendage which is configured in a materially integral manner so as to be in one piece with said ball joint socket. The ball joint socket by way of the fastening appendage engages in the cavity portion of the link arm member and is joined to the link arm member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Stephan Meyer, Juergen Hummelt
  • Patent number: 11667194
    Abstract: A power take-off arrangement (1) for a vehicle (5) that includes an input shaft (7), a main transmission member (9), a main coupling device (11), a first power take-off unit (13), a second power take-off unit (17), a first coupling device (15), and a second coupling device (19). The first coupling device (15) and the second coupling device (19) are configured to connect, in an engaged state, a respective power take-off unit (13, 17) to the main transmission member (9). The first and second coupling devices (15, 19) are connected to the main coupling device (11) such that the main coupling device (11) is controlled to be in the engaged state when any one of the first and second coupling devices (15, 19) is in the engaged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Scania CV AB
    Inventors: Peer Norberg, Per Arnelöf, Daniel Petersen
  • Patent number: 11667257
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an occupant seating area and a body side having a first pillar and a second pillar disposed vehicle-forward of the first pillar. An airbag is mounted to the first pillar and inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag includes a side lobe extending from the first pillar toward the second pillar in the inflated position. The airbag includes a front lobe extending cross-vehicle from the side lobe vehicle-forward of the occupant seating area in the inflated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque
  • Patent number: 11654853
    Abstract: A vehicle side airbag device including an inflator, a side airbag, and a duct is installed at a side section on a vehicle width direction outer side of a seatback of a vehicle seat configured to restrain an occupant using a three-point seatbelt. The side airbag receives a supply of gas from the inflator in a vehicle side-on collision. As a result, a waist chamber is inflated and deployed from a lower portion of the side section toward a side of a waist of the occupant, and a head chamber is inflated and deployed from an upper face side of the side section toward a side of a head of the occupant. The duct extends along a vertical direction of the side airbag inside the side airbag, and is configured to guide gas from the inflator into the waist chamber and into the head chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Kazuhiro Kawamura, Yuto Ota, Yuta Arai
  • Patent number: 11649872
    Abstract: A shock absorber for a vehicle suspension system may include a damper tube having an axis defining an axial direction extending between a first end and a second end, a bumper cap, and a dust gaiter operably coupled to the bumper cap. The bumper cap may have a cover portion and a retention portion. The cover portion may be operably coupled to the second end of the damper tube, and the retention portion may extend along a lateral periphery of the damper tube to an opposite end of the bumper cap relative to the cover portion. The retention portion may include a continuous ring at a distal end of the bumper cap relative to the cover portion to define a limit for movement of the dust gaiter along the bumper cap in the axial direction. The continuous ring may be retained by a plurality of fixed fingers that extend from the cover portion to the continuous ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Barton
  • Patent number: 11648974
    Abstract: A steering support includes a body portion provided with an internal space, and first and second fastening portions. The first fastening portion is provided to form a first steering fastening portion configured to fasten the body portion and a steering of a vehicle. The second fastening portion is provided to form a miscellaneous member fastening portion configured to fasten the body portion and a miscellaneous member of the vehicle. At least part of the first steering fastening portion and at least a part of the miscellaneous member fastening portion are located on a substantially straight line that passes through the internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norito Nishizawa, Masahiro Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 11633998
    Abstract: A suspension strut for a vehicle comprises: a first connector for connecting to a first point on the vehicle; a second connector for connecting to a second point on the vehicle; and a damper assembly adapted to provide a damping force as fluid flows through the damper assembly during relative compression between the first point and the second point, wherein the damper assembly comprises a side wall and a damper aperture in the side wall, wherein the damper aperture is open throughout operation of the strut to allow fluid to flow through the damper assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS PLC
    Inventors: Liam Bradley Widdrington, Andrew James Kittley, Philip Alner Wilby