Patents Examined by Keith J Frisby
  • Patent number: 11192602
    Abstract: A kit for relocating the rider position on a motorcycle or a trike with a standard-length subframe, a standard-length swing arm, standard-length side panels, a standard-length seat, a standard drive, and a standard-length exhaust, includes an extended subframe, an extended swing arm, extended side panels, an extended seat, an extended drive conversion, and an exhaust extender. The extended subframe is extended from the standard-length subframe. The extended swing arm is extended from the standard-length swing arm. The extended side panels are extended from the standard-length side panels. The extended seat is extended from the standard-length seat. The extended drive conversion is for extending the length of the standard drive. The exhaust extender is for extending the length of the standard-length exhaust. Whereby, when the kit is installed on the motorcycle or the trike, the rider position on the motorcycle or the trike is relocated backwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventor: Bryan McClure
  • Patent number: 11186326
    Abstract: A ballasting device for an agricultural vehicle includes a ballasting body, a first ballasting arm, and a second ballasting arm. The first ballasting arm is pivotally mounted on the ballasting body about a first bearing axis on one end and a first ballasting weight is arranged at the other end thereof. The second ballasting arm is pivotally mounted on the ballasting body about a second bearing axis at one end and a second ballasting weight is arranged at the other end thereof. The ballasting device includes a receiving device for receiving the ballasting device via a three-point hitch device of the agricultural vehicle. The first ballasting weight is adjustable by the first ballasting arm and the second ballasting weight is adjustable by the second ballasting arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Jens Letscher, Thorben Riemer
  • Patent number: 11180108
    Abstract: A preparatory folded form is a form of an airbag in an initial stage in a folding process which has not yet been reduced in size for storage in a steering wheel. The airbag includes a driver-side wall, and a vehicle-side wall which includes an inlet port in a vicinity of the center, and a plurality of taken-in portions towards the outer edge for reducing a length of the outer edge of the vehicle-side wall. The preparatory folded form includes an upper-surface portion composed of a central portion of the driver-side wall, a lower-surface portion composed of a peripheral portion of the inlet port in the vehicle-side wall, and at least one invaginated portion that is composed of a portion of the airbag located between the upper- and lower-surface portions including the taken-in portions, and is invaginated in between the upper- and lower-surface portions towards the inlet port. The upper-surface portion, invaginated portion and lower-surface portion lie over one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Nonoyama, Takanori Komatsu, Masashi Hotta
  • Patent number: 11167711
    Abstract: Airbag deployment data is collected using a plurality of sensors located along a line of weakening formed in a vehicle interior panel. The sensors are configured to provide information pertinent to separation of adjacent portions of the panel from each other as a function of time at a plurality of locations along the line of weakening. Each sensor is attached to the panel so that the sensor crosses the line. The relative time at which a conductive part of each sensor breaks is recorded and provides useful information about airbag door behavior during airbag deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: FAURECIA INTERIOR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Carlos Gerardo Lopez Martinez
  • Patent number: 11161474
    Abstract: An air-bag apparatus includes: a bag body that is provided on a vehicle seat and that is inflated and expanded at a time of an impact input and prevents at least an upper part of a body of an occupant seated on the vehicle seat from being separated from a seat back of the vehicle seat; an inflator that supplies a gas to the bag body at a time of an impact input; a body size detection part that detects a body size of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat; and an expansion degree adjustment part that adjusts a degree of an inflation expansion of the bag body in accordance with the body size of the occupant detected by the body size detection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Shimizu, Hiroyuki Ito, Takashi Saso
  • Patent number: 11136058
    Abstract: A steering apparatus having inner and outer columns. The outer column includes a pair of side plate sections respectively extending in the axial direction, located on both sides in the width direction of the inner column, and has a column-side through hole that passes through in the width direction on one side of the inner column with respect to the height direction in a part in the axial direction thereof, and a column pressing section provided in at least one of the pair of plate sections and able to press the inner column in a direction away from the column-side through holes with respect to the height direction when displaced inward in the width direction, and a widening section in at least one of the pair of plate sections and pressed outward in the width direction via the inner column that is pressed by the column pressing sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NSK, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 11135890
    Abstract: A damper assembly for a vehicle suspension system includes a first damper and a second damper. The second damper includes a housing having a wall that at least partially surrounds at least a portion of the first damper, the volume between the wall and the first damper defining a chamber, and the wall defines an aperture. The second damper also includes a piston positioned within the chamber, a conduit defining a flow path that includes the aperture, and a flow control device disposed along the flow path. The second damper is configured to provide a damping force that varies based on the position of the piston within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Erik S. Ellifson, Patrick S. Dillman, Jason J. Zuleger, Aaron J. Rositch, Robert K. Sollenskog
  • Patent number: 11130541
    Abstract: A saddle type vehicle includes two front wheels, a left front wheel supporting member and a right front wheel supporting member which are turned around a left front wheel turning axis and a right front wheel turning axis respectively, an upper lean arm and a lower lean arm which are rotated around an axis perpendicular to a vehicle width direction, and a steering rod. The upper arm is connected to the left and right members via first and second connecting parts which are provided on the left front wheel turning axis. The lower arm is connected to the left and right members via third and fourth connecting parts which are provided on the right front wheel turning axis. The steering rod is arranged forward of the steering spindle. In a front view of the vehicle body, the steering rod is arranged between the upper and lower arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Nagasaka, Takenori Terada, Hiroshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 11130540
    Abstract: A saddle type vehicle includes two front wheels, a left front wheel supporting member and a right front wheel supporting member which are turned around a left front wheel turning axis and a right front wheel turning axis respectively, and an upper lean arm and a lower lean arm which are rotated around an axis perpendicular to a vehicle width direction. The upper arm is connected to the left and right members via first and second connecting parts. The lower arm is connected to the left and right members via third and fourth connecting parts. The first and third parts are provided in the left front wheel turning axis. The second and fourth parts are provided in the right front wheel turning axis. A distance between the first and second parts is equal to the distance between the third and fourth parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuya Nagasaka, Takenori Terada, Hiroshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 11130464
    Abstract: Tabs for coupling or securing an airbag to a vehicle are provided. A tab may include a first panel and a second panel that meet at a foldable portion. First and second arms may extend away from a central portion of the first panel in substantially opposite directions. First and second recesses may extend inward from first and second lateral edges, respectively, of the second panel. The tab may be configured to be folded to form a bracket receiving member. The bracket receiving member may be configured to be disposed through an aperture of a bracket to secure the tab to the vehicle. Additionally, the first and second panels of the tab may be configured to be secured to an airbag to secure the airbag to the vehicle via the tab and the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Paul Dinsdale, Juan Carlos Garcia Callejas, Tyler Glen Christiansen, John Douglas Kemp
  • Patent number: 11124035
    Abstract: A suspension actuator includes an upper mount, a lower mount, a first actuator mechanism, and a second actuator mechanism. The upper mount is connectable to a sprung mass of a vehicle. The lower mount is connectable to an unsprung mass of the vehicle. The first actuator mechanism forms a first load path between the upper mount and the lower mount. The first actuator mechanism is one of an electromagnetic linear actuator mechanism or a ball screw actuator mechanism. The second actuator mechanism forms a second load path in parallel with the first load path between the upper mount and the lower mount. The second actuator mechanism is one of a mechanical linear actuator mechanism, an air spring actuator mechanism, or a hydraulic actuator mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Hall, Troy A. Carter, Paul J. Keas
  • Patent number: 11117436
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension system includes suspension arms mounted to a vehicle body frame to be pivotable between a low rolling posture and a high rolling posture and an anti-roll bar unit. The anti-roll bar unit includes a main anti-roll bar and a sub anti-roll bar. The sub anti-roll bar extends at least partially parallel with the main anti-roll bar. In the low rolling posture of the suspension arms, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are not in contact with each other. In the high rolling posture of the suspension bars, the main anti-roll bar and the sub anti-roll bar are in contact with each other to increase stiffness of the anti-roll bar unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Chang, John White
  • Patent number: 11117536
    Abstract: A passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle includes first and second airbags, an airbag deployment device, a collision speed detector, a passenger's position detector, a seat moving unit, an airbag deployment determination unit, and a deployment controller. The first airbag is deployable in different sizes. The second airbag is deployable between the first airbag and vehicle equipment. The airbag deployment device deploys the airbags. The collision speed detector detects a collision or collision possibility of a vehicle, and calculates a collision speed. The passenger position detector detects a position of a passenger sitting on a seat. The seat moving unit moves the seat. The airbag deployment determination unit determines a size of the deployed first airbag. The deployment controller determines an amount of movement of the seat, causes the seat moving unit to move the seat, and causes the airbag deployment device to deploy the airbags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota Kanegae, Toru Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11110879
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seatbelt latch having a first slot and a seatbelt webbing extending through the first slot. The assembly includes an airbag mounted to the latch. The airbag extends in a continuous loop defining a second slot, the seatbelt webbing extending through the second slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11104370
    Abstract: A steering column assembly includes a lower jacket assembly extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end and having an energy absorption (EA) plate. The steering column assembly also includes an upper jacket assembly at least partially received within the lower jacket assembly. The steering column assembly further includes an energy absorption strap integrally formed with the lower jacket assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Donald A. Buzzard, Michael P. Anspaugh, Tyler M. Reno, John F. Schulz, Joen C. Bodtker
  • Patent number: 11104382
    Abstract: A rear side member rear includes a bottom plate, an upper plate, and a side plate that connects the bottom plate and the upper plate. On the bottom plate, a body mount bracket rear is provided. A fastening member fastens a vehicle length direction rearward of a rear suspension member upward to the body mount bracket rear. On the upper plate, a step structure, which is a fragile section, is formed further forward than a center axis of the suspension member bolt fastened to the body mount bracket rear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Yoshimoto, Takahiro Momose
  • Patent number: 11090997
    Abstract: A suspension actuator includes an upper mount, a lower mount, a first actuator mechanism, and a second actuator mechanism. The upper mount is connectable to a sprung mass of a vehicle. The lower mount is connectable to an unsprung mass of the vehicle. The first actuator mechanism forms a first load path between the upper mount and the lower mount. The first actuator mechanism is one of an electromagnetic linear actuator mechanism or a ball screw actuator mechanism. The second actuator mechanism forms a second load path in parallel with the first load path between the upper mount and the lower mount. The second actuator mechanism is one of a mechanical linear actuator mechanism, an air spring actuator mechanism, or a hydraulic actuator mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Hall, Troy A. Carter, Paul J. Keas
  • Patent number: 11084449
    Abstract: A passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle includes an inflator and an airbag body. The inflator is configured to generate gas upon receiving a predetermined actuating signal. The airbag body is folded and configured to deploy by supplying the gas from the inflator to the airbag body. The airbag body includes a predetermined area on which adhesive is applied. An adhesive force of the adhesive is exerted by heat of the gas from the inflator during deployment of the airbag body, so that the predetermined area adheres to an adherend at a desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 11072301
    Abstract: An airbag module assembly for mounting to a steering wheel assembly has an airbag, a housing and a visual display unit. The housing has a chamber for stowing the airbag. The housing has an attachment for rigidly fixing to a steering wheel and a forward-facing opening of the chamber for receiving the airbag. The cover encloses the housing and stowed airbag. The housing is fixed to the steering wheel offset and positioned removed from a center region of the steering wheel spaced from a rim of the steering wheel. The airbag module is configured upon deployment to have the inflated airbag project outward over the rim toward an occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Nikolaj Klaenhammer, Kerstin Kahl
  • Patent number: 11046365
    Abstract: A disengagement apparatus for a subframe of a vehicle includes an inclined wall having an inclined surface, two sidewalls, and a top wall. The inclined surface has a structural feature that may include a rib. The disengagement apparatus is configured to couple to the subframe and a subframe stay. The subframe may include an aluminum material, and the disengagement apparatus may include a steel material. Further, a front frame structure for a vehicle includes a vehicle body, and a subframe structure coupled to the vehicle body that includes a subframe, a subframe stay, and a disengagement apparatus. The subframe structure is configured to decouple from the vehicle body in the event of a frontal impact and deflect in a rearward and downward direction relative to the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen G. Rosepiler, Shivaprasad G. Rangaswamaiah, Gregory B. Resh, David J. Royak, Sartaj S. Ubhi, Michael J. Zimcosky