Patents Examined by Kiran B. Patel
  • Quick release floor panel system for a work machine
    Patent number: 11110969
    Abstract: A work machine includes a frame and an operator cabin having a floor panel. The floor panel includes a floor plate, a floor mat, an access hole, and an access door assembly. The floor plate is connected to the frame. The floor mat is connected to the floor plate. The access hole is through the floor plate and the floor mat. The access door assembly is pivotally connected to the floor plate and positioned in the access hole. The access door assembly includes a door plate and a floor mat section. The door plate is pivotally connected the floor plate. The floor mat section is connected to and substantially covers the door plate. The access door assembly is configured to move between a closed state in which the access door assembly covers the access hole and an open state in which the access door assembly uncovers the access hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Rettick, Colton T. Anderson
  • Rear chassis module for vehicle
    Patent number: 11110962
    Abstract: A rear chassis module for a vehicle includes: a rear suspension subframe disposed under a rear floor panel; a pair of front reinforcing members extending from the rear suspension subframe toward the front of the vehicle, and supporting a battery pack; a pair of rear reinforcing members extending from the rear suspension subframe toward the rear of the vehicle, and supporting a fuel tank; a pair of rear floor side members disposed on both sides of the rear floor panel; and a rear crossmember transverse to and connected to the pair of rear floor side members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seong Eun Choi, Kun Ho Park
  • Floor structure for vehicle
    Patent number: 11110968
    Abstract: A floor structure for a vehicle includes: a center floor panel; a plurality of seat crossmembers extending in a width direction of a vehicle; a rail member disposed to be orthogonal to the plurality of seat crossmembers; a pair of side sills disposed on both sides of the center floor panel; and a pair of battery mounting beams coupled to the pair of side sills, respectively, wherein each battery mounting beam is coupled to an inboard sidewall of each side sill, and cylindrical nuts for mounting a battery assembly are individually disposed on the battery mounting beams and the seat crossmembers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyun Ahn, Jae Ha Shim, Hee Suk Chung, Young Ho Lee
  • Vehicular energy absorbing member and manufacturing method thereof
    Patent number: 11104283
    Abstract: A vehicular energy absorbing member that is disposed between a bumper reinforcement and a framework of a vehicle includes an energy absorbing portion that has a tubular shape and is configured to absorb impact energy by being plastically deformed to be compressed in an axial direction. An outer circumferential surface of the energy absorbing portion has a circular tubular shape and an inner circumferential surface of the energy absorbing portion includes a ridge portion having a shape extending in the axial direction of the energy absorbing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Keikinzoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yatsunami, Shunji Shibata, Kiyoichi Kita, Kyosuke Matsui, Jun Shobo
  • Electrical release for interior compartment (glove box)
    Patent number: 11098505
    Abstract: A compartment assembly includes a housing, a door movable relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position, an arm extending from the door having a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface, and an actuation system. The actuation system includes a prime mover and a pin connected to the housing and operably coupled to the door. The pin is movable by the prime mover. A biasing mechanism is coupled to the pin to bias the pin into engagement with the arm. When the door is in the closed position, engagement between the first engagement surface and the pin restricts movement of the door. Engagement between the second engagement surface and the pin opposes the biasing force of the biasing mechanism to allow movement of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: INTEVA PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Stefan Wiepen, Niklas Kock, Andreas Rahn
  • Automobile hood for decoupled pedestrian safety and durability
    Patent number: 11097785
    Abstract: The invention relates to an automobile hood assembly containing an inner hood, an outer hood, and a core sandwiched between the inner and outer hoods. The inner hood is constructed to provide strength and stiffness to the hood assembly; and the outer hood and core are constructed to provide energy absorption to provide pedestrian safety in case of pedestrian collision. The automobile hood assembly decouples the stiffness and energy absorption requirements of an automobile hood, so that those two design criteria may be accomplished independent of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thord Lein, Renaud Gutkin, Johan Sparlund
  • Rear vehicle-body structure
    Patent number: 11091205
    Abstract: A rear vehicle-body structure comprises a floor of the vehicle-body, a right-and-left rear frame extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction on both-sides of a rear of the floor, a rear cross member extending in a vehicle width direction and interconnecting a front of the right-and-left rear frame, and a right-and-left reinforcing member directly or indirectly connecting a tunnel portion provided in front of the rear cross member. The right-and-left reinforcing member is provided on the floor so as to extend forwardly and inwardly in the vehicle width direction from the rear cross member toward the tunnel portion, and respective front end portions of the right-and-left reinforcing member overlap each other and are joined to the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideyuki Tsukamoto, Kouji Matsushita
  • Lower vehicle-body structure of vehicle
    Patent number: 11091016
    Abstract: There are provided a pair of side sills, a floor panel, a pair of floor frames, a battery unit provided between the pair of floor frames, a first cross member interconnecting the pair of side sills, and a seat bracket. The seat bracket comprises a protrusion portion which partially covers an upper wall portion of the first side portion and is upwardly spaced apart from the upper wall portion of the first cross member, and the bead portions and the opening portion (low-rigidity portion) are formed at a part of the upper wall portion of the first cross member which is located at a position corresponding to the protrusion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yamato Matsuda, Nobuyuki Nakayama, Katsuhito Kouno, Toshihiro Takebayashi, Toshiyuki Koga
  • Vehicle cover member
    Patent number: 11091209
    Abstract: A tray-like vehicle cover member has a flat bottom plate, an edge wall rising from a peripheral edge of the bottom plate, and a flange that is connected to an upper end portion of the edge wall and provided with a plurality of fastening portions to be fastened to a vehicle. In this vehicle cover member, the bottom plate has an annular groove formed in an intermediate portion between the peripheral edge and the center, and a plurality of radial grooves formed to extend radially from the annular groove toward the fastening portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Nakagawa
  • Vehicle console with coupled motion and enhanced storage capabilities
    Patent number: 11084437
    Abstract: An apparatus for an interior vehicle compartment includes a seat adapted for moving in a travel direction and a movable console. The movable console includes a holder for removably receiving and holding a mobile computer having a display. The holder may be displaced between a stowed position and a deployed position. The display is presented for viewing by a vehicle passenger seated in the seat in both of those positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Shivraj Karthik Ranganathan, Manjil M Kale, Robert Michael Coury, Gary D. Mullen, Anthony Ligi, Jr., Glenn Biddinger
  • Track assembly
    Patent number: 11077000
    Abstract: A track assembly for mounting a movable object includes a track having a web and at least one flange joined with the web. A stop assembly is mounted to the track at the web by a releasable connection and configured to engage the flange to form a moment restraint for the connection of the stop assembly to the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Caitlin Marie Braun, Brandon David Naber, Levi Joseph Scheenstra, Michael Joseph Hernandez
  • Vehicle structural member and method for producing same
    Patent number: 11072373
    Abstract: A vehicle structural member includes an elongate hollow member having an integrated structure, and supporting members joined to the elongate hollow member. The elongate hollow member includes: a first portion that includes a first pipe, a second pipe disposed outside the first pipe and extending along the first pipe, and a connection portion extending along the first pipe and the second pipe, formed integrally with the first pipe and the second pipe, and connecting the first pipe and the second pipe; and a second portion that includes the first pipe continuing from the first portion, and does not include the second pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Hashimura, Taiki Yamakawa, Yasuhiro Maeda
  • Vehicle structure sub-unit, with crash-box modules
    Patent number: 11072300
    Abstract: A vehicle structure sub-unit includes a cross-member of metal material and two crash-box modules with their front surfaces welded or glued to the rear wall of the cross-member. A reinforcing metal plate is interposed between the front surface of at least one of the two crash-box modules and the rear wall. The rear wall has a depressed flat portion in which the reinforcing plate is received, in such a way that the surface of the reinforcing plate facing the crash-box module is substantially flush with the surface of the rear wall. A depressed portion of the rear wall is located in an offset position, closer to the center of the cross-member, with respect to the crash-box module, in such a way that the reinforcing plate is in contact only with a part of the front surface of the crash-box module, the remaining part of the front surface being in direct contact with the rear wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: C.R.F. SOCIETA CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventor: Stefano Menegazzi
  • Haul truck dump body finish machined rear pivot support
    Patent number: 11065998
    Abstract: A finish machined rear pivot support a dump body of a haul truck can comprise a pair of rear pivots spaced apart from each other in a first direction, and a cross-member extending in the first direction between the rear pivots. The rear pivots can be respectively welded in-line with longitudinal support body members on a bottom of the dump body. The cross-member can extend from inward-facing sides of the rear pivots. Each of the rear pivots can include two cut-outs spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The cut-outs can be provided over corresponding one of transverse support body members on the bottom of the dump body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Bromenshenkel, Mark A. Wagner
  • Reinforcement arrangement
    Patent number: 11059519
    Abstract: A reinforcement arrangement for protecting a vehicle occupant in the event of a frontal collision. The reinforcement arrangement which is configured to be centrally located is attachable to lateral support beams of a frame provides a more weight efficient solution compared to previously used reinforcement arrangement attached to longitudinal beams located in a tunnel structure of the vehicle. The described reinforcement arrangement is further configured to minimize intrusion into the vehicle interior in the event of a frontal collision, and to instead direct forces into the frame via the lateral support beams. Thereby, the force can be directed into the frame and not to sensitive components of the energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Håkan Persson, Henrik Ebbinger, Fredrik Övgård
  • Beam having at least one hollow chamber
    Patent number: 11059525
    Abstract: The invention relates to a beam having at least one hollow chamber for receiving a bolt element in a bush of the beam. The beam is distinguished by the fact that the bush is of multipart design and at least one of these plurality of parts of the bush is cold-joined to the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Lucas Adamski, Andreas Hitz, Alex Mirau
  • Cowl cross bar for vehicle
    Patent number: 11059521
    Abstract: A cowl cross bar is provided for a vehicle capable of easily ensuring a space in which a heads-up display device is disposed and a passage through which an air duct extends, and which exhibits improved self-supporting stiffness and sufficient stiffness to support a steering column. The cowl cross bar includes a main bar disposed in a lateral direction from a vehicle body, a pair of first brackets for supporting hardware, which is coupled to the main bar and extends forward therefrom, a second bracket for supporting a steering column, which is coupled to the main bar and extends forward therefrom, the second bracket being disposed between lower ends of the pair of first brackets for supporting hardware, and a third bracket for reinforcement, which is disposed between the pair of first brackets for supporting hardware and the second bracket for supporting the steering column and is connected thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sung Sik Choi, Byung Seok Kong
  • Device for reinforcing vehicle body
    Patent number: 11052951
    Abstract: A device can be used for reinforcing a vehicle body, which includes a front side inner panel and a side outer reinforce complement assembled to the front side inner panel. The device includes a bulkhead section formed in a closed space between the front side inner panel and the side outer reinforce complement. The front side inner panel and the side outer reinforce complement are cross-linked to each other by the bulkhead section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Do Hwan Ahn
  • Vehicle bumper
    Patent number: 11052846
    Abstract: A vehicle bumper may include a bumper absorber having a tube receiving groove that extends in a vehicle width direction, and an elastically deformable airtight pressure tube received in the tube receiving groove formed on the bumper absorber and in communication with a pressure sensor. The bumper absorber includes a beam-shaped absorber body portion extending in the vehicle width direction, and an elongated projecting portion extending in the vehicle width direction at a front end periphery of an upper surface of the absorber body portion. The tube receiving groove is configured to extend in the vehicle width direction on the upper surface of the absorber body portion while penetrating into a rear end portion of the elongated projecting portion, and is configured to open backward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA SHATAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Myoungjun Kim
  • Impact beam for vehicles
    Patent number: 11052847
    Abstract: An exemplary impact beam for a vehicle includes a body defining a longitudinal axis of the impact beam. The body has a first longitudinal surface laterally separated from a second longitudinal surface, a first end including a first extension and a second extension such that the first and second extensions form a “T”-shape with the first and second longitudinal surfaces of the body, and a second end opposite the first end, the second end including a first extended portion and a second extended portion connected to the first extended portion by a connecting surface. The first extended portion is configured to extend into a first crush space defined by a fascia of the vehicle and the second extended portion is configured to extend into a second crush space defined by the fascia of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Luke A. Reini, Julie A. Bryce, Laura L. Tanton