Patents Examined by Laura Freedman
  • Patent number: 12145527
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus for a vehicle includes a roof airbag device including a roof cushion mounted on a roof of a vehicle body and protruding toward a lower side of a vehicle compartment in a deployed state, a curtain airbag device including a curtain cushion mounted on the vehicle body around a side window to cover the side window in the deployed state, and a coupling unit configured to couple the roof cushion to be supported on the curtain cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Seungkyu Kang, Jong-Hun Choi, Eun Mook Park
  • Patent number: 12145651
    Abstract: A siderail member for a subframe assembly of a vehicle, including: an elongate body, wherein the elongate body includes a hollow extruded structure including an inboard wall, an outboard wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, and one or more internal walls. Optionally, the bottom wall has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the top wall. Optionally, the outboard wall has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the inboard wall. Optionally, the one or more internal walls include a top internal wall and a bottom internal wall forming a plurality of horizontally-disposed cells within an interior of the elongate body. The bottom internal wall has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the top internal wall. The hollow extruded structure is manufactured from an aluminum material. Optionally, the top wall of the hollow extruded structure defines a flexure recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Johan Eklund, Anders Sandahl, Jens Raine, Domenico Macri, Emil Claesson, Per Zachrison, Kaldon Kalasho, Robin Larsson, Martin Granlund, Patrik Ljungbäck
  • Patent number: 12139093
    Abstract: An inflatable airbag for a motor vehicle, the airbag comprises a pair of superimposed layers of fabric which are interconnected by a peripheral seam extending around and defining the bounds of a single inflatable chamber between said layers. The inflatable chamber has an inlet region comprising a fluid inlet connected to an inflator. First and second peripherally spaced-apart regions of the peripheral seam are secured to one another such that the inlet region is superimposed with at least one other region of the inflatable chamber to thereby induce an inflated shape to the chamber upon inflation of the airbag by a flow of gas from said inflator, the inflated shape being characterised by least one said other region of the inflatable chamber lying adjacent said inflator upon inflation of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Mateusz Kedziersk, Przemyslaw Siecla
  • Patent number: 12134428
    Abstract: A steering system includes a first wheel and a second wheel laterally spaced apart from the first wheel, and a third wheel and a fourth wheel laterally spaced apart from the third wheel. The first wheel is rotatably coupled to a first knuckle and the second wheel is rotatably coupled to a second knuckle. The third wheel and the fourth wheel are both pivotally fixed in a forward-aligned orientation. The steering system includes a first tie rod having a first end pivotally coupled to the first knuckle and a second end pivotally coupled to a mechanical linkage, a second tie rod having a first end pivotally coupled to the second knuckle and a second end pivotally coupled to the mechanical linkage, and an electrical actuator coupled to the mechanical linkage. The mechanical linkage is arranged in front of the electrical actuator relative to a travel direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Derek Williams, Jihong Hao, Prabhu Shankar, Devin Rosencrance
  • Patent number: 12128728
    Abstract: A dual rate torsion bar suspension system is connected to a control arm and includes a first rate torsion bar and a second rate torsion bar connected to one another in order to provide the suspension system with a dual rate torque resistance. A cam mechanism is employed for isolating the second rate torsion bar from the first rate torsion bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Anderson Les, Jeffery L. Vogt
  • Patent number: 12116077
    Abstract: A scooter apparatus including a steering assembly having a pivotable steering member having a pivotal axis; a handle-bar securely attached to the steering member; a pair of front wheels; a steering mechanism configured to steer the front wheels; a wheel s-pivoting-mechanism configured to pivot the pair of front wheels; and a steering-tilt assembly configured to tilts the steering member towards the inside periphery of the turning curve, when pivoting the steering member. The rate of the tilt of the steering member, towards the inside periphery of the turning curve, is proportionally related to the pivoting rate of the steering member, and configured to vary depending on speed. The scooter further includes a deck assembly having a standing board and a rear wheel assembly. An interface assembly interconnecting the deck assembly with the steering assembly. The scooter is foldable and may include a detachable bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: TROLLYPACK LTD.
    Inventors: Niri Klier, Orel Serfaty
  • Patent number: 12109966
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an airbag apparatus for a vehicle seat, comprising at least one airbag module, wherein the at least one airbag module comprises at least one airbag and is designed for attachment to a backrest and/or to a seat cushion of a vehicle seat, and a catch strap mechanism for the airbag module, wherein the catch strap mechanism comprises at least one catch strap arrangement attached to the airbag, the catch strap mechanism being designed for attachment to the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Arndt Söhnchen, Ronald Jabusch, Hans-Jörg Langhoff, Antto-Christian Glaesser, Alexandru Cirstea, Jens Ehlers
  • Patent number: 12109973
    Abstract: A pedestrian protection device includes a left airbag and a right airbag are of configurations that expand on a left and a right respectively of a wiper pivot disposed centrally in a vehicle width direction. Cowl cover portions of the left airbag and the right airbag that cover an upper face side of a cowl are of a configuration such that end side regions on sides in proximity to each other are caused to come into contact in a position above the wiper pivot. The end side region of one of the cowl cover portions covers the wiper pivot from above in such a way as to be able to restrict contact between a pedestrian and the wiper pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Ozeki, Atsushi Kashio, Hiroki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 12109970
    Abstract: A deployable restraint system including a panel, a tether coupled to the panel, and an actuator that moves the tether to deploy the panel. The panel and the tether are placed in tension between one of two sides of a compartment and a top of the compartment when the tether is moved by the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Philipp J. Wolf, Jesse T. Buehler, Adam J. Golman
  • Patent number: 12090946
    Abstract: A rear-seat airbag is configured to expand and deploy from a lower portion of a center console of a vehicle toward a center portion of a row of rear seats. The rear-seat airbag includes a first airbag and a second airbag. The first airbag is configured to restrain an upper body of a passenger sitting in the center portion of the row of rear seats. The second airbag is configured to restrain a lower body of the passenger sitting in the center portion of the row of rear seats. The first airbag is coupled to the second airbag such that, when the rear-seat airbag expands and deploys, the first airbag covers a half or more of the second airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 12090841
    Abstract: A differential case (23) is therein provided with a plurality of rotating discs (38) that are spline coupled to an outer peripheral side of a right side gear (35), and a plurality of non-rotating discs (39) that are arranged between the respective rotating discs (38). A pressure ring (43) is disposed between a right retainer (41) and the rotating disc (38). The right retainer (41) is provided with a piston (46) that applies a load to the pressure ring (43) to bring the rotating discs (38) and the non-rotating discs (39) into frictional contact. A lever member (53) is disposed between the differential case (23), the right side gear (35) and the pressure ring (43). The lever member (53) transmits a reaction force due to the engagement between the pinion gear (33) and the right side gear (35) to the pressure ring (43) to control a load to be applied to the pressure ring (43) from the piston (46).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Tomohiro Onishi
  • Patent number: 12083982
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle includes an airbag inflator. The assembly includes a curtain airbag including a main lobe and an inflatable flap. The main lobe and the inflatable flap are each inflatable by the airbag inflator to an inflated position. The main lobe includes an inboard panel and an outboard panel. The inflatable flap is at the inboard panel in the inflated position. The inflatable flap, in the inflated position, is at the inboard panel and abutting the airbag inflator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zhibing Deng, Joseph E. Abramczyk, Shekar Prabhakar Erasala, Lavanya Vemuri
  • Patent number: 12077218
    Abstract: A fastener includes a head, a tail, and a body disposed between the head and the tail. The body includes a first portion that includes a lattice structure and a second portion that includes a solid structure. The second portion has an axial length that is greater than an axial length of the first portion. The lattice structure is configured to fracture under a predetermined loading condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 12077232
    Abstract: An axle cartridge member receives a pair of torsion stub axles at opposite lateral sides thereof. The torsion stub axles include elongated axle housings, which are sandwiched between two parallel plates to align the torsion stub axles with respect to one another. The cartridge member includes a central arch extending between the two torsion stub axles, which can provide additional ground clearance when the axle cartridge member is mounted to a trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: NORCO INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jason Douglas Collins, Jon David Stough, Akos Peter Sefcsik, William A. Aske
  • Patent number: 12071094
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle roof, a front pillar extending downwardly from the vehicle roof, and a hinge pillar extending downwardly from the front pillar. The vehicle includes a track having a first portion having a first axis elongated along the front pillar and a second portion having a second axis elongated along the hinge pillar. The second axis is transverse to the first axis. The vehicle includes an airbag supported by the vehicle roof and slidably engaged with the track. The airbag is inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag is engaged to the first portion of the track and the second portion of the track in the inflated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 12060024
    Abstract: A knee airbag includes overlying panels interconnected along a perimeter connection to define an inflatable volume of the knee airbag. The knee airbag includes a filling portion and a cushion portion. The filling portion is configured to receive inflation fluid from an inflator and to direct the inflation fluid from the inflator to the cushion portion. The cushion portion has a width that is greater than a width of the filling portion and extends laterally beyond the width of the filling portion on opposite sides of the filling portion. The knee airbag also includes at least one tether having a first end connected to the cushion portion and an opposite second having a connection configured to anchor the at least one tether. The at least one tether is configured to limit movement of the cushion portion and to help position the cushion portion relative to a vehicle surface for which the knee airbag is configured to help prevent impacts from a vehicle occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Palazzolo, Douglas Gould, Jaime Fermin Perez
  • Patent number: 12060025
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for helping to protect occupants of an autonomous vehicle in the event of a collision. An airbag has a stored, pre-deployment condition in a vehicle roof. The airbag is deployable downward toward the vehicle floor in front of a vehicle occupant. The airbag includes an upper portion for receiving the occupant's head and torso. A lower portion extends downward and forward from the upper portion. The lower portion is for receiving the occupant's lower legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: Hylus Ranjit Raj Jayakar, Kurt F. Fischer, Douglas Gould, Gabriela Diaz
  • Patent number: 12060023
    Abstract: The present invention is an airbag device mounted on a steering wheel of a vehicle having a rim with a shape in which the distance from the center of rotation to the distance to the upper edges is shorter than to left and right edges, that includes a gas generator that generates an expansion gas and an airbag that expands and deploys toward the occupant due to the expansion gas. Furthermore, at the stage before the occupant comes into contact with the expanded and deployed airbag, the thickness (width) D1 of the upper end part of the airbag in the direction parallel to the rotation axis of the steering wheel when the airbag is viewed from the side is configured to be larger than the thickness (width) D2 of the lower end part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Abe, Kazuki Morita, Hiroyoshi Shimono
  • Patent number: 12060132
    Abstract: A foldable scooter includes a frame and a steering column provided with a front wheel and pivotably mounted on the frame, which has a first portion supporting a rear wheel and a footboard, and a second portion supporting the steering column. The first portion and the second portion are connected by a swivel joint along a folding axis, allowing movement between:—an unfolded configuration in which the steering column projects upwards with respect to the footboard by extending in a median plane; and—a folded configuration in which the steering column is on a first side face with respect to the median plane and extends away from the median plane, at least partially underneath the footboard, along a first side edge of the footboard and opposite a first side surface of the rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: ALLIGATOR INTERNATIONAL DESIGN SL
    Inventors: Laurent Julien Michel Vaney, Genis Batlle Besora
  • Patent number: 12060026
    Abstract: A hanging lug for a safety airbag includes a first sewing piece, a second sewing piece, and a connecting piece. The first sewing piece and the second sewing piece are respectively provided at two ends of the connecting piece. The connecting piece is used for passing through a slit of a metal member. The connecting piece is folded in half after passing through the metal member. The first sewing piece and the second sewing piece are arranged in a staggered manner. Also provided is a safety airbag. The connecting piece is folded in half after passing through the metal member, and the first sewing piece and the second sewing piece are arranged in a staggered manner, thereby increasing the total sewing line length of the hanging lug, preventing an OPW from being damaged, reducing the number of sewn layers, and facilitating sewing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Dengyang Zhang, Dongjun Li, Jiao Wen, Pengfei Guo