Patents Examined by Laura Freedman
  • Suspension system including releasable connection
    Patent number: 10759244
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle frame and a suspension arm. A bushing is connected to the suspension arm. A lever extends through the bushing. A fastener is fastened to the lever and the vehicle frame. When the lever is impacted by a rigid barrier of a small-offset rigid-barrier (SORB) frontal impact test, the lever breaks the fastener and allows the lever, the bushing, and the suspension arm to release from the vehicle frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brent Michael White, Christopher Melgar, Peter Lazarevski, Kevin Stanton Giaier
  • Motor vehicle with at least two tanks for receiving fuel under high pressure
    Patent number: 10744872
    Abstract: A two-track multi-axle motor vehicle including at least two fuel tanks in which a fuel for producing driving energy for a vehicle drive unit can be stored under high pressure of the order of magnitude of 300 bar and more is provide. Each tank includes a safety valve device having a temperature-sensitive element monitoring only a partial region of the tank surface. The safety valve device allows at least a partial quantity of the stored fuel to escape from the respective tank at a higher temperature, which can occur, for example, in the case of a fire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Pelger, Klaus Szoucsek
  • Steering device
    Patent number: 10737714
    Abstract: A steering device is configured such that an EA stopper and a telescopic lock tooth are engaged with each other such that an inner column and a fixation member move forward with respect to a hanger bracket in a case where a load in a forward direction that acts on the inner column is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Regarding a telescopic stopper, the fixation member comes into contact with the telescopic stopper in accordance with movement of the inner column and the fixation member with respect to the hanger bracket such that the telescopic stopper rotates in a withdrawal direction in which the telescopic stopper is withdrawn from the fixation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Shiroishi
  • Integral power distribution assembly for engine
    Patent number: 10737572
    Abstract: A power distribution assembly integrated into the lower engine housing of an internal combustion engine, the assembly having a drive train with a T-box output configuration and power take off driven by the crankshaft of the engine. The drive train may power the input shafts of a pair of independent, variable drive transmissions. In one embodiment, a single actuator engages a manual clutch/brake mechanism that controls the output shaft of the power take off. In other embodiments, an electric clutch generates magnetic actuation to control of the power take off mechanism. In further embodiments, a hydraulic clutch/brake assembly allows control of the power take off, and an additional hydraulic clutch assembly may be used to control the outputs of the T-box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Nathan W. Bonny, Raymond Hauser
  • Central passenger air bag
    Patent number: 10710543
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant safety system helps protect front seat occupants of a vehicle in the event of a collision that results in oblique forward occupant movement. The safety system includes a frontal air bag inflatable between on instrument panel end the front seat vehicle occupant, and a central air bag inflatable adjacent and inboard of the frontal air bag. The frontal air bag can be configured and positioned to receive and cushion the vehicle occupant moving in an oblique direction in the vehicle as the result of a vehicle collision. The central air bag can be configured and positioned to support an inboard portion of the frontal airbag against flattening out in response to receiving the obliquely moving occupant, and to engage the obliquely moving occupant's head and resist rotation of the vehicle occupant's head resulting from moving obliquely into engagement with the frontal air bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: TRW VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Kurt F. Fischer, Douglas M. Gould, Alexandra E. Schroeder
  • Seat belt pull through device for a car seat called a Buckleze Pull
    Patent number: 10710549
    Abstract: A seat belt pull through device for a car seat used in a vehicle. It allows an occupant, a child, to remain comfortably in a semi-erect or upright position while placed in a toddler or infant car safety seat. The device facilitates fast and easy installation of the car seat and connection of the car seat to the existing seat and shoulder belts already with the vehicle. It greatly simplifies the insertion of the vehicle belts through the car seat and removes the cumbersome and tiresome fishing of a limp belt through the tight, small openings in the car seat structure. The device includes an extended sheath with a hook and protector flaps to enable the vehicle belt to be inserted into a seat belt slot of the car seat, pushed through and removably connected to the seat belt system of the entire vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Inventor: Angela Finney
  • Seatback-mounted restraint system
    Patent number: 10710539
    Abstract: A restraint system includes a seatback and an airbag. The airbag includes two lateral portions and a central chamber connecting the lateral portions. When the airbag is inflated, each lateral portion includes a plurality of lateral chambers arranged consecutively from the seatback to the central chamber, and the lateral portions and central chamber define a gap positioned directly above and directly in front of space for a head of a 50th-percentile dummy sitting against the seatback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jaeho Cho, Robert William McCoy, Srinivasan Sundararajan, James Chih Cheng
  • Airbag device
    Patent number: 10710541
    Abstract: An airbag includes a body, an insert opening and a flap member which covers the insert opening from inside of the airbag. A retainer is inside the airbag, and an inflator is inserted into a holding section of the retainer via the insert opening such that the root end protrudes from the insert opening. The flap member entirely covers the insert opening of the airbag body as unfolded and is joined to the airbag body, with a continuous seam, by the circumferential edge except the leading edge disposed towards the leading end of the inflator. The flap member thus covers the holding section. The retainer includes an open region which exposes an outer periphery of the inflator towards the flap member, and the leading edge of the flap member is positioned to be pressed against the outer periphery of the inflator via the open region at airbag deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Shigemura
  • Vehicle stabilizer, processing device for eye portion of stabilizer, and processing method for eye portion
    Patent number: 10696122
    Abstract: An annular reference surface is formed around a through-hole of an eye portion. A distal-end-side curved portion is formed at a first corner portion, on an outer side of the annular reference surface. The thickness of the distal-end-side curved portion is reduced in a range of a length from the first flat surface toward the distal end surface. A hole-side curved portion whose thickness is reduced toward an inner surface of the through-hole is formed at a second corner portion, on an inner side of the annular reference surface. The length of the hole-side curved portion is less than the length of the distal-end-side curved portion. The hole-side curved portion is curved with a greater curvature than that of the distal-end-side curved portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuharu Sakurai, Yoshihiro Koshita, Akihiko Nishikawa, Akifumi Otani
  • Inflatable knee airbag assemblies
    Patent number: 10696266
    Abstract: An inflatable airbag assembly, such as a knee airbag assembly, including a support strap, wherein the support strap may be secured to an inflatable airbag cushion. The support strap may be configured to direct the deployment trajectory of the airbag cushion such that the airbag cushion is deployed rearwardly and upwardly within a vehicle. The inflatable airbag assembly may be configured to prevent injury to an occupant's hip, femur, knee, and/or lower leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark L. Enders, Quin Soderquist
  • Tandem lift auxiliary axle assembly
    Patent number: 10683046
    Abstract: Provided is a tandem lift auxiliary axle suspension assembly for vehicles which can be selectively raised and lowered to adjust the overall vehicle weight to axle ratio. A tandem wheel mount is connected with a pair of torsion rods to a hanger depending from the vehicle frame. An air spring mounted between the beam and the frame dampen axle movement during use. A lift spring is mounted between the hanger and the torsion rods, or other components of the assembly to selectively raise and lower the tandem axles for ground engagement as needed to decrease the weight to axle ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: RIDEWELL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bruce Barton, Matthew Koontz
  • Airbag device for pedestrian projection
    Patent number: 10682978
    Abstract: An airbag device for pedestrian protection to mount on a vicinity of the rear end of a vehicle hood. The airbag includes a transverse inflatable portion that covers a cowl of the vehicle generally entirely in the vehicle width direction when deployed, and an inlet port in a front end region of the transverse inflatable portion to couple with an inflator. The airbag is stored folded-up in a housing. The airbag is folded up through a front-rear contracting step that provides a front-rear contracted bag, i.e. the airbag which has gone through the front-rear contracting step, and a transversely contracting step which folds the front-rear contracted bag with a crease at a vicinity of an outer end in a left and right direction of the inlet port. A transversely-contracted fold portion formed in the transversely contracting step and the inlet port are arranged in a stratified fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Ozeki, Takashi Sasaki
  • Front sub-frame structure
    Patent number: 10676133
    Abstract: A tension rod supporting part (14) is provided at a sub-frame front structure (10) of a front part of a front sub-frame (5); the side member (6) is disposed upward in one side and extended rearward from the tension rod supporting part (14); a rack arrangement step (A) opened downward for arranging a steering rack (55) is formed behind the tension rod supporting portion (14) and under the side member (6); and a stabilizer support part (62) is provided in the rack arrangement step (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Komiya, Masaaki Tanaka
  • Airbag device
    Patent number: 10668886
    Abstract: Coupling spots are properly protected upon reception of gas pressure. A seam is possessed as a partition that partitions the interior of an airbag, and the seam is a coupling spot along which a frontal-side base fabric and a backside base fabric are coupled to each other. First and second reinforcing fabrics are provided on inner sides of the frontal-side base fabric and the backside base fabric, and the first and second reinforcing fabrics have remaining margins that are oriented toward the gas supply side in the downward direction rather than toward the seam, and each of the remaining margins functions as a shield wall against a flow of gas toward the seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Sato
  • Wheel bearing device
    Patent number: 10668950
    Abstract: A wheel bearing device includes a wheel bearing supported by a knuckle; a hub ring having a boss portion; a second constant-velocity joint; and a first constant-velocity joint. The second constant-velocity joint includes an outer ring rotatably supported by the wheel bearing, and an inner ring coupled to the boss portion of the hub ring. The first constant-velocity joint includes an outer ring coupled to the outer race of the second constant-velocity joint, and an inner ring coupled to a drive shaft. The knuckle supports a pair of camber angle-adjusting linear motion actuators, and a pair of toe angle-adjusting linear motion actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masao Kurita, Hirokazu Ohba
  • Attaching structure for stabilizer of utility vehicle
    Patent number: 10661626
    Abstract: An attaching structure for a stabilizer of a utility vehicle includes: a pair of right and left independent suspension devices; the stabilizer which connects the pair of right and left independent suspension devices to each other; and a support member which is raised from a main frame and is configured to support a load from above. A through hole is defined in the support member such that the through hole penetrates the support member in a vehicle width direction, and the stabilizer passes through the through hole and is supported on the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Hisamura, Yusuke Nakashima
  • Apparatus for attaching a stabilizer bar to a vehicle
    Patent number: 10661628
    Abstract: An apparatus for connecting a stabilizer bar to a vehicle includes a support for attaching to the vehicle. The support defines a space for receiving a bushing through which the stabilizer bar can extend. The support includes tabs to which a heat shield can be attached. The heat shield is spaced apart from the bushing to define a gap between the heat shield and the bushing to protect the bushing from heat emitted from the vehicle exhaust system or engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dustin L. Hinders, Scott R. Harvey
  • Front subframe structure
    Patent number: 10654525
    Abstract: A front subframe structure includes front and rear cross members, a pair of left and right side members, and a vehicle body mounting portion disposed on front ends of the side members. The side member has a lateral widening portion at a front end thereof, wherein the lateral widening portion bulges outward in a vehicle width direction. The front cross member has a front widening portion at an end portion thereof in the vehicle width direction, wherein the front widening portion bulges forward of the vehicle. A portion of the front cross member excluding the front widening portion is disposed on the rear side with respect to the vehicle body mounting portion, and on the front side with respect to a rear end of the lateral widening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Komiya, Yasushi Ishikawa
  • Rear subframe structure
    Patent number: 10647356
    Abstract: A rear subframe structure is provided with a rear subframe configured such that a front cross member, a rear cross member, a pair of left and right upper side members, and a pair of left and right lower side members are connected; and a vehicle-body mounting portion formed on each of both ends of the front cross member, and on each of rear ends of the upper side members. The rear subframe further includes a pillar portion formed between the upper side member and the lower side member; a first-arm support portion formed on the pillar portion to support a first arm; a second-arm support portion formed on the pillar portion to support a second arm; and an arm support bracket to support the second-arm support portion from a rear side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaaki Tanaka, Katsuyuki Komiya
  • Airbag
    Patent number: 10647287
    Abstract: An airbag includes an internal pressure adjusting mechanism, including: a tether arranged in a bag part; a long side part; and a short side part; and adjusting an exhaust of the inflation gas: to be in an exhaust mode in which the exhaust is facilitated when the tether is loosened; and to be in an exhaust suppression mode in which the exhaust is suppressed when the tether is stretched. In a state where the tether is loosened during the exhaust mode, facing edge parts of the long side part and the short side part are separable. In a state where the tether is stretched during the exhaust suppression mode, the facing edge part of the long side part and a root side part are inflated around the short side part and a leading edge side part contacts a back surface side of the short side part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Komatsu, Wataru Miura, Hiroyuki Nakanishi, Koji Kawamura