Patents Examined by Lori L. Lyjak
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Patent number: 10501129Abstract: A vehicle rear structure includes a bottom cover disposed rearward of a rear wheel well in a vehicle front-rear direction. The bottom cover includes an air inlet into which air that has flowed from a front side toward a rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction is taken such that the air flows outward in a vehicle-width direction. The bottom cover further includes an air outlet provided at a position outward of the air inlet in the vehicle-width direction. The air outlet is an air outlet from which the air flows from the air inlet outward in the vehicle-width direction is discharged outward in the vehicle-width direction and downward in a vehicle-height direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Fumihiko Kishima, Koji Tokuyama, Nozomi Saito
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Patent number: 10486751Abstract: A side vehicle body structure prevents a fastening bolt of a cowl member from being loosened while suppressing production cost. The structure includes a pair of left and right suspension towers each formed so as to expand into an engine room and supporting a buffer device of a front suspension, and a cowl member extending forward from an upper end portion of a dash panel separating the engine room from a vehicle interior. Left and right end portions of the cowl member are coupled to respective top portions of the suspension towers by a pair of fastening portions using bolts, and each fastening portion includes a first bolt fastening portion arranged inward of a corresponding center of the top portion and at least partially overlapping a line connecting the centers, and a second bolt fastening portion arranged at a front side of the first bolt fastening portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Shigeru Nakauchi, Nobuyuki Nakayama, Takayuki Nakamae, Kazuya Ochi
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Patent number: 10486629Abstract: A vehicle front portion structure includes a front fender panel, a fender reinforcement attached to the front fender panel, and a head lamp unit fixed to the front fender panel. A rear end portion of the head lamp unit is positioned behind a fixing point at which the front fender panel and the head lamp unit are fixed to each other in a front-rear direction of a vehicle, a protruding portion protruding to the vehicle-width-direction inner side is disposed in the fender reinforcement, and the protruding portion is positioned on a rotation trajectory of the head lamp unit at a time when the head lamp unit is rotated about a virtual line in an up-down direction of the vehicle passing through the fixing point such that the rear end portion of the head lamp unit is toward a vehicle-width-direction outer side.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2018Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yohei Yamamoto
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Patent number: 10486502Abstract: An apparatus for shielding an occupant of a motor vehicle from sunlight passing through the side windows of the motor vehicle includes a guideway and a shade. The guideway includes a first open lateral end and a second open lateral end. The shade is displaceable along the guideway between a first use position projecting from the first open lateral end, a second use position projecting form the second open lateral end and an intermediate stowed position. A method of shielding an occupant of a motor vehicle from sunlight passing through a first side window and a second side window is also described.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2018Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Christopher Robert Westfall
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Patent number: 10486744Abstract: A vehicle frame member includes: an outer panel configured to be disposed at a vehicle outer side, and having a U-shaped cross-section open toward a vehicle inner side; an inner panel configured to be disposed at the vehicle inner side, having a U-shaped cross-section open toward the vehicle outer side, and configuring a closed cross section structure together with the outer panel by both opening-ends of the inner panel respectively abutting and being joined to both opening-ends of the outer panel; and a bead formed at one or both abutting-joint portions between the outer panel and the inner panel, and projecting toward an outside of the closed cross section structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2018Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koki Ikeda, Shunsuke Kanagai, Yasunori Sawa
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Patent number: 10486507Abstract: A sun visor for a vehicle, includes a sun visor body including a pair of shell-shaped halved bodies that are joined to each other at multiple positions, and an arm. At least one joining structure of multiple joining structures including a pin portion projecting from an inner surface of the halved body of one half and an insertion hole of the halved body of the other half through which the pin portion can be inserted. A front end of the pin portion has an umbrella-like portion formed by riveting so as to restrict a relative movement between the halved body of the one half and the halved body of the other half in the thickness direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2018Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: KYOWA SANGYO CO., LTD.Inventor: Junichi Soga
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Patent number: 10479296Abstract: A grille assembly for a motor vehicle includes a grille support mounted to the motor vehicle and a grille module carried on the grille support. The grille module includes a grille, and a plurality of electronic devices and a controller carried on the grille. A related modular grille assembly system includes the grille assembly as well as human interface controls and a control module carried on the motor vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2018Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: David Brian Glickman, Mohan Kamath, Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Harry Lobo
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Patent number: 10479279Abstract: A slidable luggage board assembly for a vehicle is provided. The slidable luggage board includes a luggage board that is disposed above a floor panel of a cargo area of a vehicle and has an upper surface onto which an article is loaded, and a wheel unit which is disposed on the floor panel and has a wheel that contacts an inner surface of the luggage board when the luggage board is slid. An operation handle is disposed at one side of the luggage board and receives an operating force. A cable has both ends connected to the wheel unit and the operation handle and transmits operating force applied to the operation handle to the wheel unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2017Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Han Shin, Ji-Ah Kim, Jae-Hwan Kim
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Patent number: 10479290Abstract: A container assembly for a vehicle having a container receiving base having one of a catch and a catch receiving space and a removable container selectively disposed on the container receiving base, the removable container having a container body defining an item receiving space, and a handle pivotally connected to the container body and being movable between a locked and an unlocked position, the handle having an other one of the catch and the catch receiving space, the other one of the catch and the catch receiving space being movable with the handle, where in the locked position, the catch is received in the catch receiving space, preventing separation of the container from the base and in the unlocked position, the catch is out of the catch receiving space, allowing separation of the container from the base. A removable container and a vehicle incorporating the container assembly are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2015Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.Inventors: Mikhael Simard, Stephane Veillette, Dany Bernier, Dave Proulx, Matt Tandrup
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Patent number: 10472004Abstract: A spoiler for a bi-directional vehicle may decrease the drag coefficient for the vehicle regardless of a direction of travel of the vehicle. When the vehicle spoiler is located proximate a leading end of a vehicle, the spoiler may promote laminar attached airflow. In contrast, when the vehicle spoiler is located proximate a trailing end of the vehicle, the spoiler may promote detachment of airflow from the vehicle body.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2018Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventor: Christopher William Labadie
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Patent number: 10472802Abstract: A leak prevention apparatus for an operator cabin of a construction equipment is provided which, in the case of the construction equipment being washed, or rainfall during the running of the construction equipment, can prevent water from leaking into the operator cabin includes a leakage prevention apparatus for an operator cabin of a construction equipment including a first plate which is fixed to the frame of an operator cabin of a construction equipment, a second plate which is connected to the first plate and diverges from the first plate in the opposite direction to a lower glass of the operator cabin, and a damper which is mounted on the second plate and is formed displaceably toward the lower glass of the cabin so as to control the pressure which presses the lower glass.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2015Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment ABInventors: Sung Sam Ok, Keun Hyuk Karl
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Patent number: 10464610Abstract: A vehicle structure includes a vehicle frame, a beam, an attachment bracket. The vehicle frame has a first side member, a second side member and a cross-member rigidly fixed to each of the first and second side members and extending between the first and second side members. The beam extends rearward from a mid-portion of the cross-member with a gap being defined between the beam and the cross-member. The attachment bracket is rigidly fixed to the mid-portion of the cross-member and retaining the beam. The attachment bracket is configured to maintain the gap with the vehicle frame in a non-impacted state. The attachment bracket is further configured such that in response an impact event impacting a forward area of the vehicle frame, with impacting forces causing relative movement between the cross-member and the attachment bracket, the gap is diminished or closed.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2018Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Dean Grattan, Christopher Robert Hartley, Michael James McGory
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Patent number: 10467826Abstract: A remotely controllable dump truck includes: a chassis; pairs of tires each provided at a front side and a rear side in a travel direction of the chassis; fenders for the tires; and a vehicle-status-output device disposed between a front one of the fenders and a rear one of the fenders, the vehicle-status-output device including a control panel for outputting status information of the vehicle. The vehicle-status-output device is positioned, in a width direction of the chassis orthogonal to the travel direction, to be offset from ends of the front and rear one of the fenders in the width direction, and the control panel faces an outside of the tires in the width direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.Inventor: Daichi Yui
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Patent number: 10464615Abstract: A panel member for an automobile has: a first plate member; a second plate member joined to the first plate member via a first joining portion in a state of being adjacent to the first plate member, a tensile strength of the second plate member is lower than a tensile strength of the first plate member; one or more third plate members joined to the first plate member and the second plate member via a second joining portion that intersects the first joining portion in a state of being adjacent to the first plate member and the second plate member; and a high strength portion that is provided at the second plate member, and that includes a peak portion including the first joining portion and the second joining portion, a tensile strength of the high strength portion being higher than the tensile strength of the second plate member.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2018Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Satoshi Taniguchi, Hiroto Usui, Shunsuke Miyagawa, Satoshi Yamazaki
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Patent number: 10458160Abstract: A cap holder (21) that is attached to the inner surface side of a fuel filling door (19) in a state of facing an inner surface of the fuel filling door (19) with an interval in order to hold a cap (11K) removed from a fuel tank (11) and a lock (22) that locks the fuel filling door (19) from the outside in a state where the fuel filling door (19) closes a fuel filling opening (18) are provided on the fuel filling door (19). The lock (22) has a lock lever (22C) that rotationally moves between a locking position where the fuel filing door (19) maintains a state of closing the fuel filling opening (18) and an unlocking position where the fuel filling door (19) allows opening of the fuel filling opening (18). This lock lever (22C) is configured by a long member a base end of which is rotatably attached to the fuel filling door (19) and a leading end of which is allowed to enter a gap between the fuel filling door (19) and the cap holder (21).Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2016Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Tierra Co., LtdInventors: Masashi Setaki, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Junya Kawamoto
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Patent number: 10457183Abstract: A vehicle includes a body, a handle, and at least one connection site for the handle at which the handle is selectively connectable to the vehicle. The body defines a passenger compartment and a door opening, and includes a door over the door opening. The at least one connection site includes a home connection site on the door. When connected to vehicle at the home connection site, the handle, from its corresponding location on the door, is subject to being operated by a user to allow the door to open.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2018Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Scott L. Frederick, Scott P. Robison
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Patent number: 10442316Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to vehicles capable of autonomous driving. These vehicles may include seats for accommodating different numbers of passengers. In some cases, the seats may be reconfigurable. For instance, a vehicle may include a first row of seating having a first, passenger use configuration. The first row may allow a passenger to sit in a seat of the first row of seating and access user input controls for the vehicle. The first row of seating may also have a second, folded configuration where the first row is in a folded configuration and no longer usable for passenger seating. The vehicle may also have a second row of seating. When the first row of seating is in the second, folded configuration, the second row of seating may still be usable for seating and may include additional legroom for the passenger as compared to when the first row of seating is in the first passenger use configuration.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2017Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: YooJung Ahn, David Tse-Zhou Lu, Min Li Chan, Brian Douglas Cullinane, Adam Lee Frost, Philippe Robert Agostino Holland, Hassan Rashid Mir, Marcos Aniceto Villalón Caro, Isaac Lopes Nogueras
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Patent number: 10442370Abstract: A truck box or rear compartment includes a deck. The deck includes a floor that defines a cargo area having a length and width. The deck also includes a pair of opposed inner sidewalls that extend along the length of the cargo area comprising a first inner sidewall portion that extends upwardly away from the floor to a top portion and a second inner sidewall portion that extends downwardly from the top portion to a lower end, the lower end comprising a pocket channel. A pickup truck box deck rail assembly includes a deck rail configured for disposition on a top portion of an outer sidewall of a pickup truck box, the deck rail comprising a plurality of deck rail openings. The assembly also includes a corresponding plurality of opening covers configured to selectively and releasably cover and uncover the deck rail openings.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2018Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Paxton S. Williams, Scott L. Frederick
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Patent number: 10443282Abstract: An articulating mechanism for opening and closing a vehicle door utilizes a first mechanism having a first motion profile and a second mechanism having a second motion profile. To open the door, the first mechanism begins the first motion profile before the second mechanism begins the second motion profile. To close the door, the second mechanism completes the second motion profile before the first mechanism completes the first motion profile.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2017Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.Inventors: Ivonne Bauer, Geoffrey Daniel Young, Tom Peleg, Ren Ren, Padmanabhan Kumar, Paul R. Murray, Shane L. Kenyon
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Patent number: 10434951Abstract: A coupling includes a coupling male having an engaging head and a coupling female having an engaged beam. The engaged beam is pushed and elastically deformed by the engaging head in a direction perpendicular to an inserting direction of the coupling male into the coupling female when the engaging head is engaging the engaged beam. It is not necessary to provide a pair of slits at the coupling male for causing the engaging head to engage the engaged beam. As a result, a length of the coupling male in the inserting direction of the coupling male can be made small. As a result, a thickness of the door apparatus can be made smaller than that of a conventional door apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2018Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: KOJIMA INDUSTRIES CORPORATIONInventor: Ko Ota