Patents Examined by Nicole T Verley
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Patent number: 11572032Abstract: The vehicle body upper structure includes a rear roof rail, a retractor, a webbing, and an anchor. The rear roof rail extends along a roof panel of the vehicle body. The retractor is housed inside the rear roof rail and is fixed to the rear roof rail with a first fastening bolt. For example, the webbing is pulled out in a pull-out direction orthogonal to an axis of the first fastening bolt. A through ring changes a stretching direction of the webbing that restrains an occupant with the webbing to have an acute angle with respect to the pull-out direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2022Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroshi Kobori, Kazunori Hida, Ryoichi Kakioka
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Patent number: 11565647Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint system includes an airbag configured to deploy downward into a vehicle cabin from a roof of the vehicle cabin by receiving gas supplied, a region setting unit configured to set a predetermined region according to a position of the airbag, a collision sensor configured to detect a collision of a vehicle, a seat position detection sensor configured to detect at least one of a position and an angular position of a seat on which an occupant is seated, and a seat control unit configured to, when the collision sensor detects a collision of the vehicle and the seat position detection sensor detects that the seat is located in the predetermined region, execute control to change at least one of the position and the angular position of the seat. Thus, a positional relation between the seat and the airbag is appropriately controlled.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hideyuki Sakurai
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Patent number: 11565646Abstract: An in-vehicle steering device, comprising a steering wheel, and an airbag mechanism that is built in the steering wheel and includes an airbag body deployable to a vehicle body rear side, wherein the steering device further comprises an in-vehicle component built in the steering wheel, and the in-vehicle component has a recessed groove portion for guiding the airbag body to be deployed when the airbag body is deployed in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventor: Shotaro Odate
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Patent number: 11554747Abstract: The present invention provides a sealing structure of a sealed container in which an opening of a metallic cylindrical container is closed with a metallic closing member, wherein a gap between an inner wall surface on an side of the opening of the metallic cylindrical container and an outer surface of the metallic closing member that radially faces the inner wall surface is sealed with a seal member having been melted and solidified.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2018Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: DAICEL CORPORATIONInventors: Teppei Hanano, Shuichi Shonai
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Patent number: 11554743Abstract: A roof airbag apparatus may include: a cushion configured to cover a roof when deployed; a pair of guides having a length in the deployment direction of the cushion, and configured to guide both sides of the cushion in the deployment direction; and a deployment resistance reducer having a connector connected to one end of each of the guides so as to apply an elastic force from a first location toward the rear, wherein the connector is moved to a second location in a front of the first location by frictional resistance which is applied to the guide when the cushion is deployed.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2022Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.Inventors: Byung Ho Min, Kyu Sang Lee, Choong Ryung Lee, Hae Kwon Park, Dong Oh Lee
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Patent number: 11554739Abstract: A middle console assembly includes a middle console including a vehicle-rearward side. The middle console assembly includes an airbag assembly including a base and an airbag supported by the base. The base of the airbag assembly is disposed at and moveable upwardly relative to the vehicle-rearward side of the middle console.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq
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Patent number: 11554804Abstract: A steering column assembly includes a lower jacket, an upper jacket in telescoping engagement with the lower jacket, and a telescope actuator assembly. The telescope actuator assembly includes a jackscrew nut translatable along a lead screw. The telescope actuator assembly includes a telescope drive bracket having a base portion and a pair of arms extending from the base portion, the pair of arms each defining a slot with a respective slot surface, wherein the jackscrew nut is disposed within the slots. The telescope actuator assembly includes a first nut capture plug coupled to one of the pair of arms, the first nut capture plug having at least one tooth disposed within a cavity on a first side of the jackscrew nut to prevent relative rotation between the jackscrew nut and the telescope drive bracket.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding CorporationInventors: Robert D. Maida, Timothy D. Beach
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Patent number: 11535184Abstract: A method for operating an occupant protection device of a vehicle involves triggering an occupant protection mechanism, in the event of an imminent detected collision for the vehicle or of a detected collision of the vehicle. The triggering also depends upon detected image data of at least one interior camera of the vehicle and the triggering can be suppressed based on the detected image data of the interior camera.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2018Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AGInventors: Till Heinrich, Jochen Feese
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Patent number: 11529925Abstract: An airbag for a vehicle, such as a side airbag, may be mounted to or proximate to a seat assembly on which a passenger may sit. The side airbag may include a chamber and an inflator configured to cause the chamber to expand toward the passenger to slow an acceleration of the passenger responsive to an imminent impact of the vehicle with another object or surface. Upon deployment of the chamber, the side airbag may cause a portion of the seat assembly (a seat tub, seat pan, and/or cushion coupled thereto) to deform toward the passenger seated thereon while remaining occluded from the passenger by the assembly. In some examples, the chamber may be stored in an unfolded position to allow for a more rapid deployment.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2021Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventor: Markus Jost
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Patent number: 11524651Abstract: The invention relates to a cover for closing a mouth of a receptacle holding an airbag with at least one airbag flap, wherein the cover has at least one breakaway line at the edge of the airbag flap(s) in order to enable the unfolding of the airbag, and wherein the airbag flap(s) is/are connected via a hinge element to a flap support wall in a molded manner, which is in contact with the inner surface of the receptacle wall in particular in a secured manner, wherein the flap support wall runs around the inner surface of the receptacle wall such that at least the four corners of the receptacle near the airbag flap(s) are covered.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: K.L. KASCHIER-UND LAMINIER GMBHInventors: Rembert Schulze Wehninck, Albert Roring
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Patent number: 11524653Abstract: A seat belt mounting structure includes a reel mounting reinforcement configured to connect a quarter inner panel, a roof center rail, and a roof rear rail; a C-pillar reinforcement formed to extend toward the quarter inner panel behind a C-pillar; and a seat belt reel mounted on the reel mounting reinforcement toward the roof center rail, the reel mounting reinforcement toward the quarter inner panel, and the C-pillar reinforcement. The seat belt mounting structure is arranged to reinforce a portion in which a seat belt is mounted, while having a reduced number of parts for anchoring the seat belt, and efficiently distributing a mounting load of the seat belt.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2021Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia CorporationInventors: Ho Je Kang, Hae Hoon Lee
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Patent number: 11518335Abstract: A vehicle steering system including a yoke type steering wheel. An airbag module located in the steering wheel and including an inflator and an airbag. The airbag is configured to inflate into two configurations. In the first configuration the airbag is fully inflated into a circular configuration and in the second configuration the airbag inflates into a u-shaped configuration. The u-shaped configuration is formed by a tether connected at a first end to the airbag and at a second end to a tether release device. The tether release device is configured to stay connected to the tether when the driver is determined to be in an out of position (OOP) condition.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2020Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS ACQUISITION LLCInventor: Doug Osterfeld
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Patent number: 11505151Abstract: A knee airbag unit (10) of a vehicle occupant restraint system of a motor vehicle is described. The knee airbag unit (10) comprises an airbag module (12), which has a module holder (14), a gas generator (16) and a flexible, non-inherently rigid module housing (18) that at least partially surrounds the gas generator (16) and the airbag in the untriggered state, wherein the gas generator (16), the airbag and the flexible module housing (18) are fastened to the module holder (14). Also provided is a cover (20) forming a module covering and defining an outer side in the installed state of the knee airbag unit (10), which is connected to the airbag module (12). Furthermore, there is an edge-side means (26) securing the cover (20) against lowering, originating from the module holder (14).Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBHInventors: Werner Freisler, Daniel Elija
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Patent number: 11505157Abstract: A cover panel for a cabin of a vehicle and provided with a weakening for the opening of an underlying airbag. The weakening consists of a sequence of not-through incisions which are separated from each other, are arranged along a weakening line, are obtained from an internal surface of the cover panel, and terminate at a non-zero distance from an external surface of the cover panel. In some sections of the weakening line there are first incisions each having a first width while in other sections of the weakening line there are second incisions each having a second width greater than the first width. The weakening line has a plurality of portions that connect to one another in at least one connection area, wherein the corresponding portions of the weakening line consist of the second incisions only while, next to the connection area, the corresponding portions of the weakening line consist of the first incisions only.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2021Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.Inventor: Mathieu Contraire
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Patent number: 11498605Abstract: The front-side portion of an outer column includes a substantially cylindrical column main body portion having a pair of clamp portions and externally fitting with an inner column, and a reinforcing bridge portion that is integrally provided below the column main body portion. The front-side connecting portion of the reinforcing bridge portion includes a front-side inclined portion that inclines in a direction toward the front side going toward the upper side, and a rear-side connecting portion inclines in a direction toward the rear side going toward the upper side.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventor: Suguru Sugishita
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Patent number: 11498604Abstract: An annular member includes a first through hole extending through a first face to a second face forming the back face relative to the first face and having an inner face formed as a concave curved face and a tubular spherical inner ring having an outer face formed as a convex curved face extending along the inner face of the first through hole. The spherical inner face is pivotable and tiltable along the inner face of the first through hole. In a lock mechanism, the annular member is supported to a steering support mount with a support portion being fixed to the spherical inner ring of the annular member provided at the one end and the other end is pivotally supported to a vehicle body frame and supports a tilt lever.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2021Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Tomoyuki Ukai, Ryuki Wada, Naoya Otani, Takahiro Miyasaka
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Patent number: 11498511Abstract: An airbag assembly including an airbag body having a front side and an opposite rear side, a fold line provided on one of the front side and the rear side, the fold line configured to adjust a length of the one of the front side and the rear side such that a length of the rear side is greater than a length of the front side when the airbag body is in a deployed state, the fold line defining a lower boundary, and a sewn portion provided on an outer surface portion of the front side and an outer surface portion of the rear side. The sewn portion fixes an inner surface portion of the front side to an inner surface portion of the rear side at a location within a predetermined distance from the lower boundary.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2021Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: David O. Walker, John Ruddy, Brandon Streeter
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Patent number: 11498505Abstract: An occupant protection device, protecting an occupant seated in a seat, includes: a seat belt; and an airbag which is arranged in an area of a lap belt in the seat belt. The airbag includes a bag body and a regulatory tether. A thigh abutment surface abutting on a thigh of the occupant is arranged on a lower surface side of the bag body, and an upper body restraining surface restraining an upper body of the occupant is arranged on a rear surface side. The regulatory tether connects a base end to a rear surface side of an upper-lower intermediate portion of the bag body and connects a tip extending downward from the base end to the lap belt side and a length dimension is set a dimension in which a connecting portion connecting the base end of the bag body can be pulled toward the lap belt side.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2021Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Kazumi Fukaura, Shinji Yamada, Takeki Hayashi, Atsushi Nakamura, Yasushi Masuda, Yuji Sato
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Patent number: 11492032Abstract: A steering column for a motor vehicle may comprise a guide box in which a steering spindle is mounted so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis and which guide box is adjustably held by a support unit that is able to be connected to the body of the motor vehicle, a pivot bearing in which the guide box in a front region is mounted so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis that lies horizontally so as to be transverse to the longitudinal axis, and an actuation lever that is mounted in a first lever bearing in a rear region of the guide box and in a second lever bearing of the support unit. To increase stiffness and resonance frequency, the pivot bearing may be mounted so as to be displaceable transversely to the pivot axis in a displacement plane parallel to the longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2020Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AGInventors: Thomas Raich, Zhengjie Xue
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Patent number: 11485313Abstract: A dual stage inflator includes a housing defining an internal cavity including a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber includes a first portion having a first gas generant material separated from a second portion having a second gas generant material. A gas generant retaining wall is disposed in the housing. A first stage ignition device is disposed in the first portion of the combustion chamber. A second stage ignition device is disposed in the second portion of the combustion chamber. A lid normally closes the second portion of the combustion chamber and is spaced from the gas generant retaining wall. The lid is moveable to an open position opening the second portion of the internal cavity to release combustion gas and abutting the gas generant retaining wall in response to an increase of pressure within the second portion of the combustion chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Matthew A. Cox, Romain Danielou, Kevin Smith