Patents Examined by Nicole Verley
  • Patent number: 9221417
    Abstract: A releasable tether retention system includes a housing and a tether retention member including a portion movably mounted in the housing. The system is configured to retain a tether on the member when the member is positioned in a first position, and configured so that a tether retained on the member is released from the member during movement of the member from the first position to a second position different from the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Stevens, Eduardo L. Quioc
  • Patent number: 9216775
    Abstract: Disclosed is a subframe for a vehicle that allows a molten metal to be smoothly guided in order to maintain a good flow. This subframe for a vehicle is equipped with a rear subframe. For the rear subframe, a rear cross member, a rear section of a left side member, and a rear upper section of a right side member are constructed with an aluminum alloy and formed into one piece that has a substantially U-shape in a plan view. The rear cross member has a radial rib group that extends radially and a parallel rib group that intersects with the radial rib group. The radial rib group is configured such that radial ribs positioned further outside in the vehicle width direction form larger tilt angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shosuke Ohhama, Tetsuya Miyahara, Tsunehisa Hata
  • Patent number: 9216714
    Abstract: A belt presenter system for a seat belt system of a vehicle includes an arm (22) mounted on a vehicle pillar, wherein the arm (22) can adopt a feeding position (A) and a parking position (P). An end portion (40) of the arm (22) is connected to a fixed arm portion (36) via a hinge (42) so that the end portion (40) is bendable about a pivot axis relative to the fixed arm portion (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Seyffert, Karl Birk
  • Patent number: 9211863
    Abstract: A head-protecting airbag device has an airbag deployable downward from a housing area. The airbag includes front and rear window cover portions for covering front and rear windows and a pillar cover portion for covering a middle pillar located between the windows. The pillar cover portion includes in the upper region an inlet port for taking in an inflation gas from one of the window cover portions. The pillar cover portion further includes an upper portion extending in a front and rear direction from the inlet port, and a lower portion which communicates with the upper portion at an end of the upper portion facing away from the inlet port and turns around downward from the upper portion and extends in a front and rear direction beneath the upper portion. The leading end of the lower portion located generally beneath the inlet port is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kashio
  • Patent number: 9205801
    Abstract: An airbag module includes an inflatable cushion, an inflator configured to provide inflation gas for inflating the cushion, and a diffuser for directing the inflation gas from the inflator into the airbag. The diffuser is tubular and includes a first opening at one end for connecting to the inflator. The diffuser includes second and third openings located at the other end of the diffuser so that inflation gas is distributed into the inflatable cushion in two different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Lee Osterfeld, Richard Andrew Wiik
  • Patent number: 9199524
    Abstract: A vehicle air suspension system includes one or more bellows assigned to an air spring of one or more vehicle axles. The bellows can be connected to a main pressure line and can be blocked off therefrom via a connecting line having a level control valve. The main line can be supplied with air via a supply line having a compressor and an air dryer, and can be vented via a vent line, which branches off between the compressor and the air dryer and has a discharge valve. A pressure reservoir can be connected to the main line and can be blocked off therefrom via a connecting line having a storage valve. To set different flow velocities when supplying and venting the bellows, the bellows of the air spring arranged on a vehicle axle or on a vehicle side is/are connected to the main line and blocked off therefrom via at least two parallel connecting lines, each having a level control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Stabenow
  • Patent number: 9193240
    Abstract: A damping assembly for a front-wheel independent suspension of a four-wheel mobility scooter includes a chassis with two front wheels, and two connecting sleeves. In each of the connecting sleeves is disposed a first shock absorber which includes a rectangular outer pipe and a rectangular inner pipe disposed in and rotated 45 degrees with respect to the outer pipe, between each of the edges of the inner pipe and the inner space of the outer pipe is disposed an elastic rubber The inner pipe has two suspension arms connected to a shaft, respectively, each shaft includes a first connecting arm extending in a width direction of the chassis, the front wheels are connected to the first connecting arms, on each of the shafts is provided a second connecting arm extending upward and hinged with a third connecting arm extending in the width direction of and hinged to the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventor: Chung-Chuan Lin
  • Patent number: 9187116
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: a column pipe; an outer column having an embracing main body portion that allows the column pipe to freely move in a front-rear direction and fixes the column pipe; and clamping portions that extend and contract the embracing main body portion in a diametric direction; a fixing bracket having a fixing side portion that holds widthwise opposite sides of the outer column in a sandwiching manner; a stopper bracket having an telescopic slot secured to the column pipe and an impact absorbing slot and having a collapse portion, the telescopic slot and the impact absorbing slot being contiguously formed along an axial direction; and a clamper having a bolt shaft inserted through the clamping portions, the fixing side portion, and the stopper bracket and collapsing the collapse portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiko Yokota, Toru Ito, Noriyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9186943
    Abstract: An L-shape vehicular suspension arm includes a unitary body forged from an aluminum alloy. The unitary body includes a web and ribs. The web is substantially planar, and the ribs extend from surfaces of the web at peripheral edges of the web. In cross-section, at least one part of the unitary body has a U-shape, an H-shape, or an inverted U-shape, such that dimensions of the unitary body satisfy expression (1) or (2): 0.05?(H?Hr)/Hr?0.25??(1) 4?(H?Hr)/Hr?19??(2) where H is a total height of the unitary body, and Hr is a height from a center of the web to a lowermost point of the unitary body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Hosoi
  • Patent number: 9187136
    Abstract: A vehicle body includes a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal side rails, a first cross member and a second cross member. Each cross members spans between and interconnects the side rails. A multi-piece well includes a well floor having a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end. A first frame side support is secured to the first side of the well floor and a second frame side support is secured to the second side of the well floor. The first and second frame side supports define opposite side walls of the well. A first frame end support is secured to the first end of the well floor and a second frame end support is secured to the second end of the well floor. The first and second frame end supports define opposite end walls of the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Anthony John Leanza, Manabu Ishizono
  • Patent number: 9180746
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjusting device includes: a changing unit that changes relative positions of a vehicle main body and wheels of a vehicle; and a control unit that adjusts a vehicle height that is a height of the vehicle main body by controlling the changing unit to change the relative positions, in which the changing unit includes an electromagnetic valve that is provided on a circulation path of a fluid and that is adjusted to have an opening amount in accordance with supplied power and changes the relative positions as pressure of the fluid varies in accordance with the opening amount of the electromagnetic valve, and the control unit performs Pulse-Width-Modulation control on voltage applied to the electromagnetic valve so that the opening amount of the electromagnetic valve equals a desired opening amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Fumiaki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9180831
    Abstract: According to a driver airbag apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an airbag cover and an airbag housing are securely coupled to each other, and as a result, the airbag cover is not separated from the airbag housing by deployment force of an airbag when the airbag is deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Seok Hoon Ko
  • Patent number: 9180735
    Abstract: A V-rod assembly having a V-shaped member with a vertex for attachment to an axle and with first and second extending arms that attach to first and second arm brackets respectively, first and second gussets each with a first plurality of holes for attachment to the first and second arm brackets respectively, and corresponding to a first plurality of holes on a first plate and a second plate respectively, and each arm bracket with a plurality of holes for attachment to a cross member, the first and second plates having a second plurality of holes for attachment to the cross member, wherein the first plurality of holes on the first and second gussets comprise longitudinally extending slots that accommodate relative longitudinal movement of the first plurality of holes on the first and second plates with respect to the second plurality of holes on first and second plates respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Hendrickson USA, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Shane Andrew Tipton, Jerry Michael Lovett, Damon Elwood Dilworth
  • Patent number: 9180830
    Abstract: A door assembly for a vehicle includes a trim panel and an armrest core supported on the trim panel. An inflatable device is disposed on the armrest core for cushioning impact between an occupant of the vehicle and the armrest core during an impact of the vehicle. The inflatable device includes an inflation chamber defined by a backing, a cover, a pleated side extending from the backing to the cover, and a fabric side extending from the backing to the cover along the pleated side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammed Omar Faruque, Jamel E. Belwafa, James Chih Cheng
  • Patent number: 9174605
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pedestrian airbag cushion. The pedestrian airbag cushion includes a cushion inflated to cover a windshield glass by an inflator, with a vent hole formed in the cushion. A tether is provided on a portion of the cushion corresponding to a driver's seat and is connected at a first end to an upper portion of the cushion. The tether extends downwards and is connected at a second end to a lower portion of the cushion. The tether has a contractive force to pull the portion of the cushion corresponding to the driver's seat downwards after the cushion is deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jae Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 9168806
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes: vehicle height adjustment units respectively provided to correspond to wheels of a vehicle body, and adjusting a vehicle height in response to the supply and discharge of a working fluid; a pressure tank storing the working fluid; a compressor pressure-feeding the working fluid; opening and closing valves interposed between the vehicle height adjustment units and the pressure tank; a vehicle height acquisition unit acquiring a vehicle height value of the wheel; and a control unit controlling the vehicle height adjustment unit to adjust a vehicle height, and controlling the compressor, wherein when a vehicle height adjustment speed, calculated from the vehicle height value, is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the control unit drives the compressor to pressure-feed the working fluid to the vehicle height adjustment units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Kondo, Takanori Suzuki, Atsuto Ogino
  • Patent number: 9168890
    Abstract: A seat belt system includes a spool, a harness, a wedge clamp, and a load limiting plate. The harness is at least partially wound about the spool. The wedge clamp selectively engages the harness. The load limiting plate, which has deformable teeth, is operably attached to the spool. The teeth engage a pin. The pin deforms the teeth after a vehicle impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammed Omar Faruque, Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 9168801
    Abstract: A transverse link made of fiber-reinforced plastics material for a wheel suspension, which transverse link is pivotable on its bearing elements about a common pivot axis or axes running substantially coaxially with respect to one another, these bearing elements being connected by a single-shell connecting element having connecting arms to a bearing element having a ball and socket joint bearing. The bearing elements and the connecting element are elements of an integral plastics material. In order to produce a transverse link of this type, disclosed is an integral plastics material moulded part produced by extrusion of plastics, the bearing elements having bearing bushes shells surrounded by extrusion of the plastics material. The ball and socket joint bearing have a bearing bush or a shell-shaped sliding capsule, produced from plastics material and connected to the connecting element, the connecting element comprising a centre or transverse web connecting the bearing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Gestamp Umformtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Dicke, Mathias Buchholz, Leslie Leimkuhler, Matthias Kroeger, Ulf Sudowe, Thomas Gross
  • Patent number: 9156394
    Abstract: An autonomous transport robot for transporting a payload, the autonomous transport robot including a drive section assembly having at least one motor and a pair of drive wheels coupled to the motor, a frame configured to support a payload, a transfer arm connected to the frame and configured for the autonomous transfer of payload to and from the frame, and a suspension system movably connecting the drive section assembly and the frame allowing relative movement between the frame and the drive section assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Symbotic, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Toebes, Robert Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9156501
    Abstract: A motor vehicle body is provided with at least one rear-end side member, on the lower side of which a reinforcing element for the connection of a rear axle arrangement is arranged. The reinforcing element includes, but is not limited to a connecting portion spaced from the side member with at least one through-opening for mounting an axle fastening element. The connecting portion supports itself on the side member via at least one support element penetrating the intermediate space between side member and connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Udo Mildner, Lothar Teske