Patents Examined by Nicole Verley
  • Gas generator
    Patent number: 9051225
    Abstract: A gas generator contains a housing containing an end closure assembly. An annular end closure is fixed within an annular igniter retainer thereby forming an annular wall for retention of an associated igniter. A first base portion of the annular end closure, and a second base portion of the annular igniter retainer are fixed together, by projection-welding for example, thereby facilitating a cost-effective seal about the igniter when assembled therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Eduardo L. Quioc
  • Dual steering system for a vehicle
    Patent number: 9038761
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a dual steering system including a first front wheel and a second front wheel, a lateral steering linkage connecting the first and second front wheels, a first steering system with a first steering wheel and a power steering module that assists steering inputs applied to the first steering wheel, and a second steering system with a second steering wheel and a torque sensor in communication with the power steering module of the first steering system and monitoring steering inputs applied to the second steering wheel, whereby the power steering module may provide power assist to the steering inputs applied to the second steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: VOLVO GROUP NORTH AMERICA, LLC
    Inventor: Eisenbarth Mark Alton
  • Steering apparatus
    Patent number: 9039042
    Abstract: Construction is achieved that is capable of maintaining the holding force by which a support bracket 12a holds an outer column 13a. One pivoting friction plate 25 for telescopic mechanism is held between the inside surface of a support plate section 20a of the support bracket 12a and the outside surface of a displacement bracket 18a that is fastened to the outer column 13a. When adjusting the forward-backward position of a steering wheel, the pivoting friction plate 25 for telescopic mechanism pivots around a support pin 33 as an adjustment rod 22a displaces along a long hole 19a for telescopic mechanism and a long guide hole 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Seiichi Moriyama
  • Side airbag device for vehicle
    Patent number: 9039037
    Abstract: In an inflated and expanded state of a side airbag, a forwardly extending portion, provided at an upper portion of a rear side bag portion, extends from a side of a shoulder portion of a seated passenger toward a vehicle front side and is disposed above a front side bag portion. A dimension in a vehicle transverse direction of this forwardly extending portion is set to be smaller than that of the front side bag portion, and a vehicle transverse direction inner side surface at an upper end side of the front side bag portion is inclined or curved so as to rise-up while heading toward a vehicle transverse direction outer side. An upper arm portion is pushed-up due to sliding contact with this surface. Even when the seated passenger inertially toward an oblique front of a vehicle, the shoulder portion can be restrained by the forwardly extending portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Fukushima, Shigeki Hayashi, Shinobu Tanaka
  • Yard maintenance vehicle with cable steering assembly
    Patent number: 9033352
    Abstract: A riding yard maintenance vehicle may include a frame, a steering assembly, a cable and at least one set of guide pulleys. Wheels of the riding yard maintenance vehicle may be attachable to the frame. The steering assembly may include a steering apparatus operably coupled to front wheels of the riding yard maintenance vehicle via a cable system. The cable system may include the cable, which may be wrapped around at least a portion of the steering shaft. The cable may terminate at respective ends thereof at corresponding ones of a first shaped cam and a second shaped cam each of which is operably coupled to respective ones of a first axle rod and a second axle rod. The first and second axle rods may be rotatably connected to respective ones of the front wheels. The first and second shaped cams may cause movement of the front wheels based on movement of the cable responsive to rotation of the steering shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventor: Duncan Burns
  • Height adjuster for a fastening fitting of a safety belt system
    Patent number: 9027964
    Abstract: A height adjuster (1) for a bracket of a safety belt for a motor vehicle includes a profiled rail (2) a base (22) and side walls (11, 12), wherein in at least one side wall (11, 12) a latching contour (14, 15) is provided, a sliding member (16) which can be displaced along the profiled rail (2) and includes a latching means for latching the sliding member (16) in the latching contour (14, 15), and a control element (3) for releasing the latching means. At least one recess (21) is provided at a side edge of the sliding member (16) and the latching means is formed by at least one latching element (4, 5) located in the recess (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Peter Neero, Aivo Kees, Larissa Melnikova
  • Inflatable restraint deployment ramp
    Patent number: 9022421
    Abstract: An inflatable restraint assembly includes a vehicle pillar and a pillar trim component that is attached to the vehicle pillar, with the pillar trim component having an upper end. A curtain airbag module having an inflatable curtain portion is disposed in a stowed configuration prior to deployment and moves to a deployed configuration subsequent to deployment. A guide ramp is disposed between the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module and the upper end of the pillar trim component. A headliner having an outboard portion is sandwiched between the guide ramp and the upper end of the pillar trim component prior to deployment of the inflatable curtain portion of the curtain airbag module. The outboard portion of the headliner defines a reduced thickness section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: James Zucal
  • Cover for airbag device, and airbag device
    Patent number: 9022415
    Abstract: A cover for an airbag device, which includes: a cover portion configured to cover an airbag in a folded state; a hollow insertion portion configured to be inserted into an attachment hole on the vehicle; a locking portion inserted into the attachment hole together with the insertion portion and locked at the vehicle; and a connecting portion provided inside the insertion portion and connecting inner surfaces of the insertion portion with each other so as to reinforce the insertion portion. The cover portion, the insertion portion, the locking portion, and the connecting portion are integrally formed, and the connecting portion is present at least at a position closer to a distal end side of the insertion portion in an insertion direction than the position of the attachment hole when the locking portion is locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Minhun Kim, Jinhua Piao, Atsushi Yamada
  • Vehicle occupant restraint system
    Patent number: 9016718
    Abstract: In a vehicle occupant restraint, a sub bag is inflated and deployed in an early stage at a high pressure prior to a main bag as a gas that is discharged from an inflator to the sub bag is supplied to the main bag via a communication opening. Accordingly, a lower section of the sub bag can favorably be interposed in a narrow space between a waist of a occupant and a console box. In addition, an upper section of the sub bag is supported by a top surface of the console box, and this the sub bag is firmly supported by the console box. Therefore, the main bag is supported to a same degree as when the console box is extended upward by a height of the sub bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Daisaku Ito
  • Steering column device
    Patent number: 9016722
    Abstract: A steering column device includes a steering column for supporting a steering shaft in a freely rotatable manner, and a guide plate and a column bracket for assembling the steering column onto a part of a vehicle body. The steering column device further includes coupling bolts coupled to the column bracket through guide grooves of the guide plate and movable along the guide grooves when the column bracket moves toward the front of the vehicle relative to the guide plate. Further, an upper column cover movable toward the front of the vehicle together with the steering column is assembled above the steering column at a position corresponding to a vehicle rear of the guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shosuke Yachida, Seiji Kondou, Shigeru Hoshino
  • Airbag for a motor vehicle
    Patent number: 9016720
    Abstract: An airbag for a motor vehicle, having a housing and at least one restraining element, which has at least one receptacle space for a gaseous medium, in particular air, and which can be moved, in the case of an accident-induced application of force to the motor vehicle, into a restraining position by the flowing of medium into the receptacle space from a storage position within the housing. At least one wall of the housing has at least one inflow opening for the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Ralf Bogenrieder, Christian Burczyk, Andreas Hirth, Lutz Quarg, Friedrich Reiter
  • Suspension mechanism
    Patent number: 9010784
    Abstract: A suspension unit is disclosed having a hanger having a front face with an aperture and a control arm having a front face with an aperture. The control arm is pivotally attached to and depends from the hanger such that the front face of the hanger and the front face of the control arm are opposed one another with the aperture on the front face of the hanger being aligned with the aperture on the front face of the control arm. A jounce spring and a rebound spring are coaxially mounted to a shaft. The shaft is mounted through the apertures and springs. The rebound spring is positioned between the front faces of the hanger and the control arm and the jounce spring is positioned horizontally to one side of both the hanger and the control arm with the shaft in a horizontal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Inventor: Parto Rezania
  • Stabilizing bar mounting structure
    Patent number: 9004511
    Abstract: According to a further embodiment, an automotive vehicle including a body frame having opposed side frames and a subframe having opposed side members is disclosed. The subframe includes a stabilizer bar connection assembly comprised of generally U-shaped recess formed in each of the opposed side members and a generally U-shaped bushing disposed within the recesses. The opposed side frames overlie the opposed side members adjacent the recesses and secure the bushings within their respective recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen G. Rosepiler, Philip S. H. Moir, Christopher B. Dundon
  • Power steering system
    Patent number: 8997597
    Abstract: A power steering system, and more particularly a power-assisted steering system for a vehicle, comprises a lead screw which is driven by a servo motor and is composed of a nut, which is mounted axially non-displaceably in a frame, and an axially displaceable component, the thread of which is engaged with a thread of the nut, and further comprising a belt pulley, which is non-rotatably connected to the nut and forms part of a traction mechanism gear between the servo motor and the nut, wherein the nut is mounted in the frame by a rolling bearing. So as to provide a power steering system which produces little noise and is easy to install, very precise in operation and also cost-effective to produce, the belt pulley is produced from plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Arthur Rupp, Steffen Truthmann
  • Universal interconnection system
    Patent number: 8997917
    Abstract: A universal interconnection system includes a bushing assembly having one or more bushing member disposed in an operative engagement between the components, wherein each bushing member is individually interconnected between the oppositely disposed components via corresponding bushing fasteners. Each of the oppositely disposed components comprises at least one interconnection aperture through which a portion of a bushing member is disposed prior to being secured therein by a corresponding bushing fastener. Each bushing fastener is removable from the bushing member thereby providing secure yet releasable interconnection of the oppositely disposed components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventor: Gilberto Mesa
  • Folding cab frame
    Patent number: 8998253
    Abstract: An illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure includes a vehicle having a plurality of ground engaging members, a chassis supported by the plurality of ground engaging members, and an engine supported by the chassis. The engine is configured to provide power to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members. The vehicle further has a seating area supported by the chassis. The seating area includes at least an operator seat and a passenger seat in a side-by-side arrangement. The vehicle further has a plurality of longitudinal members positionable above the seating area, and a coupling device coupled to at least one of the longitudinal members. The coupling device has an adjustment member to vary a force of the coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Shane A. Novotny, Bradley R. Morisch, Brian J. Gross, Jed P. Leonard
  • Mounting arrangements for airbags
    Patent number: 8998248
    Abstract: An airbag cushion assembly can include a mounting assembly and an airbag cushion. The mounting assembly includes a plate which may be coupled to the airbag cushion, and which may also include a fastener which is used to attach the assembly to a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Balaskandan Shankar, Mark Hadfield
  • Side airbag device and method of sewing side airbag
    Patent number: 8991859
    Abstract: A side airbag device has: a side airbag that inflates and expands at a time of a side collision, and that has a lower chamber (high pressure chamber), and an upper chamber (low pressure chamber), the high pressure chamber and the low pressure chamber being formed by base cloths (a lower base cloth, an upper base cloth) that are respectively separate bodies; an inflator; a partitioning wall that is formed by a portion of the lower base cloth, and that divides the lower chamber and the upper chamber; and a check valve that is provided at a partial region of the partitioning wall, and that is provided convexly toward the lower chamber side when the side airbag is not inflated, and that permits flowing of the gas for inflation from the upper chamber side to the lower chamber side, and restricts flowing of gas in a direction opposite thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhito Yamamoto
  • Steering wheel structure with airbag module
    Patent number: 8985623
    Abstract: A steering wheel structure with an airbag module having a horn bracket fixed to a steering wheel, an airbag module having an inflator and serving as a weight, a spring unit installed between the airbag module and the horn bracket and transmitting vibrations of the steering wheel to the airbag module for configuring a dynamic damper. The spring unit including an elastic body that transmits the vibrations and a protector attached to the horn bracket and housing the elastic body therein in an elastically deformable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignees: Autoliv Development AB, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Kondo, Yukihiro Kunitake, Kunitomo Miyahara, Yutaka Hirota, Yutaka Tsuchida, Kunio Ohbayashi, Hiroshi Takamori, Koichi Akiyama
  • Multiple speed power take off
    Patent number: 8984973
    Abstract: A power take off drive train for a utility vehicle, comprising first (31, 59), second (35, 55) and third (23, 68) parallel gear pairs, with an input shaft (8) coupled to a gear (31) of the first gear pair. First (K1) and second (K2) connector means, suitably clutches, each operate to couple a gear (31, 59) of the first gear pair with a respective gear (35, 55) of the second gear pair. A third connector (10, 11) couples a first gear (35) of the second gear pair with a first gear (23) of the third gear pair, and a selector mechanism (12) operates to couple a PTO output shaft (7) with either a second gear (55) of the second gear pair or a second gear (68) of the third gear pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Brenninger