Patents Examined by Robert A. Coker
-
Patent number: 7946602Abstract: A stabilizer configured to connect suspension devices situated right and left of an automobile, the stabilizer is characterized in that the stabilizer extends below a suspension member where a steering device of the automobile is fixed; at a side of the suspension member, the stabilizer extends above a lower arm and toward a front of the automobile; and the stabilizer is connected to the suspension devices.Type: GrantFiled: July 4, 2006Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroyuki Shimatani, Satoshi Murata, Seiji Sakai, Masao Tajima, Makoto Kobayashi, Keiichi Kondo, Shinji Iwasa, Kimihiro Kuji
-
Patent number: 7942441Abstract: A gas flow distributor for an airbag module for the specific distribution of a gas flow through which the released gas flows during inflation of the airbag is provided. The gas flow distributor comprises at least two sleeve parts which are made of a flexible material and are connected to one another by a seam. The seam absorbs the forces which are exerted on the sleeve by the gas flowing through it. An additional releasable connection of both sleeve parts is provided in at least some sections in order to absorb the forces exerted by the gas on the sleeve, wherein the additional connection cooperates with the sleeve for limiting the forces to be absorbed by the seam in such a manner that said connection is released when gas passes through the sleeve.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2009Date of Patent: May 17, 2011Assignee: Takata-Petri AGInventors: Carlo Magnin, Holger Rist, Nico Schneider
-
Patent number: 7934733Abstract: A stabilizing device for a heavy vehicle, such as a truck or the like, includes a stabilizer bar which can be attached to a vehicle axle and pivotally mounted relative to a vehicle frame via stabilizer arms. The stabilizer bar and respective stabilizer arm are pivotally interconnected to each other. At least one said stabilizer arm is attached to a stabilizer anchor which is mountable in a vehicle frame, and the stabilizer anchor includes a stabilizer arm attachment point which is displaceable so as to enable the effective length of the stabilizer arm to be adjusted within a predetermined interval.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2006Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Volvo Lastvasgnar ABInventor: Andreas Lundmark
-
Patent number: 7931295Abstract: A garnish includes a garnish body which covers a folded air bag and a locking portion which is inserted to be locked in a mounting hole in a mounting base on a vehicle body. The locking portion holds the garnish body which is pressed by the air bag when the air bag is inflated to move so as to form a projecting space for the air bag. The locking portion includes a locking main body portion which is inserted to be locked in the mounting hole and a connecting piece portion. The connecting piece portion includes a locking base portion on which the locking main body portion is provided, connecting portions which are connected to a rear surface of the garnish body, and deformable portions lying between the locking base portion and the connecting portions and is molded integrally with the garnish body. The deformable portions deform to extend a distance between the locking base portion and the connecting portion when the garnish body moves towards a vehicle interior side.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2009Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shuji Inui, Yu Hishida, Yasuyuki Higuchi, Hikaru Ando
-
Patent number: 7926846Abstract: A structure of a suspension subframe (1) for supporting a plurality of suspension arms (12, 14, 16) of multi-link suspension systems (2), which comprises first and second lateral members (20, 22) each extending in a lateral direction of a vehicle body, a pair of longitudinal members (24, 26) each extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, a pair of right and left upper-arm support portions (52) provided in right and left ends of the first lateral member (20 or 22), respectively, and a pair of right and left lower-arm support portions (50) provided in the right and left ends of the first lateral member (20 or 22), respectively, wherein the first lateral member (20 or 22) is formed to allow a load to be transmitted diagonally between the left upper-arm support portion (52) and the right lower-arm support portion (50) and diagonally between the left lower-arm support portion (50) and the right upper-arm support portion (52).Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Masaaki Tanaka, Katsuyuki Komiya, Shin Murata
-
Patent number: 7926840Abstract: An airbag device for vehicles, which can be expanded with gas in the event of a vehicle collision and efficiently protects the head a passenger sitting in the rear seat of the vehicle. The airbag device for a vehicle, may include an inflator, and an airbag cushion received in a space defined between a roof panel and a head liner such that the airbag cushion expands downwards with gas supplied from the inflator, thereby protecting a passenger sitting in a rear seat, wherein the airbag cushion includes a concave head seat formed in a rear portion thereof to receive and hold a head of the passenger when the airbag cushion expands.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2010Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventor: Jun Yeol Choi
-
Patent number: 7926820Abstract: A stabilizer control apparatus includes a stabilizer bar including both ends supported by right and left wheels of a vehicle, respectively, and an intermediate portion supported to a vehicle body by first and second supporting members, and a switching device arranged between one of the first and second supporting members and the vehicle body and including a cylinder member, a tubular piston member, a spring member, and an engaging/disengaging mechanism. The switching device switches over the spring member from an extendable/retractable position to a neutral position and vice versa. The engaging/disengaging mechanism allows the piston member to axially move relative to the cylinder member when the spring member is in the extendable/retractable position and prevents the piston member from axially moving relative to the cylinder member when the spring member is retained in the neutral position.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akiya Taneda, Shuuetsu Suzuki
-
Patent number: 7922193Abstract: An airbag comprises a bag which is bent in the shape of an arrow ?<? in a deployed state, and a connection member which is arranged on a side of the bag, facing a vehicle body, and connects the upper and lower ends of the bag with each other. A longitudinal intermediate portion of the bag projects toward a vehicle occupant. A space is defined between the projecting intermediate portion and the connection member. The head of the vehicle occupant initially comes into contact with the intermediate portion and then presses the bag toward the vehicle body. Upper and lower parts of the bag which extend upward and downward from the intermediate portion cooperate with the connection member to define a triangular space.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2010Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Takata-Petri AGInventors: Martin Breuninger, Christian Weyrich
-
Patent number: 7922204Abstract: A vibration-isolating device for a steering wheel of a travelling working vehicle equipped with a wheel steering mechanism includes a first steering shaft (32) that transmits rotational displacement, the first steering shaft being operatively connected to the steering wheel (7); a second steering shaft (33) that transmits rotational displacement, the second steering shaft being operatively connected to the wheel steering mechanism (P, 23); and a vibration-isolating connecting mechanism (31) that operatively connects the first steering shaft (32) and the second steering shaft (33) to each other so that rotational displacement can be transmitted. When the angles of rotational displacement of the first steering shaft (32) and the second steering shaft (33) are within ranges of rotation angles for linearly driving the vehicle, rotational displacement cannot be transmitted between the first steering shaft (32) and the second steering shaft (33).Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2008Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Kubota CorporationInventors: Nobuyuki Yoshii, Kiyoshige Maezawa, Tadashi Nakamura, Hiroki Fukudome
-
Patent number: 7922192Abstract: The present invention provides a side curtain air bag facilitating the control of tension with the air bag. The side curtain air bag includes chambers expanded by gas supplied from a gas generator, and expands and develops into a curtain shape along a side part of a vehicle so as to protect vehicle occupants. The side curtain air bag includes primary chambers which expand to form the side curtain air bag, and a secondary chamber which expands after the primary chambers to apply additional tension across the expanded side curtain air bag. The secondary chamber includes an opening communicating with the primary chamber.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2010Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Masataka Fukuda, Takayuki Makioka, Makoto Higano
-
Patent number: 7914037Abstract: A gas bag cover for a vehicle occupant restraint system has a plastic cap (12) with a front face (14) and a rear face (16) facing a gas bag (17), and a decorative element (18) provided on the front face (14). The decorative element (18) is welded to the plastic cap (12). Furthermore, a method of manufacturing such a gas bag cover (10) is described.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2007Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbHInventor: Reinhard Schulze
-
Patent number: 7913797Abstract: A utility vehicle comprising a frame having a first end and a second end, at least one wheel mounted on the frame toward the first end, a pair of drive wheels being mounted on the frame toward the second end, and a drive assembly configured to rotate the drive wheels. An operator support assembly is mounted on the frame and configured to support the body of a user. The operator support assembly has at least two orientations, with a first orientation positioning an operator facing the first end and a second orientation positioning the operator on the support assembly facing the second end. A control is configured to control an aspect of operation of the vehicle. The control is mounted on the frame in a location such that the control is operable by a user seated on the operator support assembly in each of the at least two orientations.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Inventor: Brad Mohns
-
Patent number: 7905500Abstract: An active geometry control suspension may reduce production cost with simple scheme and provide design freedom. An active geometry control suspension of the present invention includes an assist link including a first link of which an end is rotatably connected to a vehicle body and a second link of which an end is connected to the first link and the other end is rotatably connected to a wheel, a clutch assembly selectively connecting a connecting portion of the first link and the second link to the vehicle body and a driving unit operating the clutch assembly.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2009Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Hae Ryong Choi, Seok Joo Lee, Sang Ho Lee
-
Patent number: 7896372Abstract: Since a vehicular width direction inside end and vehicular width direction outside end of a trailing arm 12 are pivotably supported on a vehicle body and a knuckle 11, respectively, and a vehicular width direction inside end of a lower arm 14 is pivotably supported on the vehicle body and a vehicular width direction outside end thereof is connected to the trailing arm 12 via a pair of rubber bush joints 22, 23, even though the lower arm 14 is made up of a rigid body which is difficult to deflect in a vehicular longitudinal direction, the rubber bush joints 22, 23 can be deformed when load FX in the vehicular longitudinal direction is inputted into a wheel W so as to enhance the longitudinal compliance of the wheel W to thereby improve the riding comfort.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2008Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takuya Yanagida
-
Patent number: 7896389Abstract: Provided is an automobile side airbag guide plate including support brackets disposed at both sides of a center pillar, fixed to an inner panel between a roof panel and a head liner, and supporting a lower part of an airbag module, wherein each of the support brackets includes a vertical part fixed to the inner panel between the roof panel and the head liner, and a horizontal support part extending from the vertical part to support the lower part of the airbag module fixed to the inner panel.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2009Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Myung-ryun Jang, Tae-woo Kim, Eun-hwan Oh, Byong-sun Yoo, Dong-jun Lee, Kyun-soon Choi, Jung-han Kim
-
Patent number: 7896361Abstract: The present invention provides a passive vehicle suspension system providing optimal camber gain and avoiding the “bump camber” problem. This vehicle suspension system utilizes a conventional sway bar and a kinematic system to rotate the tire(s) of a vehicle in a direction opposite the roll of the vehicle during turning or cornering, for example. The kinematic design allows for adjustability and optimization, providing optimal camber gain. Although an automotive vehicle suspension system is illustrated and described, and, specifically, a racing or everyday automotive vehicle suspension system, the concepts of the present invention are capable of much broader applicability.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2007Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: University of North Carolina at CharlotteInventors: James Franklin Cuttino, John Stewart Shepherd
-
Patent number: 7891703Abstract: An inflator includes a plate-like retainer that is placed in a pressure container of the inflator for producing gas to be supplied to an airbag. At the center of inflator is formed a fitting section fitted to a tube placed in the pressure container. The tube separates an ignition source and a gas generation agent. At least one pressure release hole is provided on the outer side of the outer periphery of the fitting section. The retainer has a step formed at a portion where the outer periphery of the retainer is in contact with the filter. The retainer and inflator may have simple structures not affecting productivity and reliably preventing gas leakage between the retainer and a filter.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Jianlin Chen, Atsuhiro Arai, Yoji Tasaki
-
Patent number: 7891684Abstract: A decoupled 5-link independent rear suspension system (IRS) for motor vehicles. Three lateral linkages, the toe, camber and spring links, establish the wheel plane orientation and react to vertical and lateral loads, and two longitudinal links, the upper and lower trailing links, react to tractive loads and brake torques. The upper and lower trailing links are longitudinally orientated and disposed outboard of the body rail, thus allowing for improved load reactions of the suspension system, as well as optimization of the body rail configuration and space accommodation for other vehicle components, such as for example fuel, batteries and exhaust.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2009Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: James L. Luttinen, Timothy J Schabel, Michael A. Vieau, II
-
Patent number: 7883097Abstract: A sway bar assembly has a center spacer bar which is attached at each end to a lever arm. An elastomeric bushing assembly is disposed between the center spacer bar and each lever arm. At the end of the lever arms opposite to the center sway bar, an elastomeric bushing assembly is attached to each lever arm to facilitate attachment to the vehicle. The elastomeric bushing assembly between the lever arms and the center spacer bar includes an inner metal defined by the center spacer bar, an outer metal defined by the respective lever arm and an elastomeric bushing disposed between the inner and outer metals.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2009Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: The Pullman CompanyInventors: Brent Johnston, Ronald McLaughlin
-
Patent number: 7883100Abstract: A suspension lift system for golf carts includes a carriage, a welded front frame attached to the carriage, upper and lower arms symmetrically arranged at opposite sides of the front frame, a rotatable apparatus, a steering knuckle and an absorber. Each upper or lower arm includes a first mounting side pivotally connected to the front frame, and a spindle connection end opposite to the first mounting side. The rotatable apparatus includes a bracket including a pair of lugs and a receiving space formed therebetween for accommodating the spindle connection end. The spindle connection end and the lug are threaded by a pin in order to combine the spindle connection end and the upper bracket.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2010Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: Suzhou Eagle Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: BaoGui Wu