Patents Examined by Robert A. Coker
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Patent number: 8827361Abstract: A head and neck protector device is disclosed that provides an additional layer of physical protection by stabilizing a child's neck and upper body in case of an automobile accident. The head and neck protector device comprises a restraint strap and a clasp. The restraint strap comprises a cushioning component and is designed to wrap around a child's car seat and be removably secured together, end to end. The clasp comprises a male component and a female component, which matingly attach together to secure the restraint strap. The head and neck protector device further comprises a pair of brackets, which are secured to opposing sides of the child's car seat, and comprise an opening for receiving the restraint strap. The brackets can be permanently secured to the sides, or a pair of positioning components can be used to removably secure the brackets to the sides of the car seat.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2013Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Inventor: Vincent Roybal
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Patent number: 8827292Abstract: A cylinder shock assembly comprising a damper with a first end, and a second end that extends into an air cylinder float. The damper has a rod positioned in the air cylinder float with one end positioned within a cavity of the damper and another end affixed to an end cap attached to the air cylinder float. A primary coil spring is positioned within the air cylinder float, wherein when a load applied to the cylinder shock assembly is increased, an end of the damper move towards the end cap compressing air within the air cylinder float, wherein as the load is increased the primary coil spring is compressed and the volume of air within the air cylinder decreases resulting in an increased air pressure, and wherein the air cylinder float is a solid member that does not expand as the air pressure within increases during compression.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2012Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Hendrickson USA, L.L.C.Inventors: Christopher J. Batsch, Michael Brannigan
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Patent number: 8820779Abstract: An inflatable airbag assembly can include an inflatable curtain airbag and an inflator. In some arrangements, the inflatable curtain airbag may include an inflator housing region where the inflator may be at least partially disposed. In some arrangements, the inflatable airbag assembly may also include a mounting assembly that includes a coupling member tethered to a mounting member.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Eugene Low, Kurt Lawrence Gammill
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Patent number: 8807594Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat frame, a pad that is attached to the seat frame, an air bag that is attached to the seat frame, a board that is attached to the seat frame and covers the air bag, and a cap that is made of material harder than the pad and is attached to the seat frame, and extends forward of a tip end edge of the board through a gap between the pad and the board.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2012Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroshi Mizobata
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Patent number: 8807595Abstract: A curtain airbag for mitigating vehicle occupant ejection. The curtain airbag is stored in the upper portion of a side face section in the interior of a vehicle and is inflated and deployed along the side face section. The curtain airbag includes a front chamber partitioned at the frontmost side of an inflation region. The front chamber is inflated and deployed overlapping a divider-bar that separates a side window from a front pillar window.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2011Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Yuuki Nakamura, Yutaka Nakajima
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Patent number: 8800708Abstract: A device for preventing a vehicle from being started includes a breath gas analyzer (5), which is arranged within the vehicle and is designed to detect the breath alcohol content of an operator. A repeated test can be performed, without compromising the operator, with a control unit (1), which is connected to the breath gas analyzer (5), a motion sensor (4) and an ignition system (3) of the vehicle, to request a breath alcohol test at presettable times tW in such a way that the breath alcohol test is performed with the vehicle stopped. The control unit (1) is also designed to preset, beginning from the time tW, a time interval as a latency period tL within which the vehicle must be stopped.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2012Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaAInventors: Stefan Morley, Martin Zimmermann
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Patent number: 8800706Abstract: A utility vehicle is disclosed having foot controlled pedals to operate the speed and acceleration of the vehicle. The utility vehicle may include a foot well in the floor board for locating the heel an operator's foot.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2008Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.Inventors: Aaron David Deckard, Jeffrey Lynn Gardner
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Patent number: 8794661Abstract: A vehicle interior assembly includes a class A visible surface material having a first layer formed from a thermal plastic olefin and a second layer formed from a foam. The vehicle interior assembly also includes a substrate supporting the class A visible surface material. The substrate defines an opening for receiving a drop-in chute having an outer surface. In addition, the vehicle interior assembly includes a retention mechanism for securing the outer surface of the drop-in chute to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2011Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Glenn A. Cowelchuk, Gregg S. Evans
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Patent number: 8789632Abstract: A seated vehicle comprises a frame, one or more first wheels at a first position relative to the frame, one or more second wheels at a second position relative to the frame, and a wheel-positioning system. The wheel-positioning system includes one or more arms pivotally coupled to the frame, and an adjustment mechanism operatively coupled to a first position of the one or more arms. The one or more first wheels are operatively coupled to a second position of the one or more arms. The adjustment mechanism moves the one or more arms between a first position and a second position so that the one or more first wheels are in a first position relative to the one or more second wheels when the one or more arms are in the first position and are in a second position relative to the one or more second wheels when the one or more arms are in the second position.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2012Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Dane Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Balz Maurer, Fabian Wolter
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Patent number: 8762058Abstract: In one aspect, a system and method is provided whereby map-related requests from mobile devices are used to store and aggregate routes. The routes are then used to determine optimum directions in response to subsequent requests.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2013Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventor: Vinay Goel
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Patent number: 8746713Abstract: A wheel suspension for motor vehicles includes at least one wheel guide element which is articulated both on an auxiliary frame that can be connected to the body of the motor vehicle and on a wheel carrier, a suspension and damping system as well as a steering system for the wheel. To achieve a universally applicable wheel suspension using identical parts, the auxiliary frame for each wheel suspension is designed as an independent modular frame, on which the a wheel guide element(s) is/are articulated, on which the suspension and damping system is supported, and on which at least one actuator is arranged directly or indirectly for actuating the suspension and damping system and/or the steering system and thus for setting predetermined wheel-specific wheel guidance and/or steering parameters.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2010Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Audi AGInventors: Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Armin Ohletz, Walter Schmidt
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Patent number: 8740246Abstract: An inflation portion of an airbag is divided by a partitioning member into an upstream inflation portion and a downstream inflation portion. Part of the partitioning member forms a pair of overlapping portions overlapped with each other in a band-like shape inside the upstream inflation portion. The overlapping portions are joined to each other by a joint portion located at a boundary between the overlapping portions and non-overlapping portions. The partitioning member includes an opening, which is formed by cancelling the joint between the overlapping portions by the joint portion, and a pressure regulating valve, which includes a pair of valve bodies, which sandwiches the opening. Stress relaxation portions are provided at the overlapping portions. The stress relaxation portions relax stress acting on parts of the joint portion that are adjacent to the opening as the pressure regulating valve is opened.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masashi Hotta, Yuji Sato, Kensaku Honda
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Patent number: 8733795Abstract: An anchor pre-tensioner for seat belt of vehicle improves phenomenon in which a webbing of seat belt is caught in belly of passengers during collision by the vehicle. The anchor pre-tensioner may include: first second wires connected to a lower end of the webbing respectively; a driving cylinder having a piston coupled to ends of the first and second wires; a gas generator supplying a gas pressure for the forward movement of the piston; a first roller supporting the first wire to move in the direction oblique against the bottom of the vehicle during the forward movement of the piston; and a second roller supporting the second wire to move downward when the piston moves forward; wherein the forward movement of the piston pulls the webbing of the seat belt in the direction where the first wire moves and at the same time in the direction perpendicular thereto.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Si Yeol Kim, Choong Sik Shin, Sung Jun Han
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Patent number: 8733772Abstract: An anti-roll apparatus for a vehicle may include lower arms installed at both sides of a sub frame through hinges respectively, a reaction force cylinder formed at a center of the sub frame, wherein piston rods may be installed at both sides thereof respectively and interact by reaction force of compressible fluid filled inside a sealed cylinder housing, and push rods connecting the respective piston rod of the reaction force cylinder and the respective lower arms.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Un Koo Lee, Sung Bae Jang, Daesik Ko, Jong Min Kim
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Patent number: 8733793Abstract: The present invention provides construction that keeps the load required for a locking capsule 50d that is supported by the steering column to come out in the forward direction from a locking hole 48b that is formed in a fastening bracket 11e on the vehicle side low. Small through holes 52e are formed in a flange section 51d of the locking capsule 50d. Small notch sections 62a that are each open toward the inside of the locking hole 48b are formed in portions of the fastening bracket 11e on the vehicle side around the locking hole 48b that are aligned with each of the small through holes 52e. Injection molding is performed to inject synthetic resin 72 such that the synthetic resin 72 spans between these small through holes 48b and small notch sections 62a, and connects the locking capsule 50d and the fastening bracket 11e on the vehicle side.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2011Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: NSK, Ltd.Inventors: Takahiro Minamigata, Minao Umeda, Takeshi Fujiwara, Osamu Tatewaki, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa
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Patent number: 8714585Abstract: An airbag in which no choking occurs and which can be rapidly deployed. A cushion section of the airbag internally accommodates a cylinder-type inflator that includes an insertion hole for inserting the inflator from an outside to an inside, and a diffuser into which the inflator is inserted, and a diffuser having a tubular portion obtained by folding back a section of cloth to form symmetrical portions with an upper base formed by the folded back part and a lower base formed by adjacent ends of the symmetrical portions. The cushion section is folded back at both lateral sides of the along first folding lines that are substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the diffuser.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2011Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Masakazu Okamoto, Akifumi Hanawa, Takashi Ohshima
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Patent number: 8695993Abstract: Devices and methods of transport are disclosed. Various embodiments include structural aspects related to steering and changing the direction of conveyances including features which utilize leaning or shifting of weight as part of turning.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2013Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Leverage Design Ltd.Inventor: Mark Timothy Kortschot
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Patent number: 8690171Abstract: A caster wheel assembly selectively providing steering assist includes a pivoting shaft coupled with a caster wheel with an engagement lug connected to the shaft in a fixed manner. A steering arm selectively engages the engagement lug to couple the steering arm and engagement lug so that pivoting motion of the steering arm is transferred to the engagement lug. A turn assist cylinder connects to an outward end of the steering arm and an engagement mechanism acting upon the steering arm for engaging the steering arm with the engagement lug. When engaged, the steering arm is coupled with the engagement lug such that the turn assist cylinder pivots the shaft and caster wheel. When disengaged, the steering arm is uncoupled with the engagement lug such that the shaft and caster wheel are free to pivot independent of the turn assist cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2012Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: AGCO CorporationInventor: Stanley R. Clark
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Patent number: 8690184Abstract: A back plate 7 is provided to a backside of a case 8 which accommodates an airbag 11 of an airbag module 5 to reduce the deformation of the case 8 toward a back side in the event of airbag deployment. The back plate 7 is supported on a steering member or the case 8, and an upper portion of the back plate 7 is held on a back support 19 protruding from the instrument panel 1.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2012Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignees: DaikyoNishikawa Corporation, Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Toshiteru Yoshimura, Tsuyoshi Shimono, Daisuke Matsuoka, Yamehito Tamura, Koji Kuwabara, Masayoshi Ono, Hiroyuki Kawai, Kazuhiro Tanaka
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Patent number: 8684409Abstract: An airbag module having an airbag and an inflation device, wherein at least one rebound strap for controlling the inflation of the airbag is disposed in the airbag and attached to portions of the airbag that move away from each other when the airbag is inflated. A first, shorter rebound strip segment breaks after a first inflation stage and subsequently the airbag regions separate from each other until the second, longer segment of the rebound strap is tensioned and the inflation stage of the airbag is predefined by the second, longer segment of the rebound strap. The rebound strap thereof is formed from a uniform textile segment, the first, shorter segment of the rebound strap is formed as a tab cut out of the second, longer segment the tab being narrower and shorter than the second, longer segment of the rebound strap.Type: GrantFiled: July 4, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventor: Marcin Wiaderny