Patents Examined by Timothy Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 11633995
    Abstract: A wheel suspension for a vehicle axle of a two-track vehicle, having a wheel carrier carrying a vehicle wheel, which is able to be articulated to a vehicle body via a multi-link assembly, which multi-link assembly has a trapezoidal link in the form of a four-point link with two connection points on the body side and two connection points on the wheel carrier side. The trapezoidal link connection points on the wheel carrier side are designed with a higher elastic longitudinal compliance, that is, softer, than the trapezoidal link connection points on the body side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Dominik Mohrlock
  • Patent number: 11623487
    Abstract: An all-terrain vehicle including a frame having longitudinally-spaced ends defining a first longitudinal axis, and an engine supported by the frame. The engine includes a crankshaft defining a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Nelson, Benjamin J. Dieter, Alan S. Olson, Brian L. Thompson, Jeffrey D. Bennett, Ronnie Danielson, Donald E. Frost, Dan Weber, Ty P. Warner
  • Patent number: 11618317
    Abstract: A transmission includes at least one primary transmission unit. The at least one primary transmission unit includes an input shaft having a first rotation axis, an output shaft having a second rotation axis, and a first layshaft having a third rotation axis. The input shaft, the output shaft, and the first layshaft are parallel. The first rotation axis lies in a first plane, the second rotation axis lies in a second plane, and the third rotation axis lies in a third plane. The first, the second, and the third planes are parallel. The first, the second and the third planes are orthogonal to a transmission central plane. The first rotation axis is disposed in the transmission central plane. The second plane is between the first and the third planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Stefan Raisch, Rainer Gugel, Christoph Eisenhardt, David Mueller
  • Patent number: 11613177
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a transmission that provide power to a front axle, and fits in taller box to provide more room for the transmission. The transmission can comprise a front input shaft that receives rotational power from an engine. A front output shaft is coupled with a front axle to provide the rotational power, conditioned by the transmission, to the front axle. A rear riser gear set can be couple to the rear of the transmission to provide power from the bottom portion of the transmission to a bevel gear set that couples with, and provide rotational power to, a rear axle. In this way, the space between a rear axle centerline and front axle center line can be used by the transmission, allowing for a taller transmission to fit in the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Clayton P. Neumann, Curtis P. Thoreson, Roger W. Burjes, Thomas G. Ore, David King
  • Patent number: 11602965
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension device, including: a carrier; a lower arm and an upper arm each of which is pivotally supported at one end portion thereof by a vehicle body, the other end portion of each of the lower arm and the upper arm being connected to the carrier; a rocking lever supported at one end portion thereof by the vehicle body so as to be rockable; a link one end portion of which is connected to the rocking lever and the other end portion of which is connected to one of the lower arm and the upper arm at a position between the one end portion and the other end portion of the one of the lower arm and the upper arm; and a shock absorber pivotally supported at one end portion thereof by the vehicle body, the other end portion thereof being connected to the rocking lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Kuribayashi
  • Patent number: 11591771
    Abstract: A wheel loader representing a work vehicle includes an operator's seat, a console, and an armrest. The console includes an operation portion. The console is provided lateral to the operator's seat. The armrest includes an upper surface. The armrest is provided lateral to the operator's seat and in the rear of the operation portion. The armrest operates independently of the console such that a rear end of the upper surface is laterally displaced in a top view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Koshi, Masahiko Hamaguchi, Hirofumi Wada, Naoki Kimura
  • Patent number: 11560113
    Abstract: A retainer secures an airbag inflator to a base plate of an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The retainer includes a base wall and a sidewall that extends from the base wall and is configured to encircle a discharge portion of the inflator from which the inflation fluid is discharged. The retainer also includes a filter liner secured to the retainer sidewall, wherein the sidewall and filter liner are configured so that inflation fluid discharged from the discharge portion is directed into the filter liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventor: Joseph Popek
  • Patent number: 11548345
    Abstract: A suspension component for a vehicle may include a spring section performing a support function for supporting a portion of the vehicle and a shock absorbing section performing a damping function to damp action of the spring section. The spring section may be adjustable to provide adjustable support characteristics and the shock absorbing section is adjustable to provide adjustable damping characteristics. The spring section may be adjustable independent of the shock absorbing section. The spring section of the suspension component may define a gas chamber for holding a quantity of a gas to provide a spring support for the vehicle, and the shock absorbing section of the suspension component may define a fluid chamber to provide damping of movement of the spring section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: AFCO Performance Group, LLC
    Inventor: Jesse Jurrens
  • Patent number: 11541750
    Abstract: A bracket assembly for use in a vehicle. The bracket assembly includes one or more first center bearing brackets, one or more plates, and one or more attachment members. At least a portion of the one or more plates are connected to at least a portion of the first center bearing bracket and to at least a portion of a body or frame of a vehicle. Additionally, at least a portion of the one or more attachment members are connected to at least a portion of the first center bearing bracket, to at least a portion of the one or more plates, and/or to at least a portion of the body or frame of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Sandip S. Rakhe, Vishal V. Pandarkar, Nilesh D. Kharade
  • Patent number: 11541838
    Abstract: A flexible wrapping of an airbag (16) of a vehicle occupant restraint system (10) comprises a holding compartment for a folded airbag package (14) formed by a holding bag (104) and an airbag package fixation (124), an inflator fixation (114) formed by projecting retaining tabs (112) as well as at least one fixing portion (130) for fixing an airbag module (12) to a vehicle. For inserting the airbag package (14) into the wrapping (20) an intermediate cover made of a coherent piece of fabric is used into which the airbag package (14) is wrapped along with the inflator (18). The subassembly consisting of the intermediate cover, the airbag package (14) and the inflator (18) is inserted into the wrapping (20). Subsequently, the intermediate cover is removed from between the wrapping (20) and the airbag package (14) again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: DALPHI METAL ESPANA S.A.
    Inventors: Antonio Navarro Arranz, Ramon Ramos Agustin
  • Patent number: 11535210
    Abstract: A wheel carrier assembly for a front axle or rear axle of a motor vehicle, with a wheel carrier part on which a link for a control arm assembly, a fixing device for a damper strut and a recess for a wheel bearing are provided. The wheel carrier part includes an air guide device for supplying air to a disk brake assembly, which as brake parts has at least a brake disk and a brake caliper. The wheel carrier part has a circumferentially hollow wheel carrier housing part. The air guide device includes at least one air inlet opening and at least one air outlet opening directed onto a brake part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: Micha Kunert
  • Patent number: 11535075
    Abstract: An independent suspension system includes a steering unit configured to be controlled to adjust the steering angle of a wheel, a shock absorber engaged with the wheel in order to absorb external impacts applied to the wheel and including first and second shock absorbers, each of the first shock absorber and the second shock absorber arranged in a forward-rearward direction on opposite side surfaces of the wheel, respectively, and a link unit disposed between the shock absorber and the steering unit in order to vary the distance between the wheel and the steering unit. The link unit includes a first upper arm disposed between the first shock absorber and the steering unit, a second upper arm disposed between the second shock absorber and the steering unit, and a ground clearance adjustment unit engaged with the first and second upper arms and configured to vary the distance therebetween while varying the distance between the wheel and the steering unit at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Jeong Hwan Park
  • Patent number: 11535202
    Abstract: A cleaning system connected to an air suspension system. The disclosed subject matter generally relates to a cleaning system for cleaning a surface of a device of a vehicle by means of applying an air jet to the surface. The proposed cleaning system is adapted to be combined with an air suspension system in such a way that the cleaning system receives exhaust air from the air suspension system which air may be used for cleaning of device surfaces. Thus, the proposed cleaning system can receive exhaust air from the air suspension system and apply the air to the device surface via nozzles without the need for a source of air dedicated to the cleaning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Kristoffer Åhlund Kahlund, Goran Vasilevski
  • Patent number: 11535148
    Abstract: Mounting tabs, kits and methods of using the mounting tabs where none previously existed or for replacing/repairing broken mounting tabs are disclosed. For example, the mounting tabs, kits and methods disclosed herein are well suited for the repair of high value components, including automotive components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: Maurice Paperi
  • Patent number: 11525471
    Abstract: A retention ring is configured to retain components within a transmission assembly. The retention ring has an annular main body defining an opening through a center thereof. The annular main body defines an outer curved surface and an inner curved surface, the annular main body having a distal face disposed in a distal plane and a proximal face disposed in a proximal plane. A first set of retention features extend from the inner curved surface, and a second set of retention features from the outer curved surface. One of the sets of retention features is configured to engage a backing plate or an outer member, and at least one of the sets of retention features is entirely disposed between the proximal plane and the distal plane. A transmission assembly includes the retention ring and an adjacent external snap ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Pete R. Garcia, Boris Burgman
  • Patent number: 11516955
    Abstract: A wheel assembly of an agricultural implement includes a wheel and a wheel frame supporting the wheel. The wheel frame is configured to pivotally couple to a toolbar of the agricultural implement, and the wheel frame is configured to rotate between a lowered position and a raised position. The wheel assembly also includes a mount configured to fixedly couple to the toolbar. In addition, the wheel assembly includes a linkage assembly configured to control rotation of the wheel frame between the raised position and the lowered position. The wheel assembly also includes a fastener configured to selectively engage the mount and the linkage assembly while the wheel frame is in the lowered position to block rotation of the wheel frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Connors, Brian John Anderson
  • Patent number: 11506227
    Abstract: A device for supplying hydraulic energy in a chassis system of a vehicle, including a first and a second motor-pump unit which are mechanically firmly connected to each other, the two motor-pump units preferably being designed identical in structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: RAPA Automotive GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Lauterbach, Falk Lehniger, Rocco Kemnitz
  • Patent number: 11505021
    Abstract: A structural load path assembly includes an upper rail configured to be coupled to a suspension system, a lower rail spaced apart from the upper rail along a vertical direction, a first outer bracket interconnecting the upper rail and the lower rail, a second outer bracket interconnecting the upper rail and the lower rail, a first inner bracket interconnecting the upper rail and the lower rail, wherein the first inner bracket is spaced apart from the first outer bracket along a horizontal direction, and the horizontal direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction, a second inner bracket interconnecting the upper rail and the lower, and a box section sized to receive a shock absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Trevor Laskowski, Matthew B. Rombach, Michael T. Chaney, Robert N. Saje, Warren J. Parsons, Anthony R. Rossello
  • Patent number: 11498506
    Abstract: A coupling device (16) for mounting an airbag module (14) to be oscillating on a steering wheel structure (12) of a vehicle steering wheel (10) includes a mounting member (18) which includes, relative to a steering wheel axis, an axial bottom side (20) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the steering wheel structure (12) as well as an opposite axial top side (22) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the airbag module (14), a contact face (24) for a damping element (26) provided on the axial bottom side (20) for oscillating coupling of the mounting member (18) to the steering wheel structure (12), and comprising a locking element (28) disposed on the top side (22) of the mounting member (18) for locking with the prefabricated airbag module (14), wherein the locking element (28) is configured so that the airbag module (14) can be coupled to the mounting member (18) by a locking connection substantially in an axially fixed manner or in an axially
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: TRW AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS GMBH, ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: AnnMarie McMillan, Jeffrey M. Ruprecht, James Steele, Dominik Schutz
  • Patent number: 11485184
    Abstract: A three-point suspension link for a chassis of a vehicle has two arms and a central bearing area. Each arm has a bearing area. The three-point suspension link comprises two load-introducing elements, a central load-introducing element, a stabilization layer, a core element and a supporting winding. The stabilization layer and the supporting winding are formed from a fiber reinforced plastic composite material. A load-introducing element is arranged at every bearing area. The central load-introducing element is arranged at the central bearing area. The core element is surrounded by the stabilization layer in a subarea. The supporting winding surrounds the load-introducing elements, the central load-introducing element, the stabilization layer and the core element in a subarea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Andre Stieglitz, Ingolf Müller, Philipp Bauer