Patents Examined by Wenwei Zhuo
  • Patent number: 11964548
    Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed that includes: a vehicle body defining a door frame; a vehicle door that is movably connected to the vehicle body; and an actuation system. The vehicle door includes: an inner panel that is secured to the door frame; an outer panel that is secured to the inner panel; a reinforcement that is secured between the inner panel and the outer panel; and a support bracket that is secured to the reinforcement and which includes a body with a generally planar configuration. In contrast to the door frame, which includes a metallic material, the inner panel and the outer panel each include a non-metallic material. The actuation system is connected to the vehicle door to facilitate opening and closure thereof and extends through the reinforcement and the support bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc., Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Haupt, Richard Dryja, Masayuki Onodera
  • Patent number: 11964599
    Abstract: A device for preventing a submarine phenomenon in a fold and dive seat for a vehicle includes a seat cushion side frame, a seat back frame fastened to a rear end portion of the seat cushion side frame in a manner that is rotatable backward and forward, a seat cushion main-frame fastened between the seat cushion side frame and the seat back frame in a tiltable manner, and a dive link fastened by a hinge mechanism between a front end portion of the seat cushion main-frame and a front end portion of the seat cushion side frame, in which a stopper link rotatably mounted on the seat cushion side frame is rotated by an inertial force when a head-on collision occurs, and thus holds the dive link in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bong Ku Kim, Sang Do Park, Ho Suk Jung, Chan Ho Jung, Deok Soo Lim
  • Patent number: 11964602
    Abstract: A support system is provided for a passenger vehicle having front seats, rear seats, a front anchoring feature 3 forwardly of a gap between the front and rear seats and a rear anchoring feature 2 rearwardly of the gap. The support system includes (i) a panel structure, (ii) front end connectors connecting the panel structure to the front anchoring features of the vehicle, (iii) rear end connectors connecting the panel structure to the rear anchoring features of the vehicle, and (iv) a supporting arrangement providing support to laterally opposing side portions of the panel structure to resist inward displacement of the laterally opposing side portions of the panel structure towards one another when supporting a load on an upper supporting surface of the panel structure. The supporting surface extends the substantially horizontal supporting platform at the rear of a vehicle for extending the resting or storage area of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Backseat Bivy Ltd.
    Inventors: Nicholas Haycock, Peter Ernest James Root, Oyinkansolo Obikoya
  • Patent number: 11951876
    Abstract: A multipurpose work vehicle according to one or more embodiments of the present invention includes a driver's seat at the center of a vehicle body in the left-right direction of the vehicle body; and an occupant's seat to the left or right of the driver's seat in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, wherein the occupant's seat is offset rearwardly relative to the driver's seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kensuke Okabe, Kohta Nakao, Yusuke Endo
  • Patent number: 11945290
    Abstract: A composite liftgate including an inner panel construction having strengthening channel structure in combination with a ribbing. Structural steel reinforcements are bonded to the inner panel where additional strength is needed. Where the extra structure is needed, a minimum amount of steel is used and the structural reinforcement is bonded in place using adhesive. A plurality of access doors are provided that are removable for easier maintenance and repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Magna International Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Kuntze, Keijo J. Huotari
  • Patent number: 11932153
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a body defining a cabin having an interior and a passenger door, an interior panel located in the interior, a track located in the passenger door within the interior, and a desk operably housed in a slot in the interior panel and slidably coupled to the slot in the interior panel and the track to move between a stowed position within the interior panel and a use position extending outward from the interior panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Hussein H. Berry, David Brian Glickman, Ryan Welch, Dustin Shedlarski, Micah Jones
  • Patent number: 11932172
    Abstract: A first seat, a surface located behind the first seat, a display screen, and a support assembly. The support assembly is configured to move the display screen to a storage position, in which the display screen is positioned adjacent to the surface. The support assembly includes a pivot connected to the display screen and a track configured to support the pivot. The pivot is configured to move along the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Philipp J. Wolf, Jeffrey M. Riepling, James J. Dowle
  • Patent number: 11926248
    Abstract: An occupant support for a vehicle includes a seat bottom arranged to overlie a floor of the vehicle, a seat back coupled to the seat bottom and arranged to extend upwardly away from the floor. The occupant support further includes a seat mode-change system that allows the occupant support to adjust the seat bottom and the seat back to provide a storage space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffery T. Bonk, Robert C. Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 11912189
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle cup holder allowing wireless charging. A vehicle cup holder allowing wireless charging according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a housing having an accommodation space for accommodating objects, including a portable telephone; a support member coupled to the housing by means of a rotational shaft to allow rotation in the accommodation space, and comprising a wireless transmission module for wirelessly charging the battery of a portable telephone; and a driving member allowing or disallowing rotation of the rotational shaft so as to maintain the support member in a first state in which a portable telephone can be charged, or in a second state in which an object can be accommodated in the accommodation space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Amosense Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chol Han Kim, Bo Hyeon Han, Bong Sik Woo, Bae Geun Lee
  • Patent number: 11904742
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an autonomous vehicle configurable for transportation of either passengers, cargo, or both. The various aspects of this disclosure, which include moveable seat assemblies, a door arrangement, and storage bins, among other things, provide the vehicle with increased functionality and versatility, leading to more efficient vehicle use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Harmon, Robert Walker
  • Patent number: 11906348
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a body, an aperture defined by the body, a closure panel, and a load sensor. The closure panel is movable between an open position and a closed position. The closure panel covers at least a portion of the aperture when the closure panel is in the closed position. The load sensor is coupled to the closure panel. The load sensor senses a load that is applied to the closure panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Peter Phung, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Pietro Buttolo, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 11897370
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a passenger compartment. A wall is positioned within the passenger compartment. A support structure is positioned on the wall. The support structure defines a series of slots. A seating assembly engages at least one of the slots of the series of slots such that the seating assembly is suspended above a floor of the passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Robert Allen Bastuba, Jr., Collin Joshua Smith, Robert Charles Shipley, Francisco Edgar Guizar, Scott Culver Anderson
  • Patent number: 11890997
    Abstract: An antimicrobial interior component for a vehicle includes an interior component body having a contoured surface. The interior component also includes an antimicrobial jacket assembly having a first piece and a second piece coupled together and disposed over the contoured surface. The antimicrobial jacket assembly defines at least one touch surface disposed over the contoured surface of the interior component body. The first piece and the second piece each includes an antimicrobial metal material configured to prevent or minimize microbes from accumulating on the at least one touch surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Adam F. Gross, Janet C. Robincheck, William Schumacher, Nancy L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11890922
    Abstract: A roof assembly for attachment to reinforcement beams in a fixed roof of a vehicle comprises a frame surrounding at least a part of an opening and configured to be attached to at least the reinforcement beams of the vehicle. The frame is made primarily of plastic material. At least a first stationary panel is at least partly semi-transparent and is at least partly fixed to the frame. At least one movable panel is arranged adjacent the stationary panel. A reinforcement is integrated in the frame. The reinforcement extends at least around an area covered by the movable panel, and along at least a portion of the frame configured to be attached to the reinforcement beams of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: INALFA ROOF SYSTEMS GROUP B.V.
    Inventors: Robert Li, Laura Leng
  • Patent number: 11884242
    Abstract: Liftgate assemblies with accessory hooks are disclosed. A liftgate assembly includes a door assembly movable in a vehicle vertical direction to an open position. The door assembly includes an interior surface panel, at least one hook disposed on the interior surface panel, and a controller communicatively coupled to the door assembly. The controller is configured to determine a presence of an item suspended from the hook when the door assembly is in the open position, transmit an alert, and prevent the door assembly from closing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Erik A. Wippler
  • Patent number: 11873043
    Abstract: Because of the nature of autonomous vehicles, and in particular that they do not require manual inputs from a driver or passenger to control braking and steering, autonomous vehicle can include features that may not necessarily be useful or practical in a typical non-autonomous (or semi-autonomous vehicle) that would require such manual input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: YooJung Ahn, Jared S. Gross, Xintao Chen
  • Patent number: 11866010
    Abstract: A vehicle interior panel assembly includes an in-vehicle support substrate and a stowage tray for a mobile device. The stowage tray includes a reception surface for the mobile device, and one or more sliders configured to attach the stowage tray to the support substrate. The one or more sliders are further configured to tilt the reception surface with respect to a sowed position for the stowage tray in the support substrate. This structure for a stowage tray helps improve within vehicle integration and support more flexible usability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: FAURECIA AUTOMOTIVE SEATING, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Dessapt, Cedric Ketels
  • Patent number: 11858399
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a dashboard having a lower portion that defines a recess. The lower portion has a bottom surface and a recess surface. The bottom surface is adjacent to the recess surface, and the recess surface of the lower portion defines the recess. The vehicle also includes a desk operably coupled to the dashboard and movable between an undeployed position and a deployed position. In the undeployed position, the desk is received within the recess and an underside surface of the desk is generally flush with the bottom surface of the lower portion of the dashboard. In the deployed position, the position of the desk is further vehicle-rearward than the position of the desk in the undeployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Harmon, Ryan Wayne Warner, Jesse Rene Diephuis, Andrew Brand, Andrew Smith
  • Patent number: 11858403
    Abstract: A convertible ramp body and/or combination of vehicle with a cargo bed and convertible ramp body wherein the convertible ramp body may be positioned about the cargo bed of a vehicle. The convertible ramp body may include a storage shelf body and cargo bed extender on opposite lateral ends of the cargo bed and connected by sidewall beams and a ramp pivotally connected to the cargo bed extender.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventors: Wyatt Taft Farmer, Luke Waesche
  • Patent number: 11850987
    Abstract: The chassis assembly (3) includes a vehicle chassis (4) extending along a longitudinal direction (D1); a first supporting part (6) configured to support a first load unit (7.1) on a first longitudinal side (4.1) of the vehicle chassis (4); a second supporting part (8) configured to support a second load unit (7.2) on a second longitudinal side (4.2) of the vehicle chassis (4) opposite to the first longitudinal side (4.1); and a lifting device (5) secured to the vehicle chassis (4) and configured to lift up and down the first and second supporting parts (6, 8) with respect to the vehicle chassis (4) so as to vertically displace each of first and second load units (7.1, 7.2) supported by the first and second supporting parts (6, 8) between a loading/unloading position and a driving position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Denis Caux, Jean-Roch Barbier, Thierry Gronsfeld, Carole Fatet