Patents Examined by Wenwei Zhuo
  • 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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
  • Patent number: 11840162
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a slide comprising a fixed profile and a movable profile mounted on the fixed profile so as to slide in a longitudinal direction, the slide comprising a longitudinal adjustment screw, the fixed profile presenting a bottom having an outer face opposite the adjustment screw, the adjustment screw having one end integral with a support which comprises two longitudinal side walls able to receive the end. The bottom comprises two longitudinal parallel slots, and the bottom and the support each have a hole which are in line with one another and are able to receive an attachment part for attaching the fixed profile to the floor of a vehicle when the side walls are engaged in the slots with the rest of the support facing the outer face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: FAURECIA Sièges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Pierre-François Beauquet, Guillaume Gabillard, Christian Couasnon
  • Patent number: 11827283
    Abstract: A tailgate stop apparatus. The apparatus includes a base member configured to be fixed with respect to a primary gate assembly of a multiple-gate tailgate. The apparatus includes a stop member coupled to the base member, wherein the stop member is movable between a tailgate-engaged position configured to inhibit an inner gate panel of an inner gate assembly of the multiple-gate tailgate from being moved to a closed position, and a tailgate-disengaged position configured to allow the inner gate panel to be moved to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Banks Morrison Innovations LLC
    Inventors: James E. Banks, Jr., Michael A. Morrison
  • Patent number: 11827121
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for attaching a seat assembly in a vehicle, wherein the device comprises a carriage and a floor rail, wherein the carriage can be fixed on the floor rail, wherein the floor rail has a longitudinal slot with a support section limiting the longitudinal slot, wherein a locking assembly having a locking element adjustably accommodated on the carriage is provided for fixing the carriage attached to the floor rail. According to the invention, the locking assembly comprises multiple recesses in at least one rail longitudinal wall of the floor rail, wherein the locking element has a latch section and a contact section in such a way that, with the fixing of the carriage, the latch section engages into a recess in the rail longitudinal wall and the contact section comes into contact with the inner side of the support section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Aguti Produktentwicklung & Design GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Grieger