Patents by Inventor Aaron R. Steinhilb

Aaron R. Steinhilb has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240123779
    Abstract: A tow hook assembly is detachably mounted to a frame member of a vehicle. The tow hook assembly includes a housing and a tow hook. The housing has a front wall with a front surface and an aperture formed in the front wall. The tow hook at least partially extends through the aperture and is movable between an extended position and a retracted position, in the extend position the tow hook extends farther outward from the housing than in the retracted position. The tow hook is configured to move from the extended position to the retracted position upon application of a force exceeding a first threshold. The housing is configured to disengage from the frame member upon an application of a force exceeding a second threshold greater than the first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Aaron R. Steinhilb, Haley L. Antoine
  • Patent number: 11945364
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes a hood outer panel, hood inner panel, and engine compartment. A fender attachment bracket is disposed within the engine compartment, and a headlight assembly includes an attachment portion that couples the headlight assembly to the fender attachment bracket. The headlight assembly also includes a load block or loading block sized and shaped so that when the hood outer panel and hood inner panel are deformed by the impact of an object, the hood inner panel contacts the load block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Publication number: 20230106355
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes a hood outer panel, hood inner panel, and engine compartment. A fender attachment bracket is disposed within the engine compartment, and a headlight assembly includes an attachment portion that couples the headlight assembly to the fender attachment bracket. The headlight assembly also includes a load block or loading block sized and shaped so that when the hood outer panel and hood inner panel are deformed by the impact of an object, the hood inner panel contacts the load block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventor: Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Patent number: 10532718
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a bumper assembly including a bumper reinforcement beam extending generally in a vehicle lateral direction. A bumper beam contact component is located above the bumper reinforcement beam in a vehicle vertical direction. An upper energy absorbing structure is located at a top surface of the bumper reinforcement beam and between the bumper beam contact component and the bumper reinforcement beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Publication number: 20180334132
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a bumper assembly including a bumper reinforcement beam extending generally in a vehicle lateral direction. A bumper beam contact component is located above the bumper reinforcement beam in a vehicle vertical direction. An upper energy absorbing structure is located at a top surface of the bumper reinforcement beam and between the bumper beam contact component and the bumper reinforcement beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: JEREMIAH T. HAMMER, AARON R. STEINHILB
  • Patent number: 9950744
    Abstract: A vehicle hood assembly includes a hood outer panel, a hood inner panel coupled to and positioned below the hood outer panel in a vehicle vertical direction, where at least a portion of the hood inner panel is spaced apart from the hood outer panel in the vehicle vertical direction such that the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel define a gap between the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel, and a reinforcement strap coupled to at least one of the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel, the reinforcement strap including a base portion and a rippled portion that extends outward from the base portion in the vehicle vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Patent number: 9944251
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises an engine compartment and a hood extending over the engine compartment. An engine is situated within the engine and a pin extends from a top side of the engine toward an interior surface of the hood. An engine cover extends between the top side of the engine and the interior surface of the hood. The engine cover includes an engine cover connection and a grommet coupled to the engine cover connection. The grommet has an entrance, a stop, and an internal cavity 143 extending through the grommet from the entrance toward the stop. The internal cavity 143 is divided into a passive cavity portion and an active cavity portion. The pin rests within the passive cavity portion without passing into the active cavity portion under normal operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Patent number: 9914485
    Abstract: A vehicle hood assembly includes an outer hood panel and an inner hood panel coupled to and positioned below the outer hood panel in a vehicle vertical direction. A hood reinforcement strap is coupled to at least one of the outer hood panel and the inner hood panel. The hood reinforcement strap includes a strap base and lobe structures spaced-apart along a length of the strap base that extend outward from the strap base in the vehicle vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Publication number: 20180009407
    Abstract: A front hood assembly for a vehicle including a front grille may include a sensory assembly, a bumper assembly positioned adjacent to the front grille, and an energy absorber structure. The bumper assembly may include a bumper reinforcement having a front face and a top face, which front face is disposed below and extends away from the top face. The energy absorber structure may be positioned adjacent to the top face of the bumper reinforcement. The energy absorber structure may be rearwardly compliant in an impact direction and disposed below and rearwardly of the sensory assembly such that an impact of the sensory assembly with the energy absorber structure in the impact direction collapses the energy absorber structure rearwardly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb, Avinash S. Phadatare, Rahul B. Gururaj
  • Patent number: 9855914
    Abstract: A front hood assembly for a vehicle including a front grille may include a sensory assembly, a bumper assembly positioned adjacent to the front grille, and an energy absorber structure. The bumper assembly may include a bumper reinforcement having a front face and a top face, which front face is disposed below and extends away from the top face. The energy absorber structure may be positioned adjacent to the top face of the bumper reinforcement. The energy absorber structure may be rearwardly compliant in an impact direction and disposed below and rearwardly of the sensory assembly such that an impact of the sensory assembly with the energy absorber structure in the impact direction collapses the energy absorber structure rearwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb, Avinash S. Phadatare, Rahul B. Gururaj
  • Publication number: 20170274937
    Abstract: A vehicle hood assembly includes a hood outer panel, a hood inner panel coupled to and positioned below the hood outer panel in a vehicle vertical direction, where at least a portion of the hood inner panel is spaced apart from the hood outer panel in the vehicle vertical direction such that the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel define a gap between the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel, and a reinforcement strap coupled to at least one of the hood outer panel and the hood inner panel, the reinforcement strap including a base portion and a rippled portion that extends outward from the base portion in the vehicle vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Publication number: 20170259855
    Abstract: A vehicle hood assembly includes an outer hood panel and an inner hood panel coupled to and positioned below the outer hood panel in a vehicle vertical direction. A hood reinforcement strap is coupled to at least one of the outer hood panel and the inner hood panel. The hood reinforcement strap includes a strap base and lobe structures spaced-apart along a length of the strap base that extend outward from the strap base in the vehicle vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Publication number: 20170113736
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises an engine compartment and a hood extending over the engine compartment. An engine is situated within the engine and a pin extends from a top side of the engine toward an interior surface of the hood. An engine cover extends between the top side of the engine and the interior surface of the hood. The engine cover includes an engine cover connection and a grommet coupled to the engine cover connection. The grommet has an entrance, a stop, and an internal cavity 143 extending through the grommet from the entrance toward the stop. The internal cavity 143 is divided into a passive cavity portion and an active cavity portion. The pin rests within the passive cavity portion without passing into the active cavity portion under normal operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Patent number: 9580030
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle support member at an underside of the vehicle. A bumper assembly is at a front of the vehicle and includes a bumper fascia and a bumper reinforcement beam covered by the bumper fascia providing an upper projecting bumper portion. A lower reinforcement member is connected to the vehicle support member at a location below the bumper reinforcement beam in a vehicle vertical direction that is covered by the bumper fascia providing a lower projecting bumper portion. The lower reinforcement member includes a reinforcement body having a rear end connected to the vehicle support member and a front end opposite the rear end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Publication number: 20160297388
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle support member at an underside of the vehicle. A bumper assembly is at a front of the vehicle and includes a bumper fascia and a bumper reinforcement beam covered by the bumper fascia providing an upper projecting bumper portion. A lower reinforcement member is connected to the vehicle support member at a location below the bumper reinforcement beam in a vehicle vertical direction that is covered by the bumper fascia providing a lower projecting bumper portion. The lower reinforcement member includes a reinforcement body having a rear end connected to the vehicle support member and a front end opposite the rear end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah T. Hammer, Aaron R. Steinhilb
  • Patent number: 9415734
    Abstract: Front bumper assemblies for vehicles are disclosed. The front bumper assemblies may include a bumper reinforcement with a plurality of pedestrian energy absorbers positioned adjacent to a front face of the bumper reinforcement. The plurality of pedestrian energy absorbers are arrayed along a width direction of the bumper reinforcement. A plurality of bumper cover supports are positioned at least one of atop or adjacent the bumper reinforcement and may be attached to the bumper reinforcement. Each of the plurality of bumper cover supports is offset from the forward contact surfaces of the pedestrian energy absorbers in a front impact direction. Each of the plurality of bumper cover supports is more compliant in a front impact direction than in a vertical direction. As a result, a bumper cover of the front bumper assembly is more compliant in a front impact direction while being more rigid in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron R. Steinhilb, Jeremiah T. Hammer
  • Publication number: 20160200271
    Abstract: Front bumper assemblies for vehicles are disclosed. The front bumper assemblies may include a bumper reinforcement with a plurality of pedestrian energy absorbers positioned adjacent to a front face of the bumper reinforcement. The plurality of pedestrian energy absorbers are arrayed along a width direction of the bumper reinforcement. A plurality of bumper cover supports are positioned at least one of atop or adjacent the bumper reinforcement and may be attached to the bumper reinforcement. Each of the plurality of bumper cover supports is offset from the forward contact surfaces of the pedestrian energy absorbers in a front impact direction. Each of the plurality of bumper cover supports is more compliant in a front impact direction than in a vertical direction. As a result, a bumper cover of the front bumper assembly is more compliant in a front impact direction while being more rigid in the vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron R. Steinhilb, Jeremiah T. Hammer