Patents by Inventor Brian S. Tipton

Brian S. Tipton 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).

  • Aerodynamic floor pan for a vehicle
    Patent number: 10040494
    Abstract: A floor pan includes a mid-body portion having a bottom wall. The bottom wall includes a forward end and a rearward end spaced from each other along a longitudinal axis. The mid-body portion of the floor pan is spaced above a reference plane, e.g., a ground surface, a first height at the forward end of the bottom wall, and is spaced above the reference plane a second height at the rearward end of the bottom wall. The second height is less than the first height to position the second end of the bottom wall nearer the reference plane than the first end of the bottom wall. The contoured shape of the mid-body portion provides an aerodynamic shield to direct airflow underneath components of the vehicle located rearward of the rearward end of the mid-body portion of the floor pan, as well as additional under-floor storage space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Steven A. Del Gaizo, Suzanne M. Cody-Gump, Brian S. Tipton, Alexander N. Nastov
  • AERODYNAMIC FLOOR PAN FOR A VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20180186412
    Abstract: A floor pan includes a mid-body portion having a bottom wall. The bottom wall includes a forward end and a rearward end spaced from each other along a longitudinal axis. The mid-body portion of the floor pan is spaced above a reference plane, e.g., a ground surface, a first height at the forward end of the bottom wall, and is spaced above the reference plane a second height at the rearward end of the bottom wall. The second height is less than the first height to position the second end of the bottom wall nearer the reference plane than the first end of the bottom wall. The contoured shape of the mid-body portion provides an aerodynamic shield to direct airflow underneath components of the vehicle located rearward of the rearward end of the mid-body portion of the floor pan, as well as additional under-floor storage space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Steven A. Del Gaizo, Suzanne M. Cody-Gump, Brian S. Tipton, Alexander N. Nastov