Patents by Inventor Douglas Dawe

Douglas Dawe 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).

  • Patent number: 8651546
    Abstract: A vehicle center console trim assembly includes a console body and a cover. The console body includes a first side section and a ledge extending laterally from the first side section along a lower body portion of the console body. The cover is coupled to the console body and overlies a side surface of the first side section to form a side pocket between the cover and the side surface of the first side section with the ledge defining a bottom surface of the side pocket. The cover includes an upper cover portion that extends along an upper body portion of the console body, which is spaced above the lower body portion of the console body, with the upper cover portion concealing the ledge of the first side section of the console body from view in a downward vehicle looking direction from a location above the console body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Melaina Vasko, Walter Yourke, Thomas Mally, Douglas Dawe
  • Patent number: 8646827
    Abstract: A vehicle interior assembly includes a vehicle interior part and a trim panel. The vehicle interior part includes at least two mounting sections defining at least two mounting openings extending therethrough. The trim panel includes at least two projections extending through the at least two mounting openings of the vehicle interior part from a backside surface of the trim panel, respectively, one of the projections having an attachment portion that retains the trim panel on the vehicle interior part in an installed position. One of the projections includes a restricting portion spaced from the mounting section of the vehicle interior part by a first prescribed deployment distance with the trim panel in the installed position. The restricting portion is configured to contact a corresponding one of the mounting sections of the vehicle interior part and retain the trim panel from being completely detached from the vehicle interior part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Zimmerman, Shigeru Ueda, Douglas Dawe
  • Publication number: 20130278001
    Abstract: A vehicle interior assembly includes a vehicle interior part and a trim panel. The vehicle interior part includes at least two mounting sections defining at least two mounting openings extending therethrough. The trim panel includes at least two projections extending through the at least two mounting openings of the vehicle interior part from a backside surface of the trim panel, respectively, one of the projections having an attachment portion that retains the trim panel on the vehicle interior part in an installed position. One of the projections includes a restricting portion spaced from the mounting section of the vehicle interior part by a first prescribed deployment distance with the trim panel in the installed position. The restricting portion is configured to contact a corresponding one of the mounting sections of the vehicle interior part and retain the trim panel from being completely detached from the vehicle interior part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Zimmerman, Shigeru Ueda, Douglas Dawe
  • Publication number: 20130234463
    Abstract: A vehicle center console trim assembly includes a console body and a cover. The console body includes a first side section and a ledge extending laterally from the first side section along a lower body portion of the console body. The cover is coupled to the console body and overlies a side surface of the first side section to form a side pocket between the cover and the side surface of the first side section with the ledge defining a bottom surface of the side pocket. The cover includes an upper cover portion that extends along an upper body portion of the console body, which is spaced above the lower body portion of the console body, with the upper cover portion concealing the ledge of the first side section of the console body from view in a downward vehicle looking direction from a location above the console body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Melaina Vasko, Walter Yourke, Thomas Mally, Douglas Dawe
  • Patent number: 8474214
    Abstract: A connecting structure includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part. The first connecting part has a clip and a stabilizer flange that is spaced apart from the clip. The second connecting part has a first engagement structure that is engageable with the clip of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second connecting part with respect to the first connecting part in an insertion direction. The second connecting part also has a second engagement structure that is engageable with the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second connecting part with respect to the first connecting part in an elevational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Dawe, Nicholas Spitler
  • Patent number: 8414047
    Abstract: A reconfigurable console reinforcement bracket includes a first frame and first and second extension arms. In a first configuration, the first extension arm is connected to a first lateral side of the first frame at a first longitudinal end of the first frame and the second extension arm is connected to a second lateral side of the first frame at the first longitudinal end of the first frame such that the first and second extension arms extend beyond the first longitudinal end. In a second configuration, the first extension arm is connected to the first lateral side of the first frame at the second longitudinal end of the first frame and the second extension arm is connected to the second lateral side of the first frame at the second longitudinal end of the first frame such that the first and second extension arms extend beyond the second longitudinal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Melaina Vasko, Christopher Biggs, Thomas Mally, Douglas Dawe
  • Publication number: 20130057010
    Abstract: A reconfigurable console reinforcement bracket includes a first frame and first and second extension arms. In a first configuration, the first extension arm is connected to a first lateral side of the first frame at a first longitudinal end of the first frame and the second extension arm is connected to a second lateral side of the first frame at the first longitudinal end of the first frame such that the first and second extension arms extend beyond the first longitudinal end. In a second configuration, the first extension arm is connected to the first lateral side of the first frame at the second longitudinal end of the first frame and the second extension arm is connected to the second lateral side of the first frame at the second longitudinal end of the first frame such that the first and second extension arms extend beyond the second longitudinal end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Melaina Vasko, Christopher Biggs, Thomas Mally, Douglas Dawe
  • Patent number: 8282145
    Abstract: Embodiments of interior vehicle panel assemblies are disclosed herein. One embodiment disclosed herein comprises a first panel having an exterior surface, an interior surface and a first edge and a second panel having an exterior surface, an interior surface and a second edge. The second edge of the second panel is aligned with the first edge of the first panel to define a gap having a height between the first edge of the first panel and the second edge of the second panel. A projection extends from one of the first and second panels in a position inward from the exterior surface and toward the respective edge of other of the first and second panels to span at least a portion of the height of the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Melaina Vasko, Michael Eberlein, Thomas Mally, Douglas Dawe
  • Publication number: 20120200117
    Abstract: Embodiments of interior vehicle panel assemblies are disclosed herein. One embodiment disclosed herein comprises a first panel having an exterior surface, an interior surface and a first edge and a second panel having an exterior surface, an interior surface and a second edge. The second edge of the second panel is aligned with the first edge of the first panel to define a gap having a height between the first edge of the first panel and the second edge of the second panel. A projection extends from one of the first and second panels in a position inward from the exterior surface and toward the respective edge of other of the first and second panels to span at least a portion of the height of the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Melaina Vasko, Michael Eberlein, Thomas Mally, Douglas Dawe
  • Publication number: 20120187722
    Abstract: A connecting structure includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part. The first connecting part has a clip and a stabilizer flange that is spaced apart from the clip. The second connecting part has a first engagement structure that is engageable with the clip of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second connecting part with respect to the first connecting part in an insertion direction. The second connecting part also has a second engagement structure that is engageable with the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second connecting part with respect to the first connecting part in an elevational direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Douglas Dawe, Nicholas Spitler
  • Publication number: 20050212333
    Abstract: Basically, a vehicle body structure is configured to reduce the rotation of a side roof rail that may occur during a side collision that deforms the center pillar inwardly of the vehicle body. The vehicle body structure basically includes a side rail reinforcement member located in the area where the center pillar is attached to the roof side rail. The reinforcement member can basically be divided into a first side rail reinforcement section that extends in a forward to aft direction along the roof side rail and a second side rail reinforcement section that extends in an inward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the roof side rail. The second section of the roof side rail overlies a portion of the sliding door pocket structure that is located just rearwardly of the center pillar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Applicant: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Mally, Daniel Moll, Robert Blanchard, Douglas Dawe