Patents by Inventor Gunnar Mason

Gunnar Mason 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: 10377420
    Abstract: An off-center impact reinforcement structure includes a push arm proximate rearward of a front portion of the vehicle frame. The push arm extends in a forward and laterally outboard direction from a front side member. A rear surface of the push arm is located below the first side member. During an initial stage of an off-center impact event in which a stationary barrier directly impacts a front surface of the push arm, impacting forces from the off-center impact event move the rear surface of the push arm into contact with brackets that extend downward from the front side member and transfer through the push arm to brackets and to the vehicle frame. In a second stage, a rear surface of the push arm contacts the vehicle frame as the push arm pivots with the front surface of the push arm moving in a laterally outboard direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Iimi, Takemi Nishikawa, Takao Tani, Hideo Aimoto, Naoki Kamizawa, Christopher Robert Hartley, Patrick Dean Grattan, Joseph Bruno Buratto, Perry McConnell, David James Wozniak, Michael James McGory, Gunnar Mason, Matthew Michael Gapinski
  • Publication number: 20190185059
    Abstract: A vehicle structure includes a vehicle frame and a beam. The vehicle frame has a first side member and a second side member extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction and a cross-member extending in a vehicle lateral direction from the first side member to the second side member perpendicular to the first side member and the second side member. A first end of the beam is connected to one of the first side member or the second side member at a location spaced apart from the cross-member. A second end of the beam is connected to the cross-member at a location spaced apart from both the first side member and the second side member such that the beam is angularly offset from the cross-member with an angle of between 35 and 60 degrees defined between the cross-member and the beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Kazunori Iimi, Takemi Nishikawa, Takao Tani, Hideo Aimoto, Naoki Kamizawa, Christopher Hartley, Patrick Grattan, Joseph Buratto, Perry McConnell, David Wozniak, Michael McGory, Gunnar Mason, Matthew Gapinski
  • Patent number: 10124831
    Abstract: A push arm has a rear surface and a front surface. A rear surface of the push arm is located adjacent to and spaced apart from a first cross-member defining a gap therebetween. The push arm extends forward and laterally outward such that the front surface of the push arm is located laterally outboard of and spaced apart from a front end of a first side member of a vehicle frame. A support bracket has a front section releasably attached to the push arm and a rear section releasably attached to a first cross-member of the vehicle frame adjacent to an intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member. The support bracket is configured such that in response to an off-center impact event against the front surface of the push arm, the support bracket guiding movement of the push arm in a rearward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Dean Grattan, Christopher Robert Hartley, Gunnar Mason, Matthew Michael Gapinski
  • Publication number: 20180194403
    Abstract: An off-center impact reinforcement structure includes a push arm proximate rearward of a front portion of the vehicle frame. The push arm extends in a forward and laterally outboard direction from a front side member. A rear surface of the push arm is located below the first side member. During an initial stage of an off-center impact event in which a stationary barrier directly impacts a front surface of the push arm, impacting forces from the off-center impact event move the rear surface of the push arm into contact with brackets that extend downward from the front side member and transfer through the push arm to brackets and to the vehicle frame. In a second stage, a rear surface of the push arm contacts the vehicle frame as the push arm pivots with the front surface of the push arm moving in a laterally outboard direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Kazunori IIMI, Takemi NISHIKAWA, Takao TANI, Hideo AIMOTO, Naoki KAMIZAWA, Christopher Robert HARTLEY, Patrick Dean GRATTAN, Joseph Bruno BURATTO, Perry MCCONNELL, David James WOZNIAK, Michael James MCGORY, Gunnar MASON, Matthew Michael GAPINSKI
  • Patent number: 9981680
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle support structure and a steering linkage. The vehicle support structure includes a dash wall. The dash wall separates an engine compartment and a passenger compartment. The dash wall has an energy absorption member supported by the support structure on an engine compartment side of the dash wall. The steering linkage extends through an opening of the dash wall between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment. The steering linkage includes a steering column in the passenger compartment. The steering linkage further includes an abutment. The abutment is positioned and configured to contact the energy absorption member upon a frontal impact of the vehicle to transfer energy from the steering linkage to the energy absorption member and to limit a rearward displacement of the steering linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Gapinski, Gunnar Mason, Travis James Parak, Jeffrey Mazur, Yayoi Okumura
  • Publication number: 20180118275
    Abstract: A push arm has a rear surface and a front surface. A rear surface of the push arm is located adjacent to and spaced apart from a first cross-member defining a gap therebetween. The push arm extends forward and laterally outward such that the front surface of the push arm is located laterally outboard of and spaced apart from a front end of a first side member of a vehicle frame. A support bracket has a front section releasably attached to the push arm and a rear section releasably attached to a first cross-member of the vehicle frame adjacent to an intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member. The support bracket is configured such that in response to an off-center impact event against the front surface of the push arm, the support bracket guiding movement of the push arm in a rearward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Patrick Dean GRATTAN, Christopher Robert HARTLEY, Gunnar MASON, Matthew Michael GAPINSKI
  • Publication number: 20180118267
    Abstract: An off-center impact reinforcement structure includes a push arm and a first diagonals structure installed to elements of a frame of a vehicle structure. The push arm is coupled to the frame proximate an intersection of a first side member and a first cross-member and extends in a forward and laterally outboard direction from the intersection. The first diagonal structure extends rearward and laterally inboard from proximate the intersection toward a section of a second side member rearward of the first cross-member. The off-center impact reinforcement structure is configured such that during an off-center impact event in which a stationary barrier impacts against a front surface of the push arm during forward movement of the vehicle frame, impacting forces from the impact event are transferred through the push arm to the vehicle frame at the intersection and from the intersection to the first diagonal structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Kazunori IIMI, Takemi NISHIKAWA, Takao TANI, Hideo AIMOTO, Naoki KAMIZAWA, Christopher Robert HARTLEY, Patrick Dean GRATTAN, Joseph Bruno BURATTO, Perry MCCONNELL, David James WOZNIAK, Michael James MCGORY, Gunnar MASON, Matthew Michael GAPINSKI
  • Patent number: 9956992
    Abstract: An off-center impact reinforcement structure includes a push arm and a first diagonals structure installed to elements of a frame of a vehicle structure. The push arm is coupled to the frame proximate an intersection of a first side member and a first cross-member and extends in a forward and laterally outboard direction from the intersection. The first diagonal structure extends rearward and laterally inboard from proximate the intersection toward a section of a second side member rearward of the first cross-member. The off-center impact reinforcement structure is configured such that during an off-center impact event in which a stationary barrier impacts against a front surface of the push arm during forward movement of the vehicle frame, impacting forces from the impact event are transferred through the push arm to the vehicle frame at the intersection and from the intersection to the first diagonal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Iimi, Takemi Nishikawa, Takao Tani, Hideo Aimoto, Naoki Kamizawa, Christopher Robert Hartley, Patrick Dean Grattan, Joseph Bruno Buratto, Perry McConnell, David James Wozniak, Michael James McGory, Gunnar Mason, Matthew Michael Gapinski
  • Publication number: 20180057039
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle support structure and a steering linkage. The vehicle support structure includes a dash wall. The dash wall separates an engine compartment and a passenger compartment. The dash wall has an energy absorption member supported by the support structure on an engine compartment side of the dash wall. The steering linkage extends through an opening of the dash wall between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment. The steering linkage includes a steering column in the passenger compartment. The steering linkage further includes an abutment. The abutment is positioned and configured to contact the energy absorption member upon a frontal impact of the vehicle to transfer energy from the steering linkage to the energy absorption member and to limit a rearward displacement of the steering linkage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Matthew GAPINSKI, Gunnar MASON, Travis James PARAK, Jeffrey MAZUR, Yayoi OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 9884648
    Abstract: A push arm has a rear surface and a front surface. A rear surface of the push arm is located adjacent to and spaced apart from a front suspension structure defining a gap therebetween. The push arm extends forward and laterally outward such that the front surface of the push arm is located laterally outboard of and spaced apart from a front end of a first side member of a vehicle frame. A support bracket has a front section releasably attached to the push arm and a rear section releasably attached to a first cross-member of the vehicle frame adjacent to an intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member. The support bracket is configured such that in response to an off-center impact event against the front surface of the push arm, the support bracket guiding movement of the push arm in a rearward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Dean Grattan, Christopher Robert Hartley, Gunnar Mason, Matthew Michael Gapinski
  • Patent number: 8469428
    Abstract: A vehicle trim assembly includes an interior trim panel and a pull cup. The pull cup includes a main body, an attachment portion and a break-away portion connecting the main body to the attachment portion. The attachment portion is fastened to the interior trim panel. The break-away portion is configured and arranged to separate the main body from the attachment portion in response to a prescribed level of force applied to at least one of the interior trim panel and the pull cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Tobey, Hirofumi Itoh, Gunnar Mason
  • Publication number: 20130154304
    Abstract: A vehicle trim assembly includes an interior trim panel and a pull cup. The pull cup includes a main body, an attachment portion and a break-away portion connecting the main body to the attachment portion. The attachment portion is fastened to the interior trim panel. The break-away portion is configured and arranged to separate the main body from the attachment portion in response to a prescribed level of force applied to at least one of the interior trim panel and the pull cup.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Tobey, Hirofumi Itoh, Gunnar Mason
  • Patent number: 8414038
    Abstract: A vehicle door latch structure is basically provided with a door latch mechanism and a door latch engagement bracket. The door latch mechanism includes a latch release lever that is movably arranged between a rest position and a release position. The door latch engagement bracket defines an opening that is aligned with the latch release lever while the latch release lever is in the rest position such that the latch release lever extends through the opening upon movement of the door latch engagement bracket toward the latch mechanism while the latch release lever is in the rest position, and such that the door latch engagement bracket prevents movement of the latch release lever from the rest position to the release position while the latch release lever is extending through the opening in the door latch engagement bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaustubh Bedekar, Jeffrey Tobey, Gunnar Mason
  • Publication number: 20120036785
    Abstract: A vehicle door latch structure is basically provided with a door latch mechanism and a door latch engagement bracket. The door latch mechanism includes a latch release lever that is movably arranged between a rest position and a release position. The door latch engagement bracket defines an opening that is aligned with the latch release lever while the latch release lever is in the rest position such that the latch release lever extends through the opening upon movement of the door latch engagement bracket toward the latch mechanism while the latch release lever is in the rest position, and such that the door latch engagement bracket prevents movement of the latch release lever from the rest position to the release position while the latch release lever is extending through the opening in the door latch engagement bracket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: NISSAN TECHNICAL CENTER NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kaustubh Bedekar, Jeffery Tobey, Gunnar Mason