Patents by Inventor Josh D. Fraley

Josh D. Fraley 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: 20250083753
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a truck bed that includes a bed deck and a storage system that includes a rack assembly including a housing having a fixed size that occupies at least 10 percent of a total area of the bed deck in a stowed position. The rack assembly includes a pivot mechanism that is mounted to a rear pillar of the vehicle and provides a fixed pivot location. The rack assembly is configured to pivot about the pivot location from the stowed position entirely within the truck bed overhanging the bed deck to an extended position at least partially out of the truck bed and overhanging a tailgate of the truck bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Josh D. Fraley
  • Patent number: 11060326
    Abstract: A door latch assembly includes a door handle, a latch release lever operatively coupled to the door handle and having a plane of rotation, and a latch release lever blocking structure operable to block rotation of the latch release lever through the plane of rotation. The latch release lever blocking structure includes a bracket body and a catch arm extending from the bracket body to a catch end. The latch release lever blocking structure is spaced from the plane of rotation of the latch release lever during normal operating conditions. The latch release lever blocking structure is configured to deform in the vehicle longitudinal direction when acted upon by an impact force such that the catch arm moves into the plane of rotation of the latch release lever and the catch end catches the latch release lever to prevent the latch release lever from rotating to an unlatched position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Josh D. Fraley
  • Patent number: 10676970
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a door, lock and a protector block. The door includes an inner panel, a lock including a cable mounting plate and an inner surface, the inner surface faces the inner panel and connects to the inner panel such that an inner space is created between the cable mounting plate and the inner panel, and a protector block connected to the inner surface of the rear lock within the inner space present between the cable mounting plate and the inner panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kimberly A. Strigle, Josh D. Fraley, Joseph C. Walusek
  • Publication number: 20190284845
    Abstract: A door latch assembly includes a door handle, a latch release lever operatively coupled to the door handle and having a plane of rotation, and a latch release lever blocking structure operable to block rotation of the latch release lever through the plane of rotation. The latch release lever blocking structure includes a bracket body and a catch arm extending from the bracket body to a catch end. The latch release lever blocking structure is spaced from the plane of rotation of the latch release lever during normal operating conditions. The latch release lever blocking structure is configured to deform in the vehicle longitudinal direction when acted upon by an impact force such that the catch arm moves into the plane of rotation of the latch release lever and the catch end catches the latch release lever to prevent the latch release lever from rotating to an unlatched position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Josh D. Fraley
  • Publication number: 20180291653
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a door, lock and a protector block. The door includes an inner panel, a lock including a cable mounting plate and an inner surface, the inner surface faces the inner panel and connects to the inner panel such that an inner space is created between the cable mounting plate and the inner panel, and a protector block connected to the inner surface of the rear lock within the inner space present between the cable mounting plate and the inner panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kimberly A. STRIGLE, Josh D. FRALEY, Joseph C. WALUSEK
  • Patent number: 8789878
    Abstract: A moonroof assembly including a transparent panel and a sunshade that are moveable between closed positions and fully open positions. A mechanism is coupled between the panel and the sunshade so as to effectuate automatic movement of the sunshade into the partially open position in response to movement of the panel into its fully open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Josh D. Fraley
  • Publication number: 20140097645
    Abstract: A moonroof assembly including a transparent panel and a sunshade that are moveable between closed positions and fully open positions. A mechanism is coupled between the panel and the sunshade so as to effectuate automatic movement of the sunshade into the partially open position in response to movement of the panel into its fully open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Josh D. Fraley
  • Patent number: 7390969
    Abstract: A wire harness grommet assembly includes a sheet metal panel having a speaker hole and a grommet for supporting a wire harness from an audio speaker disposed in the speaker hole. The sheet metal panel has an emboss formed along a peripheral edge of the speaker hole. The grommet has an extension portion and an attachment portion. The extension portion has a tube for supporting the wire harness therein. The attachment portion is disposed within the emboss so that an outer surface of the attachment portion is substantially continuous with an outer surface of the sheet metal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Josh D. Fraley, Scott L. Frederick, Mark A. Zeilinger