Patents by Inventor Mark D. Clauser
Mark D. Clauser 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: 11801898Abstract: A system for reducing risk of fuel leakage of a vehicle during a collision includes a vehicle main body configured to support and at least partially enclose a passenger. The system further includes a fuel inlet box configured to house a fuel inlet. The system further includes a rear bracket coupled to the vehicle main body at a location aft of the fuel inlet box. The system further includes a center shaft coupled to the rear bracket and extending forward from the rear bracket. The system further includes a forward bracket coupled to the vehicle main body at a location forward relative to the rear bracket and coupled to the center shaft, the forward bracket configured to deform in response to a rear collision of the vehicle to actuate the fuel inlet box in order to reduce the likelihood of a fuel leak from the fuel inlet.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2020Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Mitch J. Gerczak, Mark D. Clauser, Brian L. Tew
-
Publication number: 20220063726Abstract: A system for reducing risk of fuel leakage of a vehicle during a collision includes a vehicle main body configured to support and at least partially enclose a passenger. The system further includes a fuel inlet box configured to house a fuel inlet. The system further includes a rear bracket coupled to the vehicle main body at a location aft of the fuel inlet box. The system further includes a center shaft coupled to the rear bracket and extending forward from the rear bracket. The system further includes a forward bracket coupled to the vehicle main body at a location forward relative to the rear bracket and coupled to the center shaft, the forward bracket configured to deform in response to a rear collision of the vehicle to actuate the fuel inlet box in order to reduce the likelihood of a fuel leak from the fuel inlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2020Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: Mitch J. Gerczak, Mark D. Clauser, Brian L. Tew
-
Patent number: 9937952Abstract: Vehicles and vehicle systems for restricting rotation of vehicle steering systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a vehicle including a front wheel, a steering column assembly coupled to the front wheel, a steering wheel coupled to the steering column assembly, a steering rack assembly that includes a rack coupled to the front wheel, where the rack extends in a vehicle lateral direction and is translatable with respect to a body of the vehicle in the vehicle lateral direction, and a resistance device including a damper coupled to at least one of the steering rack assembly and the steering column assembly that limits a rotation of the steering column assembly.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tyler E. Schnug, Mark D. Clauser, Gerritt B. Meyers
-
Patent number: 9751480Abstract: Embodiments of a crush box are described. One embodiment of the crush box includes a first sidewall that is coupled to a vehicle and a second sidewall that is coupled to the vehicle, where the first sidewall and the second sidewall include similarly pre-bent portions that cause the first sidewall and the second sidewall to bend outward upon receipt of a force. In some embodiments, the first sidewall and the second sidewall include a plurality of tabs that couple the first sidewall and the second sidewall to a top wall that bends inward upon receipt of the force.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2016Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: William F. Graves, Ryan A. Mikolaizik, Tyler E. Schnug, Mark D. Clauser
-
Patent number: 9616935Abstract: Vehicle structures and methods of assembling the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of assembling a unibody structure of a vehicle includes assembling a door surround ring comprising a forward pillar portion, a roof rail portion, a rearward pillar portion, and a rocker portion. The method also includes, subsequent to assembling the door surround ring, installing the door surround ring into a vehicle side outer panel, coupling the door surround ring to the vehicle side outer panel. The method further includes, subsequent to installing the door surround ring into the vehicle side outer panel, coupling the door surround ring and the vehicle side outer panel to a vehicle interior structural member.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tyler E. Schnug, Kuo Sun, Mark D. Clauser, Yizhou Fan, Donald E. Maynard, Kevin J. O'Beirne
-
Patent number: 9527463Abstract: A bumper beam assembly includes a bumper reinforcement beam that connects to right and left side members of a vehicle at a rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam at a respective bumper beam connecting location and that extend rearward therefrom in a vehicle longitudinal direction. A spacer member is connected to the rear face outboard of the bumper beam connecting location. The spacer member includes a front wall, a rear wall, an inboard wall and an outboard wall, the inboard and outboard walls extend between the front wall and rear wall in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The front wall is connected to the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam at a connecting portion. The front wall includes a chamfer wall portion outboard of the connecting portion that is separated from the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam providing a space between the chamfer wall portion and the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2015Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Naipaul Ramoutar, William F. Graves, Corinne D. Uskali, Mark D. Clauser
-
Patent number: 9527464Abstract: Bumpers and vehicles that include bumpers are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a bumper includes a bumper beam assembly, the bumper beam assembly including a beam, the beam including a front side that is oriented to face forward in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a bumper extension portion that is coupled to the beam and positioned at an outboard end of the bumper beam assembly, the bumper extension portion including a front side that is oriented face forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction, a top side that is oriented transverse to the front side, and a bottom side that is oriented transverse to the front side, and a reinforcement bracket that is coupled to the bumper extension portion, where the reinforcement bracket includes a front side that extends across the front side of the bumper extension portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2015Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Mark D. Clauser, Yizhou Fan, Palani Palaniappan, Naipaul Ramoutar, Manikandan Baby Mony
-
Publication number: 20160347360Abstract: Vehicles and vehicle systems for restricting rotation of vehicle steering systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a vehicle including a front wheel, a steering column assembly coupled to the front wheel, a steering wheel coupled to the steering column assembly, a steering rack assembly that includes a rack coupled to the front wheel, where the rack extends in a vehicle lateral direction and is translatable with respect to a body of the vehicle in the vehicle lateral direction, and a resistance device including a damper coupled to at least one of the steering rack assembly and the steering column assembly that limits a rotation of the steering column assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tyler E. Schnug, Mark D. Clauser, Gerritt B. Meyers
-
Patent number: 9487239Abstract: Vehicle structures and methods of assembling the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a unibody structure of a vehicle includes an inboard A-pillar member, an outboard A-pillar member positioned outboard of the inboard A-pillar member and coupled to the inboard A-pillar member, and a reinforcement member positioned between the inboard A-pillar member and the outboard A-pillar member. The reinforcement member is coupled to the outboard A-pillar member and has a plurality of reduced thickness regions that are positioned in a vehicle vertical direction along the reinforcement member.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2015Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tyler E. Schnug, Kuo Sun, Yizhou Fan, Mark D. Clauser, Corinne D. Uskali, Kevin J. O'Beirne, Donald E. Maynard
-
Publication number: 20160152201Abstract: A bumper beam assembly includes a bumper reinforcement beam that connects to right and left side members of a vehicle at a rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam at a respective bumper beam connecting location and that extend rearward therefrom in a vehicle longitudinal direction. A spacer member is connected to the rear face outboard of the bumper beam connecting location. The spacer member includes a front wall, a rear wall, an inboard wall and an outboard wall, the inboard and outboard walls extend between the front wall and rear wall in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The front wall is connected to the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam at a connecting portion. The front wall includes a chamfer wall portion outboard of the connecting portion that is separated from the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam providing a space between the chamfer wall portion and the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2015Publication date: June 2, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Naipaul Ramoutar, William F. Graves, Corinne D. Uskali, Mark D. Clauser
-
Publication number: 20160144813Abstract: Bumpers and vehicles that include bumpers are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a bumper includes a bumper beam assembly, the bumper beam assembly including a beam, the beam including a front side that is oriented to face forward in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a bumper extension portion that is coupled to the beam and positioned at an outboard end of the bumper beam assembly, the bumper extension portion including a front side that is oriented face forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction, a top side that is oriented transverse to the front side, and a bottom side that is oriented transverse to the front side, and a reinforcement bracket that is coupled to the bumper extension portion, where the reinforcement bracket includes a front side that extends across the front side of the bumper extension portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2015Publication date: May 26, 2016Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Mark D. Clauser, Yizhou Fan, Palani Palaniappan, Naipaul Ramoutar, Manikandan Baby Mony
-
Publication number: 20160101815Abstract: Vehicle structures and methods of assembling the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method of assembling a unibody structure of a vehicle includes assembling a door surround ring comprising a forward pillar portion, a roof rail portion, a rearward pillar portion, and a rocker portion. The method also includes, subsequent to assembling the door surround ring, installing the door surround ring into a vehicle side outer panel, coupling the door surround ring to the vehicle side outer panel. The method further includes, subsequent to installing the door surround ring into the vehicle side outer panel, coupling the door surround ring and the vehicle side outer panel to a vehicle interior structural member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2015Publication date: April 14, 2016Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tyler E. Schnug, Kuo Sun, Mark D. Clauser, Yizhou Fan, Donald E. Maynard, Kevin J. O'Beirne
-
Publication number: 20160101814Abstract: Vehicle structures and methods of assembling the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a unibody structure of a vehicle includes an inboard A-pillar member, an outboard A-pillar member positioned outboard of the inboard A-pillar member and coupled to the inboard A-pillar member, and a reinforcement member positioned between the inboard A-pillar member and the outboard A-pillar member. The reinforcement member is coupled to the outboard A-pillar member and has a plurality of reduced thickness regions that are positioned in a vehicle vertical direction along the reinforcement member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2015Publication date: April 14, 2016Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tyler E. Schnug, Kuo Sun, Yizhou Fan, Mark D. Clauser, Corinne D. Uskali, Kevin J. O'Beirne, Donald E. Maynard
-
Publication number: 20160059899Abstract: Vehicle structures for dissipating and distributing energy associated with a collision are described herein. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes a side support extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a rocker support extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction, where the rocker support is positioned outboard of the side support in a vehicle lateral direction, a torque box extending in the vehicle lateral direction, a dash panel coupled to the torque box, where the dash panel comprises an engine room barrier portion extending upward from the torque box and a floor attachment portion extending downward from the torque box, and a reinforcement member positioned between the side support and the rocker support, where the reinforcement member is spaced apart from the side support and the rocker support, and where the reinforcement member is coupled to the engine room barrier portion and the floor attachment portion of the dash panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2014Publication date: March 3, 2016Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Mark D. Clauser, Ronald Bowers, Manikandan Baby Mony, Naipaul Ramoutar
-
Patent number: 9272736Abstract: Vehicle structures for dissipating and distributing energy associated with a collision are described herein. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes a side support extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a rocker support extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction, where the rocker support is positioned outboard of the side support in a vehicle lateral direction, a torque box extending in the vehicle lateral direction, a dash panel coupled to the torque box, where the dash panel comprises an engine room barrier portion extending upward from the torque box and a floor attachment portion extending downward from the torque box, and a reinforcement member positioned between the side support and the rocker support, where the reinforcement member is spaced apart from the side support and the rocker support, and where the reinforcement member is coupled to the engine room barrier portion and the floor attachment portion of the dash panel.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2014Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Mark D. Clauser, Ronald Bowers, Manikandan Baby Mony, Naipaul Ramoutar
-
Patent number: 9216771Abstract: A panel for a vehicle. The panel includes an outer panel and an inner panel. The outer panel has an exterior surface and an underside surface, and the inner panel is located adjacent to and along the underside surface of the outer panel, but spaced apart from the outer panel. The inner panel also exhibits a bow over a substantial portion of its length, with the bow being in a direction toward the outer panel. The bow induces a moment in the inner panel during impact of the vehicle in a collision that causes the inner panel and, resultantly, the outer panel to undergo a predetermined deformation in an upward direction relative to the vehicle. The panel may be provided as the hood of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2013Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Blaine C. Benson, Mark D. Clauser, Min Zhu
-
Publication number: 20150069786Abstract: A panel for a vehicle. The panel includes an outer panel and an inner panel. The outer panel has an exterior surface and an underside surface, and the inner panel is located adjacent to and along the underside surface of the outer panel, but spaced apart from the outer panel. The inner panel also exhibits a bow over a substantial portion of its length, with the bow being in a direction toward the outer panel. The bow induces a moment in the inner panel during impact of the vehicle in a collision that causes the inner panel and, resultantly, the outer panel to undergo a predetermined deformation in an upward direction relative to the vehicle. The panel may be provided as the hood of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2013Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Blaine C. Benson, Mark D. Clauser, Min Zhu