Patents by Inventor Micah WEDEKIND
Micah WEDEKIND 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).
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Patent number: 11697330Abstract: A perimeter frame for a sunshade module includes a sunshade opening, a guiderail, and a housing. The guiderail includes an end face, and a guideway, a mounting flange, and an attachment channel extending therefrom. The guideway opens inwardly to the sunshade opening, the mounting flange projects outwardly away from the sunshade opening, and the attachment channel opens downwardly from therebetween. The housing includes a guiderail adaptor. The guiderail adaptor is inserted into the attachment channel, secured to the attachment channel using a fastener installed from above the attachment channel, and engages the attachment channel from below.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2021Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc.Inventors: Jacob Grimaldo, Micah Wedekind, Michael Mixon
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Publication number: 20230158869Abstract: A perimeter frame for a sunshade module includes a sunshade opening, a guiderail, and a housing. The guiderail includes an end face, and a guideway, a mounting flange, and an attachment channel extending therefrom. The guideway opens inwardly to the sunshade opening, the mounting flange projects outwardly away from the sunshade opening, and the attachment channel opens downwardly from therebetween. The housing includes a guiderail adaptor. The guiderail adaptor is inserted into the attachment channel, secured to the attachment channel using a fastener installed from above the attachment channel, and engages the attachment channel from below.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2021Publication date: May 25, 2023Inventors: Jacob Grimaldo, Micah Wedekind, Michael Mixon
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Publication number: 20220258579Abstract: Sunroof drive apparatus and related sunroof assemblies for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed assembly includes a sunroof panel, a rail, a guide block attached to part of the rail, a bracket beneath the sunroof panel, a link in the rail removably connected to the guide block, and a drive shoe in the rail slidably coupled to the link. The drive shoe includes first and second slots to receive respective first and second pins of the link. The link can rotate about a rotation axis from a first orientation in which the link is inseparable from the guide block to a target orientation in which the link is separable from the guide block. When the first pin enters a locking area at an end of the first slot, the drive shoe imparts one or more loads on the first pin that urge the link into the target orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2022Publication date: August 18, 2022Inventors: Jacob Grimaldo, Micah Wedekind, Michael Mixon, Tatsuya Matsui
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Patent number: 11318825Abstract: Sunroof drive apparatus and related sunroof assemblies for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed assembly includes a sunroof panel, a rail, a guide block attached to part of the rail, a bracket beneath the sunroof panel, a link in the rail removably connected to the guide block, and a drive shoe in the rail slidably coupled to the link. The drive shoe includes first and second slots to receive respective first and second pins of the link. The link can rotate about a rotation axis from a first orientation in which the link is inseparable from the guide block to a target orientation in which the link is separable from the guide block. When the first pin enters a locking area at an end of the first slot, the drive shoe imparts one or more loads on the first pin that urge the link into the target orientation.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jacob Grimaldo, Micah Wedekind, Michael Mixon, Tatsuya Matsui
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Publication number: 20220118835Abstract: Sunroof drive apparatus and related sunroof assemblies for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed assembly includes a sunroof panel, a rail, a guide block attached to part of the rail, a bracket beneath the sunroof panel, a link in the rail removably connected to the guide block, and a drive shoe in the rail slidably coupled to the link. The drive shoe includes first and second slots to receive respective first and second pins of the link. The link can rotate about a rotation axis from a first orientation in which the link is inseparable from the guide block to a target orientation in which the link is separable from the guide block. When the first pin enters a locking area at an end of the first slot, the drive shoe imparts one or more loads on the first pin that urge the link into the target orientation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2020Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jacob GRIMALDO, Micah WEDEKIND, Michael MIXON, Tatsuya MATSUI
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Patent number: 11279215Abstract: An assembly for a sunroof can include a rail extending in a length direction of a vehicle, a bracket beneath a sunroof panel, an adapter coupled to the bracket, and a drive mechanism connected to a part of the bracket. Movement of the drive mechanism along the rail moves the bracket between a first position in which the sunroof is closed and a second position in which the sunroof is open. A catch device can slide along the rail relative to the adapter and includes a channel extending through a structure of the catch device to receive the adapter when the bracket is in the first position. When the adapter is in the channel, the structure is configured to engage the adapter to maintain the bracket in the first position and resist deflection of the bracket.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jacob Grimaldo, Micah Wedekind, Michael Mixon
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Publication number: 20220063385Abstract: An assembly for a sunroof can include a rail extending in a length direction of a vehicle, a bracket beneath a sunroof panel, an adapter coupled to the bracket, and a drive mechanism connected to a part of the bracket. Movement of the drive mechanism along the rail moves the bracket between a first position in which the sunroof is closed and a second position in which the sunroof is open. A catch device can slide along the rail relative to the adapter and includes a channel extending through a structure of the catch device to receive the adapter when the bracket is in the first position. When the adapter is in the channel, the structure is configured to engage the adapter to maintain the bracket in the first position and resist deflection of the bracket.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2020Publication date: March 3, 2022Applicant: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jacob GRIMALDO, Micah WEDEKIND, Michael MIXON
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Patent number: 11260732Abstract: A disclosed assembly includes a rail and an inner seal fixedly coupled to the rail that is arranged along a length of the rail. The inner seal includes a flap hiding a part of the rail adjacent the flap from view in a vehicle cabin. A shoe slidably coupled to the rail adjacent the flap is movable along the rail to open or close a sunshade held by the shoe. A channel extending through the shoe receives the flap. The shoe is engaged with a first segment of the flap folded in the channel while a second segment of the flap external to the channel is unfolded. Movement of the shoe causing the second segment to pass into the channel and fold therein as the first segment exits the channel and unfolds to prevent the part of the rail from being exposed.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Micah Wedekind, Jacob Grimaldo, Chanli Ke
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Patent number: 10946731Abstract: A sunroof apparatus for an automotive vehicle includes: a fixed glass panel having a first outer rim, and a movable glass panel having a second outer rim. A portion of the first outer rim of the fixed glass panel in the forward direction of the vehicle is adjacent to the movable panel and includes a water channel. A majority of the water channel is formed underneath of the movable glass panel such that the movable glass panel covers a majority of an upper open portion of the water channel when the movable glass panel is in a closed position.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2019Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Micah Wedekind, Michael Mixon
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Publication number: 20200086723Abstract: A sunroof apparatus for an automotive vehicle includes at least one fixed glass panel having an outer rim, at least one movable glass panel having an outer rim, and an area between the outer of the movable glass panel in the width direction of the vehicle and the fixed panel that includes a rain channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2018Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Micah WEDEKIND, Michael MIXON
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Publication number: 20200086729Abstract: A sunroof apparatus for an automotive vehicle includes a fixed glass panel having an outer rim, a movable glass panel having an outer rim, a weather strip between the glass panel and the movable glass panel, and a molded endcap attached to ends of the portion of the outer rim. A portion of the outer rim of the movable glass panel in the width direction of the vehicle is adjacent to the fixed panel and constitutes a water channel. A lock strip having a T-shaped cross-section extends along an inside of and beyond the ends of the water channel. The molded endcap places a force against a protruding portion of the lock strip that extends beyond the ends of the water channel to hold ends of the weather strip. The ends of the weather strip are prevented from being peeled back and creating a gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2018Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.Inventor: Micah WEDEKIND
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Publication number: 20200086722Abstract: A sunroof apparatus for an automotive vehicle includes: a fixed glass panel having a first outer rim, and a movable glass panel having a second outer rim. A portion of the first outer rim of the fixed glass panel in the forward direction of the vehicle is adjacent to the movable panel and includes a water channel. A majority of the water channel is formed underneath of the movable glass panel such that the movable glass panel covers a majority of an upper open portion of the water channel when the movable glass panel is in a closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Micah WEDEKIND, Michael MIXON