Patents by Inventor Michael Patrick Kirbitz

Michael Patrick Kirbitz 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).

  • Water drainage systems and methods for vehicles
    Patent number: 12384217
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for draining water from surfaces of vehicles. The systems may include a mechanism onboard the vehicle configured to adjust a pitch angle or a roll angle of the vehicle, and a controller configured to, by one or more processors, determine a stance of the vehicle relative to gravity, and adjust, with the mechanism, the pitch angle or the roll angle of the vehicle to define an adjusted stance of the vehicle sufficient for a surface of the vehicle to exceed a drainage angle and thereby promote a directional flow of water from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Robert Short, Michael Patrick Kirbitz, Bryan J. Miller