Patents by Inventor Peter C.J. Piper

Peter C.J. Piper 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: 20250010920
    Abstract: A vehicle roof support structure on a vehicle. The vehicle roof support structure includes a roof rail member extending in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle. The vehicle roof support structure also includes a side pillar member disposed at least partially below the roof rail member on a lateral side of the vehicle and extending substantially in a vertical direction of the vehicle. The vehicle roof support structure further includes a load force transfer member. The load force transfer member includes a first portion connected to the side pillar member and a second portion spaced a predetermined distance away from a closest point on the roof rail member. The load force transfer member is configured to assume at least a portion of a load force applied on the roof rail member during a roof impact event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Peter C.J. Piper, Chase A. Young, Alex B. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20190185064
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a rocker support that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction. A side roof rail structure extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction along a vehicle roof assembly. A front pillar assembly is coupled to and extends upward from the rocker support to the side roof rail structure. The front pillar assembly includes a first panel that extends along a height of the front pillar assembly at a front side of the front pillar assembly. A second panel extends along the height of the front pillar assembly that is connected to the first panel at least partially defining an enclosed cavity that extends along the height of the front pillar assembly. The first panel is formed of a material having a lower minimum tensile strength than a material forming the second panel thereby forming a zone of reduced minimum tensile strength along the front side of the front pillar assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter C.J. Piper, Alex B. Taylor, Jonathan R. Young
  • Publication number: 20190106156
    Abstract: A vehicle may include a pair of roof side rails that extend in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a front header that includes opposite outboard ends that span between the pair of roof side rails, and a front header extension coupled to and extending from one of the outboard ends of the front header. The front header extension may include a center emboss structure that extends outwardly from a base at a pair of center emboss ridgelines and the center emboss structure may be connected to one of the pair of roof side rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter C.J. Piper, Kuo Sun