Patents Issued in October 25, 2016
  • Patent number: 9475373
    Abstract: A center pillar weather strip attached to a center pillar includes an attachment base that attached to the center pillar, a front side linkage part that extends obliquely upward in a front direction of the car body from the attachment base, a rear side linkage part that extends from the attachment base to a rear direction of the car body, a hollow seal part that is linked to tips of the front side linkage part and the rear side linkage part and formed in a shape curved convex to a car outside, and a front side seal lip that extends from a connection portion between the front side linkage part and the hollow seal part toward an extending direction of the hollow seal part and formed in a shape curved convex to the center pillar side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sobue, Masatoshi Nojiri
  • Patent number: 9475374
    Abstract: A weatherstrip assembly for a vehicle. The assembly includes a body having a base and first and second legs which define a channel. The body includes an interior base surface, a first interior leg surface, and a second interior leg surface disposed within the channel. The assembly includes at least one sealing lip having an abutment surface and a wearstrip disposed along at least one of the interior base surface, the first and second interior leg surfaces, and the abutment surface and formed of a thermoplastic polyethylene material. The wearstrip has a plurality of alternating wear sections and gaps that define a series of alternating semi-rigid and flexible sections, respectively, with each wear section having first and second surfaces. The first surface of one of the wear sections and the second surface of an adjacent wear section face each other to define the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: HENNIGES AUTOMOTIVE SEALING SYSTEMS NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Murree, Alessandro Libriani, Robert Krueger
  • Patent number: 9475375
    Abstract: A weather strip is provided adapted to connect to a door frame and a window. The weather strip includes a cavity adapted to mechanically secure at least a portion of foam within a cavity of the weather strip. In one embodiment, a retainer is provided within the cavity to secure the foam within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Paxton S. Williams, Barugur S. Balasundaramohan, Nicholas H. Augustyn
  • Patent number: 9475376
    Abstract: Annular liquid chamber resonance in an inverted type liquid sealed mount is controlled without using flow resistance. In an engine mount including a secondary liquid chamber located in an upper position, a primary liquid chamber located in a lower position, a main body section of an insulator projecting upwardly in substantially a chevron shape, and an annular liquid chamber formed around the main body section, a control projection is provided on an outside wall of the main body section to project upwardly and configured to produce elastic body resonance in the vicinity of a resonance frequency of annular liquid chamber resonance. With this construction, the annular liquid chamber resonance is controllable by the elastic body resonance of the control projection, and the control projection is increased in size so as to endure flow resistance whereby to improve durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: YAMASHITA RUBBER KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukinobu Hirano, Hiroshi Murao
  • Patent number: 9475377
    Abstract: A hybrid electric rotary engine is provided having a pair of rotors separated by a divider and configured for rotation in opposite directions, a timing gear engaged between the inner faces of the rotors, and at least one pair of slanted rotor openings in the rim of each rotor for alignment with at least one pair of slanted divider openings to form a pair of combustion chambers in communication with at least one pair of exhaust chambers for venting of exhaust and to provide rotational thrust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: William A. Ellis
  • Patent number: 9475378
    Abstract: A driving device for the hybrid vehicle includes a planetary gear mechanism; a first rotating machine coupled to a sun gear of the planetary gear mechanism; an engine coupled to a carrier of the planetary gear mechanism; a second rotating machine and a drive wheel that are coupled to a ring gear of the planetary gear mechanism; and a regulating mechanism that regulates rotation of the carrier, wherein the driving device has a first driving region that allows executing a dual-drive mode that causes running using the first rotating machine and the second rotating machine as power sources, and a second driving region that allows executing a lubrication running mode that causes the first rotating machine to rotate the engine so as to lubricate the planetary gear mechanism and causes running using the second rotating machine as a single power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Iwase, Hideaki Komada, Yosuke Suzuki, Hirotatsu Kitabatake
  • Patent number: 9475379
    Abstract: A tire/wheel assembly includes a cylindrical annular structure, a rubber material layer provided on a periphery of the annular structure and that faces a circumferential direction of the annular structure, and a plurality of curved metal spring members provided between the annular structure and an electric motor disposed on the inner side of the annular structure that transfers rotation of a rotor of the electric motor to the annular structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Susumu Imamiya, Atsushi Tanno
  • Patent number: 9475380
    Abstract: An air guide structure has a bumper fascia extended in a vehicle width direction at a front end part of a vehicle and having an opening capable of collecting wind generated while the vehicle is running, a radiator arranged behind the bumper fascia, a bumper reinforce arranged between the bumper fascia and the radiator and forming an air passage in the vehicle width direction, and a closed space defined with a rear shield plate arranged on a rear side, side shield plates forwardly extended from left and right sides of the rear shield plate, respectively, a bottom shield plate arranged at lower parts of the rear shield plate and side shield plates, a ceiling shield plate arranged at an upper part opposite to the bottom shield plate, and a front shield plate spaced away from and faced toward the rear shield plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takehide Matsubara
  • Patent number: 9475381
    Abstract: A vehicle system, comprising an internal combustion engine, a transmission enclosed within a transmission case coupled to a gaseous fuel source, the transmission case having an amount of gaseous fuel located therein. Housing the transmission in a case containing low density gaseous fuel reduces the power losses from air resistance and increases fuel efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: David Karl Bidner
  • Patent number: 9475382
    Abstract: An endoskeleton to support a fuel tank body and establish a fuel tank. The endoskeleton may include columns to support fuel system components, first and second beams staggered with respect to one another and having tank contact portions attachable to the tank body, and walls extending between adjacent first and second beams to baffle fuel and to yieldably restrain movement of the body. The fuel tank body may have a wall thickness of about 2 to 4 mm, and a combined weight of the tank body and the endoskeleton may be less than a weight of the fuel tank if the body were about 4 to 6 mm in wall thickness. Also, an endoskeleton-to-tank body contact surface area ratio may be greater than about 4% of a total interior surface area of the tank body. Further, fuel tank may include a strength to weight ratio greater than 250 l-mbar/kg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TI Automotive Technology Center GmbH
    Inventors: Albert J. Boecker, Andreas W. Dobmaier, Alex Ehler, Peter Grauer, Matthias B. Olbrich
  • Patent number: 9475383
    Abstract: An aircraft fuel tank system is disclosed in which a vent tank is provided with an additional ullage vent for use, in combination with an eternal flamer barrier means, when refueling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Christopher Lynas, Peter William James
  • Patent number: 9475384
    Abstract: A powertrain system for driving a vehicle comprises an engine, a transaxle including a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic pump separated from the hydraulic motor, and a gearbox joined to the hydraulic pump. The engine includes an engine output shaft extended in the lateral direction of the vehicle. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor are fluidly connected to each other so as to constitute a hydrostatic transmission. The gearbox supports a PTO shaft. The gearbox incorporates gears for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the hydraulic pump, and for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the PTO shaft extended in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Matsuura, Koji Iwaki, Tomoyuki Ebihara
  • Patent number: 9475385
    Abstract: A transfer case comprising an input shaft and a first output shaft sharing a primary axis of rotation; a second output shaft offset from the first output shaft; a range shifter comprising a first cam constructed and arranged to selectively shift a vehicle to a high-range drive mode, a low range drive mode, or a neutral drive mode; a mode shifter comprising a second cam constructed and arranged to actuate a synchronizer which selectively shifts the vehicle between a two-wheel drive and a four-wheel drive mode; and a dual drive gear interposed between the range shifter and the mode shifter which is rotatable to actuate the first cam and the second cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Larry A. Pritchard, Branden Reeves, Mallikarjun Rudagi
  • Patent number: 9475386
    Abstract: A vehicle accelerator pedal apparatus including: a pedal-side arm supported, so as to allow rotation toward the front and rear of the vehicle, by a support shaft in a housing; a pad in the pedal-side arm that can be operated by stepping; and a reaction force application mechanism for applying reaction force to the pedal-side arm. The reaction force application mechanism includes a drive source for generating the reaction force, and a transmission member for transmitting the reaction force generated by the drive source to the pedal-side arm. The reaction force application mechanism is arranged higher than the housing. The pedal-side arm has an extension part that is extended on the opposite side from the pad across the support shaft, and from the pedal-side arm to the transmission member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Horiuchi, Hideto Nebuya, Motomasa Suzuki, Ayumu Yamaguchi, Mitsunori Hirai, Kiyohiro Mando
  • Patent number: 9475387
    Abstract: A drunk driving prevention system for a vehicle includes an eye symptom detector adapted for supporting in the vehicle at a position to detect eye symptoms of a driver, a control module operatively linked to the eye symptom detector for determining and analyzing whether the eye symptoms of the driver match with alcohol influenced eye symptoms, and a signal module operatively linked control module for generating a drunk driving signal in response to the alcohol influenced eye symptoms that suspect an alcohol concentration of the driver is above a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Roger Li-Chung Wu
  • Patent number: 9475388
    Abstract: An engine control system for a vehicle comprises a torque module and a drag request evaluation module. The torque module controls torque output of an engine based on a driver torque request and increases the torque output based on a wheel drag torque request generated based on a driven wheel speed. The drag request evaluation module disables the increase of the torque output when the driven wheel speed is greater than an undriven wheel speed by more than a predetermined speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Richard B. Jess, Michael L. Kociba, Joseph M. Stempnik, James L. Worthing, Katie C. Bonasse
  • Patent number: 9475389
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for controlling a vehicle display in a vehicle. The method includes receiving contact data from a steering wheel, the contact data indicating driver contact with the steering wheel. The method includes determining a head vector based on information received from a head tracking device, the head vector defining a line originating from a head reference point, the line extending in a direction towards a viewing point. The method includes determining a fixation duration towards the viewing point based on the head vector and the information received from the head tracking device. Further, the method includes controlling the vehicle display based on the contact data, the head vector, and the fixation duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 9475390
    Abstract: In a method for providing a user interface in a vehicle, control objects and/or display objects can be displayed on a display surface (1) arranged in the vehicle, a gesture in a detection space (12) arranged in front of the display surface (1) is detected, the detected gesture is associated with a control object and/or display object and a control command, and the control command is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Ulrike Wehling, Thomas Fabian
  • Patent number: 9475391
    Abstract: A rail vehicle system and a method for managing distribution of power in the rail vehicle system are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Todd William Goodermuth, Wolfgang Daum, Mark Kraeling, Jared Klineman Cooper, Ning Zhang
  • Patent number: 9475392
    Abstract: A protective arrangement for safety-relevant parts of a motor vehicle that are arranged in a supporting structure. The protective arrangement is provided between the safety-relevant part and the closest bumper. The protective arrangement has at least one protective element that is arched in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle toward the outside of the motor vehicle. The protective element is mounted directly or indirectly on the supporting structure via bearings that are configured such that a bearing action acts only in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DR. ING H.C.F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Herbert Klamser, Daniel Haag
  • Patent number: 9475393
    Abstract: Charging devices and methods for charging electrically powered vehicles are disclosed. One example charging device includes a processor configured to at least partially control a state voltage and a detection circuit coupled to the processor. The detection circuit includes an energy storage device and a discharge circuit coupled to the energy storage device. The energy storage device is configured to be charged by the state voltage. The discharge circuit is configured to discharge said energy storage device in response to a discharge command from said processor. The processor is configured to determine a charging state associated with the electrically powered vehicle based on a voltage across said energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Kenneth Hooker, Scott Jeffrey Hall, Denis Alagic, Prerana Gajanan Kulkarni, Cecilia Maria Thomas
  • Patent number: 9475394
    Abstract: An air engine system includes an electric motor coupled to the drive shaft of an air engine to control the speed of the air engine. An accelerator controls the speed of the electric motor, which in turn controls the speed of the air engine. The air engine uses compressed air from a compressed air source provided by an air compressor. The air engine may be used on a vehicle, providing a clean environmentally-friendly means of locomotion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: HB Spider LLC
    Inventor: Christopher M. Huff
  • Patent number: 9475395
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control system and methods for controlling motion of a vehicle over a surface. The control system limits an amount of drive torque that may be applied to one or more wheels of the vehicle to prevent an amount of wheel slip from exceeding a prescribed value. The prescribed value of wheel slip is determined in dependence at least in part on vehicle speed. In addition, method claims 28 and 29 are directed to providing drive torque, independent of vehicle speed, which corresponds to or exceeds the maximum traction force. These methods are suitable for highway driving with high friction or off road driving on soft terrain, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Paul Beever, Michael Blyth
  • Patent number: 9475396
    Abstract: A slip control device for an electric vehicle which determines without error slippage occurrence with only a rotation angle sensor for motor rotation control and perform rapid control to eliminate the slippage. A threshold calculator calculates a normal angular acceleration of a motor depending on a manipulation amount of an accelerator to obtain a threshold, and an angular acceleration calculator differentiates a detection value from a rotation angle sensor twice to calculate an angular acceleration. A slip determination determines whether a wheel driven by a motor has slipped, and a torque limitation limits a torque when determining a slippage. The determination compares the calculated acceleration to the threshold, counts a number of times it is consecutively determined that the calculated acceleration exceeds the threshold, and determines a slippage if the number of times has reached a set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yingjie Zhang, Junichi Hirata
  • Patent number: 9475397
    Abstract: An electronic power converter includes a storage circuit (101) capable of storing electrical energy that is determined by an electrical quantity, voltage or current, of the storage circuit. The electronic power converter includes an electronic power converter stage (102) connected to the storage circuit and a regulator (103) for controlling the electronic power converter stage to regulate the electrical quantity at least partly on the basis of deviation of the electrical quantity from its reference level. The regulator is configured to weight the deviation with a first gain coefficient when the deviation is positive, and to weight the deviation with a second gain coefficient when the deviation is negative. The first gain coefficient has a value different from that of the second gain coefficient because the reference level is typically not in the middle of the allowed range of variation of the electrical quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: VISEDO OY
    Inventor: Antti Tarkiainen
  • Patent number: 9475398
    Abstract: A battery management system for a rechargeable battery includes a battery monitor configured to acquire data regarding the rechargeable battery and a processor. The processor is configured to determine an initial state of charge of the battery based on the acquired data; determine a target state of charge for the battery; determine a plurality of charging solutions to achieve the target state of charge based on an optimization of one variable of the battery of a plurality of variables of the battery; narrow the plurality of charging solutions to charging solutions that meet an objective of each of the remaining plurality of variables of the battery; select the charging solution that corresponds with the fastest charge time for the battery from the charging solutions that meet the objective of each of the plurality of battery variables; and command a controller to regulate an amount of charge to the battery in accord with the selected charging solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Hoseinali Borhan, Joachim Kupe
  • Patent number: 9475399
    Abstract: A power conduit for charging a power storage device of a vehicle includes an output terminal and locking mechanism operatively disposable in one of an engaged and a disengaged position. The locking mechanism locks the output terminal to the vehicle when the locking mechanism is in the engaged position and unlocks the output terminal when in the disengaged position. The power conduit includes a controller including a memory device configured to store a plurality of computer-executable instructions and a processor coupled to the memory device. The instructions configure the processor to receive an identifier associated with one of the vehicle and a user of the vehicle, and generate and transmit an unlocking signal to cause the locking mechanism to be in the disengaged position upon one of a determination that the identifier was received and a determination that a predetermined charge state of the power storage device has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edward Clark Fontana, Robert John Minor
  • Patent number: 9475400
    Abstract: A charging device for use with an electric vehicle including a power storage device. The charging device includes a power conduit configured to electrically couple the power storage device to the charging device. The charging device includes a first protection device configured to electrically isolate the charging device from the power storage device if a current flowing through the power conduit exceeds a current limit. The charging device also includes a controller configured to control the current flowing through the power conduit if the current flowing through the power conduit causes an integration threshold to be exceeded, wherein the integration threshold is representative of a predetermined amount of current that is enabled to flow through the power conduit over a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Kenneth Hooker, Shawn Alan Morgan, Ivan Rodriguez Marcano
  • Patent number: 9475401
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to managing an electric power demand in one or more electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by adjusting a charging condition including charging levels and/or charging prices. Particularly, the charging condition may be adjusted according to a proximity degree between a target power usage amount and a current/predicted power usage amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: KT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Myung-Ho Jeong
  • Patent number: 9475402
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for managing an electric vehicle. The system includes: a vehicle state information collecting device collecting vehicle state information from one or more sensors; a terminal device receiving the vehicle state information from the vehicle state information collecting device and transmits the received information together with current position information and a vehicle ID for identifying the electric vehicle; and an electric vehicle managing device receiving and storing the vehicle state information for the vehicle ID, comparing the vehicle state information with a preset reference value of the information to determine whether to create a vehicle management message, and creating the vehicle management message that includes the place related to the vehicle state information or the position information of another electric vehicle on the basis of the current position information for the electric vehicle so as to transmit the message to the terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SK TELECOM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eun Kyoung Won, Dae Lim Son
  • Patent number: 9475403
    Abstract: Provided is a method and controller for controlling a vehicle dc bus voltage. The method includes generating a parameter. The parameter is based on a reference dc bus voltage squared. The method includes controlling the vehicle dc bus voltage based on the parameter and a detected dc bus voltage. The method may also include generating another parameter based on a power demand associated with at least one of a motoring mode operation and a generating mode operation of a traction motor associated with the vehicle. The power demand is indicated in a message received via a dedicated high speed data bus. The method includes controlling the vehicle dc bus voltage based on the another parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Long Wu, Chris J. Tremel, Zimin W. Vilar, Alan K. Gilman, Robert Shaw
  • Patent number: 9475404
    Abstract: A wheel control device configured to control a plurality of wheels (11-14) mounted on a vehicle (10) includes a controller (110) configured to perform feedback control of a motor (21-24), which is mounted to each of the plurality of wheels (11-14) in order to drive the each of the plurality of wheels, so that a driving torque of the motor follows a target torque. The controller (110) reduces, for a motor driving a subject wheel that has received a predetermined road surface input among the plurality of wheels (11-14), a feedback amount relating to the feedback control to be less than a feedback amount before the subject wheel receives the road surface input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masatoshi Nakatsu
  • Patent number: 9475405
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes at least two sensors. A first sensor is configured to output a child restraint signal indicating a presence of a child restraint system. A second sensor is configured to output a belt tension signal representing a tension associated with a seat belt. A processing device is programmed to determine whether the child restraint system includes a child seat or a booster seat based on the child restraint signal and the belt tension signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Cuddihy, Manoharprasad K. Rao, Agnes S. Kim, Robert William McCoy
  • Patent number: 9475406
    Abstract: A locking device for a vehicle seat has a catch which is mounted such that it can be pivoted about a second axis and is intended for locking a mating element, and has a clamping eccentric which is mounted such that it can be pivoted about a first axis, between a locking position and an unlocking position and secures a locked state of the catch by interaction with a first functional surface of the catch. In the locked state, the clamping eccentric acts on the first functional surface via a clamping surface. An unlocking element is mounted such that it can be pivoted about the second axis by an actuating device, counter to a spring force, out of a locking position into an unlocking position. The unlocking element and the clamping eccentric have arranged between them a bias spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: KEIPER GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Peter Mueller, Volker Windecker, Stefan Haber, Kadir Yasaroglu, Silke Labuk
  • Patent number: 9475407
    Abstract: A folding vehicle seat includes a sliding rail having a predetermined length installed on a floor of a vehicle. A leg unit is seated on the sliding rail such that the leg unit slides along the sliding rail. A lifting device has a seat cushion on which a passenger sits and is mounted on the leg unit such that the lifting device moves upward and downward, thereby moving the seat cushion upward and downward. A locking device is mounted on the leg unit such that the locking device is connected to both the sliding rail and the lifting device and allows either sliding movement of the leg unit along the sliding rail or upward and downward movement of the lifting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Ji Soo Byun
  • Patent number: 9475408
    Abstract: A seat rail apparatus for a vehicle may include a guide rail fixedly installed along a lower rail mounted to a bottom surface of the vehicle, a lock assembly installed to be movable along the guide rail in an unlocked state and selectively locked and unlocked with and from the guide rail as a locking pin is moved forwards and rearwards, a driving assembly integrally installed at an upper rail mounted to a cushion frame, wherein the driving assembly locks and unlocks the lock assembly with and from the guide rail by operating the locking pin and locks and unlocks the lock assembly such that the lock assembly is operated integrally with the lock assembly according to a walk-in lever, and a stopper provided at the upper rail, for contacting the lock assembly locked with the guide rail when the seat returns after a walk-in operation to stop the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, DAS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ji Hyun Kim, Hyeong Jong Kim, Hyeong Jun Kim, Seong Jun Hwang, Jae Chul Jung
  • Patent number: 9475409
    Abstract: A seat recliner and an oil collecting element can re-collect the lubricating oil between a friction pair to friction surfaces, so as to reduce the wear rate. The oil collecting element is fixedly connected with one component in a friction pair of the seat recliner. The oil collecting element has an end face facing towards the other component in the friction pair, and each of two ends of the end face is provided with a boss, so as to form an oil collecting gap in the middle of the end face. The side face of the boss is an oil guiding face, and is configured gradually closer to the center of the oil collecting gap from outside to inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: HUBEI AVIATION PRECISION MACHINERY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chong Jiang, Zhengkun Huang, Xing Huang, Yong Zhang
  • Patent number: 9475410
    Abstract: A recliner for a vehicle having a wedge comprises: an upper gear having an internal tooth formed on an inner peripheral edge thereof and connected to a seat back to control an inclination angle of the seat back by rotation; lock gear parts provided with an external tooth engaged with the internal tooth and locking or unlocking a rotation of the upper gear by a reciprocating motion; a holder having the upper gear and the lock gear parts received therein and guiding the reciprocating motion of the lock gear parts; and a cam received in the holder and controlling the reciprocating motion of the lock gear parts by rotation. The lock gear part is configured of a first lock gear and a wedge gear part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: KM&I. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang Bum Hur, Byung Su Kim, Kyung Shin Jeong
  • Patent number: 9475411
    Abstract: A juvenile vehicle seat includes a seat bottom, a seat back, and a headrest. The headrest includes a centered head-support panel and left and right side panels arranged to locate the centered head-support panel therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Philippe Gagnade
  • Patent number: 9475412
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a seat that comprises a seat bottom, a seat back, a first biasing member, and a second biasing member. The seat back is pivotable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The first biasing member is coupled to each of the seat back and the bed frame. The second biasing member is coupled to each of the seat back and the bed frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignees: TS Tech Americas, Inc., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Casey Heit, Hiroshi Okazaki, Darin D. King, Tsuyoshi Kumasaka, Takayuki Inoue, Jacob Zachary Sorrell
  • Patent number: 9475413
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a pair of support portions that connect a frame portion and a roll-over protection cage to each other; a cross member that extends in a width direction of the vehicle and connects the pair of support portions to each other at positions higher than centers of the pair of support portions in an up-down direction of the vehicle; a first seat portion, a second seat portion, and a third seat portion in a front row; and a seat belt unit corresponding to the second seat portion. The seat belt unit includes a winding device located at a position lower than a shoulder anchor. The cross member is located between an upper end of the shoulder anchor and a lower end of the winding device in a front view of the vehicle, and supports the shoulder anchor and the winding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hayashi, Kazuo Sunahiro, Fumihiro Hidaka
  • Patent number: 9475414
    Abstract: A head restraint assembly is provided with a head restraint frame mounted to a post for movement along the post for adjustment relative to a vehicle seat. The head restraint frame has a contact surface. A biasing member is mounted to the head restraint frame for movement relative to the head restraint frame to maintain the head restraint frame in a locked condition along the post. An actuation member is mounted to the head restraint frame for movement relative to the head restraint frame. The actuation member cooperates with the biasing member such that movement of the actuation member moves the biasing member, thereby disengaging the biasing member from the post to permit movement of the head restraint along the post such that the biasing member engages the contact surface in the second position to provide feedback to the user of an unlocked condition of the head restraint frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Karsten Mueller, Frank Kunert, Bernd Rolf Schwerma, Michael Menges, Klaus Lamecker
  • Patent number: 9475415
    Abstract: An assembly embedded into a headrest bun for permitting rotation of the bun between upright design and forward dump positions. The assembly includes a pair of tubes extending upwardly from a seatback frame and a fixed pivot rod extending between the tubes. A housing defines a package containing interior and including a pair of front and rear covers assembleable around the fixed pivot rod. A block shaped cam wedge is displaceably supported within the interior and biased in a first direction in seating fashion against an abutting location of the fixed rod. An actuating mechanism elevates the cam wedge to unseat from the pivot rod, the housing subsequently rotating from the design position to the forward dump position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: BAE Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Grable
  • Patent number: 9475416
    Abstract: A vehicle seat that is foldable includes a lockout mechanism to prevent movement of a head rest to a folded position if an occupant is present in the vehicle seat. In response to pivoting of a back rest relative to a bottom seat cushion, the head rest normally moves to the folded position, except if the occupant is present. A sensor determines whether the occupant is present, and if the occupant is present, prevents actuation of the head rest. The lockout mechanism can incorporate a lockout pin that is spring biased to fit within a recess of a plunger, such that when the lockout pin is engaged in the recess of the plunger, the head rest is permitted to move to the folded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Kongsberg Automotive, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason DeForest
  • Patent number: 9475417
    Abstract: Container receiving apparatus for a vehicle interior having an upper supporting frame and a lower support base, the supporting frame being mounted in a receiving housing such that it can be moved linearly between a retracted rest position and an extended receiving position. The support base is mounted for movement between a supporting functional position and a rest position. A blocking device is provided and is active so as to limit movement or force in such a way that the support base is secured in its functional position against unintentional upward pivoting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: BOS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Hartmut Bohlke, Juergen Salewski, Wolfgang Sitzler, Wolfram Zummack, Bogdan Tutelea, Andreas Goebbels
  • Patent number: 9475418
    Abstract: The present invention includes a vehicle interior debris deflector, for obstructing a gap between a passenger seat, a console unit and a safety belt receiving element, including an inflatable chamber having a first side and second side fused to one another along a seam. When placed in the gap between the seat, the console unit and the belt element, the inflatable chamber extends longitudinally from a front portion of the passenger seat to a back portion of the passenger seat and is adjacent and abutting to the console unit. A valve is embedded in one of the first side and the second side for adding and removing fluid from the inflatable chamber. When the chamber is partially inflated, the chamber expands and compresses to fill the gap and can slide parallel to the seat, the console unit and the safety belt element without losing expansion and compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: John G. Goldman
  • Patent number: 9475419
    Abstract: A roll off trailer is provided with a bumper assembly which may move between a deployed position and a collapsed position. The roll off trailer may include a trailer frame with a table top pivotally connected to the trailer such that the deployed position may be associated with a home position of the table top and the collapsed position may be associated with a tilted roll off position of the table top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: MAC TRAILER MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventor: Scott A. Kibler
  • Patent number: 9475420
    Abstract: A display apparatus for a vehicle includes a virtual image display device, a detection device, and a picture control device. The virtual image display device emits predetermined light to permit a windshield or a combiner to reflect the predetermined light towards an eye of a driver. The emitted predetermined light is to display a picture. The virtual image display device displays the picture in a displayed area as a virtual image; the picture appears ahead of the vehicle. The detection device detects a target that is an obstacle or an intersection. The picture control device displays the picture to appear below the target in the displayed area, and then moves the picture to a position corresponding to the target apparently while decreasing at least a width of the picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Kamiya, Kohji Ohyama
  • Patent number: 9475421
    Abstract: A headlamp assembly typically includes a high beam reflector and a low beam reflector. A linkage synchronizes the aim of a high beam reflector with a low beam reflector while also providing damping for both reflectors to stop them from visibly shaking or fluttering the light beam under vibration in actual use. The damping linkage could also be employed in a single reflector environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Burton Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: John Edwards Burton
  • Patent number: 9475422
    Abstract: At least one embodiment of this disclosure includes a method for an autonomous vehicle (e.g., a fully autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle) to communicate with external observers. The method includes: receiving a task at the autonomous vehicle; collecting data that characterizes a surrounding environment of the autonomous vehicle from a sensor coupled to the autonomous vehicle; determining an intended course of action for the autonomous vehicle to undertake based on the task and the collected data; and conveying a human understandable output via an output device, the human understandable output expressly or implicitly indicating the intended course of action to an external observer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Invention, LLC
    Inventors: W. Daniel Hillis, Kjerstin I. Williams, Thomas A. Tombrello, James W. Sarrett, Luke W. Khanlian, Adrian L. Kaehler, Russel Howe