Patents Issued in March 27, 2018
  • Patent number: 9925901
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a tilt plate rotationally coupled at a first horizontal axis to a front of a base. A cushion spring extends from a rear of the base to the tilt plate. Rotation of the tilt plate rotates the cushion spring about a second horizontal axis. A thigh support is rotationally coupled to the tilt plate. A dynamic spring biases the thigh support away from the tilt plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Marcos Silva Kondrad, S. M. Akbar Berry, Amber LaVerne Hall, Michael Kolich, Rodney Charles Brinker, Carol Casey
  • Patent number: 9925902
    Abstract: A utility vehicle is provided with a seat frame disposed below a seat for a crew and supporting the seat, the utility vehicle includes: a seatbelt apparatus configured to hold the crew sitting on the seat; in which the seat frame includes a projection projecting outward in a vehicle width direction from the seat and covering a top of a fuel tank, the seatbelt apparatus includes a retractor supporting an end of webbing so as to freely wind the webbing, and the retractor is attached to the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tsumiyama, Takashi Hisamura
  • Patent number: 9925903
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a multi-functional catering module for arrangement in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The catering module is arranged to be mounted to seat rails of the passenger compartment and arranged to be movable along the seat rails between at least a first user position and a stowage position. The catering module comprises at least one service or entertainment option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Christiansson, Tisha Johnson, Todd Levy, Patrik Lundgren, Axel Ernstsson, Robin Page
  • Patent number: 9925904
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a chassis, a mast movably coupled with the chassis, a first actuator operable to pivot the mast with respect to the chassis along a substantially vertical plane, and a second actuator operable to move the mast in a lateral direction with respect to the chassis along a substantially horizontal plane. The mast may support an oilfield material container. By pivoting the mast, the first actuator may be operable to pivot the oilfield material container with respect to the chassis along a substantially vertical plane. By moving the mast, the second actuator may be operable move the oilfield material container in a lateral direction with respect to the chassis along a substantially horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hau Nguyen-Phuc Pham
  • Patent number: 9925905
    Abstract: A tailgate ramp for a truck includes an adapter comprising left and right panels with a connector extending therebetween. The connector includes a first end with a slot or opening to engage or slide onto a pivoting receiver located on a truck; and a second opposing end configured to slide into, over, or around a mounting receiver located on the truck. A ramp section includes at least one foldable section that is attachable to the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: Victor Adriani
  • Patent number: 9925906
    Abstract: A self-unloading pipe trailer carries a rack of pipe and automatically unloads segments as it moves along a pipeline location. A single operator can maneuver the trailer and operate the unload controls. In unload mode, the operator drives along the pipeline and the trailer unloads the segments automatically. The trailer employs a power pipe rolling assembly that engages with weight-bearing tires in order to translate the distance traveled across the ground to directly power a pipe unloading system such that each foot of ground travel equates to a foot of pipe unloading. If the operator needs to change speed and/or stop, it can be done without modifying the unload mode as the dispensing process automatically responds to the change in speed. There is no complex externally powered unloading system to break-down, lose timing, or otherwise complicate matters. Pipe is simply unloaded automatically as the trailer moves down the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: Philip L. Hoy
  • Patent number: 9925907
    Abstract: A vehicle restraint system includes a strap assembly configured to be positioned on a portion of a tire of a vehicle to secure the vehicle to a track assembly. The strap assembly is also configured to be coupled to the track assembly on a first side of the tire. The system also includes a mandrel assembly operable to be coupled to the strap assembly on a second side of the tire, opposite the first side of the tire. The mandrel assembly is configured to engage the track assembly through a first hole in the track assembly. The system further includes a latch assembly configured to be coupled to the mandrel assembly. The latch assembly is also configured to create a coupling between the mandrel assembly and the track assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Trinity Parts & Components, LLC
    Inventors: Jerry W. Vande Sande, Robert J. Cencer
  • Patent number: 9925908
    Abstract: A modular inflatable protection system for protecting an item is provided. The system includes a plurality of inflatable modules, each of the modules having an inflatable body; a gas valve configured to receive a gas to inflate the inflatable body; a first connection portion; and a second connection portion. The first connection portion is configured to removably connect a first one of the modules to the second connection portion of a second one of the modules, the first connection portion can be reused to connect the first one of the modules to the second connection portion of a third one of the modules, and the system is configured to provide a barrier to protect the item from damaging contact by a potentially damaging element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventors: Raymond Jacob Zwack, III, Stuart I Smith
  • Patent number: 9925909
    Abstract: A universal propane tank transport bracket including a universal adapter having parallel first and second plates, a first receiver parallel to the first plate, and a second receiver at angle to the first plate, the first and second plates adapted to clamp around tie down structure, an elongate post having a perpendicular leg adapted to be received in the first receiver or the second receiver, a collar lockable along a length of the elongate post, and an adjustable strap attached to the collar, the adjustable strap adapted to capture a propane tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: John Byham
  • Patent number: 9925910
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transport carriage for cargo, particularly balls compressed from agricultural crops such as straw or silage, having a loading platform, which is designed to reach under the cargo in the loading state of the transport carriage, and having a strapping system which enables the cargo to be secured on the loading platform. The strapping system has comprises at least one, preferably a plurality of tensioning devices, arranged spaced apart from each other, which can be guided around the cargo loaded on the loading platform, at least in sections, by a common conveying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: Hubert Hornung
  • Patent number: 9925911
    Abstract: A tie down strap winder and carrier includes a basket for carrying a plurality of straps in side-by-side relationship to each other, a pocket on one end of the basket for storing a reel, which can be removed from the pocket and inserted into a socket in an outer end of the pocket and basket for receiving and winding a strap, and a slider for mounting on the reel to facilitate removal of a wound strap from the reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: 2204217 Ontario Inc.
    Inventor: John Hitsman
  • Patent number: 9925912
    Abstract: An exterior lighting and object detection assembly for a vehicle operable in an exterior environment that includes an object includes a housing, a first light source, an inner lens, and an object detection device. The first light source is connected to the housing and emits light for a position light function of the vehicle. The inner lens is connected to the housing and has a first portion that receives and reflects the light from the first light source to the exterior environment of the vehicle to provide the position light function. The object detection device is connected to the housing and is operable to detect the object via an electromagnetic energy. The first portion of the inner lens is disposed between the object and the object detection device and is configured to permit the electromagnetic energy to pass through such that the object detection device detects the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Zawacki, Jay H. Ovenshire
  • Patent number: 9925913
    Abstract: A tractor headlight device according to the present invention is configured from a pair of high-beam units and a pair of low-beam units, wherein the high-beam units and the low-beam units are respectively disposed at top and bottom. High-beam lamp lenses configuring the high-beam units are formed extending from the front to the sides of a hood. Low-beam lamp lenses configuring the low-beam units are formed along a front grill under the high-beam units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junko Kudou, Yoshiaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9925914
    Abstract: An adaptive headlight system for a vehicle uses an adaptive headlight controller which controls one or more headlights so as to illuminate a scene visible to a vehicle driver. The controller causes the headlights to generate a frame-region within the scene which outlines an object detected by an object-detection system carried by the vehicle. The frame-region is illuminated at a reduced level relative to the areas of the scene inside and outside the frame-region, thereby creating a dark/light contrast, visible to the driver, between the frame-region and the scene. If the object-detecting system indicates that the object is a living being, the frame-region is located to cover a head of the living being so as to avoid visually dazzling the being.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christoph Schlaug, Doemoetoer Gulyas, Michael Koherr
  • Patent number: 9925915
    Abstract: A vehicle luminous signaling glazing unit forming a front windshield, includes a first glazing pane, forming the exterior glazing pane, with first and second main faces F1, F2; a lamination interlayer made of a polymeric material of thickness e1 of at most 1.8 mm; and a second glazing pane, forming the interior glazing pane, with third and fourth main faces F3, F4, the face F2 and the face F3 being the internal faces of the laminated glazing unit; and a set of diodes on a front face of a PCB board, the assembly being of thickness et2?e1, each diode emitting in the direction of the interior glass, and each diode having an edge face. For each of the diodes, the lamination interlayer comprises a through-aperture encircling the edge face of the diode, and the lamination interlayer is between face F3 and the front face of the PCB board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventor: Pascal Bauerle
  • Patent number: 9925916
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for generating a linear projection of a route. In one embodiment, route information is received and parsed. Supplementary route data is received. A linear route is generated and provided to a user, the linear route comprising a straight line and one or more segments extending form the straight line, where ends of the straight line represent a starting point and destination of the linear route, and the one or more segments represent turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rajesh Kalyanaraman, Senthil K. Venkatesan
  • Patent number: 9925917
    Abstract: A vehicle illumination apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an emitting layer comprising a plurality of printed light sources and configured to conform to an outer surface of a panel. The apparatus further comprises a reflective layer disposed on an interior surface of the emitting layer and a surface layer configured to seal an outer surface of the apparatus. A controller is configured to selectively activate the light sources to reveal a symbol defined by the emitting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Christopher Charles Hunt, Chad Hoover, Doug H. Randlett
  • Patent number: 9925918
    Abstract: An on-vehicle apparatus according to an embodiment includes a communication unit that communicates with another on-vehicle apparatus, and a controller that is communicatively coupled to the other on-vehicle apparatus through the communication unit and performs an operation mode in which the controller controls a control target when a supply voltage value is equal to or larger than a first threshold. The controller is able to communicate with the other on-vehicle apparatus through the communication unit when the supply voltage value is equal to or larger than a second threshold which is smaller than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: DENSO TEN LIMITED, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kajimoto, Takanori Fujiwara, Xin Sun, Shimpei Moriyama, Tomohiko Torii, Kazuo Fukazawa
  • Patent number: 9925919
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes: an obstacle detection unit detecting an obstacle; a target position determination unit determining a target position between a first virtual obstacle, based on a first obstacle, and a second virtual obstacle based on a second obstacle being lined up with the first obstacle in a first direction; and a route determination unit determining a first route from the position of a vehicle to the target position, and that, when while the vehicle travels along the determined first route, the obstacle detection unit has detected a third obstacle positioned between the first and second obstacles and closer to the first obstacle than the second obstacle, enlarges the first virtual obstacle, and determines a second route that avoids the enlarged first virtual obstacle and is set from the position of the vehicle to the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Kiyokawa, Motokatsu Tomozawa
  • Patent number: 9925920
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes at least one sensor that can detect a first target vehicle in a first blind spot and a second target vehicle in a second blind spot. The first blind spot is associated with an adjacent lane relative to a host vehicle and the second blind spot is associated with an extended lane relative to the host vehicle. A processor can generate a first alert signal when the first target vehicle is detected and a second alert signal when the second target vehicle is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Lei, Allen R. Murray, Tuan Anh Be, David Joseph Orris
  • Patent number: 9925921
    Abstract: A system for controlling an auxiliary vehicle light is described, whereby a wearable controller that may be worn on a user's head or coupled to an article of clothing located on a user's head is useful for transmitting a position and orientation of a user's head to an auxiliary vehicle light located on a surface of a vehicle. The auxiliary vehicle light may include a pivotable body capable of panning, tilting, or rolling. The wearable controller includes sensors to determine an orientation and angular displacement of a user's head. Both the auxiliary vehicle light and the wearable controller includes transceivers for wirelessly communicating with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Feniex Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hamza Deyaf, Nicholas Mazzanti, Kyle Hale, Nick Marth
  • Patent number: 9925922
    Abstract: A mirror assembly includes a stem attached to a mirror head. The stem includes a first portion directly attached to the mirror head. The first portion includes a catch. The second portion is attached to a support structure, and includes a retention portion. The catch of the first portion is engaged with the retention portion of the second portion for supporting the first portion and the mirror head relative to the second portion. Once the first portion is supported by the interaction between the catch and the retention portion, fasteners may be installed to fixedly attach the first portion to the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Dziurda, Andrew K. Beach, Michael J. Wesner, James C. O'Kane
  • Patent number: 9925923
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicular door mirror capable of configuring an engagement structure for holding a folded storage position of a door mirror unit without design problems. When a door mirror unit is rotated from a deployed use position to a folded storage position, a protrusion portion disposed on a groove upper surface of a rotation regulating groove of a bearing portion on the door mirror unit side slidably contacts and rides over, during the rotating process, a protrusion portion disposed on the upper edge of a rotation regulating piece of a shaft until the protrusion portions fall into a mutual engagement, whereby the folded storage position of the door mirror unit is held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuo Ochiai
  • Patent number: 9925924
    Abstract: A step includes an integrated mud scraper and storage. The step may be part of a vehicle and, therefore, may be coupled to a vehicle body of the vehicle. The step includes a step body. The step body defines a stepping surface. The step body defines an opening extending through the stepping surface. The step includes at least one scraper extending from the stepping surface, wherein the scraper is obliquely angled relative to the stepping surface. The scraper is configured to scrape mud on a shoe, and the opening is configured to receive the mud scraped by the scraper. The scraper has a first scraper end and a second scraper end opposite the first scraper end. The first scraper end may be directly coupled to the stepping surface. The second scraper edge defines a scraping edge, and the scraping edge is aligned with the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Thomas P. Grabowski, Daniel C. Gifford, Brian M. Izard
  • Patent number: 9925925
    Abstract: A variable partition apparatus for a trunk of a vehicle may include a luggage board having a guide rail and arranged on an bottom surface of a trunk room, an actuating unit configured to move forwards, rearwards, leftwards, and rightwards along the guide rail, a board fixing unit coupled to an upper portion of the actuating unit and in which a partition board may be fixedly assembled while being erected, and a partition board configured to move and rotate on the luggage board by the actuating unit to variably divide the trunk room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Han Shin, Sang Eun Jang, Sung Mo Lee
  • Patent number: 9925926
    Abstract: A blind for closing a storage compartment in a central console of a motor vehicle is provided. The blind has rod-shaped guide elements which are slidably guided in lateral grooves. Slats are clipped onto the guide elements, which slats project laterally and become wider in a longitudinal direction of the blind, so that in a closed position of the blind they completely cover an intermediate space between two obliquely diverging side walls of the central console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: fischer automotive systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jorg Flothmann, Gunter Leopold
  • Patent number: 9925927
    Abstract: A console box includes a console body including a pair of right and left side-walls, a storage container accommodated in the console body, a lid part openably placed in contact with upper edge parts of the console body, and an inwardly-bent part formed on the upper edge part of each side-wall of the console body, the inwardly-bent part being overlapped with the corresponding side-wall in an inside-and-outside direction so as to form a space part between the inwardly-bent part and the corresponding side-wall. The console box further includes an outwardly-bent part and a space-inserted part that are formed near an upper edge part of the storage container, and a rupture expected part provided at the outwardly-bent part, the rupture expected part being configured to be broken when an emergency load is applied to the lid part from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: CALSONIC KANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiaki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9925928
    Abstract: A versatile roof mounted cargo and recreation system is comprised of a tubular framework that provide a means for securing and transporting articles on the roof of a vehicle. The tubular framework also provides longitudinal channels which allow various accessories to be stored within the framework of the roof mounted carrier and which accessories can be arranged and fastened in a variety of configuration to serve multiple purposes such as adjusting the position of support members to support the weight of a removable hardtop for lifting and removing the hardtop and also for adjusting the position of the support members to support a canopy that is attached to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: Alan Stanley Poudrier
  • Patent number: 9925929
    Abstract: An apparatus for ejecting an electric DVD deck may include a housing fixedly disposed in an internal space of a vehicle body trim panel, the DVD deck disposed in a lower portion of the housing, an actuator disposed between the housing and the DVD deck such that the DVD deck is ejected from the internal space of the vehicle body trim panel by upward and downward movement of the DVD deck, a sensor to detect upward and downward movement of the DVD deck, and a control module to control the actuator, in which, when a signal of the sensor is not received within a reference time during operation of the actuator, the control module may allow the DVD deck to return to a movement start position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gye Young Ahn, Hong Sik Chang, Jae Whoan Park
  • Patent number: 9925930
    Abstract: Removable apparatus for ornamenting automobiles are disclosed. One removable automobile-ornamenting apparatus includes an attachment portion having: (a) a first attachment device having a first arm with proximal and distal ends; (b) an anchor at the first arm distal end; and (c) a second attachment device. An ornamental portion is operatively coupled to the first and second attachment devices. The first attachment device and the second attachment device are configured such that: (a) in a first method of use, the first arm is between a hood or a rear door of an automobile and a remainder of the automobile and the second attachment device is located below the first arm; and (b) in a second method of use, the first arm is between the hood or the rear door of the automobile and the remainder of the automobile and the second attachment device is located above the first arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventors: Melissa Beth Dufort, Peter John Dufort
  • Patent number: 9925931
    Abstract: A reversible trim piece bracket includes a body including a first attachment edge and a second attachment edge that is differently configured from the first attachment edge. The first attachment edge and second attachment edge are configured to engage a cooperating surface on a vehicle, which may be associated with a vehicle structure such as a B-pillar. The first attachment edge may include one or more catches defining a first length for engaging the cooperating surface. The second attachment edge may include one or more catches defining a second length that is different from the first length for engaging the cooperating surface. An orienting structure may be provided for properly orienting the bracket body, which may be one or more notches defined in the bracket body for engaging one or more cooperating tabs associated with the vehicle trim piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fabrizio Dublan, Maria Fernanda Villanueva Ochoa
  • Patent number: 9925932
    Abstract: The invention it in a private portable toilet system for mounting on a vehicle for transport to the scene of an emergency where it is hydraulically lowered to the ground, and its component panels are out folded to an erected attitude, forming a cubical for containing a toilet platform that is hydraulically moved outwardly from its stowed attitude into which cubical, readying the toilet system for use, where, after use, the toilet platform is moved back to its stowed attitude, and the erection steps are reversed to collapse the toilet system by infolding the component panels to a flat vertical attitude and lifting the toilet system back to it's stowed position to the vehicle for travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: Vincent Julian
  • Patent number: 9925933
    Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed comprising a pre-charge circuit, including a resistor, that selectively connects a traction battery to an electrical impedance. A controller is programmed to inhibit pre-charging for an amount of time when a predetermined number of pre-charge cycles have occurred within a preceding predetermined period of time. The predetermined number of pre-charge cycles may be based on a voltage or current magnitude across the resistor during the previous pre-charge cycles. The predetermined number of times may be modified based on prior successful and failed pre-charge cycles. A method of limiting a temperature increase of a pre-charge resistor is disclosed comprising counting a number of prior pre-charge cycles and inhibiting pre-charging when the number of prior pre-charge cycles within the preceding period of time exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Derek Hartl, Kevin Vander Laan
  • Patent number: 9925934
    Abstract: A corrugated tube having a tube shape is provided with a tubular member configured to contain a conductor path, a first bellows portion, a second bellows portion, and a straight portion. The first bellows portion and the second bellows portion include recessed grooves extending in a circumferential direction of the tubular member and projection strips extending in the circumferential direction of the tubular member. The recessed grooves and projection strips are alternately arranged in a longitudinal direction of the tubular member. In the first bellows portion and the second bellows portion, a pitch which is a distance from one of the recessed grooves to a next recessed groove through one of the projection strips is set as a first distance and a second distance which is longer than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota Mochizuki, Hiroshi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9925935
    Abstract: An increase in the number of signal lines of a control apparatus for controlling devices of an automobile can be prevented and safety of the automobile can be secured. An in-vehicle communication system includes an input DHM that obtains device data from an input device, a BCM that generates control data for controlling an output device based on a value of the device data, and an output DHM that controls the output device according to the control data. The input DHM is composed of duplexed input control blocks, duplexed input shared memories, and an input NW control block. The BCM is composed of a BCM_NW control block, duplexed BCM shared memories for different intended uses, and duplexed arithmetic blocks. The output DHM is composed of an output NW control block, duplexed output shared memories, duplexed output control blocks, and a matching circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohito Nishiyama, Masuo Ito, Keisuke Morita, Yuichi Tokunaga, Daisuke Tanimoto, Shigekazu Okamura, Hiroyuki Tsuji, Mitsuhiro Mimura
  • Patent number: 9925936
    Abstract: The disclosure includes a system and method for reconfiguring a second vehicle based on one or more preferences of a user without the user directly providing an input to the second vehicle to reconfigure the second vehicle. The method may include wirelessly receiving user profile data at a second vehicle. The user profile data may indicate one or more preference of the user. The method may also include updating one or more settings of the second vehicle based on the user profile data so that the second vehicle is reconfigured based on the one or more preferences of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: Vinuth Rai
  • Patent number: 9925937
    Abstract: A vehicle front portion structure includes: a front side member; a load-bearing member provided at an outer side face of a vehicle width direction outer side of the front side member, the load-bearing member including a load transmission portion that protrudes to the vehicle width direction outer side and to a vehicle front from the outer side face; a front bumper reinforcement; an inner side collision-absorbing portion that couples a front end of the front side member with the front bumper reinforcement; and an outer side collision-absorbing portion disposed at the vehicle width direction outer side of the inner side collision-absorbing portion, at least a portion of the outer side collision-absorbing portion being disposed between a front end of the load transmission portion and the front bumper reinforcement, and the outer side collision-absorbing portion being higher in compression strength in the vehicle front-and-rear direction than the inner side collision-absorbing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN TAKAOKA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Watanabe, Tatsuya Komamura, Yasunori Iwamoto, Ikuto Hirai
  • Patent number: 9925938
    Abstract: Metallic grille inserts and methods for installing metallic grille inserts are disclosed, which are configured to protect air-cooled radiators of motor vehicles. The metallic grille inserts can be installed and disposed between an air-cooled radiator and front-end grille of an automobile without the need for drilling or using screws, bolts, or mounting frames to fixedly secure the metallic grille insert in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: UNDERTHESUNINSERTS, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Sanfilippo, Jamie Thomas
  • Patent number: 9925939
    Abstract: A method is provided for preventing a collision between a motor vehicle and a pedestrian. The method uses a camera and a processor mountable in the motor vehicle. A candidate image is detected. Based on a change of scale of the candidate image, it may be determined that the motor vehicle and the pedestrian are expected to collide, thereby producing a potential collision warning. Further information from the image frames may be used to validate the potential collision warning. The validation may include an analysis of the optical flow of the candidate image, that lane markings prediction of a straight road, a calculation of the lateral motion of the pedestrian, if the pedestrian is crossing a lane mark or curb and/or if the vehicle is changing lanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: MOBILEYE VISION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Dan Rosenbaum, Amiad Gurman, Yonatan Samet, Gideon P. Stein, David Aloni
  • Patent number: 9925940
    Abstract: A method and system may identify vehicle collisions in real-time or at least near real-time based on statistical data collected from previous vehicle collisions. A user's portable computing device may obtain sensor data from sensors in the portable computing device and compare the sensor data to a statistical model indicative of a vehicle collision, where the statistical model includes sensor data characteristics which correspond to the vehicle collision. The sensor data characteristics may include several threshold sample rate ranges at which another sensor data characteristic is measured and for each of the threshold sample rate ranges, a different threshold value for the other sensor data characteristic. If the portable computing device identifies a vehicle collision based on the comparison, notifications may be sent to emergency contacts and/or emergency personnel to provide assistance to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, David J. Dosher, Sunish Shreenarayan Menon, Susan M. Dunham
  • Patent number: 9925941
    Abstract: An energy supply unit for supplying a consumer, includes an energy store to supply electric when the consumer is decoupled from an energy supply network. The energy supply unit includes an energy supply controller having an input coupled to the energy store, via a diode, for receiving electric energy and an output for delivering electric energy, and a monitoring unit for outputting a monitoring signal, configured to set the monitoring signal to an active state when an output voltage between the output and a reference potential is lower/greater than a predefined activation threshold value, the monitoring unit configured, when an excessively low input voltage is identified between the input and reference potential of the controller, especially paired with an excessively low output voltage, the monitoring signal is switched to the inactive state when the input voltage is above a reset threshold and the output voltage is within the monitoring band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten List, Hartmut Schumacher, Falko Sievers
  • Patent number: 9925942
    Abstract: An energy absorbing system that is adapted for absorbing energy of an object in a vehicle in a crash situation by decreasing acceleration and force acting on the object in the crash situation, the energy absorbing system comprising at least one plastically deformable energy absorber that is plastically deformable in the crash situation. A mass-dependent self-adjusting mechanism is provided, the mass-dependent self-adjusting mechanism being adapted for adjusting, on the basis of an underlying mass of the object, a required compensation force that is to be provided by the energy absorbing system in the crash situation for plastically deforming the at least one plastically deformable energy absorber in order to decrease the acceleration and force acting on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Marius Herrmann, Roberto Gusmini, Frank Seidel, Marius Klinkner
  • Patent number: 9925943
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection device including: an airbag constructed as an integrated bag body that is deployed in an area including a front side of a head portion of a vehicle occupant, and in an area including both left and right sides of the head portion of the vehicle occupant; and an airbag case that includes a box-shaped case main body provided on a seat rear side of a headrest main body, in which the airbag is housed in a folded state, and whose upper portion opens up during an inflation and deployment of the airbag, and a reaction force plate that is provided in a lower portion side of the case main body, and is formed by a component having greater rigidity than the case main body, and that supports the airbag from the seat rear side during the inflation and deployment of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Ohno, Yasushi Masuda, Shigeyuki Suzuki, Shinichi Ishida, Takenori Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9925944
    Abstract: Airbag cushion assemblies comprising cushion orientation features and related methods. Some embodiments may comprise an airbag cushion comprising a throat region comprising an inflator opening. An inflator comprising an inflator collar may be coupled with the airbag cushion. The inflator collar may comprise a non-circular shape. The assembly may further comprise an inflator coupling member coupled with the airbag cushion at the inflator opening. The inflator coupling member may similarly comprise a non-circular opening configured to be aligned with the inflator opening and to mate with the non-circular shape of the inflator collar so as to prevent the inflator from being coupled with the airbag cushion in a non-desired rotational orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Williams, Derrick R. Staheli, Mark S. Hatfield
  • Patent number: 9925945
    Abstract: An airbag assembly in a vehicle is provided. The airbag assembly comprises a base and a housing to be inserted into the base. The housing includes a first connection part protruding from an outer wall of the housing and a second connection part extending from the first connection part and facing the outer wall and the base includes a first slot extending in a first direction and a second slot extending from the first slot at a second direction different from the first direction, and the first slot includes an open end to receive the first connection part. The housing is connected with the base when first connection part is received in the second slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sophie Yan, Josh Zheng, Daisy Zhao, Laurence Yin, Bob Wang, Qingsong Ma
  • Patent number: 9925946
    Abstract: An airbag module including an airbag, comprising an elongated backbone, and an airbag housing having the airbag therein coupled to the backbone. A sleeve is secured about the airbag housing, and coupled to the backbone. The module also includes tubular chute having open ends that receives the elongated backbone, airbag housing, and sleeve therein, wherein the airbag housing restricts expansion of the airbag through the open ends of the tubular chute during deployment of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: James Webber, Jonathan R. Vanderbossche, Gregory A. Nestico
  • Patent number: 9925947
    Abstract: A rear seat side-airbag device of the technology of the present disclosure includes: a side airbag that is disposed between a side garnish and a body, the side garnish being disposed at a vehicle width direction outer-side of a seat back of a rear seat, the side airbag becoming deployed on the side of an occupant; and an airbag door garnish that covers the side airbag from a cabin side and is disposed at a position where at least part of a boundary section between the airbag door garnish and the side garnish is covered from the cabin side by webbing in an unworn state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9925948
    Abstract: An airbag is inflatable in such a manner as to separate a vehicle-side wall which is deployable towards a vehicle body structure and an occupant-side wall which is deployable towards an occupant for catching the occupant. The airbag is configured to be supported by the vehicle body structure on the vehicle-side wall when catching the occupant with the occupant-side wall. The airbag includes a recessed section on left and right sides of and in a vicinity of the center of the occupant-side wall and a tether that connects the bottom of the recessed section to the vehicle-side wall in order to form the recessed section. Opposing walls of the recessed section press each other in a separable fashion when the airbag is inflated. The tether allows gas communication between a central region of the airbag and a peripheral region of the airbag which surrounds the central region, inside the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Hotta, Takashi Iida, Yuji Sato, Ikuo Yamada, Mikine Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9925949
    Abstract: An airbag module for protecting an occupant of a vehicle. The module includes an airbag formed by connected first and second panels, wherein the airbag includes first and second inflatable chambers. The module also includes an inflator for providing inflation gas for the airbag. The first and second inflatable chambers are fluidly connected by a gas flow passage. The first and second panels are connected together along a volume controlling seam located in the second chamber. The seam is configured to give way during inflation of the airbag to thereby allow the second chamber to completely inflate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Russell Joseph Mihm
  • Patent number: 9925950
    Abstract: Active airbag vent systems and associated systems and methods are described herein. An airbag system having an active vent configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology can include, for example, a first inflator operably coupled to a first hose for inflating an airbag in response to a rapid deceleration event. The airbag system can further include a second inflator operably coupled to a second hose configured to release a vent or seam on the airbag to rapidly deflate the airbag after initial deployment of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: AmSafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Trenton Dirk Moeller, Daniel Nick Foubert, Todd Joseph Humbert, Peter Anthony Settles, Ronald A. Shields