Patents Issued in October 4, 2018
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Publication number: 20180281736Abstract: A curtain airbag includes an upper airbag configured to deploy in a position opposite to an upper half of a side part of a vehicle in which a window is formed, and a lower airbag configured to deploy in a position opposite to a lower half of the side part and coupled to the upper airbag in an up-and-down direction. The upper airbag includes a first expansion section configured to extend in the up-and-down direction and expand to increase in volume in a front part more than in a back part of the first expansion section in a width direction of the vehicle, and the lower airbag includes a second expansion section configured to extend in the up-and-down direction and expand to increase in volume in a front part more than in a back part of the second expansion section in the width direction of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Mototsugu Suzuki
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Publication number: 20180281737Abstract: Provided is a fabric for an air bag that is constituted by synthetic fibers, and the warp and the weft of the fabric have a tensile strength of 600 N/cm or more, an air flow rate of the fabric under a differential pressure of 20 kPa is 1.0 L/cm2·min or less, and an average stress of the warp and the weft that is required to additionally elongate the fabric from a 1.0% elongation state to a 3.0% elongation state is 15 N/cm or more, and an average stress of the warp and the weft that is required to additionally elongate the fabric from the 3.0% elongation state to a 5.0% elongation state is 15 N/cm or more.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2016Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: SEIREN CO., LTD.Inventor: Tsuyoshi HOURAIYA
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Publication number: 20180281738Abstract: A heat-resistance increasing fabric sheet for an airbag is used in an airbag that is deployed and inflated by inflation gas discharged from a gas outlet portion of an inflator. The heat-resistance increasing fabric sheet is configured to increase the heat resistance of a member subjected to an increase in heat resistance. The heat-resistance increasing fabric sheet includes a base fabric sheet, a heat-resistant layer, and a top coat layer. The base fabric sheet is made of cotton fibers and arranged between the member subjected to an increase in heat resistance and the gas outlet portion. The heat-resistant layer is made of aluminum foil laminated on a surface of the base fabric sheet that faces the gas outlet portion. The top coat layer is made of a plastic film laminated on a surface of the heat-resistant layer that faces the gas outlet portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Masakatsu OTSUKA
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Publication number: 20180281739Abstract: A system and method of inflating an airbag and trajectory control tube are disclosed. The system and method include detecting application of a force at at least one of a plurality of sensors, initiating an inflation system to cause inflation of the airbag and the trajectory control tube responsive to the detecting, inflating the trajectory control tube based on the initiating, inflating the airbag, and breaching the airbag and the trajectory control tube compartment. The system and method include guiding the airbag deployment trajectory via the trajectory control tube guides the airbag deployment trajectory. The system and method include the guiding occurs as the airbag begins to inflate, as the airbag inflates, after the airbag has inflated or before the airbag inflates.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: NextEV USA, Inc.Inventors: Heng Zhang, Jeffrey D. Rupp, Christopher Eckert, Yih-Charng Deng
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Publication number: 20180281740Abstract: A head-protecting airbag device includes an airbag including a bag body and a cover sheet, the bag body including a gas inflow portion. The gas inflow portion includes a gas supply passage portion and a shielding inflatable portion, the gas supply passage portion being located in an upper edge side of the bag body and configured such that an inflation gas initially flows through the gas supply passage portion, and the shielding inflatable portion being disposed below the gas supply passage portion and configured to be inflated to shield the window. The cover sheet is attached to the bag body such that the shielding inflatable portion, rather than the gas supply passage portion, is a protected area, by providing a non-covered area in an upper edge side of the gas inflow portion, the non-covered area being an area in which the cover sheet is not disposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Masahiro OSHIMA
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Publication number: 20180281741Abstract: An airbag device includes a movement obtaining unit, an airbag, and an airbag controller. The movement obtaining unit is configured to obtain a movement of an occupant in an automobile. The airbag is deployable with different thicknesses into a gap between the occupant and a side portion of the automobile. The airbag controller is configured to restrict the thickness of the airbag that deploys toward the gap so that the airbag is inserted into the gap, if the airbag controller determines that the gap is smaller than a predetermined value on the basis of the movement of the occupant obtained by the movement obtaining unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Isamu NAGASAWA
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Publication number: 20180281742Abstract: An airbag includes an internal pressure adjusting mechanism: including: a tether arranged in a bag part; a long side part; and a short side part; and adjusting an exhaust of the inflation gas: to be in an exhaust mode in which the exhaust is facilitated when the tether is loosened; and to be in an exhaust suppression mode in which the exhaust is suppressed when the tether is stretched. In a state where the tether is loosened during the exhaust mode, facing edge parts of the long side part and the short side part are separable. In a state where the tether is stretched during the exhaust suppression mode, the facing edge part of the long side part and a root side part are inflated around the short side part and a leading edge side part contacts a back surface side of the short side part.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Takanori KOMATSU, Wataru MIURA, Hiroyuki NAKANISHI, Koji KAWAMURA
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Publication number: 20180281743Abstract: An airbag device for pedestrian protection adapted to be mounted on a vicinity of the rear end of a vehicle hood. The airbag includes a transverse inflatable portion that covers a cowl of the vehicle generally entirely in the vehicle width direction when deployed, and an inlet port that is disposed in a front end region of the transverse inflatable portion to be coupled with an inflator. The airbag is stored in a housing in a folded-up configuration. The airbag is folded up through a front-rear contracting step that provides a front-rear contracted bag, i.e. a form of the airbag which has gone through the front-rear contracting step, and a transversely contracting step which folds the front-rear contracted bag with a crease at a vicinity of an outer end in a left and right direction of the inlet port. A transversely-contracted fold portion formed in the transversely contracting step and the inlet port are arranged in a stratified fashion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Makoto OZEKI, Takashi SASAKI
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Publication number: 20180281744Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat having a seat belt retractor supported in the seat back with a high mechanical stiffness. The seat back frame (F2) includes a pair of side frame members (31, 32), a bracket (50) extending between longitudinally intermediate parts of side frame members, and a seat belt guide (72) attached to an upper part of one of the side frame members and defining an opening for passing a seat belt (66). One of lateral end parts of the bracket is provided with an enlarged part (50D) having an enlarged vertical dimension as compared to the other end part of the bracket, and the seat belt retractor (65) is attached to the enlarged part of the bracket.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Masato Watanabe
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Publication number: 20180281745Abstract: A seatbelt retractor for a seat belt device in a vehicle. The retractor includes a frame and a spool configured to be fixed to one end of a seat belt webbing so that the webbing may be wound around the spool. The spool is rotatably mounted at both ends to the frame and configured to rotate in a webbing extraction direction and a webbing retraction direction. The retractor includes primary and secondary torsion bars positioned end to end in the spool along an axis of rotation of the spool. The primary and secondary torsion bars are configured to be locked at second ends of the torsion bars opposite to the first end. The first ends of the torsion bars are configured to rotate relative to the second ends so that the primary and secondary torsion bars deform to absorb force when a vehicle acceleration exceeds a predetermined value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: TK Holdings Inc.Inventor: Mark GRAY
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Publication number: 20180281746Abstract: A pre-tensioner for a safety belt of vehicles is provided. The pre-tensioner for a safety belt of a vehicle that is disposed in a side sill of the vehicle and that operates to pull the safety belt by pushing a piston into a tube by a high pressure gas of a gas generator using explosive power of gunpowder that is configured at one side of a bracket in a state in which the piston is connected to the safety belt through a wire within the tube including: internal and external weldnuts that are fixed to each one side of internal and external side surfaces of the side sill, wherein by penetrating the side sill in a vehicle width direction by forming a screw at an external circumference of both end portions of the tube, the both end portions are engaged with the internal and external weldnuts, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Inbum LEE, Dong Hyuk KWAK
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Publication number: 20180281747Abstract: A local area security system interfaces with one or more vehicles to provide enhanced security. The vehicles have vehicle sensors which may further help determine a presence of potential threat within a vicinity of the local area security system. The multiple vehicle network may communicate with each other to expand the vicinity of the local area security system, share equipment, computing resources, and information in the determination of the presence of the potential threat. The battery powered vehicle may employ various methods to conserve battery power while coupled to the local area security system.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Randall Lee COGILL, Olivier GALLAY, Chungmok LEE, Zubair NABI, Martin M. RUFLI, Robert SHORTEN, Tigran T. TCHRAKIAN, Rudi VERAGO, Fabian Roger WIRTH, Sergiy ZHUK
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Publication number: 20180281748Abstract: An in-vehicle communication system includes: a plurality of local ECUs (vehicle control devices) connected to networks of buses, and configured to control an in-vehicle device; an OBDII port which is a communication port to an outside; and an illicit act detection sensor configured to detect an illicit act on a vehicle. Each local ECU includes a reprogramming receiver and a reprogramming controller. The reprogramming receiver receives a reprogramming request signal and reprogramming data from a reprogramming device connected to the OBDII port. Reprogramming for rewriting a software program of a target local ECU is executed according to the reprogramming request signal and the reprogramming data. When the illicit act detection sensor detects an illicit act, the reprogramming controller prohibits execution of reprogramming.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: OMRON AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomohiro Murase, Naoyuki Ishihara, Yosuke Tomita
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Publication number: 20180281749Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle information system for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a set of compartment closing members adapted to close an interior compartment of the vehicle to the environment ambient of the vehicle and further comprises a set of operating lights, arranged outwardly of the vehicle, and intended to be used during driving of the vehicle. The information system is adapted to receive a compartment closing member signal indicative of a compartment closing member of the set of compartment closing members being unclosed and/or unlocked, and upon receipt of the compartment closing member signal, issue an information signal to the vehicle such that one or more of the lights in the set of outwardly arranged operating lights is activated to thereby indicate which compartment closing member of the set of compartment closing members is unclosed and/or unlocked.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: VOLVO CAR CORPORATIONInventors: Julia NILSSON, Mattias Erik BRANNSTROM
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Publication number: 20180281750Abstract: A wiper device includes a long wiper blade mounted on a wiper arm provided in a vehicle and configured to wipe a surface of a glass window. The wiper blade includes a drain passage extending in a longitudinal direction of the wiper blade and formed to be hollow, and a communication path having one end communicating with the drain passage and the other end communicating with a surface of the wiper blade. The communication path is formed to have a width that draws, from the other end through the one end into the drain passage, water wiped by the wiper blade by a capillarity phenomenon, and a width of the drain passage in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is formed to be wider than the width of the communication path.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Koji Okabe
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Publication number: 20180281751Abstract: A dollie assembly for a vehicle wash includes a center link configured for attachment to a drive mechanism of the vehicle wash and having a throughhole with a first bushing extending therethrough along an axis between opposite ends with cylindrical bearing surfaces on opposite sides of the center link. A tire pushing roller is disposed on each of the bearing surfaces for rotation about the axis. A pair of track rollers are supported for rotation about the axis. The track rollers are disposed on an opposite side of the pair of tire pushing rollers from one another such that the pair of tire pushing rollers are between the pair of track rollers. The pair of track rollers are rotatable about the axis independently from pair of tire pushing rollers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Michael J. Belanger, Barry S. Turner, David L. Tognetti
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Publication number: 20180281752Abstract: A wash equipment assembly for a car wash and method of operating the equipment are described. For example, the assembly includes a cleaning element configured to clean a vehicle, an arm assembly operably attached to the cleaning element and configured to move the cleaning element to a vehicle cleaning position, the arm movably fixed to a support at a first end and the cleaning element mounted on the arm at a second end, a controlled locator for positioning the arm relative to the support such that the cleaning equipment is moved to the vehicle cleaning position, and a sensor for evaluating an actual orientation of the cleaning element relative to a default orientation of the cleaning element. In certain implementations, the controlled locator can modify the position of the arm in response to a signal from the sensor, thereby providing a closed loop control system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Kevin Detrick
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Publication number: 20180281753Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a large object such as a tractor-trailer. The apparatus is a cleaning vehicle including a frame with a plurality of wheels mounted thereon that allow the frame to move from one location to another across the ground. An arm mounted on the frame includes arm portions that may be telescoped to longitudinally, transversely, or vertically adjust the length of the arm portions. At least one rotatable brush is operatively engaged with the arm. The vehicle is positioned adjacent the large object and the arm is adjusted to position the at least one brush adjacent a surface to be cleaned. The arm portions are actuated to change length and thereby move the brush across the object's surface to clean the same. If two brushes are provided on the arm they may be moved toward or away from each other to clean two surfaces simultaneously.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Michael A. Conny
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Publication number: 20180281754Abstract: An inflator head and a bicycle pump incorporating the inflator head are provided. The inflator head is operable with the pump for manually inflating a tire and is removable from the pump for inflating the tire using a compressed gas cartridge. The inflator head includes a body having a first aperture for engaging the compressed gas cartridge at a first end and a second aperture for engaging a tire valve at a second end opposed to the first end. A piercing member is disposed at the first aperture and housed in a piercing member channel fluidly connected to the first aperture. One or more gas flow channels are defined by the body and fluidly connect the first aperture to a gas flow passageway. The gas flow passageway fluidly connects the one or more gas flow channels and the second aperture.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Jonathan Staples
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Publication number: 20180281755Abstract: A stabilizing system includes a plurality of jacks, each operated by a corresponding hydraulic actuator. A hydraulic fluid transfer pump provides supplies hydraulic fluid to and receives hydraulic fluid from one or more pressure chambers of the actuator. A pilot-operated check or directional valve may be provided in fluid communication with one or more of the pressure chambers and configured to regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid to and from the pressure chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Mark Kinder, Robert L. Tiedge
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Publication number: 20180281756Abstract: A brake pedal device includes a pedal bracket, an operation pedal, an intermediate lever, and a coupling link. The pedal bracket includes a first side plate member and a second side plate member secured to a dash panel and arranged at interval in a vehicle width direction, and is fastened and secured with respect to a vehicle body side bracket located on a vehicle rear side by a nut and a bolt at one location. The first side plate member and the second side plate member include a deformation allowing part and a deformation allowing part between a first support shaft located on a rearward side among the first support shaft and a second support shaft, and an attachment/securing part and an attachment/securing part.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2016Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicants: TOYODA IRON WORKS CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomohiro TSUGUMA, Hiroaki TSUZUKI, Shuji NAKAMURA, Hirotaka SHINADA
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Publication number: 20180281757Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to enable precise calculation of the distance to a moving object that is detected in a monocular area even in the case where the road height varies between an overlapping area and the monocular area. According to the present invention, provided are a parallax-information obtaining unit that obtains parallax information about an overlapping area of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of cameras installed in a vehicle; and an object-distance calculating unit that calculates the distance between an object detected in a non-overlapping area and the vehicle, the non-overlapping area being an area other than the overlapping area in the images, on the basis of parallax information obtained from the overlapping area in the past.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2016Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Shigeru MATSUO, Tadaaki KITAMURA, Shinichi NONAKA, Takeshi NAGASAKI
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Publication number: 20180281758Abstract: A method for carrying out a driver-independent brake force holding function in a motor vehicle when the motor vehicle is at a standstill on a roadway that is inclined in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The brake force, maintained independently of the driver, is reduced when a release condition is met. In the method, the uphill distance, which corresponds to the spacing or the distance from the neighboring vehicle in the uphill direction, is ascertained with the aid of a first distance sensor system. If the uphill distance falls below a predetermined limiting value, the brake force is reduced before the release condition is met, so that the motor vehicle moves.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2016Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Frank Baehrle-Miller
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Publication number: 20180281759Abstract: A device and a method for adaptive activation of a brake system of a rail vehicle are provided, wherein the brake system is controlled according to a predetermined first and second slip parameter range, wherein the first slip parameter range is a macro slip range with a higher permissible slip range, and the second slip parameter range is a micro slip range with a lower permissible slip range, and wherein a maximally available brake force in the micro slip range and an average brake force of the brake system achieved in the current slip range are determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2016Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: Knorr-Bremse System Fur Schienenfahrzeuge GmbHInventors: Thomas RASEL, Reinhold MAYER
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Publication number: 20180281760Abstract: The control device for a four-wheel drive vehicle includes a differential restriction control unit configured to cause the differential restriction device, which is enable a differential restriction degree between a front wheel rotary shaft and a rear wheel rotary shaft, to change the differential restriction degree and a braking control unit configured to cause the braking device to perform EBD control and ABS control. The braking control unit is configured to cause the braking device to suspend the EBD control when the ABS control is started while the EBD control is being performed, and the differential restriction control unit is configured to change the differential restriction degree to a third degree larger than a first degree and equal to or smaller than a second degree when the ABS control is started while the EBD control is being performed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Ryochi WATANABE
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Publication number: 20180281761Abstract: A brake device for a vehicle includes: braking devices provided corresponding to right/left wheels, respectively, the braking devices being configured to generate braking forces by pressing forces according to a depression amount of a pedal; a wheel speed sensor configured to detect rotational speeds of the wheels; a pressing force sensor configured to detect the pressing forces; and a control device configured to control the braking force generating devices. The control device is configured to acquire the rotational speeds and the pressing forces in a state where the braking device is performing braking, specify deceleration, based on the acquired rotational speeds, and specify the loads that are supported by the wheels, based on the specified deceleration and the acquired pressing forces and controls the pressing forces corresponding to the right/left wheels such that a difference in deceleration between the right and left wheels becomes smaller, based on the loads.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yusuke ENNOJI
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Publication number: 20180281762Abstract: A deflection control apparatus is provided with: a determinator configured to determine whether or not a vehicle is about to depart from a driving lane; and a controller programmed to perform a deflection control for controlling a braking apparatus to supply a fluid pressure to at least one of brake mechanisms corresponding to a front wheel and a rear wheel on a side opposite to a departure direction of the vehicle. The controller is programmed to control the braking apparatus to supply the fluid pressure to the brake mechanism that is close to a fluid pressure source, out of the brake mechanisms corresponding to the front wheel and the rear wheel on the opposite side, on condition that a motion state corresponds to a regular-use area of the braking apparatus, if it is determined that the vehicle is about to depart from the driving lane.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki IKEDA, Akira NAGAE, Ryo INOMATA, Hironori ITO
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Publication number: 20180281763Abstract: A vehicle travel assistance system includes distributing half of target yawing moment to inner wheels and distributing the rest to outer wheels; increasing the amount of increase in the braking force of the inner wheels as the target yawing moment distributed to the inner wheels increases, and increasing the amount of decrease in the braking force of the outer wheels as the target yawing moment distributed to the outer wheels increases; and causing the braking force of the inner wheels to increase according to the amount of increase in the braking force of the inner wheels, and causing the braking force of the outer wheels to decrease according to the amount of decrease in the braking force of the outer wheels.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: ADVICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Yosuke OHMORI, Masaki SHIOTA, Yosuke YAMADA, Yukio MORI
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Publication number: 20180281764Abstract: An all-terrain vehicle is disclosed having a braking system with an anti-lock braking control module and a first brake master cylinder hydraulically coupled to the anti-lock braking control module. A first brake actuator is coupled to the first brake master cylinder and a brake caliper is coupled to at least some of the ground engaging members. The first brake master cylinder upon actuation provides anti-lock braking to either the first or second ground engaging members. A second brake master cylinder is hydraulically coupled to the anti-lock braking control module. A second brake actuator is coupled to the second brake master cylinder and a brake caliper is coupled to at least some of the ground engaging members. The second brake master cylinder upon actuation provides anti-lock braking to either the first or second ground engaging members. The vehicle also has a speed monitor with a gear ring positioned on an exterior surface of a stub shaft and a speed pickup positioned adjacent to the gear ring.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Harry Pongo, Brent J. Hanson, Jeremy R. Eichenberger, Jason K. Raska, Michael D. Schneider, Ryan K. Lovold
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Publication number: 20180281765Abstract: One solenoid valve included in a hydraulic pressure control device has at least two functions among the following (1) to (6) functions, (1) switching a state of a two-way clutch, (2) switching a state of a parking lock mechanism, (3) switching the supply of hydraulic pressure to a first brake that is put into an engaged state when a gear stage selected when driving of a vehicle starts is set, (4) controlling a line pressure adjustment valve so that a decrease in a line pressure is prevented when the temperature of a hydraulic fluid is a first predetermined temperature or higher, (5) preventing the occurrence of a creep phenomenon in a neutral range when the temperature of the hydraulic fluid is a second predetermined temperature or lower, and (6) boosting a line pressure by performing switching to another linear solenoid valve when the line pressure adjustment valve has failed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: Honda Motor Co.,Ltd.Inventors: Yuya TACHIBANADA, Yutaka ISHIKAWA
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Publication number: 20180281766Abstract: A hydraulic assembly for a vehicle brake system comprising at least two brake circuits and wheel brakes associated with the brake circuits. The hydraulic assembly comprises a pressure generator for generating a central hydraulic pressure for the brake circuits independently of the driver at least in the case of service braking initiated by the driver. Furthermore, at least one pressure adjusting device is provided for adjusting for each individual brake circuit the central hydraulic pressure that is generated by the pressure generator independently of the driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: Lucas Automotive GmbHInventors: Leo Gilles, Boris Koeth
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Publication number: 20180281767Abstract: A spring brake actuator is for braking a wheel of a vehicle and has a push rod assembly having a base located in a service brake chamber and a push rod extending from a service brake chamber. Pneumatic activation of the spring brake actuator causes the push rod to further extend out of the service brake chamber to thereby engage a wheel brake with a wheel of the vehicle. Pneumatic deactivation of the spring brake actuator causes the push rod to retract back into the service brake chamber to thereby disengage the wheel brake from the wheel of the vehicle. The push rod extends between a first end portion that is fixed to the base and an opposite, second end portion that is removably coupled to the first end portion so that the second end portion is manually attachable and detachable from the push rod assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: TSE Brakes, Inc.Inventors: Jean Gregoire, Kok Gaither-Ho
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Publication number: 20180281768Abstract: A brake performance monitoring system operates by an energy differential calculated from brake demand energy and energy absorbed during a braking operation. A significant differential would be reported as a possible problem with the braking system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: John WINGATE
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Publication number: 20180281769Abstract: Managing a brake system of a vehicle includes collecting sensor data from one or more sensors in or around the vehicle, calculating brake effectiveness values based on the sensor data, calibrating the brake effectiveness values based on environmental context data associated with the vehicle, accumulating the calibrated brake effectiveness values as a dataset, generating a prediction curve or formula based the dataset, and scheduling a maintenance alarm for the brake system based on the brake effectiveness values.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Hao Chen, Ya Bin Dang, Qi Cheng Li, Jian Wang
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Publication number: 20180281770Abstract: A method for managing a vehicle brake system includes collecting sensor data from one or more sensors in or around the vehicle, calculating brake effectiveness values based on the sensor data, calibrating the brake effectiveness values based on environmental context data associated with the vehicle, accumulating the calibrated brake effectiveness values as a dataset, generating a prediction curve or formula based the dataset, and scheduling a maintenance alarm for the brake system based on the brake effectiveness values.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Hao Chen, Ya Bin Dang, Qi Cheng Li, Jian Wang
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Publication number: 20180281771Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is mounted on a vehicle, which includes an engine and a motor configured to start the engine. The vehicle control apparatus is provided with: a first controller programmed to perform a departure prevention control, which is to prevent the vehicle from departing from a driving lane, when the vehicle is about to depart from the driving lane; and a second controller programmed to perform an automatic stop control, which is to automatically stop the engine on condition that a predetermined stop condition is satisfied, and which is to operate the motor and to restart the engine on condition that a predetermined start condition is satisfied after the engine is automatically stopped. The first controller is programmed to prohibit a start of an automatic stop of the engine by the automatic stop control, when the vehicle is about to depart from the driving lane.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hironori ITO, Akira NAGAE, Ryo INOMATA, Masayuki IKEDA
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Publication number: 20180281772Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a traction battery, an engine, and a controller configured to inhibit requests to start the engine in response to both the vehicle being within a first radius about a previously-identified frequent destination and an available battery energy being greater than twice a total battery energy expended during a prior trip to the destination from a second radius about the destination, the second radius being smaller than the first radius.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Steven HILLIARD, Jordan MAZAIRA, Angel Fernando PORRAS
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Publication number: 20180281773Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle includes an internal-combustion engine (ICE) and an electric machine coupled to a battery, an off-board power (OBP) system, and a controller, which are configured to power internal vehicle and battery charge electrical loads, and external electrical loads. The controller monitors the electrical loads, and responds to an OBP signal identifying an external electrical load, and commands the ICE and electric machine to generate a combined-power greater than or equal to the loads. This ensures that a battery state-of-charge is sustained and not depleted by power delivery to the external loads. The controller also generates a power-difference signal that identifies a difference between power generated by the electric machine and power consumed by the internal and external OFB electrical loads, such that the controller can adjusted the generated combined-power to minimize the power-difference signal and battery charge-discharge-cycles.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Christopher W. BELL, Tianbo XU, Mark J. FERREL
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Publication number: 20180281774Abstract: An exhaust gas control system for a hybrid vehicle may include a NOx storage-reduction catalyst, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit may control the internal combustion engine so as to reduce an engine speed or stop operation of the internal combustion engine and control an electric motor so as to compensate for needed torque of the hybrid vehicle when NOx reduction treatment is executed in a case where a charging amount of a battery when a predetermined NOx reduction execution condition is satisfied is equal to or larger than a predetermined charging amount, and control the internal combustion engine so as to maintain operational state of the internal combustion engine at a normal operation when the NOx reduction treatment is executed in a case where the charging amount of the battery when the predetermined NOx reduction execution condition is satisfied is smaller than the predetermined charging amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Koichiro FUKUDA
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Publication number: 20180281775Abstract: A hybrid vehicle and a method of controlling a charge mode therefor are provided. The control method includes determining a first torque, which is a currently requested torque and determining a second torque, which is a predicted requested torque that is predicted to be generated in the near future from the present time, or predicted acceleration. Additionally, the method includes releasing a lock-up charge mode when the first torque is less than a first threshold value relevant to a reference for determining coasting driving and the second torque or the predicted acceleration is less than a second threshold value relevant to a driving mode change reference.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Jea Mun Lee, Joon Young Park
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Publication number: 20180281776Abstract: A powertrain system for a vehicle includes an electric power source having a first motor configured to provide a first amount of torque to the vehicle and a second motor configured to provide a second amount of torque to the vehicle different from the first amount of torque. The system further includes one or more attachable electric power gear assemblies configured to couple the two or more motors to a propeller shaft for providing the torque to the vehicle. The system includes an electronic control unit coupled to the electric power source and configured to dynamically activate or deactivate each of the first or second motors based on one or more operating conditions of the vehicle. The first and second motors comprises at least one of a same number of poles or a same number of phases.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: S.B. RAVI PANDIT, Tejas Krishna Kshatriya, Isheet Madhukant Patel
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Publication number: 20180281777Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that includes an internal combustion engine and a climate control system (CCS) coupled to controllers configured to auto start-stop the engine when the HEV decelerates to an engine-stop threshold speed. The controllers are also configured to adjust a climate-fan-speed by a predetermined initial-factor, and at subsequent timed-intervals with a speed-factor that is adjusted from the initial-factor at each timed-interval, such that engine restart is inhibited by perceptually small speed adjustments and perceptually slow timed-interval cabin cooling adjustments. Such gradual adjustments are tuned to increase passenger perceptions of continuing cabin comfort, which reduce the likelihood that a passenger may adjust the CCS to require engine restart, and to increase auto stop-start fuel economy.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy, James C Rollinson, Hussam Makkiya, Siraj Siddiqui
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Publication number: 20180281778Abstract: A vehicle powertrain includes a controller, a torque converter, and an engine and electric machine coupled by a clutch. The torque converter may be configured to couple the electric machine to an output shaft. The controller may be programed to generate a command for the electric machine to output torque to drive the torque converter toward a desired rotational speed, and to modify the command according to a difference between the desired rotational speed and an actual rotational speed to reduce the difference, wherein values of the difference are limited by thresholds that change with powertrain operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Chen Zhang, Jason Meyer, Bernard D. Nefcy, Ming Lang Kuang
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Publication number: 20180281779Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes: an engine; a first motor configured to perform cranking of the engine; a second motor configured to receive or output power for traveling; an electricity storage device configured to supply electricity to the first motor and second motor or to be supplied with electricity from the first motor and the second motor; and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to select, at an initiation stage of start-up of the engine, a damping map based on a vehicle speed at the start of cranking of the engine, from among a plurality of damping maps respectively corresponding to vehicle speeds set in advance to reduce vibration during the start-up of the engine. The electronic control unit is configured to control the first motor such that cranking of the engine is performed using the selected damping map until the start-up of the engine is completed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Daisuke ITOYAMA, Shinichi SUGAI
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Publication number: 20180281780Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control device which is applied to a vehicle equipped with an engine (10) and an engine torque adjustment mechanism for adjusting an engine torque. The control device comprises a PCM (50) configured, upon satisfaction of a condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle-related value relevant to a steering angle of a steering device is increasing, to control the engine torque adjustment mechanism to reduce the engine torque, so as to execute a vehicle attitude control for generating vehicle deceleration. The PCM (50) is configured, upon satisfaction of a vehicle attitude control-terminating condition for terminating the vehicle attitude control, to control the engine torque adjustment mechanism to restore the engine torque to an original level of torque before the execution of the vehicle attitude control.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2016Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Keiichi HIWATASHI, Daisuke UMETSU, Osamu SUNAHARA, Koichi KIMOTO, Yasunori TAKAHARA, Daisaku OGAWA, Chikako OHISA
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Publication number: 20180281781Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to an apparatus and method for integrated control of driver assistance systems (DAS). The apparatus includes a first driver assistance system control module configured to control at least one driver assistance system installed in a vehicle, a second driver assistance system control module configured to control a driver assistance system installed in the vehicle other than the driver assistance system controlled by the first driver assistance system control module, and an integrated control module configured to receive an operating state signal indicating an operating state of the at least one driver assistance system controlled by the first driver assistance system control module from the first driver assistance system control module and transmit an activation control signal for the driver assistance system controlled by the second driver assistance system control module to the second driver assistance system control module when the operating state signal is received.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: MANDO CORPORATIONInventor: Jae Suk KIM
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Publication number: 20180281782Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system including a computer programmed to determine that a vehicle is traveling in a wrong-way direction. Upon such determination, the computer is programmed to actuate a light of the vehicle to provide a user-detectable pattern external to the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Cornel Lewis Gardner, Pietro Buttolo, Stephen Kenneth Helwig
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Publication number: 20180281783Abstract: A method and system for identifying an object as a potential collision hazard for a vehicle. The system performs a method that includes sensing an object in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle with a sensor and determining a location of the vehicle. The method includes estimating an amount of curvature of a road segment associated with the location based on predetermined map data and generating, via an electronic processor, a reaction area based on the amount of curvature of the road segment. The method also includes identifying the object as a potential collision hazard when the object is located within the reaction area.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Oliver Schwindt
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Publication number: 20180281784Abstract: Examples of techniques for enhancing vehicle-to-everything applications are disclosed. In one example implementation, a method includes calculating, by a processing device, a threat level for a driver of a vehicle based on a driver profile for the driver. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, whether the threat level is indicative of an unsafe condition. The method further includes initiating, by the processing device, an intervention activity based at least in part on determining that the threat level is indicative of an unsafe condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: Ying Huang
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Publication number: 20180281785Abstract: A control system of a vehicle for controlling motion of the vehicle traveling on a road shared with a set of moving objects include a memory to store a set of regions of states of lateral dynamic of the vehicle corresponding to a set of equilibrium points. Each region defines a control invariant set of the states of the lateral dynamic determined such that the vehicle having a state within a region is capable to maintain its states within the region, wherein each region includes a corresponding equilibrium point and intersects with at least one adjacent region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Karl Berntorp, Avishai Weiss, Claus Danielson, Stefano Di Cairano