Patents Issued in December 4, 2018
  • Patent number: 10144290
    Abstract: A user interface apparatus for a vehicle including a touch screen; a gesture input unit configured to detect a gesture of a user; and a processor configured to in response to the gesture detected by the gesture input unit being applied from a driver seat of the vehicle, display a preset first screen on the touch screen corresponding to driver operations of the vehicle, and in response to the gesture detected by the gesture input unit being applied from a front passenger seat of the vehicle, display a preset third screen on the touch screen corresponding to passenger operations of the vehicle excluding vehicle driving operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Suhyung Jang, Gangseub Lee, Jongmin Baek, Sowoon Yoon
  • Patent number: 10144291
    Abstract: A method of operating a transport refrigeration system is provided. The method includes controlling, using a controller, a first plurality of components of a refrigeration unit, wherein controlling comprises operating a prime mover and an electric generation device. The method also includes operating, using a controller, the prime mover at a selected high speed. The method further includes monitoring, using a controller, a plurality of operating parameters of the refrigeration unit, wherein at least one of the operating parameters is at least one of a voltage of the electric generation device and a speed of the prime mover. The method yet further includes comparing, using a controller, the voltage of the electric generation device to a selected voltage. The method also includes comparing, using a controller, the speed of the prime mover to a selected speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Benjamin Edward Ferguson
  • Patent number: 10144292
    Abstract: Described herein is a method and sanity monitoring system for power modules that detect abnormal conditions with respect to transistors in the power modules. A sanity monitor is added to each transistor. The sanity monitor can include a sensor that detects voltage, current, temperature, magnetic fields or similar parameters that indicate a health of a transistor. A failure handling device receives measurements from the sanity monitors and determines whether the measured parameters are within expected ranges for the transistors. If an abnormality is detected, the failure handling device performs a corrective action. For example, the failure handing device can reduce the overall current in a power stage to prevent remaining transistors from failing. The failure handling device additionally informs the driver, (e.g., via an input/output (I/O device), of the problem, indicating that the driver should bring the car to service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Herb
  • Patent number: 10144293
    Abstract: Provided is a driving force control device capable of stabilizing a vehicle behavior when a driving torque of a drive wheel is controlled. When slip suppression control is carried out to decrease a driving torque of a drive source that is connected to the drive wheel of a vehicle via a speed reduction mechanism and a drive shaft, and is configured to generate a torque for braking or driving the drive wheel, to thereby suppress a slip state of the drive wheel, the driving torque of the drive source is controlled so that a slip ratio of the drive wheel is in an area of the slip ratio smaller than a slip ratio corresponding to a peak value of a road surface friction coefficient in a characteristic of the road surface friction coefficient with respect to the slip ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Suzuki, Hitoshi Kobayashi, Tatsuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10144294
    Abstract: An auxiliary power supply system for an electric motor of an electric vehicle, comprising supercapacitors to generate a first auxiliary power supply, batteries to generate a second auxiliary power supply, one single common bidirectional converter and a control logic, which is configured for: (i) supplying power to the electric motor by means of network power supply voltage and through the energy stored in the supercapacitors during the acceleration of the electric vehicle; (ii) charging the supercapacitors during the braking of the electric vehicle, harvesting kinetic energy; (iii) supplying power to the electric motor through the sole energy of the batteries in the absence of the network power supply voltage; and (iv) charging the batteries during the running at constant speed and the parking of the electric vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI RAIL ITALY S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luigi Fratelli, Vincenzo Improta
  • Patent number: 10144295
    Abstract: A method for charging an accumulator of an electrically drivable motor vehicle, wherein a cooling device of the motor vehicle is operated in order to cool the accumulator during the charging of the accumulator, wherein the motor vehicle emits noise in dependence on the cooling power of the cooling device, including the steps: determining positional data for a position of the motor vehicle during charging, determining a maximum value for a noise emission on the basis of the positional data and while taking into account noise emission positional data, and taking into account the maximum value for noise emission with respect to the charging of the accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Daniel Ghebru, Andreas Djermester
  • Patent number: 10144296
    Abstract: A vehicle powertrain includes a switch configured to provide a drive current to an electric machine and coupled with a diode array and a gate driver. The gate driver may be configured to, in response to a voltage across the array exceeding a threshold while providing the drive current in a presence of a turn-off request, confine operation of a resistive switch to a linear region to decrease a rate of change of the drive current proportional to the voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fan Xu, Shuitao Yang, Yan Zhou, Lihua Chen, Mohammed Khorshed Alam
  • Patent number: 10144297
    Abstract: Charging of an electrical storage device is completed by operation-starting time while increasing a percentage of a charging time of the electrical storage device in a first time period as compared to a percentage of the charging time in a second time period when the first time period and the second time period are included within a period from when a user sets the operation-starting time to the operation-starting time. A temperature adjustment device is operated such that a temperature of the electrical storage device at the operation-starting time falls within a target temperature range while increasing a percentage of an operating time of the temperature adjustment device in the first time period as compared to a percentage of the operating time in the second time period when the first time period and the second time period are included within the period from when the user sets the operation-starting time to the operation-starting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Murata, Yasumitsu Omi, Takashi Yamanaka, Masayuki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 10144298
    Abstract: A power supply device of a vehicle includes a power storage device that can be charged by receiving power from outside the vehicle, an inlet to which a charging connector of an outside charger is connected, a connector connection detection circuit that detects whether the charging connector is connected to the inlet, a charging relay that connects the power storage device to the inlet, and an ECU that controls the connector connection detection circuit and the charging relay. The ECU performs an operation confirmation to determine whether the connector connection detection circuit is operating normally to detect the connection of the charging connector in the state in which the charging connector is connected to the inlet and the charging relay is in the OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koichi Kojima
  • Patent number: 10144299
    Abstract: A coupling device for producing and separating an energy-transferring plug-in connection, having a plug that can be shifted along a plug-in direction for insertion into a corresponding plug receptacle, and having a drive device, which is operatively connected to the plug for the shifting thereof. In a decoupled state of the coupling device, the plug can be arranged in a position of rest at a tilt with respect to the plug-in direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Alexander Kupfer, Ilias Gkoumas
  • Patent number: 10144300
    Abstract: A power receiving portion is installed in a middle in a vehicle width direction at a front portion on a lower surface of a floor panel close to steered front wheels. Therefore, the power receiving portion can be accurately aligned with a power supply portion on the road surface side so as to face each other with a sense of steering in such a manner as to align the center of a vehicle with the power supply portion when the vehicle advances to a predetermined stop position in a parking space. Moreover, a high-current system wire harness for transmitting electric power from a battery located on the lower surface of the floor panel to a motor unit in a front compartment passes above the power receiving portion so as to improve the safety of the wire harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akihiro Asai
  • Patent number: 10144301
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system for charging a battery located in a vehicle includes a primary side network and a secondary side network. The primary side network includes a transmitting coil and a primary side compensation network. The primary side compensation network includes a primary compensation coil. The secondary side network includes a receiving coil and a secondary side compensation network. The secondary compensation network includes a secondary compensation coil. The primary compensation coil and the secondary compensation network has one of an unipolar coil design and a bipolar coil design, and the transmitting coil and the receiving coil has the other one of the unipolar coil design and the bipolar coil design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Trong-Duy Nguyen, Jeff C. White
  • Patent number: 10144302
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a twisted rectangular litz wire for generating or receiving wireless electrical power. The rectangular litz wire may be arranged as a DD coil having first and second co-planar loops. The loops may have a shared single-stacked inner portion and double-stacked outer portions. The litz wire may be twisted between the inner and outer portions, such that a width of the coils at the outer portions is defined by a first longer side of the wires, and a width of the coils at the inner portion is defined by a second shorter side of the wires. This arrangement may reduce a size of the DD coil may reducing a width of the shared inner portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Johan Gabriel Samuelsson, Simon Islinger, Michael Werner
  • Patent number: 10144303
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a vehicle. In a parked state of the vehicle, the control unit of the vehicle is deactivated, and the signals of some of the sensors of the vehicle are detected and evaluated by way of a separate detecting unit. If, based on the sensor signals evaluated in this way, a defined event is detected, the previously deactivated control unit can be activated. Thus, the operating time of the control unit is minimized over the total life span of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Vincent Schulte-Coerne, Jose-Luis Parga-Cacheiro
  • Patent number: 10144304
    Abstract: Various techniques described herein relate to electric vehicle power management system for managing a plurality of battery modules in a battery pack. Such electric vehicle power management system may include a plurality of battery management systems corresponding to a plurality of battery modules, and an energy management system for managing the plurality of battery management systems. The energy management system and the plurality of battery management systems may adopt master-slave wireless communication, and may use a single wireless frequency channel or a plurality of assigned wireless frequency channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: THUNDER POWER NEW ENERGY VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Yu-Ting Dai
  • Patent number: 10144305
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a battery control device has a current detector, a storage, and a state determiner. The current detector detects a current value of a current which flows into a second battery which is connected in parallel to a first battery. The first battery and the second battery are charged with a fixed current. The storage stores an initial value of the current which flows into the second battery if the second battery is charged with the fixed current in an initial use stage of the second battery. The state determiner determines a state of the first battery based on the current value detected by the current detector and the initial value stored in the storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kaoru Koiwa, Hitoshi Nirasawa, Hideo Yamasaki, Takeshi Yasuda, Hiroki Matsushita, Tomomi Kageyama
  • Patent number: 10144306
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a battery health evaluation system. A vehicle battery is electrically loaded upon determining that an ambient temperature equals or exceeds a first temperature. A voltage of the battery is measured during loading. A magnitude of the voltage plateau is determined. The battery is identified as inadequate upon determining that the magnitude of the plateau is less than the target voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Patent number: 10144307
    Abstract: A management system of a vehicle battery replacement system has a plurality of battery replacement stations for replacing a depleted battery pack of an electric vehicle with a charged battery pack. Each battery replacement station includes a coordinating device. The management system also has a control system in communication with the coordinating devices of the battery replacement stations and a plurality of client devices. The control system is configured to receive a request for a battery replacement operation from a client device, and select a battery replacement station of the plurality of battery replacement stations for performing the battery replacement operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: NIO NEXTEV LIMITED
    Inventors: Austin Newman, Yadunandana Yellambalase
  • Patent number: 10144308
    Abstract: To prevent that a connecting portion of a cable with an electrical equipment disposed rearward of the cable, an electrical equipment unit to be mounted on a vehicle is provided. The electrical equipment unit includes an inverter for supplying electric power to a drive motor of the vehicle, a fuel cell module disposed rearward of the inverter in longitudinal directions of the vehicle, a cable connecting the inverter with the fuel cell module, and a first clamp attached to the vehicle and for holding the cable. The first clamp has a gripping part formed with an opening and for gripping the cable, and an opening formed in part of the gripping part to extend in axial directions of the cable. The opening is formed in part of the gripping part to extend over one side of the gripping part in axial directions of the cable so as to receive the cable The opening is formed on a rear side in the gripping part in longitudinal directions of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Takeshita, Shigetaka Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 10144309
    Abstract: A dual motor power system for a pure electric vehicle and a control method thereof are disclosed, wherein within a range defined between upper and lower torque thresholds for the operations of one of the two motors under current vehicle speed, the torque of this motor is changed stepwise with a certain torque step; the required torque of the other motor is determined based on the torque distribution relation of the first and second motors; and the synchronized efficiency of the power system is determined based on the torques of the first and second motors so that the optimal synchronized efficiency of the power system is ergodically searched out, and the optimal working points of the two motors and the corresponding gear of the second motor are determined then.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: SAIC Motor Corporation Limited
    Inventors: Hongxiang Leng, Wen Li, Jun Sun, Xinhua Jiang, Feifei Zhang, Sidong Luo, Hailong Ge
  • Patent number: 10144310
    Abstract: An adjustment device for adjusting a longitudinal position of a vehicle seat comprises a first guide rail, a spindle extending along a longitudinal axis, a holding device connecting the spindle to the first guide rail, a second guide rail being linearly movable along the longitudinal axis with respect to the first guide rail, and a gearing fixed to the second guide rail, the gearing being in operative connection with the spindle to move the second guide rail relative to the first guide rail. The holding device herein comprises a body fixed to the first guide rail and made from a plastics material. In this way an adjustment device is provided which may reduce the complexity in particular of the fixation of the spindle to its associated, first guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co., KG, Coburg
    Inventors: Anthony Ferenc, Umesh Handigol, Anil Bhat
  • Patent number: 10144311
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided. The vehicle seat comprises at least one backrest which is pivotally mounted relative to a seating surface of the vehicle seat; a backrest adjusting mechanism and a drive for pivoting the backrest; and at least one headrest on the backrest, which by means of a headrest adjusting mechanism is adjustable in its height relative to the backrest at least along a direction of longitudinal extension of the backrest. It is provided that beside the backrest adjusting mechanism the drive is coupled with the headrest adjusting mechanism, in order to simultaneously transmit an adjustment force to the headrest adjusting mechanism when the backrest is pivoted in at least one backrest adjustment direction. In addition, there is proposed a backrest module with a drive which beside a backrest adjusting mechanism is coupled with a headrest adjusting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg
    Inventor: Gregor Kroener
  • Patent number: 10144312
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a seating portion configured to support a seated occupant in a seating posture; a shell portion configured to cover the circumference of the seating portion including side portions of the seated occupant from a rear side of the occupant; a first moving device that is configured to move a relative position of the seating portion with respect to a vehicle; and a second moving device that is configured to move a relative position of the shell portion with respect to the seating portion, the second moving device being configured to move at least side portions of the shell portion to a first position at which the side portions of the seated occupant is covered by the shell portion and to a second position at which the side portions of the seated occupant is uncovered by the shell portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Akaike, Koji Kaneda
  • Patent number: 10144313
    Abstract: A deceleration device comprising first and second gears that have different numbers of teeth. A cam mechanism is disposed on the same axis as the first gear, engages the first gear with the second gear in a state of eccentricity. A connecting shaft is disposed on the same axis as the first gear and is connected to the cam mechanism. A rotating body is disposed on the same axis as the second gear and is connected to the connecting shaft. When the connecting shaft is inserted into a long hole of the rotating body, the rotating body is connected to the connecting shaft in an eccentric position. The major axis of the long hole is set so as to allow the rotating body and the connecting shaft to move relative to one another along the longitudinal direction of the long hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Sadao Ito
  • Patent number: 10144314
    Abstract: A vehicle seat frame comprising a first adjusting part and a second adjusting part which is pivotable relative to the first adjusting part, at least two detent fittings by means of which the first adjusting part and the second adjusting part are connected together, wherein the at least two detent fittings hold the two adjusting parts in position relative to each other in a locked state and are able to be unlocked from each other in order to pivot the two adjusting parts, an actuating device which is connected to a first of the at least two detent fittings for unlocking the first of the at least two detent fittings and a coupling device by means of which the at least two detent fittings are coupled together for a common unlocking process. The coupling device comprises a tensile element which is designed to transmit a tensile force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg
    Inventor: Andreas Pauls
  • Patent number: 10144315
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a backrest and a seat base with a fitting with pivot connections for pivoting relative to the backrest. The seat base pivots between a seating position and a stadium flipped up position. A storage hoop has ends pivotably connected to an underside of the seat base at hoop pivot connections. The storage hoop pivots between a stowed position—with the hoop extending along a seat underside—and a hoop deployed position—with the hoop extending outwardly from the seat underside. The fitting with pivot connection has an inertial load lock to maintain the seat base in the stadium flipped up position upon exposure to inertial loads above a crash threshold. A cable is moved upon moving the hoop to the deployed position to move a latching cam, associated with the fitting, to prevent the seat base from pivoting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: ADIENT LUXEMBOURG HOLDING S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Eric Michalak, Brent Burton, Mason Pike, Nathan Caruss
  • Patent number: 10144316
    Abstract: A mining shuttle car that trams on underground roadways includes a conveyor system and an operator's compartment adjacent to the conveyor system. The operator's compartment includes a rotatable seat and a control station. The operator's seat module is coupled to one or more joysticks that control the car, and the operator's seat module and the control station are mounted on a rotatable platform so as to be rotatable as a unit between a plurality of secured positions for operating the mining shuttle car. Forward movement of the joystick control relative to the seat steers the shuttle car about a point in front of the seat, and rearward movement of the joystick control relative to the seat steers the shuttle car about a point behind the seat. Forward and rearward movement of one of the joysticks steers the mining shuttle car in the same manner regardless of the rotational position of the rotational position of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Joy Global Underground Mining LLC
    Inventors: Adam S. Peterson, Douglas F. Anderson, Terry M. Thomas, Darin M. Sutton, Randy Arnold
  • Patent number: 10144317
    Abstract: A seat back pad 70 has a groove 73 for tucking a skin material therein, formed at borders between a central portion 71 and side portions 72. A hole (slot hole 74) is formed in a bottom of the groove 73 along the groove 73. A tuck-in wire 76 for tucking the skin material in includes a plurality of tuck-in portions 76A provided along the groove 73, and a connecting portion (detour portion 76B) detouring around the hole and connecting the tuck-in portions 76A. With this configuration, when an upper body of an occupant P subsides into a seat back S2 in a rear-end collision of a vehicle, the central portion 71, defined by the groove 73 as a border, is easily and sufficiently moved rearward relative to the left and right side portions 72. Furthermore, the tuck-in wire 76 is not exposed through the hole, and thus adhesion between the seat back pad 70 and the tuck-in wire 76 can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takamasa Adachi, Tsutomu Matsuzaki, Masayuki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10144318
    Abstract: Airbags each belonging to one of first and second control blocks are arranged below the thighs of an occupant seated on a seat seating surface (S). Specifically, the first and second control blocks are arranged such that the airbags belonging thereto are adjacent to one another in the seat width direction. Further, a seat device controls the airbags belonging to the first control block and the airbags belonging to the second control block to alternately expand and contract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Ogiso, Kazuo Noso
  • Patent number: 10144319
    Abstract: The disclosed invention will prevent or lessen injury to passengers when used as a supplemental safety device designed to work in combination with existing safety features found in transport vehicles. Family vans or SUVs have seats that are closest to the bumper that use a separate chassis with no crunch/crumble zones, offering minimal or no protection during rear-end collisions. In 2012 Ford Motor analysis stated, when a minivan with a third-row occupant is hit from behind, the occupant is usually a child, is killed at least half of the time. The disclosed invention will decrease harmful or deadly forces which drive the occupants backwards during rear-end collisions and will change this tragic outcome if the force is diminished by 70%, it may save lives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Inventor: Dianne Tomita Stevens-Poire′
  • Patent number: 10144320
    Abstract: A trim cover assembly securable over a cushion is provided. The trim cover assembly includes a leather trim material. A trim fastener is attached to the leather trim material for retaining the trim cover to the cushion. Therein the trim fastener elastically deformable so that the fastener that elongates between an extended position and a retracted position to allow the leather trim material to expand while minimizing deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Louella Ann Patterson, James B. Clauser, Laura Schulz, William Paruszkiewicz, Pusheng Chen, Thomas A. Welch, Sr., Paul S. Severinski
  • Patent number: 10144321
    Abstract: A flexible cover assembly is disposed on a vehicle seat having an adjustable headrest assembly. The adjustable headrest assembly includes a headrest bun and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the headrest bun between extended and retracted positions. A trim component is disposed a seatback and includes a relief portion configured to receive a portion of the adjustment mechanism as the headrest bun is driven towards the extended position. A flexible cover member is coupled to the trim component at the relief portion. The flexible cover member includes a plate member operable between extend and retracted positions. The portion of the adjustment mechanism received in the relief portion of the trim component is configured to abut an inner surface of the plate member to move the plate member towards the extended position as the headrest bun is driven towards the extended position by the adjustment mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Christian J. Hosbach, Carol Casey, Marcos Silva Kondrad
  • Patent number: 10144322
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a headrest assembly having an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a fore and aft position of a headrest bun. A cover member is disposed below the headrest assembly and includes a plate member engaged with the adjustment mechanism that is operable between deployed and retracted positions. The plate member is moved towards the deployed position as the headrest bun is driven outwardly by the adjustment mechanism. First and second extendable members include first ends coupled to the plate member and second ends coupled to side members of a frame assembly. The extendable connectors include outwardly extending body portions that contort to retract the plate member as the headrest bun is driven inwardly by the adjustment mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Christian J. Hosbach, Carol Casey, Keith Allen Godin, David Andree
  • Patent number: 10144323
    Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly includes a seatback having a seatback frame. A bolster insert is positioned on a left side bolster and a right side bolster of the seatback frame. A foam layer is positioned between the seatback frame and a trim cover. The foam layer and the trim cover are contoured to expose the bolster inserts when the vehicle seating assembly is fully assembled. A slip cover has a front-central portion that includes an abrasion resistant material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christian J. Hosbach, Kevin Mozurkewich, Spencer Hoernke, Corbin Johnston, Johnathan Andrew Line
  • Patent number: 10144324
    Abstract: A seat back structure includes a seat back panel, a cushion member disposed on a seating surface side of the seat back panel, and an intermediate member inserted into a space between the panel and the cushion member. The panel is comprised of a metal plate member and formed with an embossed portion protruding at the seating surface side, and a bead portion protruding at an opposite side from the embossed portion at a position surrounding the embossed portion. The intermediate member has a lower specific gravity than the cushion member and a higher hardness than the cushion member. The intermediate member is formed with a contacting portion contacting the embossed portion and a concaved portion denting toward the cushion member at a position corresponding to the bead portion. A space is formed between the concaved portion and the panel, at a position adjacent to the contacting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiko Tomita, Motoharu Sato
  • Patent number: 10144325
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a first frame member that forms a framework of the vehicle seat and extends in a seat vertical direction or in a seat front-and-rear direction; a second frame member that extends in a seat width direction; and a component mounting bracket that allows to mount a component and is provided in an inside-seat corner portion of a connecting part of the first frame member and the second frame member, wherein the first frame member or the second frame member has a hole into which a portion of the component is inserted when the component is mounted in the component mounting bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Akaike, Yasuhiro Kato
  • Patent number: 10144326
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a seat back; a rear frame provided in the seat back and configured to have a substantially rectangular shape; and a retractor provided in the seat back and configured to retract a seat belt, wherein the rear frame includes a first side member and a second side member extending in a vertical direction, a connecting member extending in a widthwise direction, and a bracket for mounting the retractor, and wherein the connecting member and one of the first side member and the second side member are coupled together with the bracket at a corner portion of the rear frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10144327
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seatback and a side armrest. The side armrest includes an elongate frame anchored to the seatback and an elongate cover supported on the frame. The frame includes a base segment, by which the frame is anchored to the seatback, and a pivoting distal segment. With the frame's base segment extending away from the seatback, the side armrest is reconfigurable between an armrest configuration and an auxiliary configuration. In the armrest configuration, the frame's distal segment is inline with its base segment, the cover covers the frame, and the cover is supported on the frame for sliding movement along the frame that culminates in lodgment onto its distal segment. In the auxiliary configuration, the cover is lodged onto the frame's distal segment, and the frame's distal segment is pivoted towards the seatback to position the cover to extend in front of the seatback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Harris, Scott L. Frederick
  • Patent number: 10144328
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to bearings, guide sleeves and head restraint assemblies for automobiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PERFORMANCE PLASTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hagan, Abe Sanchez, Paul Haines, Heiko Jessler, Brandon S. Murphy, Vincent Dimartino, Chloe Echikson
  • Patent number: 10144329
    Abstract: A headrest includes a reverse input blocking clutch and a displacement mechanism. The reverse input blocking clutch includes input and output shafts that respectively receive and output rotational torque, an outer ring and a side plate in which rotation is restricted, cylindrical rollers that control blocking of the rotational torque reversely input from the output shaft and transmission of the rotational torque from the input shaft through engagement and disengagement between the outer ring and output shaft, and a cage to retain the cylindrical rollers. The displacement mechanism has one end fixed to stays and another end fixed to a headrest main body positioned at a top of a seat back, and displaces the headrest main body through the rotational torque from the output shaft of the reverse input blocking clutch. The another end of displacement mechanism has the side plate of the reverse input blocking clutch mounted thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignees: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuharu Ogawa, Shunsuke Sueda, Ryo Sawai, Masahiro Kawai
  • Patent number: 10144330
    Abstract: A deployable headrest assembly for a seat is provided. The headrest assembly includes a headrest slidably coupleable to the seat such that the headrest is movable from a stowed position, in which the headrest is stowed within a seat back of the seat, to a deployable position, in which the headrest extends from the seat back. The headrest is expandable from a collapsed state to an expanded state such that the headrest has a thickness that is larger in the expanded state than in the collapsed state, the headrest being retractable into the stowed position in the seat back when in the collapsed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Graeme Leck
  • Patent number: 10144331
    Abstract: Vehicle seat assemblies may include a table that is moveable between stowed and operative positions. The table may provide a generally horizontal working surface when in the operative position. The table may be part of an assembly that may be disposed in a cavity in the seat assembly, such as in the rear surface of a seat back. The cavity in the seat assembly may be configured to receive different modules depending on how the seat assembly is to be configured. For example, the seat assembly may receive a table assembly or a trim piece. The trim piece may be used to cover the cavity when a table is not desired as part of the seat assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles S. Hansen, Ryan S. Tan
  • Patent number: 10144332
    Abstract: A child seat includes a shell body, and an object holder including a bracket, a support base, and a flexible linking member having a first and a second end respectively attached to the bracket and the support base. The bracket is movably assembled with the shell body so that the object holder is movable between a storage state and a deployed state, and the support base is movable relative to the bracket between a collapse position where the support base is received within an opening defined through the bracket, and an expanding position where the support base is hung below the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Wonderland Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Bruce L. Williams, Gregory S. Sellers
  • Patent number: 10144333
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a child restraint includes a juvenile seat and a child-restraint harness coupled to the juvenile seat. The juvenile seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back extending upwardly from the seat bottom. The juvenile seat further includes a cupholder coupled to the seat bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D Gaudreau, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10144334
    Abstract: A lashing pin for engaging a hole in member to facilitate lashing the member to a fixture or vehicle. The lashing pin combines a cam pin sleeve assembly having a flange and sleeve with an eccentric hole formed therethrough with a cam pin assembly having a cam pin passing through the eccentric hole and connecting a cam disk with an eccentrically mounted cam. Rotation of the cam disk with respect to the flange aligns and misaligned the cam with respect to the cam sleeve, thereby enabling insertion through the hole at first position, and retention of the cam against removal at a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: BNSF Logistics, LLC
    Inventors: Scott C. Landrum, James H. Jones, III, Dale G. Schultz
  • Patent number: 10144335
    Abstract: A tie-down apparatus is disclosed which is adapted to be removably secured over an opening in a structure. The apparatus may have a base plate, a knob, a biasing member, a cam plate and a fastening member. The knob may be used to rotate and depress the cam plate away from the base plate against the biasing force of the biasing member, to permit securing and detachment of the apparatus from the structure. The biasing member maintains the cam plate biased toward the base plate when no pressure is being applied on the knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: JAC Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald J. Gomes, Michael J. Presley, Gordon Michie, Benjamin K. Kay
  • Patent number: 10144336
    Abstract: The cargo system secures at least one steel coil for transport on a flatbed carrier. Each coil sits on movable cargo supports coupled on top of a base with support beams. Support brackets couple the support beams to anchoring beams that are coupled to the flatbed carrier. Once a coil is loaded, arms with adjacent upper and lower segments connected by cross members pivot on arm mounts to make contact with the coil. The arms adjust by lengthening or shortening based on the size of the coil. Tethers pass through anchor brackets and over the coil to hold the coil to the base. The arms apply pressure to the coil based on the tension of tethers that extend from the ends of the arms and couple to tethering brackets coupled to the frame of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Coilkeeper, LLC
    Inventor: Donald E. Wadsworth
  • Patent number: 10144337
    Abstract: A vehicle light assembly includes a light source. A lens is positioned proximate the light source. A conductive circuitry is disposed on the lens and forms a capacitive sensor. A temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Pietro Buttolo, Annette Lynn Huebner, Paul Kenneth Dellock, James J. Surman
  • Patent number: 10144338
    Abstract: An exemplary positioning assembly for a vehicle component includes a hook structure of a lamp assembly, and a flange of a fascia. The flange is received within a slot of the hook structure to position the fascia relative to the lamp assembly. An exemplary positioning method for a vehicle component includes holding a flange of a fascia within a slot of a hook structure. The holding positions a portion of the fascia relative to a lamp assembly that includes the hook structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Haydon, Sarbjit Singh, Dale Darkowski
  • Patent number: 10144339
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp device and a light cut-off structure thereof are disclosed. The light cut-off structure includes a front cut-off edge, a rear cut-off edge, and a top surface. The front cut-off edge corresponds in position to the rear cut-off edge and the top surface is connected between the front and rear cut-off edges. A portion of the top surface is inclined along an inclination direction from the front cut-off edge toward the rear cut-off edge. The portion has a predetermined inclination angle relative to a horizontal plane or a lens optical axis. The predetermined inclination angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than 30 degrees. A lighting pattern with a cut-off line is formed when at least one emitted light is selectively shielded by the front cut-off edge. Therefore, the light concentration ratio can be significantly raised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: CHIAN YIH OPTOTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Cheng Wang