Patents Issued in March 19, 2019
  • Patent number: 10232656
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a print processing program for executing an increment mode acceptance step, a condition acceptance step, a determination step, and a data output step on a computing device. In the increment mode acceptance step, a setting operation of an increment mode of at least one print number is accepted. In the condition acceptance step, a setting of a specific numerical condition of the print number to be emphasized is accepted. In the determination step, it is determined whether or not the print number included in a corresponding a print object satisfies the numerical condition. In the data output step, in the case that it is determined that the print number satisfies the numerical condition, the print data is generated to apply a predetermined emphasis process to the print number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Nakagawa, Yuichiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10232657
    Abstract: Microporous structures in face films are described for improving printability of the films. Also described are laminates and pressure sensitive adhesive laminates including the microporous structured face films. Various related methods are additionally described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: AVERY DENNISON CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Bland, Wen-Li Chen, Michael Ramsay, Shanshan Wang
  • Patent number: 10232658
    Abstract: A positive-working lithographic printing plate includes a support having a hydrophilic surface or a hydrophilic layer, and a heat- and/or light-sensitive coating provided including at least two different (ethylene vinyl) acetal copolymer including a plurality of ethylenic moieties A having a structure according to the following formula: wherein R2 and R3 independently represent hydrogen, a halogen or an optionally substituted linear, branched, or cyclic alk(en)yl group, or an optionally substituted aromatic or heteroaromatic group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: AGFA NV
    Inventors: Johan Loccufier, Tim Desmet
  • Patent number: 10232659
    Abstract: A device consisting of the combination of an outdoor field notebook and flower press having a plurality of pages for writing and a plurality of stock inserts disposed between opposing, bounded covers. The pages are adapted for writing, sketching, and general note-taking. The stock inserts provide a base for pressing organic material specimens there between. The opposing, bound covers include aligning press holes though which mating fasteners are threaded and tightened. The covers serve as the platens between which organic specimens are placed and dried for preservation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Inventor: Daniel Christopher Bissot
  • Patent number: 10232660
    Abstract: In a printed article, pigment flakes are magnetically aligned so as to form curved patterns in a plurality of cross-sections normal a continuous imaginary line, wherein radii of the curved patterns increase along the imaginary line from the first point to the second point. When light is incident upon the aligned pigment flakes from a light source, light reflected from the aligned pattern forms a bright image which appears to gradually change its shape and move from one side of the continuous imaginary line to another side of the continuous imaginary line when the substrate is tilted with respect to the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Vladimir P. Raksha, John Hynes, Laurence Holden, Paul G. Coombs
  • Patent number: 10232661
    Abstract: An enclosure apparatus is adopted to a dispensing container having a dispensing side such as but not limited to maker or a candy container. The enclosure apparatus comprises a cap, a lid, and a tubular sleeve having a first end and a second end. The lid is attached to the cap by a hinge and rotatable around the hinge to be in open position or close position. The tubular sleeve is coaxially disposed inside the cap, wherein the cap is relatively slidable along the tubular sleeve. The enclosure apparatus encloses the dispensing side of the dispensing container inside the cap when the cap slides toward the first end of the tubular sleeve and causes the lid in the close position, wherein the dispensing side extends outside the cap when the cap slides toward the second end of the tubular sleeve and causes the lid in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Inventor: Changi Wu
  • Patent number: 10232662
    Abstract: An angle-adjustable, gravity flow ink refill and pen, each comprising of at least one bendable portion along its length. The bendable portion acts as a concertina-type hinge to allow both the pen and refill to bend to an angle and maintain the bend imparted to it. In a preferred embodiment, the refill is flexible in structure (full or partial) and the pen having a crimped corrugated bendable portion. In an alternate embodiment, intertwined helical wires form the bendable portion for the pen, the refill or both to maintain the angle bent. Alternatively a flexible gooseneck tube is used for the bendable portion of the pen. The pen writes normally on flat surfaces and on inclined surfaces, the rear end of the pen is bent forward such that the rear is pointed upwards towards the sky. This allows ink to flow towards the tip via gravity and facilitate consistent delivery of ink at multiple writing angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Inventor: Vikram Aditya Swaminadhan
  • Patent number: 10232663
    Abstract: A method of reusing a notebook provides a notebook having a synthetic-paper page. The method also provides a thermochromic ink pen which, when used to write on the synthetic paper page, leaves thermochromic ink markings. The method further provides a moisture carrier configured to have a liquid diffused therein. The moisture carrier is configured to erase the thermochromic ink markings from the synthetic-paper page by contacting the thermochromic ink markings when the moisture carrier is moist. The method then writes with thermochromic ink on at least a portion of the synthetic-paper page. Liquid is diffused in the moisture carrier, and the portion of the synthetic-paper page having the thermochromic ink is wiped with the moist moisture carrier, such that the thermochromic ink is erased from the synthetic-paper page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Rocket Innovation, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Lemay, Jacob Epstein
  • Patent number: 10232664
    Abstract: A geometric divider divides a dimension into equal portions. The geometric divider comprises multiple brachiums, a set of grooves on a first brachium and a second brachium, and multiple slots on at least two brachiums. A base brachium is pivotally connected to a first brachium and a second brachium. A third brachium is configured to slide across the grooves, and corresponding ends of each brachium define multiple mouthpieces to measure the dimension. Each slot is numbered, and a first mouthpiece defined by the base brachium and the first brachium is configured to enclose on the dimension. The third brachium is configured to be selectively pinned in a predetermined numbered slot to determine the number of equal portions to which the dimension is to be divided. An intersection of the third brachium on the dimension divides the dimension to generate a first portion of the equal portions of the dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Inventor: Hojjatollah Salimi
  • Patent number: 10232665
    Abstract: A wheel cover includes: a cover body having an engagement hole and configured to cover a design face of a wheel; and a cover fastener that is inserted through the engagement hole. A primary attachment member of the cover fastener includes: a supporter that supports a periphery of the engagement hole; a cylindrical portion that is inserted in a hub hole formed in the wheel; a coupler that couples the supporter and the cylindrical portion; and a hook extending from the cylindrical portion to an outer circumferential side of the cylindrical portion, the hook being contactable with an inner circumferential portion of the hub hole at a position spaced apart from an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion. A secondary attachment member of the cover fastener has an insertion portion that is inserted in a space formed between the hook and the outer circumferential surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiko Takeda, Masanobu Mizui, Noriyoshi Matsui, Makoto Nitta, Hiromichi Yamazaki, Yasuo Noji
  • Patent number: 10232666
    Abstract: The device for mounting a bicycle wheel comprises a pin having a longitudinal axial through hole. A first free end portion of the pin has a threading. A second free end has a pin head. A lever for rotating the pin is housed in the axial through hole and is axially moveable between two operative positions. The lever has a first lever element housed in the axial through hole in the two operative positions, and a second lever element, pivoted to the first lever element about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, that is housed in the axial through hole when the lever is a first operative position, and that is positioned outside the axial through hole when the lever is in a second operative position for allowing a torque transfer between lever and pin following the rotation of the second lever element about the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.l.
    Inventors: Flavio Fusari, Andrea Greco
  • Patent number: 10232667
    Abstract: A caster mounting portion has a mounting member housing portion which houses the mounting member, the mounting member has a rotary shaft portion which is pivotally supported in a bearing recessed portion in the mounting member housing portion, an abutment body in which the rotary shaft portion is provided at an eccentric position and which is displaced by rotation to be widened to close the inside of the mounting member housing portion, an upper locking piece which engages with a locking receiving portion of an opposed wall, a lower locking piece which abuts against the bottom face of a latching portion, and a locking stepped portion which is urged by a leading end of an elastic arm, climbing over the aforementioned latching portion, and engages with the latching portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NANSIN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinori Saito, Minoru Onagi, Hayato Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10232668
    Abstract: This pneumatic tire is provided with: a pair of carcass layers arranged so as to extend from the respective left and right beads of the tire across the tread; and a plurality of crossing belts arranged on the outside of the carcass layers in the radial direction of the tire. The pair of carcass layers is arranged so as to overlap each other in the tire width direction. The overlapping width (Wc) of the carcass layers is in the range of 0.5 mm?Wc?40 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hata, Yoshiaki Hashimura
  • Patent number: 10232669
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire includes a tread portion including a plurality of blocks separated by a plurality of circumferentially extending main grooves and a plurality of lateral grooves. At least one of the blocks is provided with two axially extending sipes to divide the block into a first end portion, a second end portion and a middle portion between the first end portion and the second end portion. The first end portion includes a first projected portion that protrudes outwardly in a block-width direction from the middle portion so as to form a steplike side, and the second end portion includes a second projected portion that protrudes outwardly in an opposite block-width direction to the first projected portion from the middle portion so as to form a steplike side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kae Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10232670
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 is provided in the tread portion 2 with blocks each provided with sipes 9 extending across the entire axial width of the block. The blocks include axially innermost first blocks 3 each having a longitudinal block rigidity (G), and axially outer blocks 4 each having a longitudinal block rigidity (G). The longitudinal block rigidity (G) of the axially innermost first blocks 3 is 90% to 110% of the longitudinal block rigidity (G) of the axially outer blocks 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Ito
  • Patent number: 10232671
    Abstract: A tire tread comprising at least one groove that is delimited by two opposing walls that are connected by a groove bottom. The groove has a width and a depth and at least one resonance-noise-reducing device. The device is formed of at least one blade that is fixed to one of the walls delimiting the groove or to the groove bottom and at least partially closes the cross section of the groove. The each flexible blade comprises two main walls which close the cross section of the groove. End walls delimit the main walls and a connecting wall connecting to the tread. Each blade further comprises at least one raised rib on at least one of its main walls, and the raised rib starts from the wall or the bottom bearing the blade and extends over at least 50% of the length of the flexible blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche Et Technique, S.A.
    Inventors: Frederic Bourgeois, Francois-Xavier Bruneau, Olivier Muhlhoff
  • Patent number: 10232672
    Abstract: A winter tire includes a tread portion with a designated rotational direction. The tread portion is provided with at least one central block on a tire equator. The central block includes a first tapered portion. The first tapered portion includes an axial width gradually decreasing toward the rotational direction and a leading edge extending along an axial direction of the tire. The first tapered portion is provided with a hole for installing a stud pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shotaro Abe
  • Patent number: 10232673
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for tire pressure monitoring with vehicle park-assist. An example vehicle includes tires, tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensors, a park-assist controller to determine a parking path, and a TPMS controller. The TPMS controller is to determine tire characteristics based on the parking path, calculate tire indexes for the tires based on the tire characteristics, and select one or more of the TPMS sensors based on the tire indexes. The TPMS controller also is to instruct, via a communication module, the selected TPMS sensors to collect pressure measurements during park-assist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 10232674
    Abstract: A piezoelectric sensor includes a substrate and a piezoelectric element, and at least a pair of mounting electrodes on one main surface of the substrate. The piezoelectric element includes a laminate including a first terminal electrode and a second terminal electrode respectively bonded to the mounting electrodes by bonding materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuya Genmei
  • Patent number: 10232675
    Abstract: A vehicle tow assembly includes an elongated, rigid upper member that attaches to a tow vehicle, and a rigid, elongated lower member that attaches, using U-bolts and/or a chain, to a vehicle to be towed. A downwardly-slanting connecting member connects the upper and lower members such that the upper member is higher off the ground than the lower member. A saddle block on the upper member can be turned one way to engage the fifth wheel of the tow vehicle and can be flipped 180 degrees to engage the frame of the tow vehicle when no fifth wheel is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORATION, LLC
    Inventors: Gustavo Vildosola, Rodolfo Moyeda, Leopoldo Flores, Enrique Valdes
  • Patent number: 10232676
    Abstract: A gooseneck hitch locking apparatus and system that is safe and reliable, can standup to a large range of weather conditions, and can be activated remotely thereby allowing for the coupling/uncoupling of a trailer to a towing vehicle without requiring a user to climb into/out of the bed of the towing vehicle. A remotely controlled actuator raises and lowers a locking pin through a locking hole of a gooseneck hitch with a force loaded ball hitch locking plate, thereby preventing the locking plate from moving and keeping the coupled ball hitch from uncoupling. A handle connected to the locking pin is connected to the actuator via a fastener. The fastener may be removed, thereby allowing manual operation of the gooseneck hitch locking apparatus and system via the handle, thus allowing the manual coupling or uncoupling of a the trailer from a towing vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Inventors: Jeddidiah M. Christian, Martin E. Christian
  • Patent number: 10232677
    Abstract: System and method for operating an active suspension system of a vehicle includes actuating a switch on the vehicle, setting the active suspension system for the vehicle to a demonstration mode, setting a timer when the active suspension system is set to the demonstration mode, and setting the active suspension system for the vehicle to a normal operating mode after the timer reaches a predetermined time. Prior to expiration of the timer, the system and method determines a gear in which the vehicle is placed, determines whether an engine of the vehicle is running if the transmission gear of the vehicle is drive, reverse, or neutral, and determines a throttle angle of the vehicle if the engine is running. The active suspension system is set to a normal operating mode if the throttle angle is greater than a predetermined angle. An iterative process determines the status of the timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Brandon E. Ricketts, Dirk G. Westendorf, Jason A. Sovern, Seth A. Ritchie, Takumi Makabe
  • Patent number: 10232678
    Abstract: A stabilizer bar with rubber bush includes a stabilizer bar (2), and at least one rubber bush (6) adhesively fixed to at least a portion of the stabilizer bar. The stabilizer bar (2) and the rubber bush (6) are adhesively fixed to each other with an adhesive agent layer (3). The adhesive agent layer (3) includes a primer agent layer (4) formed on a surface of the stabilizer bar (2) and having a dry film thickness of 3 ?m or more and 13 ?m or less; and a first top coat agent layer (5) formed on the primer agent layer (4) and having a dry film thickness of 5 ?m or more and less than 13 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Kuroda, Kenji Katsuno
  • Patent number: 10232679
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air deflector device for an air conditioning system in a motor vehicle. The air deflector device has at least one closure element and at least one air mixing element. The closure element and the air mixing element have a common rotational axis in the air deflector device. The closure element extends in the direction of the rotational axis across the entire depth of a cross-section of a flow passage to be closed off in the air conditioning system, and comprises retaining elements. The air mixing element, which extends in the direction of the rotational axis, is embodied according to the invention with cross-flow openings, so that a cross-section of at least one flow passage of the air conditioning system can be adjusted based on the position of the air deflector device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Ralph Wiesmann, Torsten Klein, Antonio Marques
  • Patent number: 10232680
    Abstract: An air circulation control device that includes a camera configured to capture an outside image of the vehicle; and a processor configured to: identify an object from the outside image, determine that an air circulation mode is a first air circulation mode or a second air circulation mode based on the identified object, and provide a signal including information indicating the air circulation mode is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jongoh Park, Wonseok Yoo, Jeongsu Kim
  • Patent number: 10232681
    Abstract: A system includes a temperature error module and a coolant flow control module. The temperature error module determines an error between a target air temperature and a measured air temperature of a duct that supplies air to a cabin of a vehicle. The coolant flow control module controls a rate at which coolant flows to a heater core of the vehicle by adjusting at least one of a position of a coolant control valve of the vehicle and an output of an electric coolant pump of the vehicle. The coolant flow control module also controls the coolant flow rate to decrease the error between the target air temperature and the measured air temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Prashant V. Mer, Goutham Ethiraj Shivashankar, Vish S. Iyer
  • Patent number: 10232682
    Abstract: A method for displaying the status of a heating or air conditioning device of a vehicle wherein a graphical object that depicts the vehicle is displayed by a display device of the vehicle, the status of the heating or air conditioning device is detected, and different statuses of the heating or air conditioning device are displayed by the display device by different depictions of vehicle surfaces. Also disclosed is a heating or air conditioning device for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Markus Missall, Stefan Schmidtke
  • Patent number: 10232683
    Abstract: An air freshener has a carrier with a pair of tabs defining a gap. A center tab extends from the pair of tabs and defines a longitudinal axis. Ai least one scented body is carried by one of the pair of tabs. The pair of tabs and the at least one scented body extend laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the center tab in opposite directions. The pair of tabs and the at least one scented body have a lateral width greater than a longitudinal depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Energizer Brands II, LLC
    Inventor: Raul Garcia
  • Patent number: 10232684
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide concentration control device (10) is provided with a control unit (15) that controls an absorption amount of carbon dioxide of a carbon dioxide absorbent (16) per unit hour, and a regeneration control unit (14) that generates the carbon dioxide absorbent (16), and a second drive energy supply unit (13) which is different from a first drive energy supply unit (11) that supplies power to the control unit (15) supplies power to the regeneration control unit (14), and thus a carbon dioxide concentration in a space is controlled to be an appropriate value for long periods of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideharu Tajima, Takayuki Naka, Hirohisa Yamada, Masaki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10232685
    Abstract: An air filtration system for a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle includes a filter bed positioned downstream from a blower motor and upstream from one or more vents. The air filtration system additionally includes a heater coupled to the filter bed, a sensor configured to measure a functional capacity of the filter bed, and a controller configured to regenerate the filter bed using the heater as initiated by the real-time sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Eric Anderson, Timothy John Wallington
  • Patent number: 10232686
    Abstract: A sun visor includes a screen slidably mounted over a shaft attachable to a vehicle. A guiding profile is mounted in the screen, and a slider is rotatably mounted over the shaft and housed inside the guiding profile such that the guiding profile can slide longitudinally over the slider to establish a slide on rod function for the sun visor. A detent spring clip is attached to the slider and engages elastically over the shaft of the sun visor such that upon rotation of the screen of the sun visor, it is possible to establish a shading position and an inoperative position for the sun visor. The detent spring clip includes an asymmetrical shape to fit to an asymmetrical core shape of the slider in a single position. The slider includes an asymmetrical external shape to fit to an asymmetrical internal shape of the guiding profile in a single position. The guiding profile includes an asymmetrical external shape to fit to an internal shape of the screen in a single position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: GRUPO ANTOLÍN INGENIERÍA, S.A.U.
    Inventors: Vincent Bernard, Patrick Georges, Ignacio Marcos Primo
  • Patent number: 10232687
    Abstract: A rotation system for a vehicle sun visor that includes a rod coupled to the vehicle sun visor, wherein the rod is configured to couple to a vehicle to support the vehicle sun visor within an interior of the vehicle, and the rod is configured to facilitate rotation of the vehicle sun visor about the rod. The rotation system also includes a contact element non-rotatably coupled to the rod. The rotation system further includes a biasing element configured to urge a contact surface against the contact element to control rotation of the vehicle sun visor about the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Motus Integrated Technologies
    Inventors: Philip Allen Lehman, Todd Zandbergen, Stacy Grant Frye, Brent Donald Rockafellow
  • Patent number: 10232688
    Abstract: A door latch reinforcement assembly includes a base member including a main wall portion extending laterally from an inboard side of an associated vehicle door to an outboard side of the associated vehicle door and an outboard flange portion extending from an outboard end of the main wall portion along the outboard side of the associated vehicle door. The door latch reinforcement assembly can include a stiffener overlaid onto the main wall portion to reinforce the base member. The assembly can include at least one notch extending into the main wall portion from an inboard end of the main wall portion to define the main wall portion into at least two fingers having distal ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Matthew W. Schmitt, Nathan D. Roy, Robert H. Bator, Kozo Kusumoto, Christopher J. Mampe
  • Patent number: 10232689
    Abstract: A vehicular door structure includes a door inner panel in which a work aperture is formed, a sealing sheet configured to close the work aperture, a sealing compound application section formed at the door inner panel, and an attachment member configured to hold a wire-shaped member and attach the wire-shaped member to the door inner panel, wherein the attachment member is disposed in the middle of an extension direction of the sealing compound application section, and a sealing compound configured to adhere the sealing sheet to the door inner panel side is continuously applied across the sealing compound application section and the attachment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Endo, Hiromu Inoue
  • Patent number: 10232690
    Abstract: An enclosure system for open-top vehicles is described. The enclosure system may include a top system coupleable with an open-top vehicle, the top system forming a top surface among a rear gate of the open-top vehicle, a first side of the open-top vehicle, a second side of the open-top vehicle, and a wall system, the top system, the wall system, the first side, the second side, and the rear gate of the open top-vehicle forming an enclosure. In some implementations, the top system may include top frame members, rigid surfaces, and a removable top panel. The wall system may be coupled with the top system and include a rigid wall extending between the top system and a floor of the open-top vehicle, the wall system separating the enclosure from a passenger area of the open-top vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Diabolical LLC
    Inventor: Alan K. Huggett
  • Patent number: 10232691
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a latching/locking system for securing tonneau cover to a vehicle. The system includes a mounting bar, a hanging rod, a locking block and a handle and further includes a cargo area cover frame body. The cargo area cover frame body includes an outer frame bar along an outer edge and an inner support bar inside the cargo area cover frame body. The mounting bar comprises a built-in section and an inserting block, which is fixed within the outer frame bar. An upper end of the hanging rod is inserted into the mounting bar, a horizontal shaft is disposed at an upper portion of the handle, and a lower end of the hanging rod is disposed into the horizontal shaft and connected to the horizontal shaft through a thread. The locking block is disposed on the hanging rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NINGBO DIROAN AUTO ACCESSORIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rongjie Weng, Fangliang Weng
  • Patent number: 10232692
    Abstract: An automobile wind directing accessory device that is attachable to a sunroof opening of an automobile and has a panel or windshield, support bracket secured to a rear surface of the windshield, a support arm rotatably connected to the support bracket and at least one adjustable clamp having a first leg slidably connected to the support arm to enable the clamp to be adjusted inward or outward inside the sunroof opening to dictate the point where the windshield directs wind flow into the cabin of a vehicle and a second leg pivotally connected to the first leg by a spring device that maintains tips of the first leg and second leg in engagement with a vehicle in a normally closed position to secure the wind directing device in a vehicle opening and that are separated and opened when the first leg and second leg of the clamp are squeezed toward each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Inventor: Walter Priebe
  • Patent number: 10232693
    Abstract: A vehicle can include an A-pillar water management system. The system can include an inner body member of a vehicle. The system can include a channel member operatively connected to the inner body member. A channel can be defined at least partially by the channel member. The channel can open in a substantially vertically upward direction. The channel can have an open first end and a second end. The second end can be opposite the first end. The first end can be located closer to a front end of the vehicle than the second end. A seal, such as an A-pillar to front fender seal, can operatively engage the inner body member. The seal can extend in a substantially vertical direction. The channel can extend in a direction that is transverse to the seal. The channel can pass between the seal and the inner body member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Paxton S. Williams, Bryce M. Wassa, Robert C. Day
  • Patent number: 10232694
    Abstract: A vehicle door includes a door outer skin that delimits a window opening at the bottom, a pillar that delimits the window opening at the side, and a channel strip. A top edge of the door outer skin and a hook protruding from pillar are inserted in a groove in the channel strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Michael Alhof, Erol Mori, Michael Horneck
  • Patent number: 10232695
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a landscaping machine that includes a protective rollover bar having a left bar portion extending from a left side of an operator seat, a top bar portion extending from the left bar portion above the operator seat, and a right bar portion extending from the top bar portion to a right side of the operator seat. The landscaping machine further includes an elongated rotatable member affixed to the protective rollover bar, the elongated rotatable member extending from the left bar portion to the right bar portion. The landscaping machine further includes a covering system attached to the elongated rotatable member configured to be rolled and unrolled with rotation of the elongated rotatable member. Further disclosed is a landscaping machine cover attachable to a landscaping machine, and a method of use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Inventor: John E. Biers, Sr.
  • Patent number: 10232696
    Abstract: An automatic sunshade system mounted to a cabin-top of a vehicle automatically deploys from a stored and retracted orientation to a deployed orientation. The canopy is coupled to a plurality of support members that are wound about a hub and have stored energy when in retracted orientation. The support members unwind from the hub automatically and spread the canopy out over the vehicle. The support members may comprise a plurality of elongated portions that are coupled together by an elastic tether. The canopy may be retracted manual with a crank or by a motor that winds the support members around the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: CARWIG LLC
    Inventor: Alessandro Lovisetto
  • Patent number: 10232697
    Abstract: A battery mounting structure having an enhanced rigidity against an impact load applied from the side is provided. Battery modules are juxtaposed to form arrays of the battery pack in a battery pack and the battery pack is disposed between the frame members. A load transmission member is disposed in a clearance between the battery modules adjacent to each other in a width direction of the vehicle. The load transmission member is crushed in the width direction by an impact load applied from the side of the vehicle to absorb collision energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hara, Seigo Fujishima, Masayoshi Ishikawa, Masayuki Kitaura
  • Patent number: 10232698
    Abstract: A mode transition control device a hybrid vehicle has a transmission control unit that prevents a second power generation system from overheating while traveling in a series HEV mode. When a battery is at a power generation request threshold value or lower, the vehicle travels in a “series HEV mode,” in which the first electric motor is utilized as a drive source and receives electrical power from the second motor/generator and the battery. The transmission control unit controls the traveling mode to transition from the “series HEV mode” to a “parallel HEV mode” when the vehicle speed has reached a switchover vehicle speed. When a temperature rise of the second power generation system is predicted while traveling in the “series HEV mode,” the transmission control unit changes the switchover vehicle speed to a slower switchover vehicle speed that was used prior to a determination of the temperature rise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Miyagawa, Masato Koga, Atsushi Tsukizaki, Ryohey Toyota
  • Patent number: 10232699
    Abstract: Provided is a work vehicle in which a seat support frame that supports a driver seat is equipped on a vehicle body frame, the vehicle body frame includes: a front portion vehicle frame at which a floor surface of a driving portion is provided; and a rear portion vehicle frame disposed at a position higher than the floor surface of the driving portion and rearward of the front portion vehicle frame. An engine is equipped below the rear portion vehicle frame, a battery that supplies power to an electric motor is equipped above the front portion vehicle frame and below the seat support frame, and a frame portion of the seat support frame that exists above the battery at a position opposing the battery is configured to be detachable from another frame portion that is fixed to the vehicle body frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Oyama, Takeshi Satozono, Rei Tokuda, Kazuyuki Tashiro, Masatoshi Sakai, Yuki Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 10232700
    Abstract: A transmission for a hybrid vehicle may include a first input shaft continuously provided with power from an engine, a second input shaft selectively provided with power from the engine via a clutch, a counter shaft coupled to the first input shaft, an output shaft coupled to the second input shaft, a first one-way clutch disposed on a path along which power is transferred from the engine to the output shaft, a motor input shaft provided with power from a motor, a motor-side shift unit comprising a plurality of pairs of gears having different gear ratios, in which one pair of the plurality of pairs of gears suitable to a traveling speed is selected by an engager/disengager, and a second one-way clutch disposed on a path along which power is transferred from the motor to the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Soon Ki Eo, Chae Hong Lim
  • Patent number: 10232701
    Abstract: An autonomous guided vehicle includes a drive having a high power density, a high sustainable wheel load density, and sufficient moment of inertia. The drive includes a single pass gear set, a preload system for roller bearings, a flywheel, an integral motor, and encoders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: ASI Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard E. Berlinger, Jr., John Cross
  • Patent number: 10232702
    Abstract: A heat medium discharge side of a first pump and a heat medium discharge side of a second pump are connected to a first switching valve in parallel. Heat medium inlet sides of the respective target devices for heat exchange included in a first target device group for heat exchange are connected to a first switching valve in parallel. The heat medium inlet side of the first pump and the heat medium inlet side of the second pump are connected to a second switching valve in parallel. The heat medium outlet sides of the respective target devices for heat exchange included in the first target device group for heat exchange are connected to the second switching valve in parallel. Furthermore, switching is performed between a state of circulation of the heat medium between the first pump and the target device, and a state of circulation of the heat medium between the second pump and the target device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Norihiko Enomoto
  • Patent number: 10232703
    Abstract: A system for reducing fuel slosh noise in a storage tank is described. In one particular example, the system comprises a slatted baffle with angularly arranged louvers extending therefrom to reduce sloshing noise in the tank by redirecting fuel waves while preventing surface wave collisions in the tank. In this way, the louvered baffle has the ability to provide different fuel flows based on the direction of flow incident on the slatted baffle, which may enhance the driving experience, particularly in hybrid and start-stop vehicles, where periods exist in the drive cycle where background engine noise is absent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dhaval P. Vaishnav, Maria Fernanda Maya Diaz, Mike Dong, Mohammad Usman
  • Patent number: 10232704
    Abstract: A method for determining a pressure value in a fluid conveying system of a motor vehicle, the vehicle having an actuable electric motor and having a fluid feed pump drivable by the electric motor, includes: determining a rotational speed of the electric motor; determining an actuation current of the electric motor; acquiring a pressure value as a function of the determined rotational speed and the determined actuation current of the electric motor; processing the acquired pressure value with at least one external state variable in a controller; and correcting the acquired pressure value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Gerald Behrendt
  • Patent number: 10232705
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a dual-motor coupling drive axle with a torque vectoring function. The dual-motor coupling drive axle includes: a main drive mechanism; a bevel gear differential; a TV control drive mechanism; a first single-row planetary gear train, of which a first sun gear is rotatably supported on a first half shaft and a first gear ring is connected with an output end of the TV control drive mechanism; a second single-row planetary gear train, of which a second gear ring is fixed to a drive axle housing and a second sun gear is coaxially and fixedly connected with the first sun gear; a third single-row planetary gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: JILIN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Junnian Wang, Bin Yang