Patents Issued in August 4, 2020
  • Patent number: 10730428
    Abstract: A camera light assembly includes a camera assembly and a marker light assembly. The camera assembly includes a body and a lens positioned at a forward portion of the body. The marker light assembly includes a light housing having an aperture extending therethrough. The body of the camera assembly is elongated and is received within the aperture of the light housing of the marker light assembly. Camera lock rings are utilized to releasably secure the camera assembly to the marker light assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Pro-Vision Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Thomas Peacock, Elizabeth Jane Peacock
  • Patent number: 10730429
    Abstract: A light source (14) is configured to emit light for lighting a predetermined area. A LiDAR sensor (15) is configured to sense information of an outside of a vehicle. A first screw mechanism (16) is configured to adjust posture of the light source (14). A second screw mechanism (17) is configured to adjust posture of the LiDAR sensor (15). Adjustment by one of the first screw mechanism (16) and the second screw mechanism (17) is performed on the basis of adjustment that has been performed by the other one of the first screw mechanism (16) and the second screw mechanism (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Hori, Teruaki Yamamoto, Yusuke Kasaba, Yoshiaki Fushimi
  • Patent number: 10730430
    Abstract: A sidemarker light assembly includes a support bracket, a light blade carried on the support bracket and a light source in communication with the first end of the light blade. Light from that light source is then transmitted through the light blade and emitted from a second end of the light blade to provide a sidemarker indication. A motor vehicle light assembly incorporating the sidemarker light assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Preston Williams, Gary Edward Henige, Nicholas James Nowicki, Timothy Scott Vladu
  • Patent number: 10730431
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an illuminated emblem assembly coupled to a steering wheel assembly and a method of assembling the same. The illuminated emblem assembly includes a conductive plate having a generally U-shape and formed from an electrically conductive material, a light source coupled to a PCB which is coupled to the conductive plate such that an electrical signal is provided to the light source from the vehicle control system via the PCB. The emblem assembly includes a base disposed on a top surface of the conductive plate also having a generally U-shape where the base includes an opening adjacent the light source for directing light emitted from the light source towards a U-shaped volume defined by a top surface of the base. Light is transmitted from the light source towards the user through an outer cap being disposed over the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: Adorian Marc, Jason Nikolauk
  • Patent number: 10730432
    Abstract: A traffic emergency signaling device is fashioned as a triangular overall structure having a plurality of lights disposed upon a back plane and covered with a protective outer housing hingedly attached to the back plane. A handle is provided at the top to aid in carrying the device and to secure the outer housing to the back plane. A pair of swivel stands are secured beneath the bottom of the device. A power supply is integral with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Inventor: Joseph D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10730433
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet for drawing user's eyes and guiding the line of sight. A visual line guidance sheet is arranged to cover at least a part of a window for a user to look out therethrough, and configured to guide the user's line of sight, by illuminating a partial region on the visual line guidance sheet. The visual line guidance sheet includes an optically transparent substrate layer, a plurality of LED dies, and a wiring pattern. The controller receives from an imager, an image obtained by imaging a region visible by the user through the window, detects an object targeted for visual line guidance, included in the image, and illuminates the LED dies on the visual line guidance sheet, corresponding to a position of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiko Hanya, Toshihiko Minoda
  • Patent number: 10730434
    Abstract: A vehicular display control device includes a rear video data acquiring unit configured to acquire rear video data from a rear camera disposed to face rear portion of a vehicle to capture rear view of the vehicle, a rear side video data acquiring unit configured to acquire rear side video data from rear side cameras disposed on right-side and left-side of the vehicle to face rear portion of the vehicle to capture rear right-side view and rear left-side view of the vehicle, a state detecting unit configured to detect surrounding state of the vehicle, a video synthesizing unit configured to, according to the surrounding state of the vehicle, synthesize the rear side video data in upper portion on right-side and left-side of the rear video data, and a display controller configured to display the synthesized video data in a display for displaying the rear video data of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Katsumata, Izumi Saeki, Hideaki Okamura
  • Patent number: 10730435
    Abstract: A method for determining the presence of a trailer (12) attached to a vehicle (10), the method comprising: controlling a vehicle system to obtain a primary indication of the presence of a trailer (12); controlling one or more further vehicle systems to obtain one or more secondary indications of the presence of a trailer (12); and determining a confidence level for the presence of a trailer (12) attached to the vehicle (10) in dependence on the primary indication and the or each secondary indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventor: Mihai Ionascu
  • Patent number: 10730436
    Abstract: A rearview assembly includes a housing having a front defining an opening. An external band extends laterally about a rear of the housing. A turn signal is defined in the external band. An electro-optic device includes a front substrate defining a first surface and a second surface. A rear substrate defines a third surface and a fourth surface. An electro-optic medium is disposed between the front substrate and the rear substrate. A peripheral seal contains the electro-optic medium between the front substrate and the rear substrate. An imager is adjacent the electro-optic device. A viewing window is disposed on an outboard corner of the electro-optic device. The imager is in optical communication with the viewing window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bradley R. Hamlin, Nigel T. Lock
  • Patent number: 10730437
    Abstract: An electric folding device for an outer rearview mirror includes a shell, a foundation bed, a base, a pin shaft, an electric driving unit used for driving the shell to rotate relative to the base around the axis of the pin shaft. A spring is arranged on the pin shaft in a sleeving mode, and a connecting piece is provided, which makes the shell manually rotate relatively to the foundation bed. A cam assembly is provided among the connecting piece, the foundation bed and the base. During the electric folding process, driven by the electric driving unit, the cam assembly enables the foundation bed to lift up and rotate along the pin shaft through the relative slide of the cam assembly and the elastic force of the spring. The device is compact in structure with better anti-jitter performance and smooth electric folding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Inventors: Heng Wan, Guoda Yan, Zhengdong Jiang, Zhenning Shu
  • Patent number: 10730438
    Abstract: A vehicle door mirror includes a base member mounted on a side door while having plural mounting holes and plural insertion holes coaxially communicating with the mounting holes, and a mirror housing pivotably supported on a support shaft which has a plurality of bosses, each boss having a tubular portion and ribs extending along an axial direction of the tubular portion. Screw members are inserted through respective ones of the insertion holes and screwed into the tubular portions of the bosses respectively inserted into the mounting holes so that the ribs of each boss abut against an inner peripheral face of the corresponding mounting hole. The ribs are projectingly provided on the outer peripheral face, at least on a base part side, of the corresponding tubular portion. Such arrangement suppresses vibration of the mirror even when the support shaft is made of a synthetic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Eto, Satoshi Jin
  • Patent number: 10730439
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted system for recording video and audio. The system uses distributed processing, including encoding the video and audio at their source(s), and a high-speed, e.g., Ethernet, bus connecting the various system components and external devices. The system may include a display monitor which is integrated into the same housing as a rear view mirror of the vehicle, with the display monitor being located behind the mirror and video displayed on the monitor being visible through the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Digital Ally, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert D. Haler
  • Patent number: 10730440
    Abstract: A display system includes a display surface and a display mirror. The display surface is configured to display image P1 based on a captured image. The display mirror is configured to reflect, as reflection image P2, only a partial area in the image displayed on the display surface. The display system is configured so that a position of reflection image P2 changes as a point of view of a subject viewing the display mirror moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiro Imamura, Shoji Soh, Katsuyuki Morita
  • Patent number: 10730441
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a body structure defining a front trunk having a front opening. A grille coves the front opening in a closed position and is pivotable about a vertical hinge, or a horizontal hinge along a top edge, secured to the body structure to provide access to the front opening. The grille may include a bin mounted on an inner surface of the grille and pivotable with the grille, a heating/cooling duct or a video display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Brian Glickman, Stuart C. Salter, Mark A. Wisneski, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Patent number: 10730442
    Abstract: A cover for a cup holder device for a vehicle includes a cover unit including a body, and a side surface protrusion group formed to be protruded on both side surfaces of the body and provided in plural along the longitudinal direction of the body; and a support unit installed at the bottom surface side of the cover unit to support the load of the cover unit, and having a structure in which a plurality of support members formed in the shape of a slice, respectively, are installed to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the cover unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: SEOYON E-HWA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Min Kim, Bong Ju Choi
  • Patent number: 10730443
    Abstract: A fastener is provided to be pre-assembled to a substrate. The fastener comprises a shaft having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and a thread portion adjacent to the second end; a head disposed on the first end; and a unidirectional retention member between the head and the thread portion. The unidirectional retention member is configured to pass through a mounting hole of the substrate in one direction such that the fastener is retained on the substrate once the unidirectional retention member has passed through the mounting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Michael Neumann, Campbell Norris, Rajpreet Singh Dhaliwal, Andrew David Clarke
  • Patent number: 10730444
    Abstract: A vehicle seating arrangement includes first and second seating assemblies that are each equipped with a seat and a seatback. A surface of the seat of the first seating assembly is vertically above a surface of the seat of the second seating assembly. A forward extreme of the first seating assembly is displaced rearward of a forward extreme of the second seating assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Welch
  • Patent number: 10730445
    Abstract: A sports bar in a truck is provided. The sports bar may comprise a base including a first member and a second member coupled to the first member via a pivot bracket, and a hoop pivotally connected to the pivot bracket to be rotatable between an open position and a closed position. A top of the hoop is adjacent to a cabin of the truck at the closed position and the top of the hoop is at a rear of a truck bed at the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Alex Marchese
  • Patent number: 10730446
    Abstract: An example truck bed on-board storage system includes a bed panel configured to fit into a floor of a truck bed of a truck between the wheel wells of the truck bed. Front wings are hinged to the front sides of the bed panel, the front wings pivoting on the hinge to lay flat in the truck bed in front of the wheel wells. Rear wings are hinged to the rear side of the bed panel, the rear wings pivoting on the hinge to lay flat in the truck bed behind the wheel wells. A plurality of braces apply pressure between the bed rail of the truck bed and the bed panel to secure the bed panel against the floor of the truck bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Inventor: Jeff A. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10730447
    Abstract: A pickup truck that includes a bed having a side wall with an electric panel; and a lockbox having walls secured to, extending laterally from the side wall and surrounding the electric panel, and a security panel pivotally mounted on the walls to enclose the electric panel within the lockbox. The lockbox may also include a divider pivotally mounted to the walls inboard of the security panel and movable between a closed position extending longitudinally adjacent to the security panel and an open position extending laterally into the bed. A lock may secure the divider to the walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua R. Hemphill, Jack Marchlewski, Dragan B. Stojkovic, Robert Reiners, Jeffrey Gray
  • Patent number: 10730448
    Abstract: A vehicle display device includes a display and a moving device. The display is formed in an elongate shape. The moving device moves the display between a lower position at a vehicle width direction central portion of an instrument panel of a vehicle, and an upper position at a vehicle upper side of the lower position. In the lower position the moving device orients the longitudinal direction of the display along a vehicle vertical direction. In the upper position the moving device orients the longitudinal direction of the display along a vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Megumi Amano, Kohei Maejima, Chika Kajikawa, Hikaru Gotoh, Yoshiaki Matsumura, Chiharu Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10730449
    Abstract: A device for protecting an optical sensor of a driver-assistance system for a motor vehicle, a corresponding driver-assistance system and a corresponding assembling process are disclosed. The optical sensor includes an optic and two assembled separate subassemblies. A first subassembly is mounted so as to be able to rotate about an axis of rotation and includes a housing that is configured to at least partially receive the optical sensor and an optical element that is configured to be placed upstream of the optic of the optical sensor. A second subassembly includes an actuator that is configured to drive the first subassembly to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Systémes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Marcel Trebouet, Frédéric Bretagnol, Giuseppe Grasso
  • Patent number: 10730450
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a camera capturing an image of a road sign associated with a road that the vehicle is traveling on. A first processing device is communicatively coupled to the camera and recognizes text characters in the captured image. A second processing device is communicatively coupled to the first processing device and converts the recognized text characters into an electronic speech signal. A loudspeaker is communicatively coupled to the second processing device and converts the electronic speech signal into audible speech that can be heard by the driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America
    Inventors: Katherine Wilbert, Maria Rohrer, Garrett Laskowski, John Qiu, Padmanaban Kanagaraj
  • Patent number: 10730451
    Abstract: An interior component includes a base member and an outer member, which is stacked on the base member. The outer member is provided with projections and protruding portions. The projections project from an opposing surface, which is opposed to the base member. The projections are deformed while bending in a falling manner in specific directions by contacting the base member. The protruding portions protrude from the opposing surface and are provided on the paths along which the projections are deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA IRON WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Osamu Miyashita
  • Patent number: 10730452
    Abstract: An automobile interior part includes a base, which has a surface and a back surface, and also includes a skin, which has a back surface integrally laminated on the surface of the base. The automobile interior part has a main body and a flange that is continued to the main body. The skin has a fold part that is formed between the main body and the flange. The base has a body base that constitutes the main body and also has a flange base that constitutes the flange and that is separated from the body base at the fold part. The back surface of the skin between the body base and the flange base is exposed along the fold part. The automobile interior part has a good appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: KASAI KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsushi Ohno, Nobuaki Seki, Akihito Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10730453
    Abstract: A vehicle door includes a door panel, a door trim mounted at an inner side of the door panel, and a garnish mounted on the door trim. The garnish includes a first region and a second region. The first region forms a part of an external surface of the garnish and has a first pattern layer. The second region forms another part of the external surface of the garnish and has a second pattern layer. The garnish includes a groove provided between the first region and the second region. The second region is formed to protrude relative to the first region and includes a smooth surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dong Han Kim, Kyung Soon Jang, EunPyo Hong, Wansu Park
  • Patent number: 10730454
    Abstract: A vehicle NVH pad includes an outer pad, a support pad connected to the outer pad, and one or more inner pads pivotally connected to opposite sides of the support pad. The one or more inner pads may include a first inner pad pivotally connected to one side of the support pad through a first hinge connection and a second inner pad pivotally connected to an opposite side of the support pad through a second hinge connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Won Jung Song, Hyun Kyung Park
  • Patent number: 10730455
    Abstract: A wire harness for seats includes: a relay device provided to a rotation shaft of a seat; a first wiring material having one end electrically connected with the relay device; a winding device installed on the vehicle floor side, and connected with the other end of the first wiring material so as to electrically connect the first wiring material with a power supply on the vehicle floor side, the winding device unwinding and winding the first wiring material along a sliding direction of the seat in association with slide movement of the seat along the sliding direction and rotation of the seat with the rotation shaft serving as a rotation center; and a second wiring material provided to the seat and having one end electrically connected with the first wiring material via the relay device and the other end electrically connected with electrical equipment provided to the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi Ofuchi
  • Patent number: 10730456
    Abstract: A method for operating an energy coupling device electrically coupling a high-voltage on-board electrical system designed for d.c. voltage to a low-voltage on-board electrical system designed for d.c. voltage, having a high-voltage energy converter connected to the high-voltage on-board electrical system and a low-voltage energy converter connected to the low-voltage on-board electrical system, which are electrically coupled by means of a d.c. voltage intermediate circuit. The energy converters are controlled by a control unit. The degrees of conversion efficiency of the energy converters are ascertained and an intermediate circuit d.c. voltage of the d.c. voltage intermediate circuit is set as a function of a total degree of efficiency produced by the sum of the degrees of conversion efficiency in order to maximize the total degree of efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, André Blum, Markus Fest
  • Patent number: 10730457
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for providing a user notification operative for establishing a connection to a mobile device, receiving a notification from the mobile device, receiving an indication of a red-light state and a time remaining of the red-light state via a wireless communications, detecting a stationary vehicle condition from a vehicle controller, displaying the notification, the indication of the red-light state and the time remaining of the red-light state to a vehicle operator on a video display in response to the stationary vehicle condition, and discontinuing display of the notification in response to at least one of an indication of a vehicle movement from a vehicle controller and the time remaining of the red-light state being zero seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Dustin H. Smith
  • Patent number: 10730458
    Abstract: An electrical energy supply system for a vehicle includes at least one ground conductor configured as a flat conductor rail arranged on a floor assembly of a body in white of the vehicle. At least one supply line inserted into the body in white is included and the at least one supply line is guided, at least one section of the body in white, parallel to and along the at least one ground conductor such that the at least one supply line at least partially overlaps a flat side of the at least one ground conductor. The body in white is made from a metallic material, the at least one supply line is positioned a predetermined distance from the at least one ground conductor, and the predetermined distance is a function of an electromagnetic field resulting from a current flowing through the at least one supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Lisa Draexlmaier GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Specht, Michael Wortberg
  • Patent number: 10730459
    Abstract: A vehicle electronic system having an electronic controller and a power switching device configured to switch between a first power setting and a second power setting. The first power setting includes powering at least one of a plurality of electrically powered accessories with power from an on-board electric power supply. The second power setting includes powering the at least one of the plurality of electrically powered accessories with power from an external power supply thereby preventing the use of electric power from the on-board electric power supply. The electronic controller is configured to electronically operate the switching device to switch between the first power setting and the second power setting such that in response to detection of power from the external power supply, the switching device is switched to the second power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Flotkoetter, Dan Magee
  • Patent number: 10730460
    Abstract: A vehicle cab body for a vehicle includes a cab body structure including a roof structure, side wall structures, and a rear wall structure, wherein the vehicle cab body further includes a vehicle battery, wherein a portion of at least one of the roof structure, side wall structures, and rear wall structure forms at least a part of a housing for the vehicle battery. A vehicle and a vehicle battery arrangement are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Artur Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 10730461
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure includes a pair of side rails extending in a vehicle forward-rearward direction on right and left sides in a front portion of the vehicle and a hollow bumper reinforcement extending in a vehicle right-left direction and coupled to front ends of the pair of side rails. The bumper reinforcement includes side extension parts extending outward beyond the side rails, respectively. The vehicle front structure further includes load transmission members each extending from a front face of each of the side extension part of the bumper reinforcement through the side extension part and further extending rearward and toward the inward of the vehicle. In a small overlap crash, the load transmission member transmits a collision load directly to the side rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Eiji Yoshida, Yasuhiko Katsumata
  • Patent number: 10730462
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an unmanned transport vehicle includes a vehicle body, a connector, a bumper, and a bumper driver. The vehicle body includes a moving mechanism and a moving mechanism driver. The moving mechanism driver is configured to drive the moving mechanism. The connector is at the vehicle body and connectable to a transport-object. The bumper is adjacent to the vehicle body in a first direction. The bumper includes a collision detection sensor. The bumper is extendable and contractible in a second direction. The second direction intersects the first direction. The bumper driver is configured to extend and contract the bumper in the second direction by moving at least a portion of the bumper in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takafumi Sonoura, Daisuke Yamamoto, Hideki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10730463
    Abstract: Systems and methods include a vehicle monitoring for trigger events each corresponding to a defined vehicle activity. Responsive to identifying an occurrence of one of the trigger events, the vehicle captures, via a vehicle camera, video showing an area outside the vehicle for a set capture time. Responsive to the vehicle identifying that the vehicle is rendered inoperative from the identified trigger event, the vehicle transmits the captured video to a remote server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Abraham Mezaael
  • Patent number: 10730464
    Abstract: A vehicle may include a vehicle detector configured to detect an obstacle and a condition of the inside and the outside of the vehicle; and a controller, when a front obstacle is detected by the vehicle detector, configured to determine a required braking distance or a time to collision (TTC) with respect to the obstacle, configured to determine whether a door side collision with the obstacle is estimated, when a collision with the obstacle is estimated according to the result of the determination, and configured to open a door in emergency or convert the door into a manual opening mode when the door side collision is estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: YoungIl Na, Wooyeol Jeong, Jungwan Park, Chiyoung An, Donghyuk Kim
  • Patent number: 10730465
    Abstract: The system and method provide for identification of dynamic objects in an enclosed space and the presence of a component in a primary location. The system uses an active electro-optical 3D sensor, such as a three-dimensional time of flight camera, to identify the presence or absence of a reflected pulse, to determine, for example, proper placement of a seat belt, or a change in characteristics of a reflected pulse to determine a change in location, and thus possible movement, of a living creature in a vehicle, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: Hamid Naghizadeh, Leonard Cech
  • Patent number: 10730466
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat (100) comprising: a seat cushion (101); a seat back (102) capable of being folded toward the seat cushion (101); a slide rail (110) movable in the front-back direction with the seat cushion (101) mounted thereon; a stationary rail (120) for guiding the slide rail (110); and a drive motor (160) for driving the slide rail (110) in the front-back direction along the stationary rail (120). The vehicle seat (100) is configured such that an integral sensor bracket (130) on which a magnetism sensor (141) and a limit switch (151) are mounted is affixed to the slide rail (120), and a magnetic body (142) which is detected by the magnetism sensor (141) and a detection plate (153) which activates the limit switch (151) are mounted to the stationary rail (120).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TACHI-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Watanabe, Takayuki Ohmori
  • Patent number: 10730467
    Abstract: A vehicle input-operation assistance device includes: a traveling state detection section that detects a traveling state of a vehicle; an operation state detection section that detects an operation state of an operation member gripped by an occupant during operation; a support section that is capable of being stowed in an interior component of the vehicle, and that is capable of projecting from the interior component to a support position where the support section is capable of supporting an elbow of the occupant when the occupant is operating the operation member; and a controller that determines whether or not the elbow of the occupant operating the operation member needs to be supported based on information detected by the traveling state detection section and the operation state detection section and, in cases in which support is determined to be needed, controls the support section to project to the support position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masashi Mori
  • Patent number: 10730468
    Abstract: A vehicle interior component, having rigidity for mitigating an impact from a side collision, includes a door panel, a door trim adapted to be attached to the door panel, and a box-shaped protector arranged between the door panel and the door trim and attached to one of the door panel and the door trim. An outer wall groove extending in a vehicle front to back direction is formed in an outer wall of the protector, which is opposite to the other of the door panel and the door trim. The outer wall is partitioned by the outer wall groove in an up to down direction into an upper opposite surface and a lower opposite surface, and one of the upper opposite surface and the lower opposite surface has an up-down length at a vehicle front side, which is larger than an up-down length at a vehicle rear side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuhisa Yamamoto, Tatsuki Nonaka
  • Patent number: 10730470
    Abstract: An inflatable safety restraint system that is downwardly deployable from a roof of a vehicle for protecting an occupant of the vehicle. The inflatable safety restraint system includes at least one inflatable airbag and at least one joint closing the shape of the at least one inflatable airbag to circumscribe an internal cavity. At least one inflator is in fluid communication with the at least one inflatable airbag for inflating the at least one airbag. Upon deployment, the inflatable safety restraint system defines a closed shape for surrounding the occupant of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventor: Changsoo Choi
  • Patent number: 10730471
    Abstract: An airbag device includes: a gas generator which is extended along an axial line thereof and which includes: a generator body including a gas injection section at one end section; and an installing protrusion protruding from an outer face of the generator body; and an airbag which includes a bag body developed and inflated by an inflation gas supplied from the gas injection section. The gas generator and the airbag are installed on a vehicle by the installing protrusion. The bag body includes an insertion port having a size allowing the gas injection section to pass through and not allowing a portion of the gas generator provided with the installing protrusion to pass through. The gas injection section is disposed inside the bag body, and the installing protrusion is disposed outside the bag body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTDA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Nobuya Nakano
  • Patent number: 10730472
    Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle comprises an airbag having a primary chamber and a secondary chamber. The primary chamber has a stored condition and is inflatable to a deployed condition to cover a portion of the vehicle. The secondary chamber has a stored condition and is inflatable to a deployed condition to cover portions of the vehicle left uncovered by the primary chamber. At least one passive vent provides fluid communication between the primary and secondary chambers. At least one active vent is actuatable to provide fluid communication between the primary and secondary chambers. An inflator is actuatable to provide inflation fluid to the primary chamber. The at least one passive vent directs inflation fluid from the primary chamber into the secondary chamber. The at least one active vent is actuatable to direct inflation fluid from the primary chamber to the secondary chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TRW VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Jaime Fermin Perez
  • Patent number: 10730473
    Abstract: A front seat airbag device includes an inflator configured to operate and generate gas when a frontal collision of a vehicle is detected or predicted and an airbag configured to include a main chamber stored in front of a front seat in the vehicle, inflation-deployed by the gas being supplied from the inflator, and inflation-deployed to a position facing the front seat and a parietal chamber inflation-deployed upward and rearward from an upper end portion of the main chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10730474
    Abstract: A gas generator includes a plurality of gas discharge openings arranged in a circumferential wall portion along a circumferential direction as not overlapping with each other. The plurality of gas discharge openings consist of one group or two or more groups of first gas discharge openings, one group or two or more groups of second discharge openings, and one group or two or more groups of third gas discharge openings. The gas discharge openings included in each of the groups of first to third gas discharge openings are set to be opened at an identical opening pressure. The second gas discharge openings are higher in opening pressure than the first gas discharge openings and lower in opening pressure than the third gas discharge openings. The gas discharge openings included in each group of gas discharge openings are evenly arranged in rotation symmetry at an angle not greater than 120°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: NIPPON KAYAKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruki Takizawa, Shinya Ueda, Satoshi Ohsugi
  • Patent number: 10730475
    Abstract: A vehicle seatbelt device that includes: a lap belt that restrains a waist portion of an occupant seated in a vehicle seat; a connection member that connects an end portion of the lap belt with an anchor provided at either a side of the vehicle seat or a location on a vehicle body; a retractor that is provided at a front side of a vehicle relative to the anchor, and that is actuated in a vehicle collision or in a case in which a vehicle collision has been predicted; and a load transmission member that is coupled with the connection member so as to be movable relative to the connection member, and that is retracted by the retractor in a case in which the retractor is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeki Hayashi, Katsunori Yamada, Tatsunori Andou, Mitsuaki Gotoh
  • Patent number: 10730476
    Abstract: An occupant protection device includes a drive unit which adjusts a degree of tension of a seat belt and a control unit which controls the drive unit to tension the seat belt to remove looseness of the seat belt when a vehicle has been switched from an automated driving to a manual driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akaba
  • Patent number: 10730477
    Abstract: An electronic control unit configured to permit a vehicle to travel in an automated driving mode. The electronic control unit is configured to detect unauthorized access from an outside to an in-vehicle Local Area Network during the automated driving mode. The electronic control unit is configured to perform control to fix a gear position of an automatic transmission when the electronic control unit determines that unauthorized access from the outside occurs during the automated driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta Kumazaki
  • Patent number: 10730478
    Abstract: A method to actuate a locking element for a vehicle including detecting a movement of an object using an optical sensor, activating an ultrasound sensor in accordance with the detected movement, detecting a gesture using the ultrasound sensor, and actuating the locking element in accordance with the detected gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Bernd Ette