Patents Issued in May 14, 2024
  • Patent number: 11981338
    Abstract: A first vehicle testing tuple comprising a plurality of first testing parameters and a second vehicle testing tuple comprising a plurality of second testing parameters can be obtained. The plurality of first testing parameters can be determined to be associated with an evaluated operating condition. The first tuple can be appended to a first portion of a plurality of portions of a vehicle testing knowledge structure. A second testing parameter can be determined to be associated with an unevaluated operating condition. The unevaluated operating condition can be evaluated. A second portion comprising the second vehicle testing tuple can be generated for the vehicle testing knowledge structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Arun David Kain Venkatadri, Jason C. Lee, Yilun Tang
  • Patent number: 11981339
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted communication system is mounted in a vehicle and includes a plurality of functional units connected to a control network in the vehicle and a management device connected to a security network in the vehicle. Communication from the control network to the security network is partially limited. The vehicle-mounted communication system further includes a data acquisition device that acquires data transmitted through the control network and transmits the data to the management device. The management device detects an abnormality related to the control network based on the data received from the data acquisition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Isoyama, Yoichi Hata
  • Patent number: 11981340
    Abstract: A military vehicle includes a chassis, a front end accessory drive (FEAD), and circuitry. The chassis includes an engine and an integrated motor generator (IMG). The FEAD includes multiple accessories and an electric motor-generator. The circuitry is configured to operate the military vehicle according to different modes. The circuitry is configured to receive a user input indicating a selected mode of the modes, and operate the chassis and the FEAD of the military vehicle according to the selected mode. The modes include an engine mode and an electric mode. In the engine mode, the engine drives the FEAD and the tractive elements of the military vehicle through the IMG for transportation. In the electric mode, the engine is shut off to reduce a sound output of the military vehicle and the IMG drives the tractive elements of the military vehicle for transportation and the electric motor-generator drives the FEAD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Chad Smith, Bradon Zeitler, Jessica Szymanski, Rachell Harsh, Deepak Shukla, Ed Trinklein, Mitchel Nordahl, Mikel Ullman
  • Patent number: 11981341
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes a profile manager to determine whether a user of a vehicle has a corresponding profile stored in memory based on a personalized vehicle key associated with the user, in response to determining that the profile for the user is not available, receive one or more inputs from the user via a display, the one or more inputs including a loading condition threshold and a corresponding response to exceeding the loading condition threshold, and generate the profile for the user based on the one more inputs from the user; and a vehicle feature modifier to modify a feature of the vehicle when a load condition of the vehicle satisfies the loading condition threshold to limit or disable operation of the vehicle based on the corresponding response to exceeding the loading condition threshold, the feature modified based upon the profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Niedert, Peter Simeon Lazarevski, Anton Rogness, Elliott Pearson, Joshua Rajasingh
  • Patent number: 11981342
    Abstract: A display and voice output control system of a vehicle on which automated driving is performed includes a display device, a voice output device and a controller. The controller controls a notification of a recommended behavior by the display device and the voice output device. In the notification control, it is judged whether or not a notification condition of the recommended behavior is satisfied. If it is judged that the notification condition is satisfied, it is judged whether a notification relaxation condition of the recommended behavior is satisfied based on a status of a driver and a driving status of the vehicle. If it is judged that the notification relaxation conditions is satisfied, relaxation notification processing is executed. Otherwise, normal notification processing is executed. In the relaxation notification processing, an output status of the recommended behavior in the voice output device is controlled to an inactive state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyotoshi Sekine, Takahiko Kuwabara, Ko Igarashi
  • Patent number: 11981343
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle may include a display device configured to display a driving path of the autonomous vehicle; and an autonomous driving control apparatus including a processor that displays a situation in which driving of the driving path is impossible on the display device in augmented reality when the situation in which the driving of the driving path is impossible occurs due to an external environment during autonomous driving of the autonomous vehicle, transmits information related to a misrecognized obstacle to a control system when receiving a request for deleting the misrecognized obstacle, and receives a driving path in which the misrecognized obstacle is deleted from the control system and controls and follows the received driving path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Dong Hyuk Kim
  • Patent number: 11981344
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a determining part configured to determine a target relative position with respect to other vehicle, which is traveling in a movement destination lane that is a merging destination or a lane change destination of a host vehicle, for entering the movement destination lane based on a detection result of the other vehicle, and a notification controller configured to output a notification sound, which differs between a case in which acceleration is required for the host vehicle and a case in which deceleration is required for the host vehicle, from a speaker in order to perform an alignment with respect to the target relative position determined by the determining part in an advancing direction of the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 11981345
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle (AV) implements a notification system that provides notifications to user devices in nearby vehicles to alert drivers of the nearby vehicles of the AV's planned behavior. The notifications are delivered wirelessly and output by the user device to the drivers. The planned behaviors of the AV may not be conveyed by existing mechanisms, such as turning signals or hazard lights. The AV or the receiving user device may determine when an AV's planned behavior may impact a particular driver, and provide relevant notifications to the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Vogt, Oliver Cameron
  • Patent number: 11981346
    Abstract: A driveway departure system for a vehicle is disclosed and includes a processing device configured to define a path for backing the vehicle along a drivable surface of the driveway that maintains the vehicle on the drivable surface of the driveway and to operate a vehicle system to back the vehicle along the defined path and on the detected drivable surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Autonomous Mobility US, LLC
    Inventors: Sina Davani, Joseph Burtch, Nizar Ahamed
  • Patent number: 11981347
    Abstract: Rules based semantic map sharding is proposed. A method of handling semantic objects for semantic map sharding makes used of rules to define which semantic objects are to be included in a shard. Hereto, semantic objects are defined in a geographical area to be contained in shard data. For the semantic objects, a set of rules is defined comprising a definition of which semantic objects are to be combined into a shard data entry of the shard data and which semantic objects are to be stored in separate shard data entries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Mikhail Chernov, Xiaojun Sun
  • Patent number: 11981348
    Abstract: The invention relates to an automated driving control system, including: a data exchange unit configured to obtain video data streams and distribute the video data streams to at least one computing unit; the at least one computing unit configured to compute perception result data based on the video data streams; a sensor fusion unit configured to fuse the perception result data and sensor data, to obtain fusion result data; and a planning control unit configured to generate a driving control instruction based on the fusion result data, where the planning control unit or the sensor fusion unit is configured to provide a bypass of the data exchange unit. When anomalies occur in any of the units, the automated driving control system may provide a corresponding bypass to keep an automated driving function going.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: NIO TECHNOLOGY (ANHUI) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yunyue Cai, Jiong Chen, Yan Shi, Yang Yang, Jianyong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11981349
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to behavior planning for autonomous vehicles. The technology described herein selects a preferred trajectory for an autonomous vehicle based on an evaluation of multiple hypothetical trajectories by different components within a planning system. The various components provide an optimization score for each trajectory according to the priorities of the component and scores from multiple components may form a final optimization score. This scoring system allows the competing priorities (e.g., comfort, minimal travel time, fuel economy) of different components to be considered together. In examples, the trajectory with the best combined score may be selected for implementation. As such, an iterative approach that evaluates various factors may be used to identify an optimal or preferred trajectory for an autonomous vehicle when navigating an environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: David Nister, Yizhou Wang, Julia Ng, Rotem Aviv, Seungho Lee, Joshua John Bialkowski, Hon Leung Lee, Hermes Lanker, Raul Correal Tezanos, Zhenyi Zhang, Nikolai Smolyanskiy, Alexey Kamenev, Ollin Boer Bohan, Anton Vorontsov, Miguel Sainz Serra, Birgit Henke
  • Patent number: 11981350
    Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure is to provide a vehicle capable of safely performing autonomous driving without user intervention through operations of control modules and communication between the control modules even in an emergency situation of an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle includes a plurality of control modules and a central processor. The central processor is configured to: in case of an emergency situation, determine a plurality of paths for each situation based on a speed of the vehicle; determine a risk corresponding to each of the plurality of paths for each situation based on the speed of the vehicle and a mass of the vehicle; determine a safety path corresponding to the smallest risk among the risks corresponding to each of the plurality of paths for each situation; and control the plurality of control modules based on a command set corresponding to the safety path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION, HYUNDAI AUTOEVER CORP.
    Inventors: Sungwoo Choi, Seung Hwan Shin
  • Patent number: 11981351
    Abstract: An automated driving system (ADS) of an autonomous vehicle includes a communication module, a misbehavior detection module, and a processor. The communication module is configured to receive a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) message including source vehicle data and receive a fusion data message including fusion data from a mobile edge computing (MEC) system including a roadside unit (RSU). The source vehicle data includes a source vehicle location. The fusion data is based on RSU sensed data and on vehicle sensed data received at the RSU from at least one vehicle. The misbehavior detection module is configured to determine whether a source vehicle is disposed at the source vehicle location based on the fusion data. The processor is configured to manage performance of the autonomous vehicle in accordance with the source vehicle data based at least in part on the determination. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Wenyuan Qi, Kemal Ertugrul Tepe, Mohammad Naserian, Tianxiang Cao, Zhengyu Xing
  • Patent number: 11981352
    Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting user interaction with vehicles. A computing device receives an image and a video segment of a road scene, the first at least one of an image and a video segment being taken from a perspective of a participant in the road scene and then generates stimulus data based on the image and the video segment. Stimulus data is transmitted to a user interface and response data is received, which includes at least one of an action and a likelihood of the action corresponding to another participant in the road scene. The computing device aggregates a subset of the plurality of response data to form statistical data and a model is created based on the statistical data. The model is applied to another image or video segment and a prediction of user behavior in the another image or video segment is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Perceptive Automata, Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel English Anthony, Kshitij Misra, Avery Wagner Faller
  • Patent number: 11981353
    Abstract: In a method for checking an at least semi-autonomous driving mode of a vehicle, intervention data are provided by a plurality of vehicles. The intervention data each represent a human intervention in an at least semi-autonomous driving mode of a vehicle. The intervention data includes sensor data at the time of the intervention and position data for a position at the time of the intervention. In accordance with the intervention data from the plurality of vehicles, a position is determined at which an increased number of vehicles registered a human intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Christian Unger
  • Patent number: 11981354
    Abstract: Systems and methods for mitigating certain spoofing of vehicle features are disclosed herein. An example method can include determining input torque values obtained from a steering torque sensor associated with a steering wheel of a vehicle, wherein the input torque values are obtained over a period of time, determining road disturbances using a road disturbance model, applying a driver model that is indicative of human driver hands-on-wheel behaviors, determining when input torque values are indicative of a spoof or human interaction with the steering wheel using the input torque values, the road disturbance model, and the driver model, and executing a remediating measure when the input torque values are indicative of the spoof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Herman, Catherine Marie Amodeo, Yashanshu Jain, Christopher Colarusso
  • Patent number: 11981355
    Abstract: A carrier device is provided, which includes: a moving body; a top plate arranged above and separated from the moving body; a magnet plate including a plurality of permanent magnets arranged parallel to a predetermined moving direction on a lower surface of the top plate in a manner that adjacent polarities are different; a moving control coil unit including a plurality of exciting coils arranged on an upper surface of the moving body along and separated from the magnet plate; top gap control coil units including a plurality of exciting coils arranged on the upper surface of the moving body along and separated from the magnet plate; and a controller supplying drive currents respectively to the moving control coil unit and the top gap control coil units to make the moving body move along the moving direction, and controlling a top gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Sodick Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Araie, Taro Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11981356
    Abstract: An overhead transport vehicle includes a container accommodation portion sandwiched by a pair of cover portions in a front-and-rear direction in a traveling direction and configured to hold a cassette in a state in which a lid faces in a width direction intersecting the traveling direction and a vertical direction; and a lid-fall prevention member on the cover portion to prevent the lid that has come off from the cassette held in the container accommodation portion from falling. The lid-fall prevention member includes a lower support portion extending along the width direction below the cassette and partially protruding from the lid in a planar view seen from the vertical direction, and a front support portion standing upright in the vertical direction from the lower support portion so as to face at least a portion of the lid. The lower support portion and the front support portion are integrally defined by a unitary structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Makoto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11981357
    Abstract: A system, in a vehicle consist configured for dual fuel operation and comprising at least one fuel car operably connectable to at least one powered vehicle via a fuel distribution path, includes an energy management processing unit. The energy management processing unit is configured to obtain a first cost of a first fuel, obtain a second cost of a second fuel, and determine a proportional ratio of the first fuel and the second fuel for each of plural power settings available for use during performance of a mission along a route. The energy management processing unit is also configured to determine a trip plan specifying power settings for corresponding plural sections of the route to perform the mission using the first cost, the second cost, and the proportional ratio for the power settings to optimize a total combined cost of fuel used during performance of the mission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin Michael Fisher
  • Patent number: 11981358
    Abstract: An arrangement for positioning a transformer in a rail vehicle, where the rail vehicle has a transformer support which fastens the transformer at a predetermined position in the rail vehicle. The transformer support is arranged on an underframe of the rail vehicle. The transformer is connected to the transformer support via a sliding guide, wherein a positional change of the transformer relative to the underframe of the rail vehicle can be set by way of the sliding guide. The sliding guide is a hydrostatic sliding guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Stoff
  • Patent number: 11981359
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for locking assemblies of a pair of bridge plates placed between adjacent railcars. In one example, a bridge plate assembly may include a locking assembly with a guide tube shifted to a side from a center of a bridge plate and a pivot pin coupled to the guide tube protruding out of a left side or a right side of the bridge plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: John D. Anderson, Walter J. Peach
  • Patent number: 11981360
    Abstract: A seat device that can easily and reliably achieve the conversion of the state of a seat. A rotation mechanism (40) that rotates the seat about a rotation axis, a sliding mechanism (14) that advances and retracts the seat together with the rotation mechanism (40) from a fixed side, and a drive mechanism (50) that sequentially and directly drives each of the sliding mechanism (14) and the rotation mechanism (40) are included. The drive mechanism (50) includes a power source (51) provided in the fixed side of the seat, and transmission means for directly driving the sliding mechanism (14) first, and then directly driving the rotation mechanism (40), in a process of converting the state of the seat with power of the power source (51). Here, the transmission means is formed by a sprocket (58) rotated by torque of a motor (51), and many holes (59) with which the sprocket (58) is rotatably engaged to transmit the power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: KOITO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shunya Ebina, Yutaka Nagao
  • Patent number: 11981361
    Abstract: An automation system, an operating method for an automation system, and a computer program product enable communication between assemblies of an automation system connected to each other via a back panel bus, wherein the assemblies can exchange data with each other directly, without sending the data via a master.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SELECTRON SYSTEMS AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Schöni
  • Patent number: 11981362
    Abstract: A method for determining an actual geometry of a track by a track inspection vehicle which is movable on the track, wherein reference points positioned in a lateral environment of the track are automatically recorded by a non-contacting recording system arranged on the track inspection vehicle and their respective actual distance from the track is determined. A three-dimensional trajectory of the track is recorded by an inertial measuring system arranged on the track inspection vehicle, wherein the trajectory is divided by a computing unit into trajectory sections each having a section starting point related to a first reference point and a section end point related to a second reference point, wherein a virtual longitudinal chord is defined for each trajectory section in relation to the assigned reference points, and wherein actual distances between the trajectory and the respectively defined longitudinal chord are calculated for each trajectory section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TRACK MACHINES CONNECTED GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H.
    Inventors: Florian Auer, David Buchbauer, Martin Bürger, Bernhard Metzger, Fabian Hinterberger
  • Patent number: 11981363
    Abstract: The method S100 can include: determining a remote operation request S110; optionally determining a priority of the remote operation request S120; providing vehicle data to a remote operator S130; responding to the remote operation request S140; and optionally training a model based on the response S150. However, the method S100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements. The method S100 functions to facilitate remote assistance of a vehicle operating within a rail network (e.g., operation of unmanned vehicles within restricted track regions). Additionally or alternatively, the system can function to facilitate remote validation/verification of vehicle operations and/or rail infrastructure status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Parallel Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Dunn, Marc Greenbaum
  • Patent number: 11981364
    Abstract: A cart has a folded configuration and a deployed configuration. The cart includes two side frames arranged opposite to each other; and a plurality of support members connected between the two side frames. Each side frame includes a vertical synchronization rod with a front foot assembly and a rear foot assembly arranged on two sides of the vertical synchronization rod. The front foot assembly includes a front foot rod with an upper front oscillating rod and a lower front oscillating rod hinged between the vertical synchronization rod and the front foot rod. A bottom of the front foot rod is hinged to a front wheel. The rear foot assembly includes a rear foot rod with an upper rear oscillating rod and a lower rear oscillating rod hinged between the vertical synchronization rod and the rear foot rod. A bottom of the rear foot rod is hinged to a rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: CH BABY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Congquan Ma
  • Patent number: 11981365
    Abstract: A system for monitoring and controlling shopping cart usage comprises a wheel assembly that attaches to a shopping cart. In some embodiments the wheel assembly includes a wheel, a brake that can be activated to inhibit rotation of the wheel, a controller that controls the brake, a VLF receiver, and an RF transceiver. The RF transceiver may, for example, operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band. In some implementations, the RF transceiver may be used to detect entry of the shopping cart into a checkout area of the store, and the VLF receiver may be used to detect that the shopping cart is exiting the store. The controller may activate the brake if the shopping cart attempts to exit the store without first passing through a checkout area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Hannah, Scott J. Carter, Jesse M. James
  • Patent number: 11981366
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to reduce the exposure of polluted air to a baby, and in particular to minimize the pollutions inhaled by a baby when strolling, walking or transporting a baby in an exterior environment. The object is attained by providing a portable device for filtering air, the device being adapted to be arranged in association with a top end of a baby-transporting device. With such an air-filtering device, air from outside of the baby-transporting device may be filtered and purified before being provided in a well-distributed manner to the area of the baby-transporting device where a baby is positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: bubl. AB.
    Inventor: Conny Karlsson
  • Patent number: 11981367
    Abstract: A steering wheel configured to rotate about a steering axis, comprising a rim formed of a body molded onto a frame, the body having a first mold release axis, a first groove arranged in the body in a demoldable manner relative to the first mold release axis, a sheathing reinforcement arranged to be inserted into the first groove of the body and at least partially form a second groove, wherein the second groove is arranged to receive an insert in an insertion direction separate from the first mold release axis, and in that the sheathing reinforcement comprises at least one portion which is undercut relative to the first mold release axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Matthis Barritault
  • Patent number: 11981368
    Abstract: A steering column may include a casing tube in which a steering spindle is rotatably mounted, a guide unit that receives the casing unit so as to be telescopically adjustable in a direction of a longitudinal axis, and an electromotor adjustment drive that is arranged between the casing tube and the guide unit. An inner bearing face of the guide unit surrounds an outer casing surface of the casing tube and includes a slot extending longitudinally with a slot width between mutually opposing slot edges. A preload device engages the slot edges and is configured to apply a tightening force to reduce the slot width to preload the bearing face together with the casing surface. A clamping body cooperates with the slot edges via a deflection device that converts a reduction of slot width into a radial clamping movement of the clamping body for radial preloading the outer casing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignees: thyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG
    Inventor: Balint Kalman Nagy
  • Patent number: 11981369
    Abstract: A chassis structure for an electric power wheelchair adapted for a seat frame to be mounted and supported thereon includes a chassis housing which defines an accommodation space, and an upper cover which covers an upper opened end of the accommodation space. At least one modular raising strip assembly is removably sandwiched between the chassis housing and the upper cover and has a predetermined thickness such that a volume of the accommodation space is increased with the raising strip assembly. With the modular raising strip assembly, the volume of the accommodation space is adjustable according to the battery capacity of a battery pack of a drive unit which is mounted in the accommodation space to meet the user's requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: KARMA MEDICAL PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Eric Van Olst
  • Patent number: 11981370
    Abstract: A collision resistance performance of a structural member is effectively improved while suppressing an unnecessary increase in mass of the structural member. The structural member includes a hollow member and a tension member. The hollow member forms a closed cross-sectional shape by a top sheet portion, a pair of sidewall portions each continuous to each side of the top sheet portion in a width direction, and a bottom sheet portion arranged to face the top sheet portion. The tension member is formed by a metal sheet extending along the width direction of the top sheet portion and being thinner than the sheet thickness of the hollow member, and connects inner surfaces of the pair of sidewall portions facing each other to each other to restrain the distance between the pair of sidewall portions from increasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sakaidani, Kentaro Sato, Takayuki Futatsuka
  • Patent number: 11981371
    Abstract: A front structure of a vehicle includes a drain provided below a cowl grille, the drain forming a closed cross-section extending in the vehicle width direction in cooperation with the cowl grille, and a gutter, provided in the closed cross-section above the drain, that receives the water dripping from a front windshield, in which the gutter member has a drain portion that drains the water to the drain, the drain has a top deck portion thereon at a position at which the drain overlaps with an outside air introduction hole in plan view, and the drain portion is provided at substantially the same position as the top deck portion in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hosei Mogi, Michiaki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11981372
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a panel that defines an aperture. The vehicle also includes a cover operably coupled to the panel. The cover is operable between a first condition and a second condition. In the first condition, the cover conceals the aperture. In the second condition, access to the aperture is provided. The vehicle further includes an electrical connector coupled to the cover, such that the electrical connector moves with the cover as the cover moves between the first and second conditions. Movement of the cover from the first condition to the second condition reveals the electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Keith Daugherty, Christopher John Mazur, William J. Kistler, Christopher Holland, Miguel A. Garrido, Gabriela De Jesus Grajales
  • Patent number: 11981373
    Abstract: A system and method for adjusting an air deflector on a roof of a truck cabin to an optimal position when the truck is connected to a trailer, where the system comprises an air deflector, an electric actuator, and an electronic control unit, where the system further comprises a handheld device provided with stored information of different truck types and a table for different truck-trailer combinations, where the handheld device is adapted to determine a value corresponding to the height of the trailer and a value corresponding to the distance between the truck and the trailer, to determine a set value for the actuator based on the values and the stored information, and to send the set value to the electronic control unit, where the electronic control unit is adapted to set the air deflector in an optimal position by adjusting the actuator in dependency of the set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Anders Tenstam
  • Patent number: 11981374
    Abstract: A drag reducing device includes an air flow turning component having a curved surface adapted to turn air flow passing over the curved surface, a first mounting component for connecting the air flow turning component to a rear door of the vehicle, and a second mounting component for connecting the air flow turning component to one of the opposite sides of the vehicle. The mounting components are configured so that the air flow component is automatically in a deployed position when the rear door is closed, so the air flow turning component turns air flow passing along the side the vehicle inward to thereby reduce drag. The mounting components are further configured so that the air flow component is automatically stowed between the rear door and the vehicle side when the door is fully opened. The air turning component is sized for a minimal prominence when stowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Aero Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan A. Reeder, John Vogel, James R. Tuerk
  • Patent number: 11981375
    Abstract: A steering device according to one embodiment includes: an input device including an input shaft to which rotation associated with operation is transmitted, and a transmission shaft that is disposed orthogonal to the input shaft and rotates in conjunction with the input shaft; a reducer receiving a rotational drive force from the input device and outputting a rotational force about a rotational axis with a reduced rotational speed and an increased torque; a motor providing a rotational auxiliary force to the reducer in a direction that augments the rotational driving force; and an output arm coupled to the reducer and rotating about the rotational axis in a predetermined angular range by the rotational force outputted by the reducer. The input device is disposed on one side of the reducer. The motor is disposed adjacent to a direction orthogonal to the transmission shaft and on the one side of the reducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: NABTESCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Takahashi, Yuto Nakai
  • Patent number: 11981376
    Abstract: The technology relates to autonomous vehicles having hitched or towed trailers for transporting cargo and other items between locations. Aspects of the technology provide a smart hitch connection between the fifth-wheel of a tractor unit and the kingpin of a trailer. This avoids requiring a person to make physical pneumatic and electrical connections between the fifth-wheel and kingpin using external hoses and cables. Instead, the necessary connections are made internally, autonomously. For instance, the fifth-wheel may provide air pressure via one or more slots arranged on a connection surface, and the trailer is configured to receive the air pressure through one or more openings on a contact surface of the kingpin. An electrical connection section of the fifth-wheel may also provide electrical signals and/or power to an electrical contact interface of the kingpin. Rotational information about relative alignment of the trailer to the tractor unit may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: William Grossman
  • Patent number: 11981377
    Abstract: An endless track drive that can be coupled to a vehicle includes a plurality of track feet wherein each track foot is adapted to periodically contact a surface on which the vehicle is to travel as the endless track drive is rotated. At least one spring is coupled to each track foot. The spring(s) apply a biasing force to the track foot that positions the track foot in a neutral position relative to the endless track drive when the track foot is not in contact with the surface. The biasing force is less than a frictional force experienced by the track foot when the track foot is in contact with the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Tye Langston, Dane Maglich
  • Patent number: 11981378
    Abstract: An automated device is configured to move in contact with a building board. The automated device includes a chassis bearing a tool, the tool being configured to carry out a mechanical operation on the building board. The automated device includes at least one suction member and at least one system for setting the automated device in motion. The suction member includes at least two chambers allowing the automated device to adhere to the building board, the tool being situated between the at least two chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN PLACO
    Inventors: Pierre Lombard, Stéphane Dieu
  • Patent number: 11981379
    Abstract: A regulating device for regulating the steering angle of a vehicle includes a first controller unit having at least one integrating component and configured to receive a control difference between first steering angle information, which is deduced from nominal steering angle information, and an actual steering angle. The first controller unit provides actuation information for a motor operating the steering. A compensation control circuit superposed on the first controller unit is provided. The compensation control circuit has a feedback path receives actuation information of the motor, the output torque of the motor, and/or information dependent on the output torque of the motor as the input variable and, based on the input variable, provides steering angle compensation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Philipp Keßler, Stefan Feick, Michael Simon
  • Patent number: 11981380
    Abstract: Various ridable karts for users are described. The ridable kart can include a kart body, a cover body, a rear caster wheel, a steering assembly, a battery, and a controller. The kart body can include an installation slot. The controller and the battery can be secured within the installation slot. The steering assembly can include a front wheel and a steering wheel. The front wheel can include a hub motor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Razor USA LLC
    Inventors: Ali Kermani, Ian Desberg, Yufeng Wang, Zhiwei Huang
  • Patent number: 11981381
    Abstract: An actuator (1) for a rear axle steering system of a vehicle includes a thrust rod (2) which is longitudinally displaceable within a housing (3). The thrust rod (2) has a rotation lock (4) having a guide element (5) which is guided in the axial direction in a single-part or multi-part slide rail (6) arranged on the housing (3). An elastomer ring (7) is arranged between the slide rail (6) and the housing (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Wuebbolt-Gorbatenko, Daniel Faber, Alexander Hausmann, Simon Mersmann
  • Patent number: 11981382
    Abstract: A foldable device for lifting a motorcycle that has fallen on its side has a bipod with two supports, a telescopic elongated main body, a handle, a ratchet strap coupled to a lever, a main strap having a closed loop in one end, and two secondary straps. The unfolded device is positioned firmly held to the floor besides the fallen motorcycle, centered between the gasoline tank and the seat, with the handle pointing up and the ratchet facing the motorcycle. The main strap passes below the motorcycle, so its closed loop end is wrapped to the motorcycle's foot peg and its open end is introduced into the ratchet. The lever is activated as many times as necessary until the wheels touch the floor, the secondary straps pass through the wheels attaching both ends to the bipod supports and the lever is activated again until the motorcycle is lifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Inventor: Ramón Gustavo Fernández
  • Patent number: 11981383
    Abstract: Provided is a straddle-type seat in which an influence of vibrations or an external environment on an electrical component is suppressed without increasing the size of the seat. A straddle-type seat on which a seated occupant is to be seated in a straddling state includes a seat bottom plate including an accommodating recessed portion that is recessed downward, and electrical components and accommodated in the accommodating recessed portion. The electrical components and are fixed in the accommodating recessed portion via cushioning members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomohisa Chiba
  • Patent number: 11981384
    Abstract: A saddle-type vehicle includes a gearbox having a clutch operated by actuation of a slave cylinder, a hydraulic actuator having a master cylinder configured to generate a hydraulic pressure in a working fluid, a hydraulic valve unit configured to control transmission of the hydraulic pressure generated by the master cylinder to the slave cylinder, a master-side connecting pipeline, and a slave-side connecting pipeline, wherein the hydraulic valve unit Is disposed at a position closer to the slave cylinder than the hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eisuke Kajihara, Akira Tokito, Junya Ono
  • Patent number: 11981385
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a rigid frame that has a plurality of integrally connected support sections with multiple features of transportable fishing rod holder combined with a collapsible sand-spike, all of which can be easily attached to a bike's handlebar for transportation. The assembly provides an inexpensive method of producing the fishing rod holder of the invention from readily available materials, is sustainable and provides effectiveness over longer period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Inventor: Scott MacIntosh
  • Patent number: 11981386
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a convertible rearview mirror comprising a fixed portion associable with an outer surface and a movable portion, connected to the fixed portion by means of a joint system. The movable portion is rotatable with respect to the fixed portion between a first rearview position and a second deflected position, about a rotation axis of the joint system. The movable portion further comprises at least one reflective surface. The present invention also relates to a motorcycle comprising said rearview mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Rizoma IP S.r.I.
    Inventors: Fabrizio Rigolio, Guglielmo Urso, Eugenio Lodi, Mattia Rigoni
  • Patent number: 11981387
    Abstract: A lighting system for a vehicle having a housing, a plurality of elements generating an intensity of light and a controller. The controller selectively changing the intensity of at least one of the plurality of elements based on a sensed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Indian Motorcycle International, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob R. Horn, Benjamin Comana