With Means For (1) Protecting Motor From Impact Of Collision, (2) Utilizing Mass Of Motor To Absorb Force Thereof, Or (3) Protecting Occupant Region Of Vehicle From Impact-induced Shifting Of Motor Patents (Class 180/232)
  • Patent number: 11701974
    Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle is provided and includes a system frame on which a fuel cell is mounted and first and second side members extending in a first direction and facing each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction. A first fastening part fastens the system frame to each of the first and second side members. The system frame includes a first aperture formed therein in a horizontal direction. The first fastening part includes a first support bracket, including a second aperture, a first insertion hole, and a first tab portion extending from the first insertion hole in the horizontal direction, and a first bolt, including a first shank portion inserted into the first aperture, the second aperture, and the first insertion hole in the horizontal direction and a first threaded portion engaged with the first tab portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Jung Do Suh
  • Patent number: 11618474
    Abstract: A safety system for an autonomous electronic vehicle having a body and a platform. The safety system includes at least one mechanical connection unit and a safety control module. The mechanical connection unit connects the body to the platform, and is transitionable between a first state, in which the body is attached to the platform at the mechanical connection unit, and a second state, in which the body is released from the platform at the mechanical connection unit. The safety control module is programmed to prompt the mechanical connection unit to transition from the first state to the second state under circumstances of an imminent collision event. In some embodiments, the safety control module is programmed to determine a safety path for passengers within the body and/or others in the collision zone based on conditions surrounding the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Inventor: David W. Carroll
  • Patent number: 11447181
    Abstract: Systems are provided for a structural element. In one example, a system comprises a structural element arranged between a steering column and a front bumper, wherein the structural element at least partially surrounds the steering column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Marius Sawatzki, Stefan Schneider, Michael Spurling, Joergen Hilmann, Dominik Mueller, Daniel Meckenstock
  • Patent number: 11349143
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of power generation cells and a stack case. A tab protrudes from an outer marginal portion of each of the power generation cells. The stack case contains the plurality of power generation cells that are stacked together in a stacking direction, and includes a pair of end plates provided at both ends of the power generation cells in the stacking direction. Further, the fuel cell stack includes a support bar extending inside the stack case in the stacking direction, and including a recess capable of accommodating the tab. One end of the support bar is joined to one of the end plates, and the other end of the support bar is supported by the other of the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Naito, Kosuke Takagi
  • Patent number: 11208153
    Abstract: A connecting reinforcement is provided between a hinge pillar and a wheel house so as to reinforce at least around a rear face portion of the wheel house. The connecting reinforcement extends in the vertical direction along a rear face portion of the wheel house and has a closed-cross section space, in a sectional view perpendicular to the vertical direction, inside thereof. A gusset including a slant face portion which is provided at a front face thereof and configured to extend obliquely rearwardly-and-outwardly is provided in the closed-cross section space. A gap space which forms a part of the closed-cross section space is provided between the slant face portion and the rear face portion of the wheel house provided on a wheel-house side so as to face the slant face portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Kataoka, Kazuki Yamauchi, Takeshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11192589
    Abstract: A subframe structure of a front suspension that leads a subframe and a vehicle driving apparatus to the lower side after separation of a rear portion of the subframe due to a frontal collision without increasing weight and parts. A subframe structure of the front suspension provides a subframe that supports a vehicle driving apparatus in a mounting manner, and a rear portion of the subframe is mounted on a lower portion of a vehicle body via a fastening member. Fastening between the subframe and the fastening member is configured such that the rear portion of the subframe is separated when a collision load to a vehicle rear side is applied to the subframe. A leading guide portion that abuts against the fastening member and leads the subframe to a lower side after separation from the fastening member is integrally formed on the rear portion of the subframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Okamoto, Fumihiro Kurohara, Norio Asano, Hiroto Kido, Yasunori Takahara
  • Patent number: 11110962
    Abstract: A rear chassis module for a vehicle includes: a rear suspension subframe disposed under a rear floor panel; a pair of front reinforcing members extending from the rear suspension subframe toward the front of the vehicle, and supporting a battery pack; a pair of rear reinforcing members extending from the rear suspension subframe toward the rear of the vehicle, and supporting a fuel tank; a pair of rear floor side members disposed on both sides of the rear floor panel; and a rear crossmember transverse to and connected to the pair of rear floor side members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seong Eun Choi, Kun Ho Park
  • Patent number: 11104383
    Abstract: A vehicle front portion structure includes: a motor unit disposed at a vehicle front part; a suspension member disposed at the vehicle front part, the suspension member extending in a vehicle front-rear direction and deforming toward a vehicle lower side at a time of vehicle frontal collision; a left-right pair of front side motor mounts connecting a front part of the motor unit with the suspension member; a rear side motor mount connecting a central part, in a vehicle width direction, of a rear part of the motor unit with the suspension member; and a break mechanism that causes the rear side motor mount, which moves toward a vehicle rear side at a time of vehicle frontal collision, to break in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryosuke Chikazawa, Hiroyuki Kurata
  • Patent number: 11091037
    Abstract: An in-vehicle installation structure for an electric device installed in a front compartment of a vehicle includes: a structure disposed in a front compartment of a vehicle; an electric device fixed to an upper portion of the structure; a connector connected to a rear upper portion of the electric device; and a protector extending upward from the electric device, the protector being disposed behind the connector of the electric device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Yuki, Takuya Yashiki
  • Patent number: 11077880
    Abstract: A suspension housing which is provided at a front part of a vehicle and to which a suspension is mounted has a first fixed portion and a second fixed portion that are provided at positions separated from each other in a front-rear direction and each fixed to a front frame. The suspension housing further has, at a position between the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion in the front-rear direction, a buckling promoting portion that promotes buckling of the suspension housing when a load is applied from the front frame to the suspension housing in the front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki Watanabe, Hidenori Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 11008042
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a vehicle body front structure capable of uniformly deforming a colliding object and achieving a high score in the MPDB frontal impact test. Features of a vehicle body front structure according to the present invention lie in including a front side member extending in a front-rear direction on a side of a power unit mounting room located in a front part of a vehicle, a first member fixed to a front end of the front side member and extending in a vertical direction; and a second member arranged on an outer side of the first member in a vehicle width direction, wherein a front face of the first member is a flat face, and the second member is connected to the first member below the front side member, inclines upward as the second member extends rearward relative to the vehicle from a portion at which the second member is connected to the first member, and is also connected to a vehicle body above the front side member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironao Yashiro, Tatsuya Manabe
  • Patent number: 10994784
    Abstract: A vehicle body front structure includes a side frame and a tubular member. The side member extends in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body. The side frame member is configured to have a closed hollow section in a vertical direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The tubular member extends in the longitudinal direction within the side frame. The tubular member is configured to have a closed hollow section in the vertical direction. The tubular member is spaced apart from the side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Watanabe, Keita Ishihara
  • Patent number: 10953738
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for the drive mounting, in particular for a motor vehicle, preferentially a utility vehicle. The arrangement comprises a supporting structure, in particular a cross member structure. The arrangement comprises an, in particular electric, drive unit, which is attached to the supporting structure in a 3-point mounting on an underside and/or from below. Advantageously, the drive unit can thus be fed to the motor vehicle from the rear end. The drive unit can be practically lifted in order to be then attached to the supporting structure on an underside or from below. The 3-point mounting makes possible a quick assembly. In addition, a static redundancy of the mounting through too many bearing points (e.g. four or more) is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: MAN Truck & Bus AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Hamel, Ines Hestermann, Christian Lang, Andreas Leisch, Kolja Peter, Patrick Schwedes
  • Patent number: 10933729
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a powertrain support mount assembly. In one example, the powertrain support mount assembly comprises a first bracket and a second bracket, the second bracket comprising an engagement feature shaped to engage with the first bracket during a vehicle collision, which adjusts a load of the second bracket to decouple from the engage and avoid contacting an auxiliary component adjacent to the powertrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Shynn, Brad Staines, Michael Spurling, Vlad Sunjerian, Alan Thorpe, Peter Brook, Jonathan Horseman, Matthew Sykes
  • Patent number: 10919578
    Abstract: A vehicle body rear floor structure includes a rear floor panel arranged on a vehicle body rear portion, and a rear crossmember being mounted on the rear floor panel and extending in the vehicle width direction. The rear crossmember is formed as separate parts in advance, including a crossmember-front and a crossmember-rear arranged on a rear side of the crossmember-front, wherein the crossmember-front and the crossmember-rear are separate parts before forming the rear crossmember and are integrally joined to form the rear crossmember.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Maru
  • Patent number: 10773752
    Abstract: A reinforcing member is provided inside a closed cross section of a front side frame at a position, in a vehicle longitudinal direction, which corresponds to a forming position of a bead. The reinforcing member extends between an outward side wall portion and an inward side wall portion of the front side frame. The reinforcing member is joined to the outward side wall portion and the inward side wall portion of the front side frame. A joint length, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, of the reinforcing member and the inward side wall portion is set to be longer than that of the reinforcing member and the outward side wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakamura, Hiroto Kido, Yasushi Ishikawa, Atsushi Kawamoto, Daisuke Kanamaru, Yuuki Uchiba
  • Patent number: 10717468
    Abstract: In a vehicle body front structure, a sub frame is fixed to front mount brackets and rear mount brackets of a pair of front side frames. A power unit is arranged on the front side of the sub frame in the vehicle body, and the power unit is supported by the pair of front side frames. A tilt surface is formed on the sub frame, and the tilt surface tilts to ascend toward the rear of the vehicle body. A rear portion of the power unit faces the tilt surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukiyasu Hara, Tetsuhiro Arima, Yasuhito Sato, Tomoya Takeda, Hirokazu Kobayashi, Akihiro Ikeya, Akira Kobayashi, Ken Yasui, Eisei Higuchi
  • Patent number: 10618484
    Abstract: A vehicle body structure deflector system for small overlap frontal impact includes a first shock tower and a second shock tower. A cross member is positioned between each of the first shock tower and the second shock tower. A first deflector is connected to the first shock tower and a second deflector is connected to the second shock tower. If one of the first deflector or the second deflector is contacted by a barrier during forward travel of the vehicle a portion of an energy of impact with the barrier is transferred through one of the first shock tower or the second shock tower, through the cross member and into the other shock tower. The portion of the energy of impact with the barrier generates a vehicle lateral displacement to dissipate the portion of the energy of impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Amlanjyoti Barman, Andre T. Matsumoto, Zohir Molhem, Andrew W. White
  • Patent number: 10604093
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure includes: a bumper reinforcement; a power unit including a right device and a left device; a dash section located at a position rearward of the power unit; and a rearward supporting part provided between a dash section and the power unit. The bumper reinforcement includes a first breakage initiation point having a relatively lower bending strength than bending strengths of other portions of the bumper reinforcement. The position of the first breakage initiation point is set such that when a columnar object collides against the vicinity of the center in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, the first breakage initiation point transfers a collision load to one of the right device and the left device which is supported by the rearward supporting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naohiro Saito, Junichi Takayanagi, Ryoichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10596893
    Abstract: A vehicle transmission apparatus, for an automotive vehicle that has a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, is contained within an engine compartment of the vehicle and includes a vehicle transmission and a roll initiator operable to rotate the vehicle transmission about the lateral axis of the vehicle. The roll initiator is attached to vehicle transmission and has a projecting portion that is arranged to engage with a structure within the engine compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Spurling, Daniel Meckenstock, Marius Sawatzki, Simon Jesse, Herbert Gonska, Dongpeng Kou, Wayne Vinh Lam
  • Patent number: 10589789
    Abstract: A vehicle body front part structure includes: a pair of right and left front side frames each extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; a pair of right and left upper members each extending in the vehicle front-rear direction at respective outer sides in a vehicle width direction of the pair of right and left front side frames; and a pair of right and left lower members each located at a vehicle front side of each of the upper members and each allowing a vehicle front side end part thereof to be coupled to each of the front side frames. In the vehicle body front part structure, each of the lower members is composed of a pipe member, and the vehicle front side end part of each of the lower members linearly extends in an up-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Sekiya, Akira Haga
  • Patent number: 10562386
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes an engine assembly housed in a bay, a subframe adjacent a bottom of the bay, a bulkhead adjacent a rear of the bay, and a catch structure extending laterally across the bay above the subframe and adjacent an upper end of the bulkhead. A lower catch hook is coupled to the engine assembly and configured to engage the subframe and transfer load from the engine assembly to the subframe when the engine assembly moves toward the bulkhead during a collision. An upper catch hook is coupled to the engine assembly and configured to engage the catch structure and transfer load from the engine assembly to the catch structure when the engine assembly moves toward the bulkhead during the collision. The catch structure may be a cable connected to left and right suspension towers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Spurling
  • Patent number: 10518620
    Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell mounting structure including: a pair of left and right vibration-proofing members that are provided due to front side joining portions and rear side joining portions being mounted to suspension members; and a fuel cell that is supported at least by the pair of left and right vibration-proofing members, and is disposed at vehicle body upper sides of the suspension members, wherein one of the front side joining portions and the rear side joining portions are supported so as to be rotatable with a vehicle transverse direction being an axis of rotation, and another of the front side joining portions and the rear side joining portions are structured so as to break away from the suspension members, due to weak portions breaking at a time when load is inputted to the fuel cell from a vehicle body longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Yamafuji, Fumihiro Abukawa
  • Patent number: 10486751
    Abstract: A side vehicle body structure prevents a fastening bolt of a cowl member from being loosened while suppressing production cost. The structure includes a pair of left and right suspension towers each formed so as to expand into an engine room and supporting a buffer device of a front suspension, and a cowl member extending forward from an upper end portion of a dash panel separating the engine room from a vehicle interior. Left and right end portions of the cowl member are coupled to respective top portions of the suspension towers by a pair of fastening portions using bolts, and each fastening portion includes a first bolt fastening portion arranged inward of a corresponding center of the top portion and at least partially overlapping a line connecting the centers, and a second bolt fastening portion arranged at a front side of the first bolt fastening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Nakauchi, Nobuyuki Nakayama, Takayuki Nakamae, Kazuya Ochi
  • Patent number: 10471994
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure includes a powertrain unit disposed in a front portion of a vehicle; a suspension cross member disposed behind the powertrain unit and extending in a vehicle width direction; and a bracket fastened to a boss portion provided in a housing of the powertrain unit. The bracket contacts a receiving surface of the suspension cross member due to backward movement of the powertrain unit during a vehicle front collision. The bracket includes a buffer portion disposed between a fastened portion that is fastened to the boss portion and a contact portion that contacts the receiving surface of the suspension cross member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiko Ikeda, Fumiaki Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 10370035
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a motor guidance component is configured to guide a dislodged electric motor away from one or more protected areas of the electric vehicle in response to crash forces. In a further embodiment, the motor guidance component may be configured to guide the one dislodged electric motor in an upwards direction (e.g., above the one or more protected areas) or in a downwards direction (e.g., below the one or more protected areas).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: InEVit LLC
    Inventors: Heiner Fees, Alexander Eichhorn, Ralf Maisch
  • Patent number: 10363964
    Abstract: A stay includes a first-bolt hole portion fastened to a body frame by a first bolt, a second-bolt hole portion fastened to a subframe by a second bolt, a recessed portion disposed between the first-bolt hole portion and the second-bolt hole portion and recessed downward, and a cutout portion continuous with the first-bolt hole portion and formed by cutting out a part of the recessed portion. The dimension of the recessed portion in its depth direction is equal to or larger than the dimension of the head portion of the first bolt in its height direction. The widthwise dimension of the cutout portion in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the stay is set to be smaller than the largest outer diameter of the head portion of the first bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshiya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10358024
    Abstract: An electric-drive vehicle structure is provided, which includes a cross member bridged between side frames in a front part of a vehicle, a motor suspended below the cross member, a tray fixed to an upper surface of the cross member, and an electric unit for driving a motor, fixed onto the tray. A front edge of the electric unit is located forward of a front edge of the cross member, and the tray has a front edge located, throughout a width thereof, forward of the electric unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Yugami, Ikuo Nonaka, Yoshiaki Noguchi, Koji Jahara, Takashi Hamada, Tadasuke Abe, Kazuki Hirota
  • Patent number: 10343719
    Abstract: A body arrangement for a front-end structure of a motor vehicle has a lower main longitudinal member arrangement, on the front end of which there is arranged a shock-absorbing transverse member, an upper member arrangement, which runs above a wheel suspension, and a tension strap which is fastened at a first fastening point to a front region of the main longitudinal member arrangement and at a second fastening point to the upper member arrangement. The first fastening point and the second fastening point are spaced apart in a vehicle transverse direction. The tension strap is arranged such that, in the event of a frontal collision of the motor vehicle with a small overlap, in the case of which a collision partner strikes the upper member arrangement of the motor vehicle laterally with respect to the longitudinal member arrangement, the tension strap, under tension, supports the upper member arrangement on the main longitudinal member arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Von Hasselbach, Florian Woelfle
  • Patent number: 10286868
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining an inner resistance of a supply network for supplying energy to an occupant protection system of a vehicle. The occupant protection system includes a charging unit connected to the supply network using a primary interface and to an energy buffer store using a secondary interface for the temporary storage of energy for activating occupant protection devices system and for supplying the system after being separated from the supply network. The method includes impressing a first charge current value at the secondary interface, and a first current/voltage at the primary interface during the impression. Further, a second, different, charge current value is impressed at the secondary interface. The method also includes determining a second current/voltage at the primary interface during the impression, and ascertaining the inner resistance of the supply network, using the detected first current and second current and/or the first voltage and the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Carsten List, Hartmut Schumacher
  • Patent number: 10266045
    Abstract: A battery holder arrangement for a vehicle that includes a battery and at least one bodywork component having at least one projection which acts as a catch for the battery. In a normal state of the vehicle, the battery is not held by the projection, and in a damaged state of the vehicle, the battery is held by the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: MAGNA STEYR Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Dietmar Goettfried, Stefan Maier, Peter Nell, Juergen Taucher
  • Patent number: 10263273
    Abstract: A cell voltage control unit is provided on a lower surface of a stack body of a fuel cell stack. The cell voltage control unit is connected to cell voltage terminals for monitoring cell voltage. A protection member is provided on a second end plate where the cell voltage control unit is provided. The protection member has protrusions protruding from both sides of the protection member in a horizontal direction, and a body portion having a vertically elongated shape so as to extend to a front face of the cell voltage control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaharu Sato, Masahiko Sato, Masahiro Kawahara, Akihiro Suzuki, Takanori Mori, Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Kazuma Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10227093
    Abstract: A sub-frame and method in a sub-frame arrangement in a vehicle wherein said sub-frame arrangement comprises a sub-frame, a body member, and a first and second attachment socket. Each attachment socket is adapted to host a fastening means arranged in a through going apertures of each attachment socket and adapted to fasten said sub-frame to the body member. The fastening means are adapted to fasten a front section of said sub-frame, first and second attachment sockets each comprises a weakened portion arranged at an angle separated from the vehicle deformation direction during a front collision, and the weakened portions are adapted to give way releasing the sub-frame in the event of deformation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ningbo Geely Automobile Research & Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom Stoddart, Dan Adamsson
  • Patent number: 10131381
    Abstract: A joint for a vehicle can direct forces away from an interior of the vehicle and along a frame rail. The joint can pivot when subjected to a high force, and the pivoting action can redirect and redistribute the force away from a passenger compartment. The joint can comprise multiple pivot points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: FARADAY & FUTURE INC.
    Inventors: Umran Ashraf, John Michael Colt, Rene Johan Veltman, Cory Denis Borghi, Ye Jin, Gregory Scott Zinkel
  • Patent number: 10099551
    Abstract: A power train supporting structure for a vehicle is provided with: a power train including a transversely disposed engine, a transmission, and a transfer; and a rear mount bracket which connects a rear portion of the power train and a suspension cross member. A front portion of the rear mount bracket is connected to the transfer at a position which is below a drive shaft, and is in a vehicle up-down directional area that is an overlapping of the transmission and the transfer in view of the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yousuke Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 10093358
    Abstract: A front suspension structure has a front portion on a first side member of a vehicle frame and a rear portion on the first side member rearward of the front portion. A front wheel is supported by a wheel support structure that is pivotally mounted to a front suspension structure of the first side member. A stop structure is installed to the first side member at the rear portion of the front suspension structure. The stop structure extends in an outboard direction of the first side member. The stop structure has a stop surface that defines an angle relative to the vehicle longitudinal direction between 110 and 130 degrees. In response to an impact event to a front area of the front wheel, the front wheel pivots relative to the wheel support structure moving a rear area of the front wheel into contact with the stop surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Takao Tani, Takemi Nishikawa, Kazunori Iimi, Hideo Aimoto, Naoki Kamizawa, Joseph Bruno Buratto, Perry McConnell, Michael James McGory
  • Patent number: 10077014
    Abstract: A body-mounted tire blocker assembly can absorb and/or manage energy when a vehicle body assembly is subjected to an external force. This vehicle body assembly may include a vehicle body defining a passenger compartment. The vehicle body further includes a rocker panel defining a first panel end and a second panel end opposite the first panel end. The tire blocker assembly is coupled to the rocker panel and includes a first blocker body and a second blocker body coupled to the first blocker body. The first blocker body is farther from the first panel end than the second blocker body in order to guide a wheel away from the passenger compartment when an external force is applied to the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Huai-yang Chiang, Vikas V. Joshi, Hari Prasada Reddy Lingala, Warren J. Parsons, Terry A. Swartzell
  • Patent number: 10074868
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a bracket and a boss. The bracket includes an attachment surface. The bracket includes an attachment and detachment hole and an opening hole. The boss includes a bearing surface and a locking surface part. The locking surface part is connected to the bearing surface and protrudes in an outside direction such that at least a part of the locking surface part overlaps with the attachment surface part viewed from an attachment direction when a center of the attachment and detachment hole coincides with a center of the bearing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Nara, Tadashi Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 10071772
    Abstract: A power unit mounting structure of a vehicle includes a power unit 100, a sub frame 200 disposed below the power unit 100 in the vehicle height direction and at least one attaching bracket 220 for attaching the power unit 100 on the sub frame 200, the power unit 100 has an arm 210 extended from the main body portion thereof to the attaching bracket 220, a tip portion of the arm 210 is axially supported on a pair of shaft supporting portions 221 of the attaching bracket 220 with a shaft member 213 extended to the width direction of the vehicle, and the shaft supporting portion 221 of the attaching bracket 220 has fragile portions 222, 223 which break when the impact is applied such that the aria 210 of the power unit 100 shifts to the front direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuma Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9988004
    Abstract: A vehicle frame component for limiting the movement of the wheel of the vehicle toward the cab of a cab on frame vehicle including a base member welded to openings in the frame side rail and extending outwardly and located proximal the wheel structure. In one embodiment the vehicle frame component is located forward of the wheel and includes a tire puncture device to deflate the tire during an offset front impact and in a second embodiment the vehicle frame component is located rearward of the wheel. The vehicle frame component has particular utility during an offset front impact where the offset is less than approximately twenty-five percent (25%) of the width of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ajay Kumar Gupta, Narayana Venugopal, John Charles Caris, Mark Wlotkowski, Charles Ko, Leonard Anthony Shaner
  • Patent number: 9889886
    Abstract: A suspension member that includes: a rear cross member having a pair of secondary side rails; a front cross member; a right and left pair of front body mounts; and a right and left pair of side rails that are each formed in a closed cross-sectional shape having a higher ductility than a ductility of the front body mounts and the secondary side rails, extend in the extension direction of the secondary side rails, and are covered from vehicle body upper side by and joined to the front body mounts in a state in which vehicle body rear side sections of the side rails are covered from their vehicle body upper side by and joined to the secondary side rails and vehicle body front side sections of the side rails overlap front end portions of the front body mounts as seen in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Soshiro Murata, Takashi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9828032
    Abstract: A vehicle front section structure includes a front side member, a gusset that juts out from a side face of a front end of the front side member, a bumper reinforcement that is disposed at a front end side of the vehicle body front section, and a crash box that is disposed between front ends of the front side member and the gusset, and an outer side section of the bumper reinforcement, that couples both of the front ends and the outer side section together, and undergoes compressive plastic deformation due to collision load. A flat portion is integrally formed at an end of the bumper reinforcement, with a front face of the flat portion extending along the vehicle width direction and a vehicle up-down direction and, in vehicle front view, overlapping with a side wall portion at the vehicle width direction outer side of the crash box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN TAKAOKA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Watanabe, Tatsuya Komamura, Yasunori Iwamoto, Ikuto Hirai
  • Patent number: 9821853
    Abstract: In a vehicle front part structure of a vehicle body, a gusset member is disposed in front of a front pillar. The gusset member is positioned so as to overlap with at least a front tire in the vertical direction of the vehicle body. The gusset member covers at least a portion of a lower portion of the front pillar on a front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The gusset member has a stepped portion on a front side thereof in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The stepped portion extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle body and makes a portion of the gusset member disposed inside in the vehicle width direction positioned relatively in front of a portion of the gusset member disposed outside in the vehicle width direction in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KYUSHU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi Torikawa, Shigeru Kaji, Kenji Chiba
  • Patent number: 9815497
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a side support extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a drive unit spaced apart from the side support in a vehicle lateral direction, where the drive unit includes a crankshaft extending in the vehicle lateral direction, and a spacer member positioned between the side support and the drive unit in the vehicle lateral direction, where the spacer member coupled to one of the drive unit and the side support, and the spacer member is detached and spaced apart from the other of the drive unit and the side support, and where the spacer member is positioned rearward of the crankshaft in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Tyler E. Schnug
  • Patent number: 9783237
    Abstract: A vehicle front section structure includes a front side member, a gusset that juts out from a side face of a front end of the front side member, a bumper reinforcement that is disposed at a front end side of the vehicle body front section, and a crash box that is disposed between front ends of the front side member and the gusset, and an outer side section of the bumper reinforcement, that couples both of the front ends and the outer side section together, and undergoes compressive plastic deformation due to collision load. A flat portion is integrally formed at an end of the bumper reinforcement, with a front face of the flat portion extending along the vehicle width direction and a vehicle up-down direction and, in vehicle front view, overlapping with a side wall portion at the vehicle width direction outer side of the crash box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN TAKAOKA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Watanabe, Tatsuya Komamura, Yasunori Iwamoto, Ikuto Hirai
  • Patent number: 9758091
    Abstract: A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, activating hazard lights of an electrified vehicle in response to a high voltage battery disconnect event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Bolduc, Masahiro Kimoto, Ken Jon Cunningham
  • Patent number: 9724993
    Abstract: A driving unit and a power-generating unit are separately supported on a sub-frame in such a manner to isolate vibration and are spaced away from each other in a vehicle front-rear direction, to realize good noise/vibration control ability. With respect to an external input acting in the vehicle front-rear direction, a weakened part of a mount bracket extended over the power-generating unit to the driving unit induces and promotes a buckling distortion, to demonstrate good energy absorption ability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Takashi Awaihara
  • Patent number: 9694853
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body that includes a rocker fixed to an underbody. The rocker and the under body at least in part define a front wheel well of the vehicle. A rim engagement member is cantilevered from the underbody and extends into the wheel well. The rim engagement member snags a rim of a front wheel of the vehicle and directs movement of a front wheel of the vehicle away from intrusion into a floor and/or dash of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Craig, Akshay Kulkarni, Chris Stephen O'Connor
  • Patent number: 9694775
    Abstract: A bumper structure includes: a bumper reinforcement including: a hollow body portion extending in a vehicle width direction of a vehicle; and an extending portion arranged on one end portion of the hollow body portion in a longitudinal direction of the hollow body portion; and a side member, which is formed to extend in a vehicle front-and-rear direction of the vehicle, and is configured to support one end portion of the bumper reinforcement in a longitudinal direction of the bumper reinforcement. The extending portion includes: a proximal end portion to be sandwiched between the one end portion of the hollow body portion in the longitudinal direction of the hollow body portion and one end portion of the side member in a longitudinal direction of the side member; and a protruding portion formed to extend outward from the proximal end portion in the vehicle width direction. The side member includes a projecting portion protruding outward in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: Aisin Seiji Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Keikinzoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanobu Kaneko, Kiyoichi Kita, Jun Shobo, Yuta Takanami
  • Patent number: 9676416
    Abstract: A vehicle body front portion structure is equipped with a front side member that is disposed along a vehicle front and rear direction at a vehicle width direction outer side of a power unit disposed in a vehicle body front portion. A spacer is attached to an outside portion at the vehicle width direction outer side of the front side member. The spacer has a rear side attachment portion that is joined to the outside portion of the front side member, an outside front wall portion that is positioned at the vehicle front and rear direction front side and the vehicle width direction outer side of the rear side attachment portion, and a load transmitting rib that interconnects the outside front wall portion and the rear side attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro Kitakata, Takanobu Kaneko