Frame Patents (Class 180/311)
  • Patent number: 11964525
    Abstract: A mounting structure of a dynamic damper capable of effectively reducing the vibration of a vibration body is provided. The mounting structure includes a suspension member 100 inhibiting the upward shift of a mass member 5. The suspension member 100 and plates 3 are configured as separate members, so that as compared with the case where a pair of plates 3 are coupled, the opposite interval between the plates 3 can be determined without being affected by the dimension accuracy of such the coupling portion. Thus, the thicknesses of the rubber elastic bodies 4 can foe formed at high accuracy, so that the mass member 5 can be easily vibrated at the desired frequency. Therefore, the vibration of the suspension member 100 can be effectively reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Katamura, Hikofumi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11932305
    Abstract: A steering bracket for a construction machine includes a body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a body length defined along a longitudinal axis of the body. The body includes an elongate member adapted to be coupled directly with a frame of the construction machine. The elongate member has a first length defined along the longitudinal axis and a first height defined perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The body also includes a short member adapted to be coupled directly with the frame of the construction machine. The short member is spaced apart from the elongate member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The short member has a second length defined along the longitudinal axis. The second length is less than the first length. The body further includes a plate member coupled between the elongate member and the short member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Rajendra Vavilala, Brian C. Howson, William James Hurst
  • Patent number: 11752926
    Abstract: An agricultural work vehicle includes a chassis, a cab mounted to the chassis and including a work space for an operator to control the work vehicle, and a controller for controlling operation of the work vehicle. The work vehicle further includes a lighting system having at least one array field light for illuminating an area on or around the work vehicle. A light control module is disposed in electrical communication with the controller and is configured to operably control the at least one array field light. The controller transmits a signal to the light control module, and the at least one array field light transmits a light signal corresponding to the signal which is receivable by a receiving module on another work vehicle or implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Nathan R. Demski, Eric A. Keen, Brian M. Huenink, Michael R. Gratton
  • Patent number: 11745800
    Abstract: A subframe structure includes: right and left vehicle body side frames; a vehicle body cross-member extending in the vehicle width direction between the vehicle body side frames; a load transmission member connecting a portion of each vehicle body side frame that extends longitudinally frontward from a bent portion of the vehicle body side frame and a portion that is located laterally centrally relative to the laterally outer end portions of the vehicle body cross-member; right and left longitudinal members extending along the vehicle body side frames; and a front cross-member extending in the vehicle width direction between the longitudinal members. The front cross-member has a first attachment portion attached to each longitudinal member, an extension portion extending in the vehicle width direction from the first attachment portion, and a second attachment portion attached to the load transmission member at a laterally outer end portion of the extension portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru Noguchi, Ukyo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11661020
    Abstract: A vehicle battery mount structure includes: a battery module fixed to a vehicle body; a through pipe disposed in the battery module; a fixing member configured to fix a lower case and an upper case of the battery module; and a through bolt configured to fix the battery module to a vehicle body bottom frame. The through bolt passes through the through pipe and the fixing member and is coupled to the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won Yong Ki, Ki Hyun Kim, Wook Han Choi
  • Patent number: 11607962
    Abstract: A battery enclosure, support beam for the battery enclosure and method of providing structural support to the battery enclosure. The battery enclosure includes a base having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall. The support beam extends from the first sidewall to the second sidewall. The support beam includes a body having a first beam end and a through passage. An internal stabilizer disposed within the through passage at the first beam end. The internal stabilizer includes a first stabilizer sidewall extending from a first stabilizer end to a second stabilizer end, a second stabilizer sidewall extending from the first stabilizer end to the second stabilizer end, and a bridge connecting the first stabilizer sidewall to the second stabilizer sidewall at the second stabilizer end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Tyler A. Riley, Terry A. Swartzell, Andrew W. White, Charles E. Jensen, James A. Rochon
  • Patent number: 11584441
    Abstract: A wet dry barrier support system for a vehicle includes a support structure portion with mounting locations for mounting suspension components of a vehicle, mounting locations for coupling to a body of the vehicle, and a barrier portion to provide an environmental barrier to separate a first area of the vehicle from a second area of a vehicle. The support structure portion may provide a stiff mounting interface between the body and the suspension components by transferring loads therebetween and may define a through-cavity configured to pass a vehicle component through the through-cavity. The barrier portion may plastically deform upon receiving an energetic input from an impact of the vehicle and may prevent the wet dry barrier support system from entering a passenger compartment during the impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramanjaneya Reddy Butukuri, Markus Jost, Nirmal Muralidharan, Andrew Frank Raczkowski, Paolo Ruscitti, Samantha Schoell, Thomas Andrew Stoddart, Ashley Williams
  • Patent number: 11584223
    Abstract: A transmission subassembly for a working vehicle includes an engageable front wheel drive, a transmission housing, a clutch module, and a hydraulic module. The hydraulic module is received between the clutch module and the transmission housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Josef Peters, Christoph Eisenhardt, Stefan Raisch, Thomas Busold, Clayton P. Neumann
  • Patent number: 11571773
    Abstract: A method for installing sensors to a vehicle includes fixing a plurality of tolerance compensators to the vehicle. The method includes fixing a plurality of sensor brackets to a jig. The method includes fixing the jig to a vehicle. The method includes, after fixing the sensor brackets to the jig and the jig to the vehicle, fixing the sensor brackets to the vehicle by connecting the tolerance compensators to the sensor brackets and adjusting dimensions of the tolerance compensators to maintain positions of the sensor brackets relative to the vehicle and each other, the positions defined by the jig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Robertson, Jr., Tyler D. Hamilton, Venkatesh Krishnan, Paulo Henrique Ungaretti
  • Patent number: 11548565
    Abstract: A side vehicle body structure ensures rigidity and shock absorption performance of the body, avoids widening of the body, and smooths the flow of exhaust gas. Embodiments include an engine, an exhaust apparatus, and a rear pillar extending upward from a rear-side portion of a side sill extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. The exhaust apparatus is disposed along the vehicle front-rear direction on the vehicle-width-direction outer side relative to the side sill. An exhaust system member is located at a going-around portion, with respect to the rear pillar, from the front side to the rear side and from the outer side to the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The rear pillar has a cross section orthogonal to the vehicle up-down direction having a shape in which a portion between front and rear ends is located on the vehicle-width-direction outer side relative to these front and rear ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuneki Shimanaka, Yukiko Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11453441
    Abstract: The invention relates to a subframe (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising at least three beams, of which, in the assembled state of the subframe, at least two beams (3, 4) extend at a distance from one another, substantially along the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle and at least one beam (6, 7) extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle, at least one of the beams being an extruded beam (3, 4), and at least one cast node (11) of aluminium, magnesium or an alloy based on aluminium and/or magnesium, the cast node (11) connecting the extruded beam (4) and at least one of the other beams (6) to another, wherein the cast node (11) has an arm-shaped beam connecting element (11.4), wherein the extruded beam (4) overlaps the beam connecting element (11.4), and wherein the extruded beam (4) is connected to the beam connecting element (11.4) by a weld seam (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Autotech Engineering Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Zidane Tahir, Raymond Aso, Tom Richford
  • Patent number: 11302120
    Abstract: A utility vehicle monitoring system includes a utility vehicle subsystem and a central system, wherein the utility vehicle subsystem is configured to be arranged proximate a part of a utility vehicle, wherein the central system includes a processing unit and an information transmission unit, wherein the central system is positioned independently of the utility vehicle, wherein the utility vehicle subsystem includes a transmitter unit, a receiver unit, a processing system and a sensor system, wherein the sensor system is configured to record at least one dynamic vehicle characteristic value and transmit the value to the processing system, wherein the transmitter unit and the receiver unit are configured to transmit the at least one dynamic vehicle characteristic value from the processing system to the central system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: SAF-Holland GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Hößle, Nicolas Pütz
  • Patent number: 11299223
    Abstract: The general layout for a front wheel drive, three-wheeled vehicle with two steerable driven wheels in the front of the vehicle, and the motor or motors located in the mid-section of the vehicle. The vehicle is designed for compact motors, in-hub motors, and direct connect motors which allow a significant portion of the vehicle's weight to be moved forward, while integrating location of the passenger seating, steering, and driven wheels allows for a highly stable vehicle. The layout maintains the traditional bucket or bench style seats as found in today's automobiles, and yet allows for weighting and cockpit adaptability for different market demographics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Inventors: Gregory W Kunsch, Alexander Andre Kunsch
  • Patent number: 11273870
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle-body structure of a vehicle which can achieve both absorption of a front-end collision load acting on a side sill via a front wheel and prevention of receding of the front wheel toward the vehicle-width-direction inner side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuji Muraoka, Makoto Morimoto, Haruki Kiguchi, Satoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11247726
    Abstract: A subframe assembly for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed. The subframe assembly includes a crossmember, a straight arm, and a side bracket. The crossmember includes an end bracket disposed at an end thereof. The straight arm is received into and metallurgically bonded to the end bracket of the crossmember. The side bracket includes a base, and a rear bracket arm. The base is metallurgically bonded to a side of the straight arm adjacent to the end of the crossmember. The rear bracket arm extends from an end of the base and defines a hole adapted to receive a screw or pin for connecting a control arm of a wheel suspension to the subframe assembly. The rear bracket arm is at least partially received into and metallurgically bonded to the end bracket of the crossmember.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Johan Eklund
  • Patent number: 11124076
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electric vehicle comprising a chassis, a front axle and a rear axle spaced apart and coupled to the chassis, and a battery frame assembly coupled to the chassis between the front axle and the rear axle. The battery frame assembly comprises a plurality of transversely extending members and a plurality of longitudinally extending members, wherein the plurality of transversely extending members and the plurality of longitudinally extending members define a matrix of battery pack receptacles configured to receive at least one battery pack. The battery frame assembly is configured to deflect torsionally in response to torsional deflection of the front axle relative to the rear axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Nikola Corporation
    Inventors: Cory Borghi, Saeid Emami
  • Patent number: 10953921
    Abstract: A vehicle body front structure includes: a front subframe; left and right suspension lower arms swingably supported by the front subframe; and a steering gearbox supported by the front subframe. The front subframe includes left and right longitudinal members extending in a fore-and-aft direction, a cross member extending laterally and joined to the longitudinal members, and front and rear lower arm supports provided on each longitudinal member to be spaced from each other in the fore-and-aft direction and swingably supporting the corresponding lower arm. The steering gearbox includes a laterally extending rack shaft and a pair of joints provided at either end of the rack shaft and joined to ends of respective tie rods. The longitudinal members extend obliquely to approach each other toward rear, and the rear lower arm supports are positioned more laterally inward than the respective joints when the rack shaft is in a neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sakai, Kosuke Matsushita, Hiroshi Imanishi
  • Patent number: 10926628
    Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle mounted with a fuel gas tank in an underfloor of the vehicle. The fuel cell vehicle includes: a floor that has a projecting portion projecting upward in a height direction of the vehicle and extending along a front and rear direction of the vehicle; a fuel gas tank arranged under the projecting portion in the height direction of the vehicle and fixed to the floor; and an undercover arranged under the fuel gas tank in the height direction of the vehicle. The undercover has a fixation protruded portion that projects upward in the height direction of the vehicle in a side of the fuel gas tank in a width direction of the vehicle, and being fixed to the floor by the fixation protruded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori Otsura, Shigeaki Murata
  • Patent number: 10913417
    Abstract: An energy absorbing structure for a vehicle includes a body having an outer periphery defined by one or more outer walls. An inner periphery of the body is defined by and extends between the one or more outer walls. A first end and a second end of the body are defined by the one or more outer walls. A transverse plate is disposed within and extending at least partially through the inner periphery of the body to provide structural support to the body, wherein the transverse plate cooperates with and extends between the first wall and the opposing second wall. The transverse plate divides the inner periphery into a first compartment defined between the third wall and the transverse plate and a second compartment defined between the fourth wall and the transverse plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Bradley A. Newcomb, Robert N. Saje, Xiaosong Huang
  • Patent number: 10737728
    Abstract: A catcher bracket is provided to protrude from a bottom wall of an inner torque box in a downward direction. Collapse beads which become starting points of collapse deformation in an up-and-down direction are formed on bent portions which correspond to boundaries between an inner wall and a rear wall and between an outer wall and the rear wall of the catcher bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Motoyuki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10689034
    Abstract: A subframe for a motor vehicle is provided with at least two structural elements extending in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and with at least one structural element extending in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle, a plurality of first bearing elements for connecting the subframe to a chassis of the motor vehicle, and at least two second bearing elements for connecting an assembly to the subframe. At least one of the first bearing elements and at least one of the second bearing elements are arranged at a common bearing console, which is attached to the at least one structural element extending in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Sven Schmalzrieth
  • Patent number: 10569663
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to autonomous vehicle platforms and autonomous vehicles including such platforms. For example, an autonomous vehicle can include a bisymmetrical platform including a first portion, a second portion, a third portion and a fourth portion that collectively provide a supporting structure for the autonomous vehicle and that respectively comprise a wheel mounting frame configured for location of a wheel assembly. A body including front and rear sides and first and second lateral sides can be positioned on top of the bisymmetrical platform configured to receive passengers for transport. The autonomous vehicle can also include a plurality of wheel assemblies configured for secure positioning relative to each wheel mounting frame within the bisymmetrical platform and a powertrain configured to power the plurality of wheel assemblies for operation of the autonomous vehicle to travel in either a forward direction or a rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventor: Clifford Shaun Webb
  • Patent number: 10563562
    Abstract: An exhaust pipe assembly comprises an exhaust pipe extending along a pipe axis and a fastening panel that is mounted to the exhaust pipe. The cross-section of the fastening panel is configured in a curved manner, and two contact surfaces of the fastening panel, which are spaced apart in the circumferential direction, are soldered to the exhaust pipe. A support connected with the fastening panel is arranged between the two contact surfaces of the fastening panel. The fastening panel can be fastened to the exhaust pipe by the following steps: an exhaust pipe and a sheet-metal tab are provided; a soldering material is then captively fixed to the sheet-metal tab; and the sheet-metal tab is then arranged on the exhaust pipe such that the soldering material contacts the exhaust pipe to finally solder the sheet-metal tab to the exhaust pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Lampe, Bernhard Mayereder, Julian Raphael Olm
  • Patent number: 10562571
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a double-bend double-girder structure for a scooter. A frame comprises a frame body; at a front end of the frame body, two girders arranged longitudinally in a front-rear direction, a mandrel arranged transversely in a left-right direction and fixed to the girders, and a tiller arranged vertically are provided; one shock absorber is fixed to each of left and right ends of the mandrel, and a lower end of the shock absorber is fixed to a front wheel bar, an outer end of which is fixed to a front wheel; and each of the girders consists of a front girder segment, a middle girder segment and a rear girder segment, the front girder segment being relatively located above the rear girder segment, and the middle girder segment being arranged between the front girder segment and the rear girder segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: HENGDIAN GROUP INNUOVO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tianbo Xu
  • Patent number: 10562569
    Abstract: A rear subframe structure is provided with a rear subframe configured such that a front cross member, a rear cross member, a pair of left and right upper side members, and a pair of left and right lower side members are connected; and a vehicle-body mounting portion formed. The rear subframe further includes a lower-arm support portion. The front cross member has a closed section, and a front portion of the closed section extends downwardly by forward and downward inclination of a left lateral portion and a right lateral portion of the front cross member. The lower-arm support portion is formed on a lower rear portion of the left lateral portion and the right lateral portion of the front cross member. The upper side member is connected to an upper rear portion of the left lateral portion and the right lateral portion of the front cross member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaaki Tanaka, Katsuyuki Komiya
  • Patent number: 10494038
    Abstract: The vibration of a cab deck as well as the mass of a deck supporting member is suppressed. A slewing frame of an upper slewing body includes a front plate connected to a second side plate. A cab deck is disposed on a front side of an engine deck with a gap between the cab deck and the engine deck. A deck supporting member is connected to the second side plate and the cab deck. When viewed along an up-and-down direction, a connection portion of the front plate to be connected to the second side plate is opposed to, in the lateral direction via the second side plate, a connection portion of the deck supporting member to be connected to the second side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Irie, Takahiro Shinozaki, Yoshimune Mori, Masashi Kawabata, Kiyotsuna Kuchiki, Tomonori Nakashita, Masaya Nishizawa, Yasumasa Kimura, Eri Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10336370
    Abstract: A frame structure for an all-terrain vehicle includes upper main frame members and lower main frame members extending in a longitudinal direction of the frame structure. The lower main frame members have forward and rearward portions mounted to the upper main frame members and central portions extended in a lateral direction of the frame structure outward of the upper main frame members. A component mounting bracket is mounted to a forward end portion of the upper main frame members, upper forward suspension sub-frame members, and second sub-frame members disposed bridgingly between the upper main frame members and the upper forward suspension sub-frame members. A battery pack charger is mounted to the component mounting bracket in a space between component mounting bracket and a grille.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard M. Lowery, Jr., Justin M. Winter
  • Patent number: 10207574
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes side sills that are disposed in pairs on the right and left sides of the motor vehicle and that has bag-shaped cross-sections when viewed from the front of the motor vehicle and a floor panel that constitutes bottoms of at least a passenger compartment and that is coupled to the side sills. The motor vehicle further includes a battery panel that is disposed below the floor panel so as to support batteries and that is coupled to the side sills and a battery movement allowance mechanism that allows movement of the batteries toward the inside of the side sills when the batteries are moved to one side in a vehicle-width direction and, consequently, a load from the batteries is applied to the side sills.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ozawa, Yu Onodera, Keita Sato
  • Patent number: 10112470
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a chassis frame and a battery pack disposed below and engaged to the chassis frame. The chassis frame includes a first cross member, and the battery pack includes a support structure having a first cross component. The first cross component co-extends with, and is engaged to, the first cross member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David P. Hamilton, Raviraj U. Nayak, Amit Kumar
  • Patent number: 10093183
    Abstract: In order to limit entry of a fuel cell stack into a passenger compartment by a simple structure, the fuel cell stack is accommodated in an accommodating compartment formed at a rear of a passenger compartment. A force receiving member is arranged forward with respect to the fuel cell stack and below the fuel cell stack so that rearward force acts on the force receiving member at the time of vehicle collision. When the rearward force acting on the force receiving member due to vehicle collision is larger than a predetermined upper limit value, the rearward force is converted into upward force, and the upward force is transmitted to a forward bottom surface of the fuel cell stack, whereby a forward end part of the fuel cell stack is lifted up with respect to a rearward end part of the fuel cell stack upon vehicle collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeaki Murata
  • Patent number: 10059183
    Abstract: A main frame includes a pair of left and right first frame pieces which extends rearwardly from above an engine, a pair of left and right second frame pieces each extending from a front portion in a direction slantwise downwardly and rearwardly of the associated first frame piece, and a pair of left and right third frame pieces each extending rearwardly from a lower end of the associated second frame piece through laterally of a cylinder block. The first mount section for supporting the front portion of the engine is constituted by a rubber mount in which a pair of left and right support portions, provided at respective joints between the second frame pieces and the third frame pieces, and a pair of first to-be-supported portions are connected together. The support portions are connected together through a connecting member that extends in a leftward and rightward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Wada, Takeshi Kashihara, Shunichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9988116
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a frame body defining a cabin area and an engine area. The engine area is primarily accessible from the cabin area during installation of the engine assembly. A seat frame is removably attached to the frame body in the cabin area, and a seat assembly is removably attached to the seat frame. A method of installing the engine assembly during the assembly of the motor vehicle includes the steps of lowering the engine assembly into the cabin area of the frame body, moving the engine assembly along a longitudinal axis into the engine area of the frame body, lowering the engine assembly onto an engine mount in the engine area of the frame body, attaching the seat frame to the frame body in the cabin area, and attaching the seat assembly to the seat frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dakota D Kirtland, Jason M Owens, Dustin L Hinders, Daniel T Sellars, Travis Barkey
  • Patent number: 9963332
    Abstract: A fork carriage for an industrial truck, which has a load-side main metal sheet, a fork-side main metal sheet and a driver-side main metal sheet, which are connected to a box-shaped fork carriage body with six flat sides, wherein the fork-side main metal sheet has two connecting interfaces for two fork prongs, the load-side main metal sheet has laterally two folded side plates, on each of which a kinematics interface is arranged, and the driver-side main metal sheet has a folded cover plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Jungheinrich Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Michael Schueler
  • Patent number: 9932893
    Abstract: A system includes a cast mounting tower having an upper portion configured to support an engine, a generator, or any combination thereof and a plurality of ribs coupled to and supporting the upper portion of the mounting tower. The plurality of ribs extend from the upper portion in a direction crosswise to the upper portion, the upper portion and the plurality of ribs are integrally coupled as a one-piece structure of the cast mounting tower, and the cast mounting tower is configured to couple to a frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Pavan Chakravarthy Nandigama, Peter Watson, Manikandan Suriyanarayanan
  • Patent number: 9789906
    Abstract: A strengthening member for a motor vehicle and a vehicle including a strengthening member are provided. The strengthening member can have a cross-section that has twenty-eight corners and includes sides and corners arranged to create sixteen internal angles and twelve external angles. The strengthening member can have a cross-section that includes a central portion and four lobe portions. The vehicle may include a strengthening member that has twenty-eight corners and includes sides and corners arranged to create sixteen internal angles and twelve external angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Tau Tyan
  • Patent number: 9789909
    Abstract: A utility vehicle includes a plurality of ground engaging members and a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members. Additionally, the utility vehicle includes an operator area having a front seating section and a rear seating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Brent A. Erspamer, Brian J. Seidel, Richard D. Ripley, Dennis J. Lutz
  • Patent number: 9783038
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle battery clamping device comprising: a fixed beam (72) provided on a frame of a vehicle; a handle rotary shaft (73) provided on the fixed beam (72), a winding wheel train (731) provided on the handle rotary shaft (73); a steel wire rope (732) wound around the winding wheel train; a front rotary shaft (741) rotationally connected to the fixed beam (72); a rear rotary shaft (743) rotationally connected to the frame; a synchronous belt (75), with both ends being respectively wound around the front rotary shaft (741) and the rear rotary shaft (743); and a guide wheel assembly (76) provided on the fixed beam (72), wherein the steel wire rope (732) passes through the guide wheel assembly (76) and has its two ends respectively connected to the synchronous belt (75); and the two batteries are respectively clamped on each side of the vehicle battery clamping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SHENZHEN ZHILUN DRIVING TECHNOLOGY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shugang Gong, Lei Zeng, Huilong Yang, Shaorong Lin, Liguang Peng
  • Patent number: 9776662
    Abstract: A sub-frame structure includes right and left side members extending in a vehicle front-rear direction, and a rear cross member extending in a vehicle width direction. The sub-frame structure is configured to support a vehicle power plant such as an engine through antivibration devices, and to be supported by a vehicle body frame. The right and left side members are rigidly fixed to a vehicle body frame through bolts. A first antivibration device is mounted on a front cross beam. First bushes and second bushes are provided in order to support the front cross beam in a floating manner relative to the right and left side members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Hirano, Tetsuya Miyahara
  • Patent number: 9726320
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for elastic suspension of an assembly of reservoirs (50, 60) on the underbody of a motor vehicle. The reservoirs (50, 60) are mounted substantially in parallel and have a substantially cylindrical general shape terminated by two shaped end pieces (50A, 50B; 60A, 60B). Said novel suspension device comprises two flanges (10, 11), which fit closely to the shaped end pieces (50A, 50B; 60A, 60B) of the reservoirs (50, 60) and are linked together by tie rods (30) gripping said reservoirs (50, 60), and a plurality of arms (40A, 40B, 40C, 40D) which link the flanges (10, 11) to a plurality of elastic connection points of the suspension device on the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Technoboost
    Inventors: Arnaud Mlinaric, Laurent Gagliardini, Arnaud Le Dren
  • Patent number: 9708022
    Abstract: A pump mounting seat surface is formed on a rear lower portion of a fuel tank. An approximately strip-shaped tank rear stay is mounted such that the tank rear stay escapes a pump mounting seat of the pump mounting seat surface. Both ends of the tank rear stay in the longitudinal direction project outward from the rear lower portion as mounting end portions. The mounting end portions are made to overlap with tank rear mounting bosses formed on center frames, and are fastened to the tank rear mounting bosses by bolts from above. A mounting member is not arranged below the pump mounting seat surface and hence, it is possible to ensure a space for a pipe of a fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Nishida, Mitsuya Kawamura
  • Patent number: 9701345
    Abstract: A reinforcement is configured to have a corner portion corresponding to a corner portion of a side sill inner. Herein, the corner portion of the reinforcement forms a reinforcement ridgeline extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The reinforcement is provided such that the reinforcement ridgeline and a side-sill-inner upper ridgeline formed at a corner portion of the side sill inner overlap with each other over a range from a specified area where a wheel outward displaced in a vehicle collision is capable of contacting a side sill to a connection portion where a cross member connects to the side sill inner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahide Kanemori, Nobuyuki Nakayama, Akihiro Kawano, Hideyuki Tsukamoto, Soukichi Kikuchi, Takashi Hamada
  • Patent number: 9676417
    Abstract: A vehicle body front section structure includes a front side member, an outer side frame member, a linking member, and a reinforcing structure. The outer side frame member is disposed separated from the front side member at a vehicle width direction outer side, has a vehicle front-rear direction rear end connected to an apron section or to a front pillar, and has a vehicle front-rear direction front end side overlapping with a vehicle front-rear direction front end side of the front side member in side view. The linking member links the vehicle front-rear direction front end side of the front side member and the vehicle front-rear direction front end side of the outer side frame member, and is input with a collision load. The reinforcing structure reinforces the outer side frame member at a portion of the outer side frame member overlapping with the front side member in side view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenjiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 9656693
    Abstract: A structure for fastening a stiffening bar includes a floor panel covering a bottom side of a vehicle body. A sub-frame is mounted on the floor panel and extends in a width direction of the vehicle body. A pair of center side members are mounted to the sub-frame and extend longitudinally at both sides of the bottom side of the vehicle body. A pair of rear side members extend longitudinally below the pair of center side members. The stiffening bar is mounted to the pair of rear side members so that a bottom side of the stiffening bar is higher than bottom sides of the pair of rear side members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Sung Hoon Cho, Seong Wook Seo
  • Patent number: 9616929
    Abstract: A cross-member is provided for a vehicle having a frame structure including two longitudinal beams, wherein the cross-member includes a main portion and two end-sections wherein each end section includes an outer surface for facing an inner surface of a longitudinal frame beam wherein the cross-member includes at least one protrusion extending from the outer surface of the end-sections for being introduced into a hole or notch of the frame beam for forming a form-lock to one more components to be mounted to the longitudinal frame beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Göran Levin, Bengt Kölqvist
  • Patent number: 9555756
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure includes: a pair of right and left front side members extending in the vehicle front-rear direction; load receiving members each projecting from a corresponding one of the front side members outward in the vehicle-width direction, having an outer side surface in the vehicle-width direction, which is tilted inward in the vehicle-width direction from the vehicle front side toward the vehicle rear side; and protruding members each disposed forward of a corresponding one of the load receiving members in the vehicle front-rear direction, each protruding forward in the vehicle front-rear direction, and each having a front end portion and a rear end portion, the rear end portion being fixed at a position at which at least a part of the protruding member overlaps with the corresponding load receiving member in a front view of the vehicle, and the front end portion being a free end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Chitoshi Sugano, Yasunori Iwamoto, Kenichi Murayama
  • Patent number: 9545951
    Abstract: A vehicle-body front structure includes vehicle-body side structural members extending in a front-rear direction of a vehicle body at both sides of the vehicle body, a power train arranged between the vehicle-body side structural members at the both sides of the vehicle body, and a load transmission member attached to at least one of the vehicle-body side structural members or the power train with at least part of the load transmission member located outside the vehicle-body side structural members in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle body. The load transmission member is configured to transmit at least part of impact load received from an obstacle in front of the vehicle body to the vehicle body via the power train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamasa Ono, Kouji Hosomi, Tomoyuki Nakao
  • Patent number: 9540046
    Abstract: The invention relates to a subframe for a motor vehicle, comprising two front node elements (1) for connecting to a vehicle body, which node elements are spaced from each other in a vehicle transverse direction (y) and are connected to each other by means of a front subframe cross member (3), and comprising at least one functional part (28), in particular a rotary actuator, which extends adjacently to the subframe cross member (3) in a vehicle transverse direction (y), by means of which functional part a torsion can be applied to torsion springs that act on the vehicle wheel suspension. According to the invention, the subframe cross member (3) has an opening, which provides an additional installation space, in which the functional part (28) at least partially protrudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Tobias Kramer, Jakob Bosch
  • Patent number: 9527463
    Abstract: A bumper beam assembly includes a bumper reinforcement beam that connects to right and left side members of a vehicle at a rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam at a respective bumper beam connecting location and that extend rearward therefrom in a vehicle longitudinal direction. A spacer member is connected to the rear face outboard of the bumper beam connecting location. The spacer member includes a front wall, a rear wall, an inboard wall and an outboard wall, the inboard and outboard walls extend between the front wall and rear wall in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The front wall is connected to the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam at a connecting portion. The front wall includes a chamfer wall portion outboard of the connecting portion that is separated from the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam providing a space between the chamfer wall portion and the rear face of the bumper reinforcement beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Naipaul Ramoutar, William F. Graves, Corinne D. Uskali, Mark D. Clauser
  • Patent number: 9517741
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel deflector bracket and method is provided. The bracket is attachable to a vehicle having a wheel, a door, and a body structure supporting a door hinge. The bracket is configured to deflect a force from the wheel to the body structure and away from the door hinge when the bracket is attached to the body structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric A. Watterworth, Dominic S. Pupillo
  • Patent number: 9505295
    Abstract: A structure for the front section of a vehicle body is provided with: a pair of left and right front side frames; a sub-frame which is disposed between the front side frames; a pair of left and right first mount members which are disposed below the front side frames; first affixation members which affix the first mount members to the lower sections of the front side frames; first support members which are provided within the front side frames and which support the first affixation members; and reinforcement members which reinforce damper housings. The reinforcement members are joined to the upper sections of the front side frames. The first support members are affixed to the inner surfaces of the front side frames at positions below the portions to which the reinforcement members are joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunori Watanabe, Akihisa Kudoh