Vehicle Or Vehicle Component Patents (Class 219/202)
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Patent number: 11919612Abstract: A vessel environment condition assessment system and method, the system comprising a motion measurement unit on board a vessel configured to sense the vessels motion, wherein the motion measurement unit is configured to output a motion signal of the vessel, a processor adapted to receive the motion signal of the vessel, and apply an energy operator to the motion signal to calculate an energy signal representative of the environmental condition for the vessel.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2019Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Kongsberg Maritime ASInventors: Anna Swider, Are Folkestad
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Patent number: 11920758Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for melting cold weather related obstructions (snow, ice, frost, etc.) off of vehicle lamps by heating the lens of the housing, thus restoring the normal operating abilities (e.g., brake light illumination, running light illumination, turn signal illumination). This can allow for an efficient signaling process (e.g., to the following vehicle), thus raising the general level of safety on the roads.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2022Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: PANOR CORP.Inventors: Mike Monpremier, Raymond Sassoon
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Patent number: 11920506Abstract: A system includes a first heater positioned in or proximate to an exhaust aftertreatment system in exhaust gas-receiving communication with an engine, a second heater positioned downstream of the first heater, and a controller coupled to the first and second heaters. The controller is structured to activate the second heater in response to determining that a compound deposit is likely present.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2022Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Cummins Inc.Inventors: Kristopher R. Bare, Xing Jin, Jennifer Kay Light-Holets, Sriram S. Popuri, Xiaobo Song
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Patent number: 11878619Abstract: A vehicle comprises: a dispenser for a liquid, the dispenser comprising an outlet for the liquid; and a source of ultraviolet light disposed to emit the ultraviolet light onto the outlet of the dispenser. The dispenser further comprises a first position and a second position that is different than the first position. The outlet of the dispenser is disposed closer to the source of ultraviolet light when the dispenser is in the second position than when the dispenser is in the first position. The vehicle comprises a controller in communication with the source of the ultraviolet light. The controller causes the source of ultraviolet light to emit the ultraviolet light when the dispenser is in the second position but not when the dispenser is in the first position.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2020Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: James Alan Acre, Robert D. Bedard, John P. Casci, James George Gebbie, Douglas Raymond Martin
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Patent number: 11872895Abstract: A lift device comprises a base, a linear actuator, and a rechargeable battery system. The linear actuator is configured to selectively move a work platform between a raised position and a lowered position. The linear actuator includes an electric motor. The rechargeable battery system includes a battery, a heating system, and a battery charger. The battery is configured to power the electric motor of the linear actuator. The battery charger is configured to simultaneously charge the battery and provide power the heating system to heat the battery.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Oshkosh CorporationInventor: David Lombardo
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Patent number: 11840049Abstract: A laminated glass for a vehicle includes a first glass plate, a second glass plate, an interlayer, a first busbar and a second busbar arranged such that a visible area is interposed in a predetermined direction between the first busbar and the second busbar, a plurality of electric heating wires arranged in the visible area to generate heat with a voltage applied by the first busbar and the second busbar, and a third busbar arranged at an opposite side of the visible area from the second busbar, wherein the third busbar and the first busbar are arranged such that an information acquisition area is interposed in the predetermined direction between the third busbar and the first busbar, and at least one of the electric heating wires is arranged in the information acquisition area to generate heat with a voltage applied by the third busbar and the first busbar.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2020Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: AGC INC.Inventor: Tsunehisa Nishioka
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Patent number: 11834978Abstract: A vehicle system includes a diesel oxidation catalyst. The vehicle system includes a hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reduction unit located downstream of the diesel oxidation catalyst. The hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reduction unit is configured to receive exhaust gas from the diesel oxidation catalyst. The vehicle system includes a turbocharger located downstream of the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reduction unit. The turbocharger is configured to receive exhaust gas from the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reduction unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2019Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Cummins Emission Solutions Inc.Inventor: Jacob Backhaus
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Patent number: 11820384Abstract: A vehicle having a vehicle cabin, a steering wheel adapted to include at least one sensor to measure arteriolo-capillary pulse wave intervals of a driver when the steering wheel is gripped by the driver, a computer, a proximity sensor system, rear tail lights, navigation system and an audio system, wherein the steering wheel, at least one sensor, proximity sensor system, rear tail lights navigation system and audio system are each operably connected to the computer; and when the steering wheel is gripped by the driver, communicating the arteriolo-capillary pulse wave intervals of the driver to the computer to determine whether the driver is experiencing a pulseless condition and if a pulseless condition exceeding about six seconds is determined, the computer will assume control of the vehicle and using the vehicle navigation system, bring the vehicle to a controlled stop.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2023Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Stat Capsule Inc.Inventor: Yuri Busiashvili
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Patent number: 11804726Abstract: A configuration can be more easily realized in which the temperature of an auxiliary power source can be increased even in a low temperature environment. In the in-vehicle auxiliary power source control device, a control unit performs a charging operation of switching a first switch on and switching a second switch off, and a discharging operation of switching the first switch off and switching the second switch on. Also, the temperature of an auxiliary power source is raised by heat generated by a resistor unit due to the charging operation and the discharging operation performed by the control unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2019Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Yuuki Sugisawa
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Patent number: 11780394Abstract: A capacitive detection device includes a capacitive sensor having a sense electrode and an auxiliary electrode that are arrangeable in the vicinity of an electric heater member for mutual capacitive coupling. The capacitive detection device has a signal voltage source providing an alternating measurement voltage, a complex impedance measurement circuit for measuring complex sense currents and for determining a complex impedance based on the measured complex sense current, and for electrically connecting the auxiliary electrode either with the reference voltage or with the guard signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2021Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: IEE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONICS & ENGINEERING S.A.Inventors: Frank Althaus, Andrej Mattheis, Alain Strasser
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Patent number: 11746687Abstract: An EHC line leakage diagnosis method can operate a heater of an oxygen detector when satisfying one or more conditions of an engine off time, a coolant temperature, and an outside air temperature by a diagnosis controller upon the key-on of the non-operation of an engine, and then, determine the normality or abnormality of a temperature drop using a change in a temperature value of a signal value and the temperature value detected by the oxygen detector after an air pump is driven, and then confirm the leakage of an exhaust line and a line on the rear end portion of an EHC valve of an air line using the number of times of the occurrence of the abnormality of the temperature drop, and can perform the failure diagnosis without generating the exhaust gas by not operating an engine.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2022Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATIONInventor: Bon-Chang Koo
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Patent number: 11745631Abstract: A vehicle ventilation system includes a seating assembly including a seat blower. The seat blower pulls air away from a seating surface. A cabin blower is configured to circulate air in a cabin. A controller is configured to monitor a flow rate of the cabin blower. The controller is also configured to control a seat blower flow rate as a function of a cabin blower flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2022Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Gabriella Almasi, William J. Wamsley, Michael Steven Medoro, Lawrence C. Karas
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Patent number: 11731541Abstract: A seat heater according to the present invention includes: a heater that is provided between a seat cushioning material and a seat trim cover and includes a heating wire laid on a base material; a temperature detection unit provided in the vicinity of the heating wire of the heater; and a temperature control unit configured to control a temperature of the heater so that it approaches a target temperature, in which the temperature control unit calculates an estimated environment temperature, which is an estimated value of a temperature around the temperature detection unit, based on a rate of increase of a temperature indicating an amount of change of the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit in a period after an elapse of a predetermined time from a start of heating the heater, and corrects the target temperature so that it becomes lower as the estimated environmental temperature becomes lower.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2018Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: KURABE INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventor: Kyoichi Muramatsu
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Patent number: 11737174Abstract: A PTC heating element for an electric heating device includes frame which is made of electrically non-conductive material and which encloses at least one PTC element, conductor tracks electrically connected to the PTC element, and insulating layers bearing, in a heat-conductive manner, against an oppositely disposed main side surface of the PTC element. The frame has contact strips which project over itself and which are electrically conductively connected to the conductor tracks for energizing the PTC element with different polarities. In order to provide an electrically well-insulated PTC heating element allows good heat coupling, s a film respectively covers the outer surfaces of the insulating layers. A corresponding PTC heating element may be provided in a circulation chamber of the electric heating device.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2020Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Eberspächer catem GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Kurt Walz, Ahmad Asafi
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Patent number: 11732145Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of coating a substrate. A method includes depositing a conductive coating including an electrically conductive material over the substrate to form a conductive layer having a sheet resistivity of about 10 ?/? to about 1000 ?/?. The method includes depositing an anti-icing layer comprising nanomaterials over the conductive layer to form a coating system.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Patrick J. Kinlen, Dimitris Priftis
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Patent number: 11724568Abstract: A temperature regulating system for interior surfaces of a vehicle includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. An air register assembly is operably coupled to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to direct air to an interior compartment. The air register assembly includes an actuation assembly for adjusting a position of the air register assembly. A target feature having a contact surface is disposed within the interior compartment. A temperature sensor is coupled to the target feature and senses a surface temperature of the contact surface. A controller communicates a notification with temperature information. A remote start device is communicatively coupled with the controller. The controller adjusts the position of the air register assembly to direct air across the contact surface of the target feature in response to a remote start signal from the remote start device.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2020Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Sean Bayle West, Benjamin Yilma, Steven Nicholas Fidh, Dylan Mandelbaum, Andres Almeida Senatore, Otis Allen, Siddharthan Selvasekar, Sydney Puckett, Michael Steven Medoro
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Patent number: 11718271Abstract: One general aspect includes a system having one or more heat pads installed at a vehicle, the one or more heat pads configured to provide infrared energy transmissions to a vehicle component to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component. The system may also carry out the following steps: (a) determining that ice or fog or both ice and fog has accumulated on the surface of the vehicle component; and (b) based on the determination made in step (a), activating the one or more heat pads to defrost, defog, or both defrost and defog a surface of the vehicle component.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2020Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Nicholas W. Pinto, Kuo-huey Chen, Todd J. Gordon
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Patent number: 11697437Abstract: A railroad hopper car has a hopper carried between two trucks. The hopper has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a flat bottom discharge. It has a rectangular frame at least half as wide as the car, and at least half as great as the truck center distance. The car capacity is over 5000 cu. ft. The bottom discharge is lower than the center sill. There are ring frames having a bottom reinforcement that passes clear under the center sill. The car has flat bottom discharge gates having multiple arrays of louvers. The side sheets extend downwardly beyond the side sills, so that the side slope sheets terminate at a transition below the side sills. The louvers have curved edges. The louvers move together. The gate may include two opposed sliding doors separated by a beam that runs under the center sill.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2020Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: National Steel Car LimitedInventors: Elliot Powidajko, Oliver M. Veit, Tomasz Bis, Harinder Singh Natt, Zijian Yan
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Patent number: 11691652Abstract: A railroad hopper car has a hopper carried between two trucks, and has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a rectangular frame. The bottom discharge is lower than the center sill. The car has a flat bottom discharge having multiple arrays of louvers. All of the lading discharges through the flat bottom. The side sheets extend downwardly beyond the side sills, so that the side slope sheets terminate below the side sills. The car has laterally extending shear force transfer members that provide a shear connection between the side walls of the car. The shear force transfer members have openings to permit lading from the main containment volume of the car to pass therethough to the lading discharges. The louvers are joined to move together. Alternatively, the gate may include two opposed sliding doors separated by a beam that runs under the center sill.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2020Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: National Steel Car LimitedInventors: Oliver M. Veit, Kenneth Wayne Black
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Patent number: 11690144Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting solid and semi-solid substances. The apparatus includes at least one transport container for storing the substances. The transport container includes at least two transmission line conductors configurable to be in physical contact with the substances. The transmission line conductors are excitable to operate as a lossy transmission line for electromagnetically heating the substances prior to unloading from the transport container. The method involves loading the substances in at least one transport container, each of the at least one transport container including at least two transmission line conductors configurable to be in physical contact with the substances; transporting the at least one transport container from a first location to a second location; and exciting the at least two transmission line conductors to operate as a lossy transmission line for electromagnetically heating the substances prior to unloading from the at least one transport container.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2020Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: Accelware Ltd.Inventors: Michal M. Okoniewski, Geoffrey Clark
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Patent number: 11684206Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for preparing a beverage, more particularly, for a vehicle comprising: —a brewing unit (2) for receiving a dose (3) of beverage ingredients, —a pressure pump (4) for supplying pressurized liquid to the brewing unit, —an electronic control unit (5) for selectively controlling the activation of the pressure pump, wherein the electronic control unit (5) is arranged to control the activation and deactivation of the pressure pump (4), by providing output to the pressure pump as response to input indicative of a determined inclination angle relative to horizontal and/or to a detected spatial displacement or acceleration; said input being received from inclination angle and/or displacement sensing means (6) which are part of and/or foreign to the device.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2018Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.Inventors: Etienne Crozier, Adrien Hoffet, Marco Magatti, Damien Romand, Jean-Luc Thuliez
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Patent number: 11673535Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heat sanitizing a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, responsive to receiving a request for sanitization of a vehicle interior, operating a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to heat the vehicle interior above an upper threshold temperature for a threshold duration. In this way, the HVAC system may be advantageously used to expose the vehicle interior to temperatures that kill or inactive microbes.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2020Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Alan Gutowski, Curtis Jones, Manfred Koberstein, Stephen White, Peter Mitchell Lyon, John Rollinger, Scott Thompson, M. Scott Christensen, David Hancock, Adam Richards, Steve Skikun, Frank Fusco, Venkatesh Krishnan
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Patent number: 11673598Abstract: A steering module includes a steering wheel which is provided in front of a driver seat, a column cover which is provided on a vehicle front side of the steering wheel, extends in a forward and rearward direction of a vehicle, and has a functional component mounting region in at least one of an inner inside and an upper portion thereof, and a meter member which is formed integrally with the column cover and includes a main display portion disposed at a position spaced apart from the column cover.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2020Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takayuki Nakajima
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Patent number: 11653420Abstract: A brake system comprising a brake disc, a wheel hub connected to the brake disc, and a bearing assembly mounted around the wheel hub, the brake system further comprising: a first electric circuit embedded inside the brake disc; a second electric circuit embedded inside the wheel hub and electrically connected with the first electric circuit; and a third electric circuit embedded inside the bearing assembly and electrically connected with the second electric circuit, wherein when an electric current flows to the first electric circuit through the second and third electric circuits, the first electric circuit generates heat for applying to the brake disc.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventor: Yongxing Jin
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Patent number: 11618575Abstract: An ice detector apparatus for an aircraft includes a heater strip and a temperature sensor. The heater strip is configured to be mounted to an external surface of an aircraft and the temperature sensor is coupled to the heater strip. The temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature profile of the heater strip, wherein the temperature profile is indicative of an extent of icing. The temperature profile may be indicative of whether the aircraft is operating in an appendix C icing-envelope or an appendix O icing-envelope. The temperature sensor may include a plurality of temperature sensors coupled along a length of the heater strip, such that the temperature profile comprises a spatial temperature map of the heater strip.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2019Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Goodrich CorporationInventors: Galdemir Cezar Botura, James A Mullen
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Patent number: 11618302Abstract: The present invention relates to a PT heater and, more specifically, to a PTC heater which: mechanically fixes a heating element, a terminal, an insulating layer, and a heat-radiating unit, which constitute the PTC heater, by bending a fixing projection of a hook structure formed at a heat rod; and further has an auxiliary fixing protrusion capable of fixing the position of the heating element so as to increase the adhesiveness between the PTC element and the heat-radiating unit, thereby enabling performance to improve and facilitating assembly through the heat rod.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2018Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Hanon SystemsInventor: Jung Sam Gu
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Patent number: 11619422Abstract: An electric heating device includes a housing having a partition wall which separates a connection chamber from a heating chamber for dissipating heat and from which at least one receiving pocket protrudes into the heating chamber as a heating rib. A PTC heating device with at least one PTC element and conductor tracks for energizing the PTC element with different polarities, which are electrically conductively connected to the latter and which are electrically connected in the connection chamber, are received in the housing. The PTC element and at least one of the conductor tracks are received in a heater casing. The heater casing is pressed into the receiving pocket subject to plastic deformation of the heater casing and/or the receiving pocket.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2021Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Eberspächer catem GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Daniil Salahub, Patrick Kachelhoffer
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Patent number: 11578893Abstract: The invention relates to a heating device (1) for an air-conditioning housing, said heating device (1) comprising a heating body (2) supplied with current for heating an air flow passing through said heating body (2), said heating body (2) comprising heating elements through which said current passes and which are arranged in electrically insulated tubes (4) of the heating elements, said heating elements being controlled via a distribution unit (3), said heating device (1) comprising means for earthing a plurality of metal elements distributed in the heating body (2) and the distribution unit (3). Said heating device (1) is characterised in that said earthing means consist of a single earthing circuit which passes through the heating body (2) and the distribution unit (3) and is formed by arranging said metal elements in series with direct contact between said metal elements.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2018Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Valeo Systemes ThermiquesInventors: Yann Couapel, Erwan Gogmos
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Patent number: 11582836Abstract: An apparatus for heating a window of a vehicle comprises an electrical storage unit configured to store an electrical charge and a plurality of heating circuits disposed on a window of the vehicle. The apparatus further comprises a controller configured to monitor the electrical charge of the electrical storage unit and selectively activate one or more of the heating circuits based on the electrical charge.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2019Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Mary Caye Catherine Spieth, Mukesh Kumar, Lawrence C. Karas, David Stewart, Andrew Phillips, Ajay Pal, Yang Yang
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Patent number: 11577845Abstract: A heated composite structure and a method for forming a heated composite structure. The structure includes carbon fibers embedded within a thermoplastic matrix. The carbon fibers are connected with first and second electrodes that are configured to be connected with an electric source such that applying current to the electrodes causes current to flow through the embedded carbon fibers to provide resistive heating sufficient to heat the composite structure to impede formation of ice on the composite structure.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2019Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: QARBON AEROSPACE (FOUNDATION), LLCInventors: Kyle B. Hardman, Mark A. Calder, Ian C. Derx
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Patent number: 11573028Abstract: A heater assembly for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system has a heater and a controller enclosure. The heater has a plurality of heating elements in a frame that has two opposing ends. The controller enclosure has two end walls and a plurality of side walls in a non-rectangular polygonal configuration. One of the two opposing ends of the frame is coupled to one of the two end walls such that an orientation of the heating elements may be changed based on respective locations of the plurality of side walls of the controller enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2019Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLPInventors: Anthony J. Reardon, Praveen M. Gotakhindi, Sriram Ramanujam, Karan Garg
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Patent number: 11571950Abstract: The present invention relates to a heating device for use in vehicles, particularly to a device for heating a fluid, for example air, water, or liquid coolant. The device is particularly designed for vehicles the main propulsion system of which is not a combustion engine and which therefore lack residual heat from the engine. The present invention is characterized by the use of a chassis with a planar configuration and an inner chamber in fluid communication with an inlet port and an outlet port and a heating plate. The chassis comprises at least one window and the heating plate has a heating region closing the window of the chassis for heating the fluid housed in the inner chamber.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2019Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Inventors: Xoan Xosé Hermida Domínguez, José Antonio Sanromán Prado, Alejandro Vargas Curto, Matías Baleato Peón, José Miguel Sánchez Lobato
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Patent number: 11571951Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a connector system, e.g., for connecting an electrical component with a circuit board. The connector system includes an electrical heater-function-component having an electrical component-contact-surface for an electrical connection of the electrical heater-function-component. A circuit-board having an electrical board-contact surface is provided for an electrical connection of the circuit-board. A connector assembly connects the heater-function-component with the circuit-board. The connector assembly is arranged at the electrical component-contact-surface and the electrical board-contact-surface for connecting the heater-function-component with the circuit-board.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Inventors: Guillaume Daudon, Nicolas Edel, Gilles Magnier, Eric Marlier, Jerome Stoeckel
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Patent number: 11548538Abstract: A heating floor panel unit of a railcar includes: a heater-equipped floor panel; a first flange horizontally projecting from one end of the floor panel in a car longitudinal direction and fixed to a carbody by a fastening member; and a second flange horizontally projecting from the other end of the floor panel in the car longitudinal direction and fixed to the carbody by a fastening member. The first flange and the second flange are located at such a height that upper ends of the fastening members are located below an upper surface of the heater-equipped floor panel. The first flange, as viewed from above, is located in such a manner that a position of the first flange in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the first flange projects does not overlap a position of the second flange in the orthogonal direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: KAWASAKI RAILCAR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Toshinobu Tanigawa, Takahiro Kawashima
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Patent number: 11535083Abstract: An inspection system includes a thermal camera and an inspection processor. The thermal camera is mountable on a vehicle and configured to perform imaging of a heat transfer part of heating and cooling equipment mounted on the vehicle. The inspection processor is configured to execute, after causing the heating and cooling equipment to start operation, operation check inspection of determining whether the heating and cooling equipment normally operates on the basis of an image of the heat transfer part obtained by the imaging by the thermal camera, and to, in executing the operation check inspection, perform a modification process of modifying an imaging state of the thermal camera to enable the heat transfer part to be imaged by the thermal camera.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Mototsugu Suzuki
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Patent number: 11512873Abstract: An electrical connection interface (100) of a device for electrically heating a flow of air flowing within a ventilation, heating and/or air conditioning system of a motor vehicle comprises, in a panel (102), at least one notch that is dimensioned for receiving a connection terminal (126) mounted at the end of an electrode of a heating element of the electric heating device. The electrical connection interface comprises at least one device for limiting the shear (101) of the connection terminal which extends proud from the panel (102) adjacent to the notch.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2018Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: Valeo Systemes ThermiquesInventors: Laurent Tellier, Frédéric Pierron, Serif Karaaslan, Yann Couapel
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Patent number: 11505162Abstract: Fluid connection (12) for a wiper blade (14) of a windshield wiping system, wherein a heating element (16) is arranged in a lumen (18) and protrudes from an opening (18) of the lumen (18), wherein a tubular sealing means (10) is able to be arranged on the opening (20) and closes the opening (20) in a fluid-tight manner and fixes the heating means (16).Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2021Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Ilija Pjescic
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Patent number: 11498465Abstract: A heating device for a vehicle seat, that includes at least one heating surface that is at least in sections permeable to heat radiation; and at least one heat generator arranged at least partially behind the at least one heating surface. The at least one heat generator is configured to generate the heat radiation and to emit the generated heat radiation in a direction of at least one heating surface. The at least one heating surface has a plurality of emission zones that are spaced apart from one another, for emitting the heat radiation.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2020Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: GENTHERM GMBHInventors: Rüdiger Spillner, Jens Keller
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Patent number: 11491847Abstract: A heating apparatus is provided. The heating apparatus includes a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating element and a power controller configured to generate and apply a pulse width modified signal to the PTC heating element. The power controller is configured to vary a current of the pulse width modified signal linearly with respect to a temperature of a space being heated by the PTC heating element.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2019Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Chih-hung Yen, Taeyoung Han, Bahram Khalighi, Kuo-huey Chen, Shailendra Kaushik
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Patent number: 11480365Abstract: A retaining body for heating elements, in particular oval and round heating elements, having an outer part assembly and an inner part assembly which is arranged inside the outer part assembly and forms an elastic connection with the outer part assembly under mechanical tension, wherein the outer part assembly and/or the inner part assembly has/have a plurality of receptacles which are arranged distributed in the circumferential direction and in each of which a heating element is arranged, and the outer part assembly and the inner part assembly each comprise a polygon profile with polygon corners and polygon sides which connect the polygon corners.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2019Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: STEGO-HOLDING GMBHInventor: Ulrich Lerche
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Patent number: 11479081Abstract: The vehicle air conditioning apparatus comprises at least one physical condition information sensor which detects information on physical conditions of passengers in a vehicle as physical condition information. The vehicle air conditioning apparatus selectively executes an outside-air circulation control for discharging air from an interior of the vehicle to outside of the vehicle and introducing outside air to the interior of the vehicle from the outside of the vehicle and an interior-air circulation control for taking the air from the interior of the vehicle and returning the taken air to the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle air conditioning apparatus executes the outside-air circulation control when the electronic control unit determines that at least one of the passengers has an infection, based on the physical condition information.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazuhiro Fukazawa, Michio Ikeda, Kenta Miyahara, Masaru Ando
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Patent number: 11467536Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a controlled sound field. In one example, the system and method perform or include receiving a sound wave emitted from a sound source; determining, with an electronic processor, a pattern of at least one of an amplitude change and a phase change necessary to create a desired sound field using the sound wave; determining, with the electronic processor, a plurality of passive sound-modulating elements needed to generate the pattern of at least one of the amplitude change and the phase change; and constructing the plurality of sound-modulating elements to generate the controlled sound field.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2017Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Duke UniversityInventors: Yangbo Xie, Steven Cummer
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Patent number: 11462784Abstract: A battery module, and a battery pack having a module housing capable of effectively increasing an energy density while enhancing the heat dissipation efficiency, includes a cell assembly having a plurality of secondary batteries; and a module housing having at least one sidewall and configured to accommodate the cell assembly in an inner space defined by the sidewall. The sidewall has at least one coolant flow path, and at least one injection hole is formed in an outer surface of the sidewall so as to extend to and communicate with the inner space.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2019Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Inventors: Jin-Yong Park, Kyung-Mo Kim, Seung-Joon Kim, Jeong-O Mun, Eun-Ah Ju, Ho-June Chi, Hee-Jun Jin
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Patent number: 11458801Abstract: Heating and/or cooling a vehicle interior, and in particular a steering wheel, may include receiving a heating/cooling request, automatically directing heated/cooled air from an HVAC duct through louvers adjacent to a steering wheel into a passenger compartment, and automatically rotating the steering wheel back-and-forth to change the location where the heated/cooled air is blown onto the steering wheel. This may include automatically telescoping and automatically tilting the steering wheel as well. Moreover, an infrared camera may be employed to determine where best to rotate the steering wheel for heating/cooling.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2019Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Aed M. Dudar, Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam
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Patent number: 11440375Abstract: A radiant heater device for generating a radiant heat, includes a substrate portion having a plate shape and made of an electrically insulating material, a surface member having a sheet shape and disposed on one surface side of the substrate portion, and a heat generation portion formed on the other surface side of the substrate portion. The surface member is formed of a fiber fabric that is provided with a space portion recessed toward the substrate portion in a thickness direction of the surface member and that restricts a heat transfer in a surface direction of the surface member by the space portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2019Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Hideki Seki, Kimitake Ishikawa, Hiroyasu Oide, Yusuke Tanaka
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Patent number: 11432374Abstract: A PTC heating device exhibits a good degree of efficiency while providing good electrical insulation of the device's PTC element. The insulation of the PTC heating device comprises a film and a layer that is bonded to the film and made of brown compact which comprises non-sintered ceramic particles. Also disclosed is a method in which ceramic particles are provided with a binding agent, and the mass thus produced is applied in a planar manner onto a film and bonded to the film. The multilayer insulation thus produced is placed around the PTC element and the conductor tracks, and the binding agent is subsequently removed, at least in part.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2021Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: Eberspächer catem GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Kurt Walz, Michael Niederer, Ahmad Asafi, Tobias Semmler
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Patent number: 11408742Abstract: In an information processing device, an acquisition unit acquires current position information of a vehicle. A route search unit searches for a route from a departure place via the current position of the vehicle to a destination based on the current position information of the vehicle acquired by the acquisition unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2018Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroaki Takeyama, Xin Jin, Norihiro Nakamura, Hideki Kasezawa, Kensuke Takeuchi, Hajime Morikawa, Yoko Sakurai
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Patent number: 11400832Abstract: An electrically powered vehicle includes a target battery that is externally chargeable and externally power feedable, a sensor that detects a temperature of the target battery, and a controller that performs charging control, discharging control, and temperature increase control of the target battery. The temperature increase control is control for increasing a temperature of the target battery by selecting any of external electric power and battery power and generating heat with the selected electric power. The controller receives a leveling signal that requests for power leveling. When the temperature of the target battery is lower than a first temperature during external power feed requested by the leveling signal, the controller performs the temperature increase control by using battery power before the external power feed requested by the leveling signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru Nakamura, Tadatsugu Udono, Chiaki Kanda
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Patent number: 11358502Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly includes a first part, a second part with a second foam part, and a barrier with a permeable portion and a non-permeable portion. The vehicle seating assembly also includes an air passageway extending through the first part, the second foam part, and the permeable portion of the barrier and an air mover fluidly coupled to the air passageway for moving air through the air passageway.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2020Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert Charles Shipley, Steven Walter Nunez, Timothy Owen Hamlin, Lucian Vacarescu
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Patent number: 11345244Abstract: An auxiliary power supply device includes an auxiliary power supply; and an auxiliary power supply control unit configured to switch a mode of the auxiliary power supply to an output mode or a non-output mode when electric power is output from a main power supply to a drive motor. The auxiliary power supply control unit is configured to switch the mode to the non-output mode when a required power value required by the drive motor is equal to or smaller than a predetermined power value and to switch the mode to the output mode when the required power value is larger than the predetermined power value, the predetermined power value being set to a value smaller than outputtable electric power that is electric power outputtable from the main power supply.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATIONInventors: Toyoki Sugiyama, Koji Nishi, Shinichi Sawada, Takumi Mio, Fumihiko Sato, Satoshi Shinoda, Yukihiro Komatsubara