Vehicle Or Vehicle Component Patents (Class 219/202)
  • Patent number: 11653420
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Yongxing Jin
  • Patent number: 11618302
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventor: Jung Sam Gu
  • Patent number: 11618575
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Galdemir Cezar Botura, James A Mullen
  • Patent number: 11619422
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Eberspächer catem GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Daniil Salahub, Patrick Kachelhoffer
  • Patent number: 11582836
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mary Caye Catherine Spieth, Mukesh Kumar, Lawrence C. Karas, David Stewart, Andrew Phillips, Ajay Pal, Yang Yang
  • Patent number: 11577845
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: QARBON AEROSPACE (FOUNDATION), LLC
    Inventors: Kyle B. Hardman, Mark A. Calder, Ian C. Derx
  • Patent number: 11578893
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Yann Couapel, Erwan Gogmos
  • Patent number: 11573028
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Anthony J. Reardon, Praveen M. Gotakhindi, Sriram Ramanujam, Karan Garg
  • Patent number: 11571951
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Inventors: Guillaume Daudon, Nicolas Edel, Gilles Magnier, Eric Marlier, Jerome Stoeckel
  • Patent number: 11571950
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Inventors: Xoan Xosé Hermida Domínguez, José Antonio Sanromán Prado, Alejandro Vargas Curto, Matías Baleato Peón, José Miguel Sánchez Lobato
  • Patent number: 11548538
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI RAILCAR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshinobu Tanigawa, Takahiro Kawashima
  • Patent number: 11535083
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mototsugu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11512873
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Laurent Tellier, Frédéric Pierron, Serif Karaaslan, Yann Couapel
  • Patent number: 11505162
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Ilija Pjescic
  • Patent number: 11498465
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: GENTHERM GMBH
    Inventors: Rüdiger Spillner, Jens Keller
  • Patent number: 11491847
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Chih-hung Yen, Taeyoung Han, Bahram Khalighi, Kuo-huey Chen, Shailendra Kaushik
  • Patent number: 11480365
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: STEGO-HOLDING GMBH
    Inventor: Ulrich Lerche
  • Patent number: 11479081
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Fukazawa, Michio Ikeda, Kenta Miyahara, Masaru Ando
  • Patent number: 11467536
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: Yangbo Xie, Steven Cummer
  • Patent number: 11458801
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam
  • Patent number: 11462784
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventors: Jin-Yong Park, Kyung-Mo Kim, Seung-Joon Kim, Jeong-O Mun, Eun-Ah Ju, Ho-June Chi, Hee-Jun Jin
  • Patent number: 11440375
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Seki, Kimitake Ishikawa, Hiroyasu Oide, Yusuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11432374
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Eberspächer catem GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Kurt Walz, Michael Niederer, Ahmad Asafi, Tobias Semmler
  • Patent number: 11408742
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takeyama, Xin Jin, Norihiro Nakamura, Hideki Kasezawa, Kensuke Takeuchi, Hajime Morikawa, Yoko Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11400832
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toru Nakamura, Tadatsugu Udono, Chiaki Kanda
  • Patent number: 11358502
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Charles Shipley, Steven Walter Nunez, Timothy Owen Hamlin, Lucian Vacarescu
  • Patent number: 11345244
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toyoki Sugiyama, Koji Nishi, Shinichi Sawada, Takumi Mio, Fumihiko Sato, Satoshi Shinoda, Yukihiro Komatsubara
  • Patent number: 11339947
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Panor Corp.
    Inventors: Mike Monpremier, Raymond Sassoon
  • Patent number: 11333152
    Abstract: A pump device may include a motor, an impeller to turn by use of drive power of the motor, and a circuit board for controlling the motor; the pump device being able to become low-profile in an axial direction of a turning center shaft as a turning center of the impeller. In a pump device, there are formed a wall part surrounding a circuit board and a substrate contacting surface, which contacts a lower surface of the circuit board in order to locate circuit board, in a pump case. In the wall part, there is shaped a cutout part that is cut out downward from an upper end surface of the wall part, and meanwhile a leading wire, whose one end side is soldered to the circuit board, passes through the cutout part in such a way as to be drawn out to an outer side of the wall part. In the pump device, a cutout bottom part, which is a lower end part of the cutout part, and the leading wire do not contact each other so as to be detached from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroki Kuratani
  • Patent number: 11319923
    Abstract: A vortex generator for a wind turbine blade includes: a platform portion to be fixed to a surface of the wind turbine blade; and at least one fin erected on the platform portion. The platform portion includes marks disposed on a pair of opposite positions in an outer edge region of the platform portion and indicating orientation of the vortex generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Fukami, Daisuke Wakata, Yuji Yatomi, Takashi Yamamura, Yoshihiro Fujioka
  • Patent number: 11320567
    Abstract: Snow sensors methods and mechanisms for snow sensor reading, methods for controlling assemblies used with snow sensors, such as snow removal systems and assemblies and related components, as well as component combinations and related methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: CEM Products, LLC
    Inventor: Charles Edgar Pierce
  • Patent number: 11295878
    Abstract: A PTC thermistor module for a temperature control device may include at least one PTC thermistor element, two electrically insulating insulator plates, and a plurality of electrical conductors. The PTC thermistor element may have a flat element cross section, two opposing large outer surfaces, and two opposing small outer surfaces connecting the two large outer surfaces. The two insulator plates may be respectively connected to one of the two large outer surfaces. The plurality of electrical conductors may be configured as a plurality of electrically conductive conductor coatings, which may each be disposed on an associated insulator plate of the two insulator plates. At least one first conductor coating may be electrically connected to a first large outer surface of the two large outer surfaces. At least two second conductor coatings may be electrically connected to a second large outer surface of the two large outer surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Inventors: Nicolas Edel, Gilles Magnier, Eric Marlier, Pascal Miss, Jerome Stoeckel, Falk Viehrig
  • Patent number: 11287102
    Abstract: A heater is provided for a vehicle illumination assembly. The heater includes a heat transfer body, a heat source, and a mounting base. The heat transfer body has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface has a higher emissivity than the bottom surface. The heat source is affixed in heat transfer relation with the heat transfer body. The mounting base is configured to affix the heat transfer body within a housing of a vehicle illumination assembly to provide the top surface of the heat transfer body in radiant heat transfer relation with a light transmissible portion of the vehicle illumination assembly. A method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Van Straten Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: George A. Van Straten
  • Patent number: 11255508
    Abstract: A lamp or lens assembly for a motor vehicle that includes electrically conductive traces for defogging or deicing the lens. Aspects include a light transmissive lens coupled to a lamp housing. The light transmissive lens may define a curved cross-section with a curvature extending across the length and/or the width of the lens. The lens may include one or more electrically conductive traces positioned on a surface of the lens, the electrically conductive traces optionally extending across and curving with the curvature of the light transmissive lens. One or more coatings may optionally cover the conductive traces and a portion of the lens surface leaving portions uncovered. The electrically conductive traces may extend outwardly away from the surface of the lens with height that is greater than their width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiabiao Ruan, Sankalp Pampattiwar, Ammar Ali, Cesar Perez-Bolivar
  • Patent number: 11243009
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for heating a fluid (2), comprising a heating body (4) having a through passageway (6, 8) for the fluid and provided with at least one groove (14) on its outer surface; at least one electrical resistance (24) housed in the at least one groove (14) of the heating body. The device further comprises at least one closure plate (20) of the at least one groove (14) overlying the at least one resistance (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventor: Nino Volante
  • Patent number: 11221408
    Abstract: A radar unit assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle body structure and a grille assembly mounted to the vehicle body structure. A radar unit is connected to the grille assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Jasvir Singh
  • Patent number: 11211931
    Abstract: According to various implementations, a sensor mat includes a mat substrate, a sensor electrode, and a shield electrode. At least a portion of the sensor and shield electrodes are spaced apart from and parallel to each other on a first surface of the mat substrate. The shield electrode is electrically coupled to a voltage source to create a capacitance between the shield electrode and the sensor electrode, and the sensor electrode is used to detect a change in the capacitance. The shield electrode may also be alternately used for heating the surface of the vehicle part adjacent the mat. For example, the sensor may be disposed adjacent a portion of a steering wheel or a seat assembly and is used for sensing presence of an occupant's hands or body adjacent the steering wheel or seat assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: Blaine J. Dolcetti, Phillip B. Maguire
  • Patent number: 11181627
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes an ultrasonic element and an element accommodation case. A side wall portion of the element accommodation case has a tubular shape surrounding a directional central axis. A bottom wall portion and a top wall portion of the element accommodation case cover ends of the side wall portion in a direction along the directional central axis. The top wall portion has a diaphragm portion. The bottom wall portion supports the ultrasonic element. For example, the ultrasonic element is opposed to the diaphragm portion across a gap defining an interval corresponding to an integral multiple of half of a wavelength of ultrasonic vibration. Alternatively, the diaphragm portion is formed of a material having an acoustic impedance of 50×105 Pa·s/m or more and 5000×105 Pa·s/m or less, and has a thickness of 1 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Itaru Ishii, Tomoki Tanemura, Tatsuya Kamiya
  • Patent number: 11180062
    Abstract: A seat for a passenger compartment, for example a vehicle passenger compartment. The seat has a backrest that includes a heating device for heating the space behind the backrest. The heating device includes, from front to back of the backrest, an insulating layer which is a foam, a heating layer, and an outer layer which forms the back of the backrest. The assembly of the insulating layer and the heating layer is achieved by compression on at least their peripheries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: FAURECIA SIÈGES D'AUTOMOBILE
    Inventors: Elise Beaurepaire, Anne-Sophie Cabouillet
  • Patent number: 11161444
    Abstract: A floor mat assembly for use on a floor comprises a floor mat, a first adhesive layer, a heating element, a second adhesive layer, and an insulative foam support layer. The floor mat comprises a topside for interaction with a person. The heating element is bonded to an underside of the floor mat with the first adhesive layer to heat the floor mat. The foam support layer is bonded to an underside of the heating element with the second adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jesse R. Neely, Steven M. Wardlow, Chad A. Dow, Andrew M. Pietsch
  • Patent number: 11155143
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for managing power in a transport refrigeration unit (TRU) installed on a trailer, having: a TRU controller configured to execute a range extender mode of operation to manage operations of the TRU and TRU components, wherein the TRU controller: selects a power management strategy from a plurality of demand-side power management strategies; determines, from the selected power management strategy, operational parameters for a TRU; and executes the generated operational parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Veronica Adetola, Yinshan Feng
  • Patent number: 11124042
    Abstract: A vehicle heating device includes a heat storage material, a heat recovery unit, a footrest, and a heat controller. The vehicle heating device heats an occupant with heat stored in the heat storage material. The heat recovery unit recovers thermal energy from at least one of a heat source generated by a vehicle or a natural heat source from outside of the vehicle. The heat storage material stores the recovered thermal energy. The footrest is provided at a front portion of a vehicle seat disposed in a vehicle cabin, and has the heat storage material packed inside a heat insulating material. The heat controller heats the footrest by radiating the heat stored in the heat storage material at a predetermined timing with respect to the occupant to be on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 11108352
    Abstract: A method for controlling a motor configured to provide propulsion for a mobile platform includes determining whether to activate a preheat mode based on a temperature of a motor and, upon determining to activate the preheat mode, controlling a preheat current provided to the motor to enable self-preheating of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qiu Lan, Changxing Zhou
  • Patent number: 11083051
    Abstract: An exemplary running board assembly includes a running board with a deck having a plurality of spaced-apart raised sections. The raised sections are made of a thermally conductive polymer and include an electrically conductive element configured to allow electric current to flow through the raised sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Kenneth Dellock, Aaron Bradley Johnson, Stuart C. Salter, Stephen Kenneth Helwig, Jeffrey Alan Mesko
  • Patent number: 11032875
    Abstract: Various implementations include a vehicle component heating system that includes an electrode disposed within a sensing zone, and a processor. The electrode generates heat for a surface of a vehicle component within the sensing zone and senses proximity of an occupant to the sensing zone. The processor selects a heating percentage of a duty cycle for generating a heating signal, a sensing percentage of the duty cycle for generating and measuring a sensing signal and reporting the measured sensing signal, and an idle percentage of the duty cycle during which neither the heating nor the sensing signal is generated, wherein the sum of the heating, sensing, and idle percentages is 100%. The processor generates the heating signal and/or generates and measures the sensing signal and reports the measurement of the sensing signal based on the selected percentages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: Jason Lisseman, Blaine Dolcetti, Valerie D. Gardner
  • Patent number: 11001213
    Abstract: An AC inverter in a vehicle operates using a 24V input when a vehicle powertrain is in a parked/idling state. A first 12V battery is connected with a first bus segment. A second 12V battery is connected with a second bus segment. A switch module selectably interconnects the first and second bus segments. In a nominal 12V state, the batteries are connected in parallel from the bus segments to ground. In a dual voltage state, the batteries are connected in series so the first bus segment is at 12V and the second bus segment is at 24V. A first alternator driven by the powertrain provides a regulated voltage to the second bus segment, wherein the regulated voltage corresponds to 12V when the switch module is in the nominal state and corresponds to 24V when the switch module is in the dual voltage state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Zeljko Deljevic, Phillip M. Marine, Daniel J. Martin, William C. Taylor, Hanyang B. Chen
  • Patent number: 10994042
    Abstract: A volatile material dispenser that includes a housing, an electrical assembly that is received within the housing and includes a heater, and an adjustment assembly that is coupled to the housing and is configured to support a cartridge. The adjustment assembly is movable between a maximum output position, an intermediate output position, and an off position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan R. Westphal, Kevin Harrity, Alex Mecker, Chris A. Koontz
  • Patent number: 10988027
    Abstract: An exemplary wheel well heating method includes, among other things, in response to an environmental condition, generating thermal energy to heat a wheel well area of a vehicle. The method further includes powering the generating with power from a power source that is external to the vehicle. Another exemplary wheel well heating method includes generating thermal energy to heat a wheel well area of a vehicle, and adjusting the generating in response to a state of charge of a power supply of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Annette Huebner, Pietro Buttolo, David Brian Glickman
  • Patent number: 10982101
    Abstract: A method of making CNT films is described in which the film is washed with a mild acid treatment. The method generates a CNT film that is not sensitive to moisture or fluctuations in moisture. The method involves the use of anionic polysaccharides or anionic glycosaminoglycans such as hyaluronic acid, sodium salt, as aqueous dispersing agents and their modification to a hydrophobic matrix after deposition. In the course of conducting the work described here, we made the surprising discovery that washing with an aqueous acidic solution resulted in a decrease in resistance through the material. The invention also includes CNT composites made by the inventive methods and a CNT composite comprising CNTs and anionic polysaccharides or anionic glycosaminoglycans further characterized by a low cationic content and a high conductivity and/or small CNT particle size as measured by SEM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Amy M. Heintz, Chad M. Cucksey, Anthony D. Duong, Randy L. Jones, Michael D. Crenshaw
  • Patent number: 10974630
    Abstract: An electrical heating element (1) comprises a core string (2) and an electrically conductive wire (4), which is wrapped about the core string (2), follows the core string (2) and is electrically insulated with respect to the core string (2). A path (10) defined by the core string (2) includes a sequence of alternating first (11) and second (12) sections, wherein the wire (4) is wrapped in a pitch which, in the first sections (11), is generally smaller than in the second sections (12). The electrical heating element (1) can be used, e.g., in a heatable seat assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Kongsberg Automotive AB
    Inventors: Mattias Persson, Daniel Josefsson