Padded Or Cushioned Member Patents (Class 280/751)
  • Patent number: 11974963
    Abstract: A massage chair capable of massaging the front body region is proposed. In the massage chair, one end is rotatably coupled to the backrest part and the backrest part for supporting the user's back, and includes a front massage part for massaging the user's abdomen or chest. According to the present configuration, there is proposed a massage chair capable of performing massage even in a front body region of a person to be treated, such as a chest or an abdomen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Inventor: Jae Hun Jung
  • Patent number: 11827359
    Abstract: A passenger seat is described which satisfies a head-injury criterion (HIC). To satisfy the HIC, the passenger seat translates or pivots one or more components of the seatback towards a passenger sitting behind the passenger seat. By translating and/or pivoting the components of the seatback towards the passenger, a crush zone for the passenger seat may be increased, thereby increasing the impact time and correspondingly decreasing the forces felt by the passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark B. Dowty, Jonathon Jarvis
  • Patent number: 11607980
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a seatback having a seat frame. The seat assembly includes a panel having an end slidably supported by the seat frame. The panel is bowable outwardly from the seat frame to a deployed position. The seat assembly includes an actuator supported by the seat frame and connected to the end of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zhenyan Gao, Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11505042
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body and a reinforcing patch. The vehicle body component defines a cavity. The reinforcing patch is disposed within and attached to the vehicle body component. The reinforcing patch includes a substrate and a reinforcing body attached to the substrate. The reinforcing body has a first tab, a second tab, and a first slit between the first and second tabs. The slit is at least partially filled by the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence J Nolan, Michael E LaFleur, Jerome R Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 11491896
    Abstract: A seat including: a seat body in which a person is seated; a seat supporter supporting the seat body on a floor; and a wireless power feeder that is provided between the floor and the seat body, and transmits electric power, which is received from a power source, from a floor side to a seat body side in a contactless manner. The seat supporter includes a rotation mechanism that rotates the seat body in a lateral direction, the wireless power feeder includes: a power transmitter provided to the floor and connected to the power source; and a power receiver that is provided in the seat body and receives the electric power from the power transmitter, and the power transmitter and the power receiver are arranged in a state in which the power transmitter and the power receiver always overlap with each other as viewed from above or below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Soichiro Tanaka, Ryuta Kashino, Chase Hemmelgarn, Takamasa Sonoda, Takanori Yamaguchi, Ryutaro Otsuka
  • Patent number: 11383628
    Abstract: A vehicle cabin structure includes a pillar constituting a framework of a vehicle cabin, and a pillar trim which is an interior member arranged with a clearance from a vehicle cabin inside facing surface of the pillar and covering the vehicle cabin inside facing surface of the pillar. The pillar trim has, in its surface facing toward inside of the vehicle cabin, a slit extending along the pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yasukazu Honda, Shingo Maeda, Takeshi Go, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Ryo Hattori
  • Patent number: 11377002
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection device includes a vehicle seat, a steering wheel, a steering moving mechanism, and a control unit. The vehicle seat includes a seat back and a headrest, the vehicle seat being configured to turn between a position where the vehicle seat is directed toward a vehicle front side and a position where the vehicle seat is directed toward a vehicle rear side. The steering wheel is provided ahead of the vehicle seat in a vehicle front-rear direction. The steering moving mechanism is configured to change a position of the steering wheel. The control unit is configured to move the steering wheel to a support position where the seat back and the headrest are supported by the steering wheel from the vehicle front side, by the steering moving mechanism, when the vehicle seat is directed toward the vehicle rear side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuyoshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 11351956
    Abstract: An airbag device is to be mounted on a vehicle and includes an outer airbag, an inner airbag and a friction generating member. The outer airbag is made of a base cloth and configured to expand and deploy outward of the vehicle. The inner airbag is made of a base cloth and configured to expand and deploy in the outer airbag. The friction generating member is provided on at least one of an inner surface of the outer airbag and an outer surface of the inner airbag. When the inner surface of the deployed outer airbag contacts the outer surface of the deployed inner airbag, the friction generating member generates a frictional force that is greater than a frictional force that is generated when the base cloths of the outer airbag and the inner airbag overlap one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isamu Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 11332049
    Abstract: The invention relates to a child safety seat (100) comprising an integral harness belt (106) for restraining a child in the child safety seat (100), a deflector (102) for the harness belt (106), an elastic mechanism (104) adapted for forcing the deflector (102) from a first position (114) to a second position (112), the harness belt (106) being guided by the deflector (102), wherein due to the guidance by the deflector (102) the harness belt (106) length available for buckling in the child is shorter in the second position (112) than in the first position (114), a latch mechanism transferable between a blocking position and a release position, the latch mechanism being adapted for blocking in the blocking position the deflector (102) against a movement toward the second position (112) and for releasing in the release position the deflector (102) for a movement induced by the forcing toward the second position (112), a release mechanism adapted for transferring the latch mechanism from the blocking position to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Britax Romer Kindersicherheit GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Frank, Janis Conrad
  • Patent number: 11332082
    Abstract: A vehicle trim panel assembly includes a pillar trim panel, a grab handle extending from the pillar trim panel defining a corner between the pillar trim panel and the grab handle, and a ramp at the corner. The ramp is fixed relative to the pillar trim panel and the grab handle at the corner. The ramp is deformable relative to the grab handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Juyoung Lee, Marwan Ahmad Elbkaily, Gururaj Aralikatti, George David Aucott
  • Patent number: 11332077
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a housing disposed within a dashboard, a bin rotationally operable within the housing, and a hook integral to the bin and positionable around a post assembly integral to the housing, wherein the hook is operable between a design position when the bin is in a closed position, an open position when the bin is in a fully ajar position, and an assembly position when the bin is in an installation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frank Qiukui Liu, Glenn Biddinger
  • Patent number: 11318823
    Abstract: A roof system for a vehicle includes a fixed roof element, forming a fixed roof segment of a vehicle roof bounding a passenger compartment and situated in a rear area of the vehicle roof, a roof opening and closing mechanism, which allows a relative movement of a movable roof element in relation to the fixed roof element and/or a relative movement of a movable roller blind in relation to the vehicle roof. The fixed roof element is designed as a single-piece roof element having at least one impact energy absorption section and at least one receiving section locally distinct from the impact energy absorption section for receiving electrical and/or mechanical function elements, by which or in the interplay of which with other function elements a movement of the movable roof element for opening and closing of the roof opening and/or driving the roller blind can be effectuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Geoffrey Tanaka-Wissel, Alexander Walter
  • Patent number: 11192475
    Abstract: A rear-facing occupant protection device is provided. The rear-facing occupant protection device is applied to a vehicle in which a seatback of a front seat is mounted in a rear-facing state in which a back surface of the seatback faces a vehicle-body-side vertical wall portion disposed at a front end of a vehicle cabin, or mounted such that the seat back is capable of taking the rear-facing state. The rear-facing occupant protection device includes: an energy absorbing portion disposed on at least one of a back surface of a seatback pad of the seatback and a rear surface of the vehicle-body-side vertical wall portion, the energy absorbing portion being configured to be deformed so as to absorb energy at a time of a frontal collision of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuya Mori, Makoto Sekizuka
  • Patent number: 11166564
    Abstract: An office chair that is ergonomically configured to allow for the coordination of stretches to the pectoralis minor muscle, trapezius muscle, and scalene muscles to open up the thoracic outlet, release muscle tension, and reinforce proper structure is provided. The stretches may be performed by an average human user while sitting in the office chair throughout the workday. The ergonomically configured chair assembly may have a brace supported by the seatback and extending downwardly therefrom over a left and right shoulder of the seated average human in a cantilevered fashion and an arm restraining device positioned rearward with respect to the rear face of the upstanding seat back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Shwetha Simhan, Manasi passi-Simhan
  • Patent number: 11135902
    Abstract: [Object] To make it possible to make impact absorption at the time of a collision even when there is no sufficient space. [Solution] An impact absorption member according to the present invention includes: a member that is placed adjacent to an exterior material 110 of an automobile and in which a height in a direction orthogonal to the exterior material is larger than a width in a direction along the exterior material in a cross section orthogonal to an extending direction of the member. By this configuration, a first member 122 and a second member 124 are arranged so as to extend in different directions and be adjacent to the exterior material 110 of an automobile, and therefore impact absorption at the time of a collision can be made even when there is no sufficient space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiya Suzuki, Yoshiaki Nakazawa, Yasuhiro Ito, Satoshi Shirakami
  • Patent number: 11117623
    Abstract: A vehicle pillar structure is provided including a pillar frame that configures framework of a pillar and that includes a flange portion configuring an attachment counterpart for a weather strip at a vehicle front-rear direction rear end portion of the pillar frame, a garnish that is attached to a vehicle width direction inner side of the pillar frame and that configures a styling face of a vehicle cabin interior, and plural ribs that are integrally formed to a face of the garnish on the pillar frame side, that are supported by the flange portion through the weather strip, and that are arrayed in a pillar length direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Tanaka, Yusuke Nishizaki
  • Patent number: 11110877
    Abstract: An amusement device seat assembly includes a seat to allow a passenger to sit. A leg space is provided under a seat base for holding a left and right leg of the passenger. The seat assembly includes a leg locking device for retaining an in the leg space introduced lower leg of the passenger. The leg locking device includes a central mount for preventing a laterally inwardly directed movement of a leg. A lateral mount prevents a forwardly directed movement of the lower leg. A bracket which may be operatable by the passenger himself is movable to provide an open or closed configuration of the leg locking device. In the closed configuration, an outer bracket extension prevents a laterally outwardly directed movement of a leg of a passenger. Advantageously, an intuitively working leg locking device is provided which contributes to a high level of operational reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: VEKOMA RIDES ENGINEERING B.V.
    Inventor: Eloy Jacobus Antonius Gerardus Caelen
  • Patent number: 11104286
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body including a pillar. The pillar includes a support structure. A passenger compartment is defined by the vehicle body. A trim member disposed in the passenger compartment on the pillar. An energy absorption member is coupled to the trim member. The energy absorption member includes a base and at least one rib extending from the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Amy M. Boardman, Bhaskara Rao Pamarthi, Joseph Lozon, Marcus Oden
  • Patent number: 11097602
    Abstract: A door service hole cover includes a cover component that is configured to cover a service hole, and a shock absorption component that is integral to the cover component. The shock absorption component includes a cabin inner component, at least a portion of which projects from the cover component toward the inside of the cabin and which is hollow and open toward the outside of the cabin; and a fragile portion formed on a side surface of the cabin inner component and configured to allow the cabin inner component to crush and deform upon application of a force acting in the direction of projection of the cabin inner component. Upon application of a force acting in the direction of projection, the cabin inner component crushes inwardly and deforms while being twisted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 11046220
    Abstract: A seating system for a vehicle includes a seat-back frame and a backboard attached to the seat-back frame. An attachment arrangement includes an elongated member attached to the seat-back frame and the backboard, and is configured to remain attached to the seat-back frame and the backboard by plastically deforming when the seat-back frame and the backboard are subjected to a separation force of a predetermined magnitude greater than a magnitude otherwise required to detach the elongated member from the backboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Chris Edwards, Adam Clark
  • Patent number: 11046223
    Abstract: An armrest includes a protruded section extending in a vehicular front-rear direction and protruded toward a vehicular interior side, and the protruded section includes an upper section, a lower section, and an intermediate section that is between the upper section and the lower section and connects the upper section and the lower section on a vehicular interior side. The armrest further includes ribs that are on a vehicular exterior side with respect to the intermediate section and arranged in the vehicular front-rear direction and each of the ribs extends from the upper section to the lower section. The ribs include a low rigidity rib and a high rigidity rib that are arranged next to each other in the vehicular front-rear direction, and the high rigidity rib having rigidity higher than that of the low rigidity rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11039967
    Abstract: A fixing structure 40 has an inwardly-facing seat 22, a front side seat 42, and fixing members 44. The inwardly-facing seat 22 is fixed to a floor portion 14 such that passengers PA face in a vehicle transverse direction. The front side seat 42 has a seat cushion 46 on which the passenger PA sits, and a supporting member 52, and is disposed at the floor portion 14 at a vehicle longitudinal direction front side of the inwardly-facing seat 22, and rear wheels 36 can contact the seat cushion 46 in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The supporting member 52 supports the seat cushion 46 such that the seat cushion 46 can rotate toward the inwardly-facing seat 22. The fixing members 44 fix a wheelchair 30 to the floor portion 14 in a state in which the rear wheels 36 are made to contact the front side seat 42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Shiga
  • Patent number: 10919477
    Abstract: A door module is equipped with an inflatable bladder configured to move an interior trim panel away from the door and toward a vehicle occupant in the event of a collision. The result is reduced occupant movement, additional absorption of kinetic energy, and distribution of remaining energy over an increased surface area. The bladder can have an accordion-like configuration that unfolds when changing from a deflated state to an inflated state, and more than one bladder can be used to control which portions of the trim panel move relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: FAURECIA INTERIOR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Brett Schnur, Maxime Salandre, Nicholas Natale
  • Patent number: 10889211
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle body structure including: a seat member storable in a floor of a vehicle body; a front door disposed on a vehicle-width directional outer side relative to the seat member; a first load transmission member and a second load transmission member disposed in the front door and configured to transmit a side collision load to the seat member at a side collision. The first load transmission member and the second load transmission member are arranged higher than an upper surface of the seat member being in a dive-down stored condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kato, Asato Ikezumi
  • Patent number: 10875550
    Abstract: A table top is for a vehicle compartment accommodating passengers, in particular a rail vehicle. The table top includes a stationary part connected to the vehicle and a moving tray located across from a passenger chair or seat. The tray is movable along an axis of rotation parallel to a plane of the table top. The table top includes a chassis on which the tray is mounted. The chassis is translatable relative to the stationary part along an axis parallel to the plane of the tray and perpendicular to the axis of rotation. In a deployed configuration, the tray is deployed jointly with the stationary part, with the chassis maximally separated from the stationary part. In a folded configuration, the tray is pivoted along its axis of rotation in an inclined position relative to the stationary part, with the chassis minimally separated from the stationary part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: ALSTOM TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: Dominique Le Corre
  • Patent number: 10843741
    Abstract: A vehicle panel stricture includes an outer panel, a side member outer panel disposed outward of the outer panel in a vehicle width direction, an inner panel disposed inward of the outer panel in the vehicle width direction, and a first welded portion formed through spot welding in a state where the inner panel, the side member outer panel, and the outer panel are laid over each other while being arranged in this order from an outside of a vehicle or in a state where the side member outer panel, the outer panel, and the inner panel are laid over each other while being arranged in this order from the outside of the vehicle. In the vehicle panel structure, the outer panel is provided with a ridge portion and the thickness of the outer panel at the first welded portion is smaller than the thickness of the ridge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Naohiko Ueno
  • Patent number: 10759370
    Abstract: An instrument panel assembly includes a support beam and an exterior panel. The instrument panel assembly includes an energy absorbing device between the support beam and the exterior panel and having a variable crush resistance based on a temperature of the energy absorbing device. The instrument panel assembly includes a heater operatively coupled to the energy absorbing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yali Li, Mohammad Omar Faruque, James Chih Cheng, Saeed David Barbat, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 10730468
    Abstract: A vehicle interior component, having rigidity for mitigating an impact from a side collision, includes a door panel, a door trim adapted to be attached to the door panel, and a box-shaped protector arranged between the door panel and the door trim and attached to one of the door panel and the door trim. An outer wall groove extending in a vehicle front to back direction is formed in an outer wall of the protector, which is opposite to the other of the door panel and the door trim. The outer wall is partitioned by the outer wall groove in an up to down direction into an upper opposite surface and a lower opposite surface, and one of the upper opposite surface and the lower opposite surface has an up-down length at a vehicle front side, which is larger than an up-down length at a vehicle rear side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuhisa Yamamoto, Tatsuki Nonaka
  • Patent number: 10703417
    Abstract: A body frame structure forming a side part of an automobile includes an outer panel, an inner panel that forms a closed space elongated in a first direction between the inner panel and the outer panel, a metal outer R/F disposed within the closed space, a resin R/F disposed within the closed space, and a foam disposed within the closed space. The closed space includes a three-layer structure including the outer R/F, the resin R/F, and the foam filling a space between the outer R/F and the resin R/F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, IIDA INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokoi, Shinichirou Murofushi, Keisuke Suzuki, Yasunori Yamada, Tetsuya Shinohara, Kenji Takada, Shigeaki Kitamura, Hironao Ito
  • Patent number: 10703316
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle pillar structure including: a pillar-shaped component that forms a pillar; a pillar garnish that is disposed on a vehicle cabin side of the pillar-shaped component; and a supporting component that is provided between the pillar-shaped component and the pillar garnish and is capable of undergoing elastic deformation, and that supports one or a plurality of mounted components that have been mounted along the pillar-shaped component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken Tanaka, Masashi Kawamoto, Yasuhiro Ito
  • Patent number: 10688959
    Abstract: An occupant restraint system for a wheelchair user in a vehicle that includes a pivot brace connected to the vehicle structure, a restraint hoop pivotally connected to the pivot brace and adapted to pivot between a stowed position above a wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle and a deployed position that is forward of a wheelchair/occupant when positioned in the wheelchair/occupant receiving area in the vehicle, and an occupant restraint belt connected to the restraint hoop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Wade W. Bryant
  • Patent number: 10668935
    Abstract: It is described a rail vehicle, in particular a tram comprising a front portion and a bumper. Preferably, the bumper comprises at least a thermoplastic material comprising PPS, more preferably the bumper comprises more than 50%, even more preferably more than 80% by weight on the total weight of the thermoplastic materials present in the bumper in a thermoplastic PPS-based material. Preferably, the thermoplastic material comprises reinforcement fibres, more preferably glass fibres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI RAIL ITALY S.P.A.
    Inventors: Antonello Gallone, Antonio Tarantino
  • Patent number: 10625701
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a roof. The vehicle includes a front seat and a rear seat facing each other. The vehicle includes an airbag inflatable from the roof to an inflated position between the front seat and the rear seat. The airbag, in the inflated position, includes a first inflated leg, a second inflated leg spaced from the first inflated leg, and an inflated arced member extending from the first inflated leg to the second inflated leg, the inflated arced member including a top panel and a bottom panel spaced from each other and each arcing downwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jaeho Cho, Robert William McCoy, Mangala Ambalangodage Jayasuriya
  • Patent number: 10479308
    Abstract: Provided is a damping member for a vehicle having excellent efficiency of input energy absorption. A damping pad serving as a damping member for a vehicle includes a base plate portion having a flat plate shape, a vertical wall arranged at a rim of the base plate portion in a flange-like manner, a plurality of ribs arranged in parallel as rising from the base plate portion, each of the ribs connected to a vertical wall as extending in a direction intersecting with the vertical wall, and a fragile section arranged between adjacent two of the ribs. The fragile section includes a groove formed at the vertical wall and a slit formed at the base plate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: KASAI KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naotoshi Sato
  • Patent number: 10463982
    Abstract: A ride assembly includes a ride vehicle configured to carry one or more passengers and to move in a direction along a ride path, a first passenger seat of the ride vehicle having a seatback, where the first passenger seat is configured to seat a first passenger of the one or more passengers, and where the seatback is configured to rotate with respect to the ride vehicle from a loading position to an active position, a second passenger seat of the ride vehicle positioned behind the first passenger seat with respect to the direction, where the second passenger seat is configured to seat a second passenger of the one or more passengers, and a passenger restraint coupled to the seatback of the first passenger seat, where the passenger restraint is configured to secure the second passenger in the second passenger seat when the seatback is in the active position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Tom Masterson, Steven C. Blum, Christopher Oliver, Eric A. Vance, Daniel Freedman, Ted W. Van Winkle
  • Patent number: 10457240
    Abstract: A rail for supporting a glove box assembly and airbag canister includes a substantially planar body having an upper and lower surface, the upper surface defining a plurality of ribs. The rail further includes a wall projecting from at least a portion of an outer periphery of the lower surface, a first plurality of connection points configured to couple an airbag canister to the rail, and a second plurality of connection points configured to couple a glove box assembly to the rail. The rail further includes a first appendage extending from a first end of the body and a second appendage extending from a second end of the body, the first and second appendages configured to couple the rail to a dashboard assembly. The rail is integrally formed as a single component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: MAGNESIUM PRODUCTS OF AMERICA
    Inventors: David Richard Greer, Jr., Joshua Lee McConnell
  • Patent number: 10377107
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a structure body, which allows the obtaining of superior impact performance while suppressing increases in thickness and weight of a plastic plate and reducing cost, and a method for manufacturing that structure body. Provided is a structure body (1) provided with a structure (10) made of a metal or a thermosetting resin, a plastic plate (14) attached to a surface (10a) of the structure (10) with double-sided tape (12), and a non-foamed plastic sheet (A) having a glass transition temperature of ?20° C. or lower arranged between the structure (10) and the plastic plate (14). Also provided is a method for manufacturing the structure body (1) that includes arranging the plastic sheet (A) between the structure (10) and the plastic plate (14) when attaching the plastic plate (14) to the surface (10a) of the structure (10) with the double-side tape (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Kumi Kasei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Etsuo Okahara, Koichi Ashima
  • Patent number: 10343725
    Abstract: An automotive structural component includes a lattice structure. The lattice structure defines a plurality of cells. The plurality of cells include a multitude of at least partially filled cells each at least partially filled with a filling, and a multitude of hollow cells distributed amongst the multitude of at least partially filled cells to distribute and direct load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Justin C. Martin, Joseph M. Polewarczyk, Paul J. Wolcott
  • Patent number: 10286821
    Abstract: An armrest core includes a lattice having a plurality of void channel clusters. The void channel clusters have a section geometry characterized by a lateral dimension D1 and a vertical dimension D2 where D1<D2. An armrest assembly includes the armrest core and an outer cover overlying the armrest core. A method of manufacturing the armrest assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 10259367
    Abstract: A door armrest assembly for a vehicle, may include a trim panel covering an internal side of a vehicle door and having a pushing member; and a door armrest mounted on the trim panel and having a protrusion disposed adjacent to the pushing member, wherein at least a portion of the door armrest is separable from the trim panel in a side impact as the pushing member of the trim panel pushes the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Je Sun Han
  • Patent number: 10227026
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a frame member (13) of the seat, a cushion material (14) covering the frame member, a soft member (25) that is softer than the cushion material and secured to the frame member, and a weight (24) located in the soft member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Gen Takahashi, Daisuke Ito, Hideki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10099727
    Abstract: A vehicle pillar structure comprising a pillar portion extending in parallel with an outer end portion of a windshield and the pillar portion having a hollow structure, the pillar portion comprising an outer side wall at a vehicle exterior side of the pillar portion; an inner side wall at a vehicle cabin side of the pillar portion; and a pair of side walls linking the outer side wall and the inner side wall. At least a portion of the outer side wall is an outer side transparent portion, at least a portion of the inner side wall is an inner side transparent portion and, as viewed from a driver position, overlaps with the outer side transparent portion, and a tensile strength of the outer side wall is lower than that of the inner side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Terada, Yoshinori Yamada, Chikashi Takeichi
  • Patent number: 10099625
    Abstract: A vehicular glove box bin has a molded substrate of a first durometer plastic material defining a concave body with bin sides, bottom, and open mouth. The sides include a front wall arranged to receive an impact load in a substantially normal direction, and at least one perforated wall substantially aligned with the normal direction which has at least one stiffness reducing gap. A substitution panel comprising a resilient material having a second durometer less than the first durometer is molded into and closes the gap. The gap and the substitution panel define locking surfaces for retaining the substitution panel. The combined first and second durometers provide a predetermined collapse in response to the impact load. The placement and sizes of gaps together with the selected durometers allow a designer to tailor the stiffness around various portions of the bin to match a desired impact performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Li Lu, Jeffrey Kloberdanz, Yi Yang Tay, Gary D. Mullen
  • Patent number: 10099581
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a support arrangement for a child seat. The support arrangement comprises a support column having an axial direction. The support column is adapted to transfer a collision load in the axial direction. The support column comprises, or is constituted by, at least one inflatable body. The support column is adapted to in an inflated state of the inflatable body extend in the axial direction between the child seat and a support surface. The disclosure further relates to a kit comprising the support arrangement and a child seat. The disclosure also relates to a method to control extension in an axial direction of a support arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Erik Hjerpe
  • Patent number: 10059295
    Abstract: An impact absorbing structure absorbs an impact applied from outside or inside of a vehicle near a seat belt anchor bolt that protrudes from the vehicle body panel toward the inside of the vehicle. The impact absorbing structure includes a cylinder body that accommodates a head part of the seat belt anchor bolt; an impact absorbing box arranged adjacently to the cylinder body, the impact absorbing box including a top plate facing the vehicle body panel; a base that supports the impact absorbing box; an attaching unit that attaches the base to a back face of the vehicle interior component; a stepped portion arranged on a side face of the impact absorbing box as a base point of crush deformation of the impact absorbing box; and a rib arranged between the impact absorbing box and the cylinder body to prevent escape of the impact absorbing box due to tilting thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: KASAI KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Sudo
  • Patent number: 9809139
    Abstract: The transport vehicle seat allows to avoid the violent collision of a passenger's head located on the seat placed behind and to dampen the violent forward rocking of this passenger, in case of a frontal collision of the transport vehicle. The seat includes a pivotably mounted fold-down element (10), such as a table, placed on the rear face of a seat back. It has blocking part (14) holding the fold-down element (10) in a substantially vertical position, blocking part (14) being able to break off during a collision applied to the fold-down element (10) and to allow the latter to go on rocking towards the back seat to which it is attached. Application to aircraft seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: EXPLISEAT
    Inventors: Benjamin Jacob Saada, Jean-Charles Marcel Samuelian, Vincent Tejedor
  • Patent number: 9776590
    Abstract: A personal protection assembly for protection in a side impact collision includes a first pad that is resilient. The first pad is substantially complementary to a seatbelt pulley and a portion of an adjacent column of a vehicle to which the seatbelt pulley is coupled. The first pad is configured to couple to the adjacent column to cover the seatbelt pulley. The first pad is positioned to couple to the adjacent column to cover the seatbelt pulley and is configured to provide impact protection, in the event of a side impact collision, to a head of a user positioned in a seat fitted with a seatbelt coupled to the seatbelt pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventor: Nathan Foser
  • Patent number: 9766047
    Abstract: An armored cab comprises a top wall, two side walls, a front wall, a back wall, and a bottom wall, the cab having a longitudinal axis. The bottom wall comprises a generally centrally disposed downwardly facing smooth concave wall portion extending substantially an entire length of the cab and generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cab and forming a power train tunnel of the cab, and a pair of opposite laterally disposed wall portions extending substantially the entire length of the cab and generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cab, each of the opposite laterally disposed wall portions extending downwardly and laterally inwardly and terminating in a lowermost portion of the bottom wall on either lateral side of the concave wall portion. The concave wall portion and the opposite laterally disposed wall portions are configured so as to present a substantially reduced surface area of the lowermost portions of the bottom wall in a downwardly facing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: BAE Systems Tactical Vehicle Systems LP
    Inventors: Matthew R. Harmon, Thomas Matthew Berning, Sean Emmett Carey, Suresh Devu, Kevin M. Klatte, Mark R. Lappin, Michael D. Reynolds, Jr., Rabih E. Tannous, Robert J. Wittman
  • Patent number: 9738182
    Abstract: A child seat for a motor vehicle having a carry shell with a carrying grip and a seat unit arranged within the carry shell having a back portion, a seat portion, and a leg portion. An upper backrest is fitted on the back portion of the seat unit for movement in a direction to and from the seat portion. The child seat also has a device for altering the position of the upper backrest relative to the back portion, and a harness with two shoulder straps, each shoulder strap being passed through a corresponding slot in the back portion and in the upper backrest, with pivotally mounted strap guides each being assigned to the belt slots in the back portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: CYBEX GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Pos
  • Patent number: 9701226
    Abstract: A panel holder made of at least one wire which features at least one element for fastening the panel holder to a fixed structure adjacent to the panel holder, and at least one element for fastening the panel holder to a panel. The wire forms a support bracket which in the assembled state of the panel holder and the panel is arranged in a critical region of the panel in which in the event of a crash, a strong crash force acts on the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Sitech Sitztechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Maciej, Jens Bratge