Sliding Closures On Opposite Sides Of Body Patents (Class 296/155)
  • Patent number: 12157355
    Abstract: A guide rail includes: a first rail that has a bottom wall on which a load roller rolls and supports the weight of a sliding door; a second rail that has side walls on which two guide rollers roll and defines a moving direction of the sliding door; and a first restriction part that restricts the motion of the load roller in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignees: AISIN CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA SHATAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohito Kiryu, Koichi Morita, Hideaki Kanasugi, Shunsuke Kanagai, Nobuo Hayama, Yusuke Kato, Nobuaki Sakai
  • Patent number: 12109873
    Abstract: A wall surface of a reinforcing bracket is provided with engagement holes (engaged portions) on a front side and a rear side, respectively. A lower arm of a front door and a lower arm of a rear door are each provided with an engagement projection (engaging portion) that engages with an engagement hole when the front door and the rear door fully close.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Saiki, Takashi Fukahori, Joji Goto, Tomoaki Ando, Katsuhiro Yoshiyama
  • Patent number: 12103369
    Abstract: A sliding door mounting reinforcement structure includes a roof rail side lower member mounted in the length direction of the vehicle body and having a lower member flange formed thereon, and a roof rail center member mounted in the width direction of the vehicle body and coupled with the lower member flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Won Ki Song
  • Patent number: 11999223
    Abstract: A vehicle door system and a control method thereof, and a vehicle having the same. The vehicle door system comprises: a top door, the top door opening or closing a first opening of a vehicle body top portion; and a side door, the side door comprising a side door member and a side window, wherein the side door member opens or closes a second opening of a vehicle body side wall, the side window is mounted on the side door member, both a top edge and a side edge of the side window are configured to be frameless, and the side window is capable of raising or lowering relative to the side door member. When the side door body closes the second opening, the side window raises or lowers to open or close a third opening of the vehicle body side wall, wherein the third opening is located above the second opening, and the first opening, the second opening, and the third opening communicate with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: HUMAN HORIZONS (SHANGHAI) NEW ENERGY POWERTRAIN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lei Ding, Jun Yang
  • Patent number: 11995491
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to determine that a door of a vehicle is attached to the vehicle based on data from at least one of a camera of the vehicle or a radio receiver of the vehicle; upon determining that the door is attached to the vehicle, actuate a component of the vehicle based on data from a door sensor of the vehicle, the door sensor indicating whether the door is open or closed; determine that the door is detached from the vehicle based on the data from the at least one of the camera or the radio receiver; and upon determining that the door is detached from the vehicle, actuate the component without relying on the data from the door sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Keith Weston, Andrew Denis Lewandowski, Brendan Francis Diamond, Victor Martinez
  • Patent number: 11919373
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle includes a first door and a second door movable from an open position to a closed position. The assembly includes a first anchor supported by the first pillar movable along an axis to an engaged position. The assembly includes a first rod supported by the first door movable along an axis to an engaged position. The assembly includes a second rod supported by the second door movable along the axis to an engaged position. The first anchor is lockingly engaged with the first rod when first anchor is in the engaged position. The first rod is lockingly engaged with the second rod when the first rod is in the engaged position and the first anchor is in the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Patel, Zhibing Deng, Joseph E. Abramczyk
  • Patent number: 11858552
    Abstract: An embodiment sliding door mounting reinforcement structure includes a sliding door lower reinforcement configured to be mounted on a side of a vehicle body along a length direction of the vehicle body, the sliding door lower reinforcement including a guide rail mounted therein, the guide rail being configured to guide movement of a sliding door, and a center floor cross unit configured to be mounted in a width direction of the vehicle body, wherein the sliding door lower reinforcement and the center floor cross unit are combined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Won Ki Song
  • Patent number: 11807085
    Abstract: A sliding door device for a vehicle, includes: a door that opens or closes a door opening formed in a vehicle body; a door arm provided with a first end portion rotatably connected to the door and a second end portion movable along a side sill of the vehicle body; a first slider pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the door arm so that the door arm rotates; a second slider coupled to the first slider to provide a path in which the first slider moves and to linearly move along the side sill; and a lower arm pinion gear which is rotatably coupled to the second end portion of the door arm and gear-engaged with the second slider to provide rotation force to the door arm so that the door arm rotates when the first slider moves in a longitudinal direction of the second slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Jaeseung Lee, Sangheon Lee, Soo Bok Kim, Jin Pyung Park
  • Patent number: 11548560
    Abstract: A vehicle skeleton structure includes: a first front pillar portion provided at a first side portion of a vehicle body; a second front pillar portion provided at a second side portion of the vehicle body; a front upper cross portion coupled to upper portions of the first and second front pillar portions; a front lower cross portion coupled to lower portions of the first and second front pillar portions; a first rear pillar portion provided at the first side portion along a rear peripheral edge portion of the door opening portion; a second rear pillar portion provided at the second side portion; a rear upper cross portion coupled to upper portions of the first and second rear pillar portions; and a rear lower cross portion coupled to lower portions of the first and second rear pillar portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hara, Jumpei Watanabe, Hirotaka Ishioka, Norimasa Koreishi
  • Patent number: 11518312
    Abstract: A step device for a vehicle includes a movable step and a coupling member. The movable step includes a guide rail. The coupling member is configured to cause the movable step to move from a deployed position to a retracted position as a engaging part comes into sliding contact with a side wall of the guide rail that is located on an inner side in a vehicle width direction and, while pressing the side wall, moves inside the guide rail in a direction of closing a sliding door. The guide rail is configured such that a terminal end region on a closing side including a terminal end position at which the engaging part is located when the sliding door is fully closed constitutes a closing-side free running zone in which the engaging part does not press either of the side walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA SHATAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Oji, Keisuke Nomura, Shinji Kazama, Kazuhiro Hibi, Kazuhiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11446989
    Abstract: Doors on a vehicle may be controlled by a door positioning system that moves the doors freely and fluidly relative to the body of the vehicle. The doors may include front and rear doors on each side of the vehicle. The door positioning system may control the movement and positioning of each door using a door mechanism coupled between the door and the body of the vehicle. The door positioning system may determine a position or path of motion for each door based on sensor data and user input. The door positioning system may issue corresponding control signals to actuators in the door mechanism to position the door accordingly. For example, the front door may slide open at an angle to accommodate an angled tire. Front and rear doors may open in opposite directions to create a large, unobstructed space for passengers to enter and exit the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Brown, Phillip Michael Hobson, John Raff, Sung H. Kim, Russell C. Mead, Jr., Ronald J. Smith
  • Patent number: 11358446
    Abstract: A slide door structure includes: a slide door provided to be movable with respect to a vehicle body; and a wire harness routed between the vehicle body and the slide door by allowing an electric wire bundle to pass through a bendable exterior member. The wire harness is connected to the slide door by door-side fixture including an outer member attached to the slide door and an inner member provided on the wire harness and supported by the outer member so as to be rotatable about an axis in an upper-lower direction as a center. In the door-side fixture, the inner member is supported by the outer member so as to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamashita, Shinji Kato
  • Patent number: 11320824
    Abstract: A vehicle including: a sliding door configured to block an opening provided in a vehicle body when in a closed state, a trajectory of sliding movement of the sliding door overlapping a trajectory of turning of a steered wheel; a steering mechanism configured to turn the steered wheel; a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to: control the steering mechanism in order to perform autonomous driving, and control the steering mechanism prior to the vehicle stopping so as to adjust a steering angle of the steered wheel, such that the steered wheel moves out of the trajectory of the sliding door in a case in which the steered wheel is within the trajectory of the sliding door during autonomous driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Niikuni
  • Patent number: 11313163
    Abstract: A link type structure includes a lower rail mounted in a longitudinal direction at a lower side of a vehicle body, a lower rail roller unit rollably connected to the lower rail, a lower rail swing arm rotatably connected to the lower rail roller unit and a door, a first link member having a first end rotatably connected to the door and a second end connected to a link hinge, a second link member having a first end rotatably connected to the lower rail roller unit and a second end connected to the link hinge, and a spring provided on the link hinge. The spring is configured to supply elastic force such that one end of the first link member applies force to the door in a direction toward outside of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Pyeong Hwa Automotive Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyung-In Yun, Seong-Tae Hong, Ji-Hak Yoo
  • Patent number: 11225171
    Abstract: A method for charging a starter battery of a vehicle is disclosed, wherein the vehicle has at least one movable opening element and a motor unit, which is coupled to the opening element and is operable in a motor-powered drive mode to drive the opening element and in a generator mode to generate an electrical voltage, said method comprising: detecting the generator mode of the motor unit using the electrical voltage generated by the motor unit, comparing the generated electrical voltage with a specified voltage value, and establishing an electrical connection from the motor unit to the starter battery to charge the starter battery, if the generated electrical voltage is greater than the voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Inventor: Erwin Kessler
  • Patent number: 11186154
    Abstract: A weather strip structure for vehicle may include a body weather strip mounted on an opening flange and sealing a gap between a vehicle body and the doors; and an upper weather strip mounted on a roof panel and sealing a gap between the roof panel and the vehicle body; a bent portion into which a cowl cross bar is inserted and which is curvedly mounted along the vehicle body at a lateral side of a mounting unit mounted on the vehicle body; a rectilinear portion which rectilinearly connects end portions of the bent portion along the opening flange; and a frame portion which is connected to intersection points between the bent portion and the rectilinear portion and defines a frame of the body weather strip, wherein a hollow space is formed between the rectilinear portion and the bent portion, and the mounting unit is positioned inside the hollow space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Je-Won Choi
  • Patent number: 11155176
    Abstract: An intelligent autonomous electrical vehicle platform assembly provides a mobile platform that comprises a self-motorized, electrical power drive to carry at least one platform container or passenger vehicle while being controlled remotely by an operator, or autonomously driven through artificial intelligence, or operated in a shared transportation system. The mobile platform has a platform chassis having wheels with a hub motor assembly contained therein. The hub motor is powered electrically from a battery charged by an external power source and/or a solar panel. The mobile platform carries a platform container that forms an enclosed area with various themes, including: a cargo transport area, a food and beverage area, a medical assistance area, or a home area having an inhabitant-assigned parking area and utility. The inhabitant of the mobile home receives creature comforts of a home environment, and controls movement, parking, energy, temperature, and payment options for the mobile home.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Inventor: Edward Lee
  • Patent number: 11142931
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle door latch device capable of shortening of energization time to an electrical drive source while a moving member is restrained by abutting against a stopper portion and improvement of durability of the electrical drive source. A control unit of the door latch device controls an electric motor for driving a sector gear in a release direction based on a door operation of an operation switch, and controls to stop a power supply to the electric motor when the latch is rotated from the full-latch position to the open position and a full-latch detecting switch is activated while the moving member is brought into abutment with the stopper portion and is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation
    Inventors: Minetaka Katagawa, Shintaro Okawa, Akifumi Omori
  • Patent number: 11027628
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a cabin and a track assembly. The track assembly is coupled to a portion of the cabin. The track assembly includes a rail assembly. The rail assembly defines an interior aperture. The interior aperture is inaccessible from a top side, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side of the rail assembly. The rail assembly defines a first external channel in the first lateral side and a second external channel in the second lateral side. The first and second external channels receive a carriage power conductor and a carriage data conductor, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line
  • Patent number: 10994639
    Abstract: Provided is an armrest device that can be positioned in an appropriate position suitable for the build of the vehicle occupant. The armrest device (10) comprises an interior member (1) provided on an inboard side of a vehicle door, and an armrest main body (9) supported by the interior member so as to be moveable between an initial position and a projecting position more inboard and forward than the initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10967912
    Abstract: A vehicle lower section structure includes a battery unit that is disposed below a floor panel, a sliding door that is provided to a side section of a vehicle body, and a lower hinge that is attached to a lower portion of the sliding door, that supports the sliding door with respect to the vehicle body such that the sliding door is capable of sliding in a vehicle front-rear direction, and that is disposed further toward a vehicle upper side than the battery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaru Toyota
  • Patent number: 10947767
    Abstract: A vehicle having a door slidably mounted on a shell. The vehicle includes at least one assistance device, comprising both a winder carrying a strap and a receptacle, the winder including a brake for braking unwinding of the strap from the winder, one of the winder and receptacle being fastened to the shell and one of the winder and receptacle being fastened to the door, the strap carrying a latchplate suitable for being reversibly attached to the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERRS
    Inventor: Andre Barbieri
  • Patent number: 10899392
    Abstract: A side sill structure can be used with a vehicle mounted with opposite sliding doors. The vehicle includes a lower rail that is mounted at a lower side of a vehicle body in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body. The side sill structure includes a side sill that includes a side sill inner panel and a side sill outer panel coupled to define an opened cross section. The side sill inner panel is mounted on the vehicle body and extends in the front-rear direction. The side sill outer panel is coupled to the side sill inner panel to define a hollow portion between the side sill outer panel and the side sill inner panel. The side sill structure also includes a lower rail accommodating unit that is coupled to the side sill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Huen-Sick Min, Sang-Gil Choi
  • Patent number: 10760310
    Abstract: A kit for use in realigning a door connected to a jamb includes a plurality of replacement hinges having different sized gaps formed between the leaves thereof when pivoted to extend in parallel, juxtaposed alignment, including gaps that are narrower and wider than a standard gap of the conventional hinges currently used to hang the door, prior to installation. A zero gap replacement hinge may have no gap between the leaves when in the closed position. The kit may include multiple reduced gap replacement hinges with varying sized gaps and multiple enlarged gap replacement hinges with varying sized gaps. To rehang a sagging door, the top conventional hinge may be replaced with a reduced gap replacement hinge and the bottom conventional hinge may be replaced with an enlarged gap replacement hinge. The reduced gaps and the enlarged gaps of the replacement hinges may be formed using a swaging technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Inventor: Tyler L. Kessler
  • Patent number: 10752096
    Abstract: A sliding door (12) for a vehicle (1) comprises an outer panel (21) defining an outer side surface of the vehicle, and an inner panel (22) joined to the outer panel along an outer periphery thereof, and having a central part spaced from the outer panel (21) on an inboard side of the outer panel. The inner panel includes a first inner wall portion (41, 51) extending forward from a rear edge of the inner panel and having a major plane facing laterally, and a second inner wall portion (42, 52) extending in an inboard direction from a front end of the first inner wall portion and having a major plane facing in a fore and aft direction, and a light emitter (81) or a reflector (91) is affixed to a rear surface of the second inner wall portion so as to irradiate light rearward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sho Sannohe
  • Patent number: 10737734
    Abstract: A wind deflector arrangement includes a wind deflector configured to reduce air resistance, the wind deflector being arranged on a cab roof of a vehicle, the wind deflector being pivotable around a substantially transversal axis of the vehicle, wherein the wind deflector arrangement further includes at least one air pressure sensor for measuring an air pressure during traveling of the vehicle, wherein the at least one air pressure sensor is arranged within a space formed by the wind deflector and the cab roof of the vehicle. A method for controlling a wind deflector arrangement and a vehicle including such a wind deflector arrangement are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Anders Tenstam
  • Patent number: 10742087
    Abstract: A resin waterproof cover for covering an outside of a motor apparatus is comprising a cylindrical cap, a cap cover, a lead wire guide portion for inverting and leading out a power supply lead wire from inside of a motor case to the outside of the waterproof cover into a U shape, and cap engagement portions. The resin waterproof cover further comprises a first seal portion made of a photo-curable adhesive formed between the outer periphery near the bottom of the motor case, the other end of the cylindrical cap, and an end bracket of a reduction gear structure, a second seal portion made of a photo-curing adhesive formed on the lead wire guide portion, and a third seal portion made of a light curable adhesive formed between the periphery of one end of the cylindrical cap and the cap cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: IGARASHI ELECTRIC WORKS LTD.
    Inventors: Naoto Seshita, Ryo Nazawa, Yusuke Mizukoshi
  • Patent number: 10717399
    Abstract: A wire harness includes: a flexible conductor; a flexible restricting member extending along the conductor and restricting a path of the conductor; a flexible armoring member through which the conductor and the restricting member are inserted; a first holding member including a first recessed part and fixed to the vehicle body, the first recessed part having a first end of the restricting member inserted therein; and a second holding member including a second recessed part and fixed to the movable body, the second recessed part having a second end of the restricting member inserted therein. Respective ends of the armoring member are fixed to the first holding member and the second holding member. The respective ends of the restricting member are held by the first recessed part and the second recessed part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoto Kogure, Katsumi Sato, Kosuke Tomosada
  • Patent number: 10689888
    Abstract: An opening and closing body control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a lock device that has a latch mechanism; and a control device that controls an operation of the lock device. The lock device has a rotation member rotating in first and second directions, and the latch mechanism performs close and release operations according to a rotating direction of the rotation member. The control device executes a close control for rotating the rotation member from a neutral position to a first position in the first direction to cause the latch mechanism to perform the close operation. The control device includes a neutral return control portion. The neutral return control portion includes a counter, a neutral return determination portion, and a count holding portion. In a case where the neutral return control is restarted, the count-up of the counter is restarted from the count value at the time of interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Kaino
  • Patent number: 10654345
    Abstract: Provided is an opening/closing apparatus for a vehicle capable of protecting a cable configured to open and close an opening/closing body even when a large external force is applied to the opening/closing body. A cross-sectional shape of a cable holding groove in a direction crossing a longitudinal direction of a cable guide is an arc shape configured to be in surface contact with a closing-side cable and an opening-side cable. Accordingly, a pressing force applied to the closing-side cable and the opening-side cable can be dispersed in a wide range of the closing-side cable and the opening-side cable rather than only in one part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBA Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Urano, Yoshitaka Sekine, Takashi Ono
  • Patent number: 10562382
    Abstract: A vehicle sliding door, including: an outer panel; an inner panel; a module panel to which devices are fixed; a first reinforcement member for reinforcing a sliding-direction end portion of the inner panel; and a fixation part to which the inner panel, the module panel and the first reinforcement member are fixed is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahito Kobatake, Masato Asakura, Tomoaki Ando, Kenji Kudo, Katsuhiro Yoshiyama
  • Patent number: 10518616
    Abstract: A vehicular door assembly that can be opened by both sliding and pivoting movements includes an outer frame portion and an inner door portion. One of the outer frame portion and the inner door portion is slidably mounted on the vehicle, and the other of the outer frame portion and the inner door portion is pivotally mounted on the vehicle. In a first embodiment, the outer frame portion is slidably mounted on the vehicle, and wherein the inner door portion is pivotally mounted on the outer frame portion. In a second embodiment, the outer frame portion is pivotally mounted on the vehicle, and wherein the inner door portion is slidably mounted on the outer frame portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Inventor: Riad M. Houmani
  • Patent number: 10486595
    Abstract: A vehicle rear viewing device includes an imaging device at a side portion of a vehicle configured to capture images toward a vehicle rear side. The device may also include a display device that has a display screen that displays images captured by the imaging device and a housing disposed at a vehicle front side of a side door glass of a sliding-type door and at a vehicle lower side of a front pillar. The housing may include an outer side portion that has a door handle mounted thereto and that structures a case of the imaging device and that includes an outer side through portion that exposes a lens portion of the imaging device. The housing may also include an inner side portion that structures a case of the display device and includes an inner side through portion that exposes the display screen toward a vehicle inner side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Ajisaka
  • Patent number: 10479418
    Abstract: Systems and methods for delivering a requested payload using an autonomous delivery vehicle are described herein. In some embodiments, a cargo system for use with an autonomous delivery vehicle can include a frame defining a cargo space having an opening. A plurality of partitions can be positioned within the cargo space and configured to divide the cargo space into compartments. In some embodiments, the partitions are movable so that the cargo space can be divided into efficiently-sized compartments based on, for example, size characteristics of the payload. The cargo system can further include an access system configured to selectively define an aperture over the opening of the cargo space. The access system can vary the size and position of the aperture to provide access to only a selected one of the compartments regardless of the size and/or position of the selected compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: UDELV INC.
    Inventors: Akshat Patel, Daniel Laury
  • Patent number: 10472866
    Abstract: An opening and closing body control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a lock device that has a latch mechanism; and a control device that controls an operation of the lock device. The lock device has a rotation member rotating in first and second directions, and the latch mechanism performs close and release operations according to a rotating direction of the rotation member. The control device executes a close control for rotating the rotation member from a neutral position to a first position in the first direction in order to cause the latch mechanism to perform the close operation. The control device includes a neutral control portion, a vehicle state detection portion, and a restart control portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Kaino
  • Patent number: 10449840
    Abstract: A vehicle side portion structure includes a vehicle body side portion in which a door opening portion allowing an occupant to enter or leave a vehicle is formed, the vehicle body side portion being configured to include a center pillar dividing the door opening portion into front and rear portions, a slide door disposed such that the door opening portion is openable and closable, the slide door in a closed state being disposed across the center pillar in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and an elongated reinforcing member disposed inside the slide door with a longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member directed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and intersecting with the center pillar in side view of the vehicle in the state where the slide door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Ajisaka
  • Patent number: 10442390
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a front fascia having a lower bumper region extending outwardly in a vehicle longitudinal direction at a bottom of a front end assembly. An undercover assembly is located rearward of the front fascia and has an undercover body including a front edge located at the lower bumper region. The undercover assembly includes an undercover reinforcement member that is connected to a surface of the undercover body and extends along a length of the undercover body to increase a stiffness within at least a region of the undercover body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Hinduja Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingher Fred Shen, Nicholas H. Augustyn, Revathy Dasan Muthiah
  • Patent number: 10443288
    Abstract: A roller unit includes a base bracket (2) that supports a slide door, a cable holder (11) formed integrally with the base bracket (2) and that holds cable ends (112a and 113a) of cables (112 and 113), and a cable guide (40) detachably installed at the cable holder (11) and that guides the cables (112 and 113), wherein the cable guide (40) is formed to separate the cables (112 and 113) from the base bracket (2), and a load applied to the cable guide (40) by tensile forces of the cables (112 and 113) is received by the cable holder (11) and the base bracket (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Okada
  • Patent number: 10422170
    Abstract: Dual pivoting laterally translating hinges that attach between a stationary first substrate such as a vehicle body, and a rotating second substrate such as a vehicle door, and extend laterally when the second substrate is rotated. In some examples, the hinges include a knuckle and leadscrew mechanism that changes the hinge geometry when the second substrate is rotated, causing the leadscrew to rotate by either a set of gears or a rack and pinion. In some further examples, the hinges include a jackscrew that changes length as the second substrate is rotated, causing the hinge to extent laterally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Trentin, Dave Spink
  • Patent number: 10378265
    Abstract: A door opening and closing device includes a motor that outputs driving force causing a back door of a vehicle to be opened or closed, and a controller that controls the motor. The controller executes automatic opening and closing control for automatically opening or closing the back door by the motor, and if the controller detects a stop command causing the back door to be stopped when the automatic opening and closing control is being executed, the controller decreases a target velocity of the back door at a predetermined deceleration ?1 until the back door stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10358846
    Abstract: A vehicle door opening and closing apparatus includes: a closing latch mechanism having a first latch and a first ratchet; an opening latch mechanism having a second latch and a second ratchet; a release electric mechanism configured to operate the first ratchet to a released position; an opening latch interlocking mechanism configured to operate in a cancel direction from an initial position in association with movement of the second latch from the unlatched position to the latched position; a relay mechanism configured to enable returning of the first ratchet stopped at the released position by switching over from a connected state to a disconnected state; and a cable that is routed through inside of a door trim and that transmits the operation of the opening latch interlocking mechanism in the cancel direction to the relay mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUI KINZOKU ACT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Hanaki, Kohei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10323444
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for window short drop for a vehicle with an electronic latch. An example door of a vehicle includes a door control unit communicatively coupled to an electronic latch. The electronic latch, in response to detecting a user touching an exterior handle, requests authorization from the vehicle. In response to receiving authorization, the electronic latch sends a request to the door control unit to lower a window of the door. Additionally, in response to receiving a confirmation from the door control unit, the electronic latch unlatches the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ronald Patrick Brombach, Howard Paul Tsvi Linden, John Thomas Ricks
  • Patent number: 10309139
    Abstract: Provided is a guide roller for a vehicular slide door. The guide roller has an annular metal inner ring; a retainer holding a bearing; an annular metal outer ring and a sliding layer including a synthetic resin. When the sliding layer is sectionalized into a sliding surface side area, an intermediate area and an interface side area, from the sliding surface to an interface with the outer ring, the synthetic resins in the sliding surface side area, the intermediate area and the interface side area have, respectively, a degree of crystallizations X1, X2 and X3 and nanoindenter hardnesses Y1, Y2 and Y3 wherein X2?X1 is less than 5%, and X2?X3 is less than 5% and wherein Y2 is not less than 115% of Y1, and Y2 is not less than 115% of Y3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: DAIDO METAL COMPANY LTD.
    Inventor: Takayoshi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 10273723
    Abstract: An opposed opening and closing type door structure of a vehicle is provided. The opposed opening and closing type door structure includes a front door and a rear door that are rotatably disposed in the vehicle to be oppositely opened and closed. A center pillar is rotatably disposed in the rear door and an active striker is disposed in the front door. A latch locked with or released from the active striker and is disposed in the center pillar. Accordingly, the weight of the vehicle and the number of parts of the vehicle is reduced and the front door and the rear door are independently opened and closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Duck Young Kim, Jung Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 10259299
    Abstract: A sliding door structure in which a position where a door side end-section of a vehicle body rail support member is coupled to a door main body being further to a door closing direction side than a center-of-gravity position of a door, and a position of a door side end-section of a door rail support member in a fully open state being further to a door closing direction side than the center-of-gravity position of the door and further to a door opening direction side than a position where the door side end-section of the vehicle body rail support member is coupled to the door main body, and that further includes: an inclination suppressing wall provided at a vehicle body and configured so as to be abutted, from a vehicle lower side, by a reaction force generating section at least in the fully open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hironari Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10220890
    Abstract: A deflector arrangement for a tractor is provided, the tractor being connectable to a trailer that forms an aerodynamic drag source. The deflector arrangement includes a deflector, a mount for connecting the deflector to the tractor, an arrangement for selectively deploying and retracting the deflector relative to the tractor, a sensor arranged to sense that the trailer that forms the aerodynamic drag force is attached to the tractor and send a loaded signal in response thereto, and a controller arranged to receive the loaded signal from the sensor and to control the selectively deploying and retracting arrangement to deploy the deflector in response to the loaded signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Pascal Amar
  • Patent number: 10144386
    Abstract: A belly pan is provided for a motor vehicle. The belly pan includes a body having at least one stiffener with a forwardmost zone of peak section force F1, an intermediate zone of peak section force F2 and a rearwardmost zone of peak section force F3 where F1<F2<F3. Advantageously, the belly pan functions to provide pedestrian protection while simultaneously limiting vehicle damage resulting from a low-speed collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew B. Makowski, Aileen M. DeVoe, Se Kyoon Shin, Laike Misikir, Luis Rafael Reyes Flores, Djamal Eddine Midoun
  • Patent number: 10132112
    Abstract: A door operation apparatus for a vehicle is provided to open or shut a door at a speed corresponding to a user's force or information selected by the user. In particular, the door operating apparatus installed in a body to open and shut an internal room of the body includes: a power member connected to the door for applying a moving force to the door; a detector for detecting a force applied by the user to the door; a controller for determining an open and shut speed corresponding to the detected force and controlling the power member to be driven to open and shut the door at the determined open and shut speed; and a driver for driving the power member based on a command from the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Seung Won Yu, Ki Eun Kim
  • Patent number: 10006235
    Abstract: A vehicle sliding door assembly includes a rail that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a hard stop spaced apart from the rail in a vehicle vertical direction, a slide assembly including a follower member that is slidably engaged with the rail, and a closing member pivotally coupled to the follower member, where the closing member is repositionable between an open position, in which the closing member is spaced apart from the hard stop in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a closed position, in which the closing member contacts the hard stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan R. Young
  • Patent number: 9932763
    Abstract: A vehicle door opening device opens and closes a door with a motor. In the vehicle door opening device, an opening reversible member on which an opening cable is wound is disposed on a top surface of a center guide rail, and a closing reversible member on which a closing cable is wound is disposed under a lower surface of the center guide rail. A moving member moves along the center guide rail and comprises a closing coupling portion to which the closing cable is coupled and an opening coupling portion to which the opening cable coupled. The closing cable moves along the lower surface of the center guide rail, and the opening cable moves along the top surface of the center guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation
    Inventors: Naoya Seto, Hirotsugu Kinoshita, Shuntaro Kimura, Hiroshi Ishigaki