Having Occupant Safety Feature (e.g., Means To Absorb Collision Impact, Etc.) Patents (Class 296/35.2)
  • Patent number: 10518812
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame assembly, a body, and a first strip isolator disposed between the body and the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Brian V. Castillo, Giles D. Bryer, John Gibson
  • Publication number: 20150042121
    Abstract: A connecting device for connecting a vehicle sub-frame and a vehicle body and a vehicle comprising the connecting device are also provided. The connecting device comprises a first end adapted to be fastened onto the vehicle sub-frame, and a second end adapted to be fastened onto the vehicle body, and the second end has at least one first branch adapted to be fastened onto a side member of the vehicle body and at least one second branch adapted to be fastened onto a bottom floor of the vehicle body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Taishuo Huang, Yanning Wen, Xiaofei Li, Fan Xu
  • Patent number: 8905434
    Abstract: A rollover protection apparatus unlocks and lowers from a raised position to a lowered position suitable for clearing a low hanging obstacle when an operator applies a force to an operator lever or pedal. The rollover protection apparatus returns to the raised position when the operator ceases applying force to the operator lever or pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Excel Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Harlan John Bartel, Brian Lee Nebel
  • Patent number: 8649937
    Abstract: An energy absorber for a vehicle is described, which includes a sensor integrated into the energy absorber, which is designed to detect an impact magnitude acting on the energy absorber and to provide information about the impact magnitude. Furthermore, the energy absorber includes at least one setting element, which is designed to set a stiffness of the energy absorber in response to the information about the impact magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Heiko Freienstein, Kai Weeber, Markus Koenning
  • Patent number: 8583353
    Abstract: A traveling apparatus performs an inverted pendulum control to maintain an inverted state of a vehicle body and travels with a passenger thereon. The traveling apparatus includes a drive portion that drives the vehicle body; a riding detection portion that detects a start of riding on the vehicle body by the passenger; a command generation portion that generates a torque command value to perform the inverted pendulum control and a position control to move the vehicle body to a position that facilitates the riding, when the start of riding is detected by the riding detection portion; and a control portion that controls the drive portion based on the torque command value generated by the command generation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Kosaka
  • Patent number: 8573647
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle having, at least in part, an electric drive which includes a traction battery (1), which vehicle has at least one predefined deformation zone (I, II) which in the event of a crash (A, B) acts to absorb energy, and at least one predefined zone (III), which has a substantial structural rigidity and which in the event of a crash (A, B) remains substantially without deformation. According to the invention, the traction battery (1) has a deformation region (18) which in the event of a crash can be deformed via a deformation path (a) and which is arranged in the deformation zone (I, II) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Norbert Enning
  • Patent number: 8550498
    Abstract: An impact-damping structure with crash boxes is provided with an extension of the ends of the chassis members of a vehicle to a transverse impact member. An extension pipe with a towing lug that aligns flush with the chassis member is arranged in a center of one of the crash boxes. The extension pipe is connected with the end of the chassis member via a spreading device of the crash box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Stanislaw Klimek
  • Patent number: 8528924
    Abstract: A rollover protection system unlocks and lowers from a raised position to a lowered position suitable for clearing a low hanging obstacle when an operator manually applies a force to an operator lever. The rollover protection system returns to the raised position when the operator ceases applying force to the operator lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Excel Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Harlan J. Bartel, Brian L. Nebel
  • Patent number: 8489289
    Abstract: Disclosed is a converter (200) for signals between a safety device (300) and a universal safety control device (100) for a vehicle. At the converter (200) the safety control device (100) can be connected at a control device interface (200.1) and at least one type of safety devices (300.2) can be connected at at least one safety device interface (200.2) and wherein the converter (200) converts a signal of the safety control device (100) into a signal, which is suitable for the respectively connected type of safety device (300.2), to the respective safety device interface (200.2). It is proposed to embody the converter (200) such that it detects a condition at the safety device interface (200.2), in particular a diagnostics condition signal and converts it into a condition accordingly predefined at the control device interface (200.1), preferably in a manner which does not require an adaptation of the control device or of its software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Mueller
  • Patent number: 8104841
    Abstract: An attachment assembly for securing a child safety seat to a mounting portion of a vehicle is provided. The attachment assembly may include a guide having a channel, and a metal strap positioned in the channel of the guide in a retracted configuration such that a free end of the metal strap is adjacent to a front face of the guide, a fixed end of the metal strap is secured to a side of the channel, and a body of the strap is bent along a radius so as to double back between the free end and the fixed end. When pulled in tension, the metal strap is configured to transition from the retracted configuration to an extended configuration, and the guide is configured to constrain the strap during this transition so that the strap rolls along the radius within the guide, thereby absorbing energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Reddy Malapati, Chris O'Connor, Rodney Simon, Pardeep Kumar
  • Patent number: 7963378
    Abstract: An energy absorbing tubular structure is formed of a molded or extruded polymer. The tube has a quadrangular cross-section with rounded corners. The walls of tube are corrugated with alternating convex and concave corrugations surfaces having a continuous constant radius, preferably with no flat spots. The corrugated walls have a constant thickness. The corrugations progressively deform during impact thereby providing a near perfect square wave force vs. deflection energy absorption curve at any predetermined nearly constant force level. The tube may be filled with polymer foam to vary the impact performance of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: O-Flex Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul C. Glance, Sidney T. Winter, Robert J. Bauer, Eddy R. Finch, Bryant A. Tokarz
  • Publication number: 20100187799
    Abstract: A mounting assembly is provided for a vehicle ROPS unit which includes two legs. Each mounting assembly includes a base plate fixed to an end of a corresponding leg, a support plate, a top plate and a resilient bushing unit which separates the base plate from the support and top plates. The base plate is sandwiched between the support plate and the top plate. The bushing unit includes first and second resilient bushing members and a rigid hollow central sleeve. The bushing unit is received by a bore in the base plate. The support plate includes hollow mounting towers which project into bores in the base plate. Cap screws attach the mounting assembly to a vehicle axle housing. The top plate and the support plate are fixed to each other and to a frame of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Keith Schmidt, Bernard M. Gruman, Mukund Rao, Craig Fanton, Arpit Shah
  • Publication number: 20100174476
    Abstract: An inverted wheel type moving body according to the present invention includes a right chassis 17 and a left chassis 19 rotationally supporting wheels, motors 34 and 36 rotationally driving a right driving wheel 18 and a left driving wheel 20, a body 12 rotatably supported on the right chassis 17 and the left chassis 19 through a right arm 14 and a left arm 16, lower joint motors 65 and 95 disposed in the right arm 14 and the left arm 16 and varying vehicle height of the moving body 100, and a control unit 80 that controls the lower joint motors 65 and 95 to lower the vehicle height based on a fail signal 88 output when the inverted wheel type moving body is in an abnormal state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventor: Toshio FUWA
  • Publication number: 20100108424
    Abstract: A safety device for a vehicle, capable of relaxing a collision load acting on a colliding body. The safety device (10) for a vehicle has colliding body receiving sections (24), and opposite longitudinal ends of each colliding body receiving section (24) are bent to form legs (26) having ends (26A). The ends (26A) are fixed to side frames (16) on the vehicle body side to form impact absorption members (22). The safety device (10) is adapted so that, while supporting a collision load, the impact absorption members (22) are displaced to absorb collision energy of the colliding body. The impact absorption members (22) can produce displacement regions that acts against an increase in the displacement in the direction of collision to suppress an increase in supporting load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO
    Inventors: Atsushi Suzuki, Hidekazu Nishigaki, Atsushi Kawaguchi, Yasuo Asaga, Daisuke Yamada, Tomoko Abe, Yoshikatsu Kisanuki
  • Patent number: 7404594
    Abstract: A vehicle support structure is provided with a floor impact restriction device coupled between a structural floor member of a vehicle floor and a vehicle suspension member supporting the vehicle floor. The floor impact restriction device basically has a suspension attachment member and a floor attachment member. The suspension attachment member has a suspension mounting portion fixedly attached to the vehicle suspension member and a first connecting portion rigidly coupled to the suspension mounting portion. The floor attachment member has a floor mounting portion fixedly attached to the structural floor member and a second connecting portion rigidly coupled to the floor mounting portion. The first and second connecting portions are interlinked together with a limited range of non-contacting movement between the first and second connecting portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventor: David Coakley
  • Publication number: 20070296235
    Abstract: A road vehicle 10A with a bonnet or engine compartment 14A and engine 32A is provided with pedestrian protection structure 42. This is formed by first assessing the structure of the vehicle 10A to determine the ability of the structure to provide at least partial absorption of a pre-defined impact to the vehicle (such as a simulated head or leg impact). The additional structure 42 is mounted on the vehicle 10A to provide partial absorption of the initial impact, at least sufficient for the vehicle structure to absorb any remaining energy of impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: Concept Mouldings Ltd.
    Inventor: Ian Anthony Finney
  • Patent number: 7281755
    Abstract: A vehicle support structure is provided with a floor impact restriction device coupled between a structural floor member of a vehicle floor and a vehicle suspension member supporting the vehicle floor. The floor impact restriction device basically has a suspension attachment member and a floor attachment member. The suspension attachment member has a suspension mounting portion fixedly attached to the vehicle suspension member and a first connecting portion rigidly coupled to the suspension mounting portion. The floor attachment member has a floor mounting portion fixedly attached to the structural floor member and a second connecting portion rigidly coupled to the floor mounting portion. The first and second connecting portions are interlinked together with a limited range of non-contacting movement between the first and second connecting portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventor: David Coakley
  • Patent number: 7195298
    Abstract: Restraining a spare wheel in a vehicular floor recession during a vehicle rear impact event is accomplished by securing a connection member from a first anchoring location outside of the recession to a second location within the floor recession. The spare wheel lies in the recession and a threaded bolt attached to the floor under the spare wheel passes through the center hole of the spare wheel. The threaded bolt also passes through a spare wheel holding plate that resides on the spare wheel hub to distribute a holding force from the plate to the circumference of the hub created by screwing a threaded wing nut onto the bolt passing through the holding plate. Since the belt passes from the wheel center to a location outside of the wheel's perimeter, the wheel and tire are securely restrained during the transmission of forces during a vehicular rear impact event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Phaniraj Muthigi, Paul Duncanson, Reza Keshtkar
  • Patent number: 7185934
    Abstract: A vehicle body structure is configured that enables a cabin section and a chassis frame to move relative to each other and enables both strength of the vehicle body and the safety of the occupants during a collision to be ensured with good efficiency. The cabin section serves as the space in which the passengers reside. The chassis frame and cabin section are separate, independent structures connected through a displacement mechanism in such a manner that the chassis frame and cabin section can move separately relative to each other, when a collision occurs. As a result, transmission of the collision impact to the cabin section is alleviated in an effective manner and the strength of the cabin section and chassis frame can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidetsugu Saeki
  • Patent number: 6886884
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing localized deflection in the body of a body-on-frame vehicle are provided through use of a vehicle body having a localized portion thereof that deflects locally and contacts the frame, for resisting further localized deflection of the localized area of the body when the operating load is applied to the localized area of the body. The localized area of the body forms a localized gap between the frame and the localized area of the body, when the body is mounted on the frame in a spaced relationship thereto, that closes and allows the localized area of the body to contact the frame. The apparatus exceeds the requirements of FMVSS 225 for limiting maximum allowable deflection under simulated operating loads applied through a test fixture anchored to child restraint seat anchor points of a seating structure attached to the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Bull, Kevin M. Waters
  • Patent number: 6824187
    Abstract: A lock plate and a movable plate are provided to fix a seat at an optional position, and an actuator is provided between the seat and the movable plate. The seat is moved to the rear of a vehicle body in an initial stage of impact by the actuator. Acceleration is generated in the seat through impact abutment of a collapsible tube in the actuator against a piston head in an intermediate stage of impact. In a final stage of the impact, the seat is made integral with the vehicle body. The deceleration of the vehicle body and the seat and the deceleration of an occupant can be made equal to each other at an earlier timing. The apparatus can be installed by making use of a space under the seat, whereby the necessity of securing a special vacant space for installation of the apparatus can be obviated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuki Motozawa, Takahiro Kamei, Yasushi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 6758491
    Abstract: A safety arrangement for a motor vehicle includes an airbag disposed in an area of a roof frame of a vehicle body which includes an “A” pillar, a “B” pillar, and a “C/D” pillar. A connecting tube is coupled to the airbag and extends in the area of the roof frame from the “A” pillar to the “C/D” pillar to conduct pressure gas from a pressure gas source to the airbag. The connecting tube is so configured as to provide stiffening for increasing a lateral rigidity of the roof frame and is firmly secured at least to the “A” pillar and the “C/D” pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Jochem Fischer
  • Patent number: 6692052
    Abstract: A cab body mounting (100) in a vehicle has a frame-side bracket (102) attached to a chassis frame side rail (18) and a body-side bracket (104) attached to a cab body rail (16). An elastomeric bushing (108) and a fastener (109) associate brackets 102, 104 so as to allow limited motion between them accompanied by bushing deformation. Bracket (102) has an upright wall (110) that is spaced a distance from an end (16E) of rail (16). A sufficiently large relative acceleration of the body on the frame, such as during a frontal impact, will cause an edge portion of bracket (104) to abut wall (110), which arrests further movement of the bracket in the fore-aft direction, and thereby shares the loading that is being imposed on the mounting due to the acceleration force. This occurs before the stress in the shank of fastener (109) reaches the characteristic maximum allowable shearing stress for the fastener material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony D. Sutton, Brian M. Millard, Randall L. Schreiber
  • Patent number: 6626475
    Abstract: A side entry bar apparatus is provided for mounting on a bottom of a trailer and prevents or bars a motor vehicle from entering the space under the floor of the trailer from the side of the trailer. The apparatus includes a plurality of vertically oriented support bars, a plurality of longitudinally and horizontally oriented support bars, and a plurality of transversely and horizontally oriented support bars. The respective bars are connected together, such as by welding, to form a rigid cage structure. A plurality of trailer attachment plates are connected to the respective top ends of the vertically oriented support bars to attach the cage structure to the bottom of the trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Inventor: Neal W. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 6578894
    Abstract: In an automotive vehicle occupant protection system, the vehicle body comprises a chassis and a vehicle body main part mounted on said chassis in a relatively moveable manner in a fore-and-aft direction, and an arrangement for engaging a vehicle body main part to the chassis under normal condition, and releasing the vehicle body main part from the chassis upon occurrence of a vehicle crash, and a bumper member provided on the chassis and adapted to collide with a stopper member provided on the vehicle body main part after a prescribed rearward travel of the chassis relative to the vehicle body main part. Thus, upon occurrence of a crash, the chassis having a substantial mass starts decelerating, and moves rearward with respect to the remaining part of the vehicle body. This in turn causes the tension of the seat belt to increase, and the restraint on the vehicle occupant to increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuki Motozawa
  • Patent number: 6572162
    Abstract: An automobile which affords increased safety to its occupants and sustains minimal damage during a frontal collision includes elongated force-transmitting members that extend between front and rear bumpers in slidably telescopic interaction with the chassis of the automobile. Energy-absorbing springs receive force from a rearwardly displaced rear bumper during a frontal collision, and impart a rearward pulling effect on the automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventor: Gregorio M. Belloso
  • Publication number: 20030062737
    Abstract: In an automotive vehicle occupant protection system, the vehicle body comprises a chassis and a vehicle body main part mounted on said chassis in a relatively moveable manner in a fore-and-aft direction, and an arrangement for engaging a vehicle body main part to the chassis under normal condition, and releasing the vehicle body main part from the chassis upon occurrence of a vehicle crash, and a bumper member provided on the chassis and adapted to collide with a stopper member provided on the vehicle body main part after a prescribed rearward travel of the chassis relative to the vehicle body main part. Thus, upon occurrence of a crash, the chassis having a substantial mass starts decelerating, and moves rearward with respect to the remaining part of the vehicle body. This in turn causes the tension of the seat belt to increase, and the restraint on the vehicle occupant to increase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuki Motozawa
  • Patent number: 6520565
    Abstract: The invention concerns an arrangement (8) for displacement of a driving-space (4) of a vehicle (1), comprising a first beam section (9) which on the one hand supports the driving-space (4), and on the other is arranged on a structural framework (2) on the vehicle (1), and a rear section (6) arranged behind the driving-space (4) which adjoins the driving-space (4) and which is connected to the structural framework (2), so that the rear section (6) is prevented from being displaced in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle (1). The first beam section (9) can be displaced relative to the structural framework (2), so that the driving-space (4) can be displaced in the direction of the rear section (6) under the conditions of a collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventor: Sture Kjellberg
  • Patent number: 6508505
    Abstract: An enhanced stiffener bar assembly including a stiffener bar covered with a protective energy-absorbing material. The stiffener bar contains at least one receptor for receiving a door frame. The area surrounding the receptor is bordered by a bezel. The bezel is secured to the protective energy-absorbing material and protects the material during installation of the door frame and provides a covering for any exposed material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Scott B Perry
  • Patent number: 6464275
    Abstract: The vehicle having a chassis extending towards the front end of the vehicle where it has an impact zone and a cabin for the transport of passengers. The vehicle embodies a mechanical device for raising at least the front of the cabin relative to the chassis while the cabin moves forwards relative to the chassis in the event of an impact, the mechanical device including at least one rocker articulated to the chassis on the one hand, and articulated to the cabin on the other hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Conception et Developpement Michelin S.A.
    Inventors: Daniel Laurent, Marc Sebe
  • Patent number: 6273466
    Abstract: A speed change shift device 5 comprises a device main body 7 and a shift lever 9 protruding from the device main body 7. An impact energy absorption structure for the device 5 is constructed such that the device main body 7 is fixed to vehicle body side brackets 4 via the impact energy absorption body A. The impact energy absorption body A is broken by an impact energy F applied to the device 5, whereby the device 5 is allowed to move in an impact energy applied direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Suzuki, Kazutaka Maehara, Yoshinori Furusawa, Kunihiro Koike, Yuji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6186565
    Abstract: A lift apparatus adapted to be mounted on a vehicle for supporting an attenuator cushion comprising a vehicle mounted support frame; a support member coupled to said support frame and extending outward from said vehicle; and a mounting bracket to which the attenuator cushion is coupled, the mounting bracket pivotably coupled to the support member along an axis to pivot between a horizontal deployed position in which the cushion extends generally outward from the vehicle, and a vertical position in which the cushion extends vertically upward, wherein the mounting bracket engages the support member along a majority of the width of the mounting bracket when the cushion is in the vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Inventor: Albert W. Unrath