At Rear Of Seat Patents (Class 296/37.16)
  • Publication number: 20130147226
    Abstract: A cargo area assembly for a movable seat in an automotive vehicle includes a configurable panel covering at least a portion of a storage compartment located rearwardly of the seat. The configurable panel and a removable panel cooperate to cover the storage compartment, if desired, in a full forward and full rearward position of the seat. The configurable panel incorporates hinges to allow various positioning of panel portions and storage alternatives, and the removable panel is dimensioned for storage in the tailgate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Michael Cao, Ross L. Burghardt
  • Publication number: 20130134734
    Abstract: A cargo screen of a vehicle luggage room, the cargo screen may include a housing mounted at an upper portion of the vehicle luggage room in a horizontal direction and having a central portion to be foldable, a roller rotatably installed in the housing and having a cut central portion to be foldable, and a screen wound around an outer peripheral surface of the roller in the housing through a cut hole thereof or selectively unwound to the outside of the housing to cover the vehicle luggage room, and having a cut central portion to be foldable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jae Hwan Kim, Seong Hyeon Lee, Yong Chae Kim, Jae Yong Lee, Moon Gyu Park, Min Ho Cho, Sang Woo Park, Eun Jeong Yang, Hyoung Shin, Ah Sal Moon, Jae Hak Joo, Hoo Taek Cho, Jin Ho Hwang, Hak Song Lim, Eun Su Jang
  • Publication number: 20130127201
    Abstract: A seating system for a vehicle includes a first seat configured for supporting a driver of the vehicle and a second seat disposed adjacent the first seat and configured for supporting a passenger of the vehicle. The second seat includes a collapsible bin configured for storing one or more articles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: James F. Pywell, Robert R. Kubiak
  • Patent number: 8444197
    Abstract: A pair of parallel pins abutting against the inner peripheral surface of a hollow shaft are provided to a first arm part of a shank at a predetermined spacing in the longitudinal direction. This prevents the shank from tilting or rattling. Further, an insertion hole of the retaining cap and the cross section of the first arm part each have an elliptical shape, and thus the rotation of the shank with respect to the hollow shaft is restricted and the position of the shank is kept such that the interlocking part points upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiji Takemura
  • Patent number: 8414049
    Abstract: A tonneau cover assembly provided in a vehicle including a panel hingedly attached to a vehicle seat, and a release assembly with an actuating mechanism provided on the panel. The actuating mechanism is connected to a panel lock assembly and a seat lock assembly which are provided to selectively lock the panel and the vehicle seat in place. Actuation of the actuating mechanism causes the lock assemblies to release, thereby allowing rotation of the panel about the hinged attachment and folding of the vehicle seat from a seating position to a folded-forward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Grey B. Parker
  • Patent number: 8398155
    Abstract: A magnetic holding system for a vehicle cabin includes a non-ferrous panel having a front side exposed to the vehicle cabin and a rear side. A magnet is located on the rear side of the non-ferrous panel. The thickness panel, in the region where the magnet is located, and the strength of the magnet are selected to grip a ferrous element when it is placed on the front side of the panel in the region where the magnet is located. The ferrous element may be an object to be held on the non-ferrous surface or it may be attachable to the underside of an object that is to be held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventor: Scott E. Andochick
  • Patent number: 8393664
    Abstract: A winding device is provided behind a rearmost-row seat and extends in a vehicle width direction to wind up a tonneau cover member. The tonneau cover member comprises a cover body portion and a board portion connected to a rear end of the cover body portion and has its rear end portion capable of engaging with an engaged portion of a lift gate. The lift gate further includes a pair of restraint portions at a specified position of both end portions of the inner face thereof which is located above the engaged portion, which is operative to restrain the cover body portion from moving upward when the lift gate is fully open and the tonneau cover member engages with the lift gate through a contact thereof with the board portion to stop further upward moving of the board portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamada, Isao Hirayama, Naohiro Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20130020825
    Abstract: A winding device is provided behind a rearmost-row seat and extends in a vehicle width direction to wind up a tonneau cover member. The tonneau cover member comprises a cover body portion and a board portion connected to a rear end of the cover body portion and has its rear end portion capable of engaging with an engaged portion of a lift gate. The lift gate further includes a pair of restraint portions at a specified position of both end portions of the inner face thereof which is located above the engaged portion, which is operative to restrain the cover body portion from moving upward when the lift gate is fully open and the tonneau cover member engages with the lift gate through a contact thereof with the board portion to stop further upward moving of the board portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke YAMADA, Isao HIRAYAMA, Naohiro YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8356853
    Abstract: A storage compartment is provided for a motor vehicle that includes, but is not limited to a motor vehicle seat. The storage compartment further includes, but is not limited to a movable element, a cargo space in the motor vehicle defined with the movable element that is at least partially bordered by the motor vehicle seat and situated with respect to the motor vehicle seat, and a wall bordering the cargo space in at least one direction and detachably coupled with the movable element with a coupling element so that the wall moves with the movable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kirsten Huber, Jürgen Maier
  • Patent number: 8353550
    Abstract: A passenger vehicle is provided with a seating row oriented in a passenger compartment and adjacent to a storage compartment. The seating row has a seat back that is pivotally connected to a vehicle body. A battery is disposed within the storage compartment. A tray is provided with a forward end that is pivotally connected to the seat back, and a rearward end that is supported slidably on the vehicle body. The tray is movable in a fore-and-aft direction as the seat back pivots on the vehicle body between a collapsed position and an upright position. The tray is disposed over the seat back and the battery when the seat back is in the collapsed position for providing a raised platform that extends into the passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Marc Jonathon Lucas
  • Publication number: 20130001972
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided with a seat oriented in a passenger compartment forward of a storage compartment. The seat has a seat back that is pivotally connected to a body of the vehicle. The seat back is pivotable between a seating position and a storage position. A battery is disposed within the storage compartment. A tray is removably connected to the vehicle body in either one of a first and a second position. The tray is elevated from the battery within the storage compartment in the first position. The tray is connected to the vehicle body such that it is contiguous with and forward of the battery in the second position. A flat load floor is formed by the top surface of a housing of the battery together with the tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gian Carlo Morlet Ugalde, Babak Shahmehri, Kathleen Pecoraro, David A. Wilson, Marc Jonathon Lucas, Robert Joseph Beier, Timothy DeBastos
  • Patent number: 8328264
    Abstract: A cargo bin assembly of an automotive vehicle includes a recess that extends below a floor surface. The recess preferably has a stepped conformation where a first, shallow rim portion receives support members without the potential for interfering with items stored in a second, deep storage portion of the recess. Preferably, the deep storage portion is dimensioned to receive side panel lids from side storage assemblies. Removal of the generally planar side panel lids allows elongated items to be received in the cargo area, and the cargo recess allows the side panel lids to be stored. No openings are provided along the lower portion of the side storage cavity to prevent collection of dirt or debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Donald W. Jackson, Hiroaki Taniguchi, Paul Theodore Aebker, Matt Stechschulte
  • Publication number: 20120306228
    Abstract: A vehicle package tray having a horizontal member extending across a back portion of a vehicle. A tray cover is operably coupled with and slidable relative to the horizontal member. The tray cover includes a rear substrate that extends over the horizontal member. A front substrate is slidably engaged with the rear substrate and adapted for abutment with a seat back. A spring-biased member is disposed between the horizontal member and the front substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventor: Keith Brown
  • Patent number: 8322773
    Abstract: A recliner mechanism (100) configured for selectively adjusting a seat back in a second row of a vehicle (10), such as a sedan, includes a close out device (200) in the form of an adjustable package shelf (210) of the vehicle (10) to cover a gap between the seat back (20) and the vehicle structure (11) as the seat back (20) is moved from the fully reclined position. This package shelf recliner mechanism (100) further includes a track system (110) mounted relative to the vehicle structure (11), a cross plate (130) coupled to the track system (110) and configured for translational movement relative thereto, a latch system (150) for releasably securing the cross plate (130) and an actuator, such as a handle or lever, for the user to selectively actuate the recliner mechanism (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Yednesh A. Parnaik, Keith R. Ziegler, Michael C. Nazione, Mihai Butas, Kurt A. Seibold
  • Patent number: 8322774
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a luggage compartment located behind a row of seats, which luggage compartment is accessible from above by swivelling up a tailgate. There is provided a swivel-adjustable luggage compartment cover which is pivoted to the motor vehicle in its front end region and is positively coupled to the tailgate by coupling elements in its rear end region, so that opening of the tailgate causes the luggage compartment cover arranged below it to be opened. What is important is that the luggage compartment cover can be removed only when the tailgate is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventor: Peter Hofmann
  • Patent number: 8322772
    Abstract: A convertible cargo rack has a platform attached to a rear seat back and pivots between a seating position and a cargo position. A side rail is linked to the platform and pivots together with the platform. The side rail provides a retaining structure above and around the perimeter of the platform in the cargo position, and is generally coplanar with the front, side and rear walls of the cargo box in the cargo position. Linkages between the platform and the side rail align the platform and the side rail so they are generally parallel to each other in any position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jon C. Gilbeck, Darren Deblack, Daniel J. Knight, Larry D. Swanson, Kenneth John Piber, Joseph Oliver, Gregory Alan Camenisch
  • Patent number: 8287022
    Abstract: The device includes supports (30), a shelf (32) rotatably mounted about a transverse axis (B-B?) and a mechanism (34) for articulation of the shelf (32) relative to the supports (30). The mechanism (34) includes an abutment surface (76) delimited by the shelf (32) and a complementary abutment surface (90) delimited by the support (30), which are intended to slide on each other during the pivoting of the shelf (32) about its transverse axis (B-B?) in order to prevent radial movement of the shelf (32) towards the front with respect to the transverse axis (B-B?). The mechanism (34) includes a retaining surface (82) integral with the shelf (32) and a complementary retaining surface (96) defined by each support (30) which co-operate for each inclined position of the shelf (32) in order to prevent radial movement of the shelf (32) towards the rear with respect to the transverse axis (B-B?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Industrie
    Inventors: Jacques Decorme, Franck Jeunehomme
  • Patent number: 8274615
    Abstract: A mobile video system includes a housing having a front surface and a rear surface. The housing is shaped and dimensioned for attachment to a rear surface of a back support portion of an vehicle seat, wherein the housing includes a rear surface that is provided with coupling members shaped and dimensioned for attachment to the back support portion of the vehicle seat. A video monitor and a video source are supported within the housing. The video monitor is mounted within the housing for movement between an exposed orientation in which it is positioned above the housing and a storage position in which it is positioned within the housing for protection from the external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Audiovox Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher J. Vitito
  • Patent number: 8256816
    Abstract: A guide unit is provided for a height-adjustable cargo floor of a motor vehicle with a retaining part, to which a cargo floor can be fixed, and with a guide, along which the retaining part can be displaced from a lower position into an upper position. In addition, a spring element is provided for prestressing the retaining part into the topmost position. A motor vehicle is also provided with a height-adjustable cargo floor and at least one guide unit of the above-described type that is rigidly fixed to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wolfgang Fischer, Karsten Mau, Uwe Semmelmann
  • Patent number: 8256815
    Abstract: A raisable load shelf for a luggage compartment of a motor vehicle is provided with a panel, which defines an upper surface on which items can be placed and is provided with a handle that a user can grasp to raise or maneuver the load shelf in the luggage compartment; the load shelf has at least two appendages, which are arranged along respective edges of the panel and are hinged to the panel about respective axes parallel to the edges to rotate downwards from a horizontal position to a substantially vertical position in order to reduce a dimension of the load shelf; in the horizontal position, the appendages project horizontally with respect to the panel so as to rest, in use, on respective brackets of the luggage compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Tosco
  • Patent number: 8235444
    Abstract: A vehicle interior is provided for covering with an edge cladding and method is provided for manufacturing a vehicle covering. The vehicle interior includes, but is not limited to a decorative material, a plush material, and a flat profiled core material with a visible side and hidden rear side. The visible side is coherently connected with the decorative material and the rear side is coherently connected with the plush material that is formed at least partially from a thermoplastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ralf Eidt, Wolfgang Plegge
  • Patent number: 8215693
    Abstract: A vehicle trunk compartment cargo management system is comprised of a trunk floor panel, a seatback and a pair of dividers. The trunk floor panel provides a vehicle trunk compartment floor surface. The seatback has a pair of pockets. Each pocket secures a seatback flange extending from a divider oriented in an upright position. Each divider has a seatback flange which fits within a seatback pocket to secure the divider in an upright position to the seatback. The dividers are pivotally attached to the trunk floor panel such that they may pivot between an upright position and a closed position. When the dividers are locked into an upright position they form three sub compartments within the vehicle trunk compartment. An optional cargo net fits over the dividers to cover the sub compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: Greg Ulita
  • Publication number: 20120133171
    Abstract: A package tray assembly for a trunk of a vehicle includes a package tray and a support for supporting the package tray. The support is to be mounted to a body of the vehicle. The support includes a guide portion having a convex top surface. The package tray is to be attached to the support so as to be rotatable round a point located immediately below the guide portion as a center of rotation. The package tray includes a front end portion supported by the support when attached thereto. The front end portion includes a contact portion configured to move back and forth on the convex top surface while tilting at different angles relative to a moving direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicants: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TAKEHIRO, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi HONDA, Koji TOIDA, Jorge FIALHO, Hiromi TAKASE, Koji INOUE
  • Patent number: 8186736
    Abstract: A hinge mechanism 29 that rotatably provides a luggage board 27 and an auxiliary board 28 continuously with each other while interposing an integral hinge 13 therebetween, in which a space portion S is provided between mutually opposite end surfaces 20 and 21 of the luggage board 27 and the auxiliary board 28, wherein a restoring force generation portion 30a of a spring member 30 is housed in the space portion S, and in addition, both end portions 31 and 32 of the spring member 30 are fixed to the luggage board 27 and the auxiliary board 28, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Meiwa Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Jouraku
  • Patent number: 8182011
    Abstract: This invention provides a slide deck device, for a vehicle, which prevents a slide deck from rattling with respect to a floor surface of a vehicle even if an upward load is applied to the side deck in a state where the slide deck is completely drawn into the vehicle. The slide deck device is provided with a supporting member 30 provided on a floor surface 15 and supporting an undersurface of a slide deck 20, a floor contact-member 52 provided on the floor surface, and a slide deck contact-member 60 provided on the undersurface of the slide deck. When the slide deck is located at the accommodated position, the slide deck contact-member is in contact with the undersurface of the floor contact-member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignees: Shiroki Corporation, Hayashi Telempu Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Suzuki, Toshiro Tamura, Susumu Iwasawa, Takehiro Masuda
  • Patent number: 8172298
    Abstract: A reinforcement for rear seat backs is disclosed herein. The rear seat back reinforcement of the present invention includes a luggage bar, which is provided between a rear package tray and a floor panel and has a holding member and a mounting member, and a wire frame, which is held by the holding member of the luggage bar and is fastened at the lower end thereof to the floor panel by the mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Dong Woo Jeong
  • Patent number: 8172295
    Abstract: A height adjusting device is provided for the cargo floor of a motor vehicle with at least one guide, on which the cargo floor is pivotably guided about a first pivoting axis. The cargo floor can be guided from a lower cargo floor position into an upper cargo floor position. The cargo floor features a rear cargo floor section and a front cargo floor section that are pivotably connected to one another about a second pivoting axis. The cargo floor can be lifted in the region of the second pivoting axis such that the rear and the front cargo floor sections are pivoted relative to one another, and the guide is realized in such a way that the cargo floor is displaced from the lower into the upper cargo floor position along the guide by lifting the cargo floor in the region of the second pivoting axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wolfgang Fischer, Joerg Karger, Michael Renkel, Karsten Mau
  • Patent number: 8172296
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a parcel shelf structure whose opening can be kept largely when the tailgate is opened. In order to achieve the above object, a parcel shelf comprising: a front shelf having a front end rotatably supported by a vehicle body; a rear shelf fixed to a tailgate; and a strap to connect the tailgate to a position apart from the front end of the front shelf in a rear direction, in which when the tailgate is opened, the front shelf is apart from the rear shelf, and when the tailgate is closed, the front shelf is in touch with the rear shelf is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Umeda, Kiyoshi Hara, Keisuke Kato, Nobumoto Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 8167349
    Abstract: An auto return structure of a luggage room screen may include a guide portion formed to a luggage side trim toward the rear of a vehicle body, and a reinforcement board wherein the guide portion includes a guide groove formed to the luggage side trim toward the rear of the vehicle body and slidably receiving an end portion of the reinforcement board therein, a movement groove formed to connect from ends of the lower and upper surfaces of the guide groove toward an upper part of the vehicle body to guide the end portion of the reinforcement board toward the upper part of the vehicle, and a locking protrusion formed on an upper connection portion connecting the movement groove and the upper surface of the guide groove and to which the end portion of the reinforcement board may be selectively inserted and fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jun Ho Cha, Seung Kwon Cha, Jun Mo Ku, Yang Gi Lee
  • Patent number: 8162370
    Abstract: A protection device of this type includes a flexible sheetlike structure which is mounted movably between a compactly stored inoperative position and at least one at least partially extended functional position and is provided at the end thereof which is in front in the extension direction with a planar and dimensionally stable contour part which extends substantially over an entire width of the sheetlike structure. Control kinematics are assigned to a movement end region of the contour part shortly before the extended end position is reached, the control kinematics shifting the contour part forwards in the extension direction by an additional extension distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Bos GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Hintennach, Thomas Schleef
  • Publication number: 20120091745
    Abstract: An auto return structure of a luggage room screen may include a guide portion formed to a luggage side trim toward the rear of a vehicle body, and a reinforcement board wherein the guide portion includes a guide groove formed to the luggage side trim toward the rear of the vehicle body and slidably receiving an end portion of the reinforcement board therein, a movement groove formed to connect from ends of the lower and upper surfaces of the guide groove toward an upper part of the vehicle body to guide the end portion of the reinforcement board toward the upper part of the vehicle, and a locking protrusion formed on an upper connection portion connecting the movement groove and the upper surface of the guide groove and to which the end portion of the reinforcement board may be selectively inserted and fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jun Ho Cha, Seung Kwon Cha, Jun Mo Ku, Yang Gi Lee
  • Patent number: 8157318
    Abstract: An installation support of a loading floor of a passenger car is distinguished in that it is a component which is different from the bodyshell of the passenger car and is provided in order to define fitting positions of side wall panels and of the loading floor relative to one another. Furthermore, a welded assemblage of a passenger car body has at least one rear longitudinal member. The welded assemblage is provided in order to be screwed to such an installation support by a screw connection. The screw connection has cage nuts which are provided for the screw connection and are guided moveably in the longitudinal member transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Paschek, Claus Baumgart, Jan Fischer
  • Patent number: 8128146
    Abstract: A cargo compartment structure for an automobile is disclosed. In one example, the cargo compartment comprises a trunk box disposed in a cargo compartment in a rear part of the automobile, the trunk box having an opening on its upper side; a cargo board capable of changing its position between a closed position where the opening is closed by the cargo board, and an open position where the opening is opened, the open position of the cargo board being frontward of the closed position; and a board holder for holding the cargo board in a specific state so that a top surface of the cargo board is downwardly inclined toward a rear side of the automobile and so that while the cargo board is in the open position, a rear end of the cargo board is disposed rearward of a front end of the trunk box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumasa Sogame, David Jason Coleman
  • Patent number: 8113566
    Abstract: A loading space cover having a dimensionally stable housing and a flexible sheet like screen is rolled up in the housing. Fastening devices are disposed at the longitudinal end sides of the loading space cover. Each fastening device can be held releasably in associated loading-space fasteners of a motor vehicle. The fastening devices are of structurally simple and cost-effective design. Additionally, in the event of a crash, the fastening devices are held reliably in the loading-space fasteners and permit an energy-absorbing twisting of the loading space cover about its longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche
    Inventor: Mathias Kruger
  • Patent number: 8041483
    Abstract: Externally deployed airbag system for a vehicle including one or more inflatable airbags deployable outside of the vehicle, an anticipatory sensor system for assessing the probable severity of an impact involving the vehicle based on data obtained prior to the impact and initiating inflation of the airbag(s) in the event an impact above a threshold severity is assessed, and an inflator coupled to the anticipatory sensor system and the airbag for inflating the airbag when initiated by the anticipatory sensor system. The airbag may be housed in a module mounted along a side of the vehicle, in a side door of the vehicle (both for side impact protection), at a front of the vehicle (for frontal impact protection) or at a rear of the vehicle (for rear impact protection). Also, the externally deployed airbag can be deployed to cushion a pedestrian's impact against the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Automotive Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventor: David S. Breed
  • Patent number: 8038194
    Abstract: The deck side trim includes accommodating recesses in which left and right ends of a cover accommodating body are accommodated and disposed. A clamp portion provided at its side with an engaging pawl is provided in the accommodating recess. The clamp portion is provided with an inner hole having an opening at least on the accommodating recess side. A cap body for closing the opening is disposed in the inner hole. The cap body includes a cap leg and a cap head. When the cap leg of the cap body is fitted into the inner hole, the engaging pawl in the clamp portion is pushed outward, and the engaging pawl is engaged with the body engaging portion provided on the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha, Hayashi Telempu Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Fukui, Nobuhide Hashimoto, Teruji Kuroyanagi, Kenji Atarashi, Fumio Sugimoto
  • Publication number: 20110241372
    Abstract: A tonneau cover device of a vehicle equipped with a rear opening portion formed at a rear portion of a vehicle body, a back door to open and close the rear opening portion, and a rear baggage compartment formed in front of the rear opening portion, comprises a tonneau board provided so as to extend substantially horizontally over the rear baggage compartment, the tonneau board comprising plural split boards which are split in a vehicle longitudinal direction, longitudinally-adjacent split boards being coupled to each other via a hinge portion extending in a vehicle width direction, and first and second connecting members as a folding mechanism pulling upwardly the split boards when the back door is opened so that the split boards bend around the hinge portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirotaka KUSU
  • Patent number: 8011712
    Abstract: A covering configuration has a loading space covering and is arranged behind a vehicle seat in a motor vehicle. The loading space covering extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle and is held at its longitudinal ends in corresponding receptacles on the vehicle. It is important that the receptacle on the driver side is configured such that the one longitudinal end of the loading space covering can be inserted horizontally while a receptacle on the passenger side is configured in such a manner that the other longitudinal end of the loading space covering can be pivoted counter to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle into the receptacle and can be latched therein, or vice versa. In this case, the receptacles on the driver and passenger sides are configured and arranged such that installation of the loading space covering is possible from a passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
    Inventor: Peter Hofmann
  • Patent number: 8011711
    Abstract: In a tonneau cover device for a vehicle, an interlocking mechanism (interlocking means) 40 comprises a pair of pulleys 45, 46 disposed separated in a vertical direction at each of the left and right sides of a cargo compartment, a first linking wire 51 wrapped around the pulleys 45, 46 and connected to the rear end of a tonneau cover, a rotary member 50 whereabout the first linking wire 51 is wrapped or wound between the pulleys 45, 46, and a second linking wire 53 having an end thereof connected to the back door, another end thereof wrapped around and engaged with the rotary member 50, and rotating the rotary member 50 interlocked with opening and closing of the back door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation, Ashimori Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Hirayama, Noriaki Haba, Tomoatsu Tani
  • Patent number: 8002324
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a luggage space bounded in part by a luggage space wall that has a closeable opening to a storage space in which a technical unit of the motor vehicle is accommodated. To make optimum use of the available storage space in the motor vehicle, a holding element is seated on the technical unit and has at least one recess for holding a technical device of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Uwe Langer, Marc Schindler
  • Patent number: 7997635
    Abstract: An opening/closing device includes a bistable device having a fixed member (24) delimiting one side of an opening providing access to a compartment, and a flexible mobile member (18), articulated on the fixed member proximate the ends of the access opening. The fixed and mobile members (24, 18) delimit jointly the entire access opening, and the mobile member (18) has two stable positions, one wherein it is adjacent to the fixed member (24), the other wherein only its ends are adjacent to the fixed member (24). The mobile member (18) is elongated and has naturally two stable positions with opposite convexities. The invention is applicable to vehicle passenger compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Faurecia Interieur Industrie
    Inventors: Tony Ercolano, Didier Ponthieu, Pascal Rumigny, Cédric Habert, Pierre Guerreiro, Guy Heriquet, Stéphane Dannenhoffer
  • Patent number: 7980614
    Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes an interior cargo area having an interior wall, a track and a cargo accessory. The track is fixedly attached to the interior wall. The track also includes a pair of parallel spaced apart wall portions defining a track slot therebetween. The cargo accessory includes a cargo supporting portion and an attachment portion connected to one another in a non-threaded manner. The cargo supporting portion is operable to attach the attachment portion to the spaced apart wall portions of the track retaining the cargo accessory in position in a tool-less manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brenna Denton, Tomohito Hashikawa
  • Patent number: 7980628
    Abstract: A folding seat combination is configured for use with and installation on a vehicle such as a golf cart type recreational vehicle. The folding seat combination provides selective positioning of seat, footrest, and backrest components, respectively each between upright and downward positions thereof, to alternately accommodate easy transport of either of additional passengers or materials. With the seat and footrest features in their upright positions and the backrest in its upward position, optional golf bag securing straps may be used to secure golf bags in the cart, as so configured for the transportation of materials rather than passengers in such location. With the footrest in an upright position, relatively loose items stored in an otherwise relatively open storage area of the cart may be contained and prevented from bouncing out during operation the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: JH Global Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Hu, Robert Weist
  • Patent number: 7963580
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for covering a cargo space (12) of a motor vehicle, said cargo space being bordered by an outwardly pivotable vehicle lid (14), in particular a trunk lid, said device comprising an extractable roller blind device (26, 22, 24) which can be driven at least in the retraction direction and which forms a roller blind web (22) which extends over an area in its extracted state between a first end (26) of the roller blind and a second end (24) of the roller blind, and first and second positioning means (32, 34, 31) arranged in the vehicle for positioning the first and/or second ends (26, 24) of the roller blind(s) by means of which the roller blind web (22) can be extracted into a covering position in which the roller blind web (22) extends essentially horizontally over the cargo space (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Webasto AG
    Inventors: Ulf Plettrichs, Jürgen Klingenberg, Fritz Wegener, Peter Biecker
  • Patent number: 7950712
    Abstract: A deck board includes a board body arranged in a luggage area of a vehicle so as to be capable of being moved between an upper position and a lower position. The board body in the upper position separates the luggage area into upper and lower areas. The deck board further includes a front support portion that is rotatably connected to the front end portion of the board body via a hinge portion so as to guide the board body being moved between the upper and lower positions. The end portion of the front support portion on the opposite side of the hinge portion is pivotally supported by the sidewalls of the luggage area via a support pin. Further included is a spring unit arranged to bias the board body and the front support portion to be drawn to each other across the hinge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Karaki, Mikihiro Kito
  • Patent number: 7938471
    Abstract: A deck board includes a board body arranged in a luggage area of a vehicle so as to be capable of being moved between an upper position and a lower position. The board body in the upper position separates the luggage area into upper and lower areas. The deck board further includes a front support portion that is rotatably connected to the front side of the board body so as to support the front side of the board body. Further included is a support pin that pivotally supports the fore end portion of the front support portion on the opposite side of the board body, so that a hinge portion can rotate. The deck board further includes a tension spring arranged to bias the front side of the board body toward the support pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Karaki, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Mikihiro Kito
  • Patent number: 7934761
    Abstract: A storage compartment for a motor vehicle is provided. The storage compartment includes a wall and a supporting frame for supporting the wall. The wall can be varied in height, at least in some sections, by at least one winding shaft. The supporting frame has at least one receiving device with at least one connecting piece. The winding shaft is mounted on the connecting piece such that the winding shaft forms part of the supporting frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: BOS GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Olaf Buehl, Christoph Gallandt, Uwe Rau, Werner P. Schlecht
  • Patent number: 7933121
    Abstract: A portable video system comprises a video unit for facilitating play of a video medium, the player having a hinge, a display pivotally attached to the video player on the hinge, and a base unit secured to a substrate for selectively coupling a control panel of the video unit to the substrate, wherein the control panel can be selectively un-coupled from the base unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Audiovox Corporation
    Inventor: George C. Schedivy
  • Publication number: 20110057468
    Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes a vehicle interior cargo area having an interior wall, a track and a cargo accessory. The track is fixedly attached to the interior wall and the track includes a pair of parallel spaced apart wall portions defining a track slot therebetween. The cargo accessory includes a cargo supporting portion and an attachment portion. The attachment portion is configured and arranged to attach to the wall portions of the track retaining the cargo accessory in position with a snap-fit engagement arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Brenna Denton, Tomohito HASHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 7896418
    Abstract: A covering is provided for a gap behind at least one rear seatback in a motor vehicle, which gap is provided in the transverse direction of the vehicle between the rear seatback and a luggage compartment covering. The covering has at least one covering flap which is held in position on a housing of the luggage compartment covering, is mounted pivotably about a hinge and, in a use position, bears under prestress against the rear seatback. An integrated receptacle for the hinge of the covering flap is provided on an upper and, as seen in the direction of travel, front region of the housing of the luggage compartment covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
    Inventor: Peter Hofmann