Wheel Or Tire Type Patents (Class 296/37.2)
  • Patent number: 11873027
    Abstract: A rear vehicle body structure may include a rear side member connected to a back beam provided at the rear of the vehicle body, and a rear floor including a rear floor side portion with which the rear side member is connected, a tire wall formed with concave step from the rear floor side portion, and a rear floor transverse reinforcement formed protrude along the shape of the rear floor side portion and the tire wall from the rear of the rear floor side portion and the tire wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sung Won Kim
  • Patent number: 11667186
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a body including a beltline and a rear wheelhouse, an input line assembly packaged about the rear wheelhouse, a component packaged about the rear wheelhouse rearward of the input line assembly, and a spare wheel stowed rearward of the rear wheelhouse. The component is secured by a permanent beltline-side attachment and a semi-permanent rear wheelhouse-side attachment. In response to rear impact, the body is configured to allow forward movement of the spare wheel, under which the spare wheel has a trajectory relative to which the component is between the spare wheel and the input line assembly, and relative displacement between the beltline-side attachment and the rear wheelhouse-side attachment, under which the rear wheelhouse-side attachment breaks against the beltline-side attachment, and the beltline-side attachment thereafter carries the component from between the spare wheel and the input line assembly relative to the trajectory of the spare wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing Noah America, Inc.
    Inventors: William F. Graves, Chase A. Young
  • Patent number: 11203384
    Abstract: A spare tire mounting structure includes: a well portion in a rear floor panel of a vehicle body; a jack device which is detachably mounted within the well portion, and is raised or lowered within the well portion; a plurality of support bars mounted across the well portion; and a mounting bracket coupled to the plurality of support bars, wherein a spare tire is detachably mounted on the mounting bracket by a clamp, and is supported by the jack device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eon Pyo Kim, Jang Ho Seo
  • Patent number: 11135984
    Abstract: A vehicle body rear structure includes: a cross member and a curvature portion each formed by a part of a floor panel, the part projecting downward at a rearward portion (spare tire pan) of the floor panel, wherein the cross member and the curvature portion each constitute a projected portion; and an underbody coating applied to the projected portions and having a first step and a second step which are oriented perpendicular to a front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideaki Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 11077803
    Abstract: A drawer assembly is provided for mounting beneath the bed of a truck and between the truck frame rails. The assembly includes a housing with an extendable and retractable drawer. The drawer may be mounted to the rear bumper of the truck so that the drawer and bumper move together between open and closed positions. Alternatively, the rear bumper, or portion thereof, may be moved out of the way of the drawer, which can then be opened and closed. The drawer can be opened manually, or alternatively, by remote control. The drawer assembly is hidden from view when closed and provides easy access for small objects when opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Inventors: Doug DeBerti, Brad DeBerti
  • Patent number: 10940890
    Abstract: A recessed portion is formed at a frame member provided at a rear portion of a vehicle body and having a closed cross section extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, wherein the recessed portion is configured such that a lower face of the frame member is recessed upwardly and a damper is inserted into and fixed to the recessed portion. Closed cross sections are formed inside the frame member at a position corresponding to the recessed portion. These closed cross sections are configured to branch off from the closed cross section outwardly and inwardly relative to the damper. A reinforcing member is fixed to the frame member and a wheel house inner at the position corresponding to the recessed portion such that a space is formed at a corner portion of these.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideyuki Tsukamoto, Ken Yamada, Akiyoshi Masuda, Hidenori Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 10710533
    Abstract: A drawer assembly is provided for mounting beneath the bed of a truck and between the truck frame rails. The assembly includes a housing with an extendable and retractable drawer. The drawer is mounted to the rear bumper of the truck. The drawer can be opened manually, or alternatively, by remote control. The drawer assembly is hidden from view when closed and provides easy access for small objects when opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Inventors: Doug DeBerti, Brad DeBerti
  • Patent number: 10532774
    Abstract: An apparatus for lifting an object for placement in a vehicle cargo area is provided. The apparatus comprises a liftgate for opening and closing relative to the vehicle cargo area including dual hoists for lifting an object in a balanced manner. The dual hoists may be stowed in a compartment in the liftgate, such as in individual pockets covered by a door formed by a liftgate trim panel. The actuator forming part of the hoist may also be covered by the liftgate trim panel, and thus hidden from view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony Richard Walser
  • Patent number: 10399617
    Abstract: A tire carrier assembly is provided and includes a bracket, a tire carrier, a carrier support and a hoist. The carrier support is lockable and unlockable and is configured to support the tire carrier in a stowed position when locked and to swing the tire carrier toward a deployed position when unlocked. The hoist is coupled to the bracket and the carrier support and is configured to normally lock the carrier support and to be selectively actuatable to unlock the carrier support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Luciano L. Oetting
  • Patent number: 10286816
    Abstract: A vehicle loadspace floor comprising a first deployable portion and a second deployable portion, the first and second deployable portions cooperating to form a rearward-facing seat extending through the opening of a loadspace of the vehicle when deployed from the loadspace floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Nicholas Murray, James Neugebauer, Richard Craven, Bruce Southey
  • Patent number: 10266211
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a spare wheel cavity for a vehicle. The spare wheel cavity is configured to store a collision-sensitive object and comprises a bottom wall and a side wall. The spare wheel cavity further comprises a carrier plate directly or indirectly attached to the bottom wall and a reinforcement structure located in or at the bottom wall in front of the carrier plate and/or below a front portion of the carrier plate. The carrier plate is configured to carry the collision-sensitive object on an object carrying portion of the carrier plate. The disclosure further relates to an arrangement comprising the spare wheel cavity, as well as a collision-sensitive object and/or a spare wheel. The disclosure also relates to a method of reducing a risk of a stack-up problem in case of a rear collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lars-Eric Olsson, Rashad Kadhim, Erik Land, Henrik Ebbinger, Mattias Andersson
  • Patent number: 10220894
    Abstract: A vehicle including a rear seat arrangement for a rear seat row and having a spare wheel recess arranged in the rear region of the vehicle—relative to a vehicle longitudinal axis—a spare wheel for the vehicle being received the spare wheel recess. A rigid carrier portion, which is fixed to the body of a supporting structure of the rear seat arrangement, is located with a lower face facing the cover of the spare wheel recess above a reference plane or extends along a reference plane, wherein the reference plane runs at an angle a to the wheel plane on the front face of the spare wheel and the wheel plane intersects a cutting line which is located in a vertical plane running perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal axis and tangential to the running surface of the spare wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG, Coburg
    Inventors: Sergej Kostin, Michael Boehm
  • Patent number: 9827919
    Abstract: A floor bracket includes a first bracket portion extending along a longitudinal axis, a second bracket portion, and a third bracket portion coupled between the first bracket portion and the second bracket. The floor bracket further includes at least one hook extending from the second bracket portion toward the third bracket portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Luis Javier Solis Mondragon, Gustavo Valencia Aguirre, Jose Javier Mejia Pavon, Hector Alejandro Castro Nunez
  • Patent number: 9676428
    Abstract: A trailer vehicle with a forward storage compartment is provided, which maximizes usable space within the trailer vehicle and offers improved storage for the user. The trailer vehicle comprises a towed vehicle with a front overhang portion extending from the front end thereof. The front overhang supports a fifth wheel kingpin connector, and further comprises an enclosed interior volume above the connector. Along a lower surface of the front overhang, one or more storage doors are provided. The storage doors provide access to the interior of the front overhang. Raising and lowering of the storage doors may be assisted by way of a cable winch or fluid-spring struts. Moreover, the storage doors may support specific items, such as spare tires using a tire saddle disposed thereon. Finally, each of the doors is hinged affixed to the overhang and includes securable latches to maintain the doors in a closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Inventor: Greg Jorgensen
  • Patent number: 9254874
    Abstract: A rear floor module of a motor vehicle is provided that is arranged between two rear longitudinal beams of the vehicle body that essentially extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The floor module features a floor pan that essentially extends in a planar fashion between the longitudinal beams and at least one integrated cross member for separate connection to the longitudinal beams with its end sections that lie in the lateral direction of the vehicle in order to transmit mechanical forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Fabian De Luca, Juergen Hulbert, Bjoern Burgard, Kamil Jerdonek
  • Patent number: 8939498
    Abstract: A vehicle floor tub is generally designed for attachment to a vehicle floor panel and may have a variety of uses. In one embodiment, the vehicle floor tub may include a sound damping patch applied to the base of the tub for improved vibration or sound damping purposes, thermal insulation, added structural integrity, etc. The vehicle floor tub may include a main panel, a sound damping patch, and an adhesive layer that are formed together from a main blank, a sound damping blank, and an adhesive layer. The sound damping patch may include one or more forming features located near complex stress regions. In one embodiment, the vehicle floor tub may be sized and configured to be a vehicle seat tub that is located in the floor of a vehicle and accommodates a folded or collapsed vehicle seat; in another embodiment, the vehicle floor tub may accommodate a spare wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Shiloh Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Fisk, Stephen A. Fetsko
  • Patent number: 8857898
    Abstract: A collision management system comprising at least one of a guiding-bracket and a catch configured to inhibit forward movement of an under-hung spare-tire during a collision. The guiding-bracket may connect to and extend downward from a floor, or sprung-mass component, of the vehicle. The spare-tire may contact the guiding-bracket during a collision substantially inhibiting further movement, deflecting it downward away from the vehicle, deflecting it toward a suspension component, and/or deflecting it toward the catch. The catch may be connected to and extend upward from a suspension component. The catch may also inhibit spare-tire forward movement, may puncture the tire of the spare-tire, and may pull the spare-tire downward with the movement of the suspension component to which it is attached during the collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hassan Najib Dubaisi, Kris Allyn Warmann, Anderson Luis de Castro Oliveira
  • Publication number: 20140265407
    Abstract: A securing arrangement and method for securing a first vehicle component having a generally nonmetallic body to a second metallic vehicle component includes the first vehicle component having at least one magnet fixably secured thereto. An adhesive is applied and one or both of the first and second vehicle components are positioned relative the other of the first and second vehicle components for connecting the first and second vehicle components with the adhesive. The at least one magnet prevents relative movement between the first and second vehicle components while the adhesive cures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander Hutter, Matthew Paul Horbaly, James Paul Ryan
  • Patent number: 8746518
    Abstract: A spacer for spacing a spare wheel assembly from a vehicle floor of a vehicle compartment is provided. The spacer includes an annular body, an outer flange, and an inner flange. The annular body includes an upper surface for facing toward the spare wheel assembly and a lower surface for facing toward the floor and away from the spare wheel assembly. The annular body further includes a peripheral edge and an inner edge. The outer flange extends from the upper surface and is configured to contact a wheel rim of the spare wheel assembly. The inner flange is offset radially inwardly from the outer flange and extends from the upper surface. The inner flange is configured to contact the wheel rim of the spare wheel assembly offset from where the outer flange is configured to contact the wheel rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Derik Thomas Voigt
  • Patent number: 8696045
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a convenient on-board tool storage structure, the storage structure allowing a storage location of an on-board tool to be seen easily, and allowing the on-board tool to be taken out without detaching a spare tire. The on-board tool storage structure of the present invention is formed in a supporting member 110 having a mounting surface 112 on which a spare tire 106 is mounted with such an inclination that a vehicle rear side thereof is elevated. A storage groove 114 which stores the tool therein is formed in the supporting member. A vehicle rear side end portion of the storage groove is exposed at a vehicle rear side of the spare tire. A distance along the storage groove between a position in which the storage groove starts to be exposed and a back panel 104 is shorter than the total length of the tool. A deep groove portion 114a is formed at a lower portion of the storage groove in such a manner as to be deeper toward the rear of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Sho Takenaka, Shuta Sasayama
  • Patent number: 8651549
    Abstract: A recess (1?) is proposed in a bottom panel (2?) of a body, in particular of a vehicle body, having a recess bottom (4?) which for its part merges into a recess wall (5?), wherein the recess (1?) has one or more first bottom corrugations (3?) which reinforce the recess bottom (4?) and one or more first wall corrugations (6?) which reinforce the recess wall (5?), wherein at least one first bottom corrugation (3?) and at least one associated first wall corrugation (6?) are arranged in a common vertical plane in such a way and are formed in such a way that the profile structure of the first bottom corrugation (3?) adjoins the profile structure of the associated first wall corrugation (6?) in the transition region from the recess bottom (4?) to the recess wall (5?), and wherein the shaped-out portion of said first wall corrugation (6?) is changed with regard to the shaped-out portion of the first bottom corrugation (3?) in such a way that the first bottom corrugation (3?) is formed towards the recess interior and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Knut Raffel, Tran Minh Dang
  • Patent number: 8579167
    Abstract: A vehicle body rear part structure in which a spare tire is stored underneath a rear floor via a spare tire carrier. The vehicle body rear part structure includes a frame part and a tire cover. An embedding groove is formed in an external surface of the tire cover. The frame part is embedded in the embedding groove. Left and right front connecting parts of the frame part are rotatably connected to left and right front support parts. A rear connecting part of the frame part is vertically movably connected to rear support part. Vertical movements of the rear connecting part via the rear support part causes a spare tire to be disposed in a tire storage position and a tire accessing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Yamada, Kengo Ishibashi, Takayuki Takahashi, Hiroshi Ohkubo, Masayuki Ogawa, Kunihiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8517446
    Abstract: An embodiment of a vehicle having: a boot compartment; a spare wheel, which is housed within the boot compartment; and a thrust device, which is set within the boot compartment, rests against the spare wheel, and pushes the spare wheel in an eccentric way in order to bring about a rotation of the spare wheel about a horizontal axis of rotation and towards a vertical position following upon a progressive reduction of the size of the boot compartment during impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventor: Veniero Pizzagalli
  • Patent number: 8469430
    Abstract: A tire carrier member stands on a front inclined surface of a luggage storage well formed in a floor panel. Tire supporting flanges having upper surfaces on which a spare tire is placed are provided at the lower part of the tire carrier member. A tire fixing portion to which the spare tire in a vertical position is detachably fixed is provided above the tire supporting flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Chikato Urano, Atsushi Tanai
  • Publication number: 20130119695
    Abstract: A seat mounting for mounting at least one motor vehicle seat on a motor vehicle body is provided. The seat mounting includes a supporting structure for accommodating the at least one seat. The supporting structure is mounted on the motor vehicle body in a pivoted fashion by means of at least one hinge and can be transferred between a normal position and a lifted loading position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
  • Patent number: 8388041
    Abstract: A spare tire installation structure for a vehicle has a first rigid member disposed within a trunk compartment of the vehicle, and a second rigid member configured vehicle rearward of the first rigid member and disposed within the trunk compartment of the vehicle. The first rigid member and the second rigid member define a space to house a spare tire. The second rigid member is configured to displace the spare tire vehicle forward and into the first rigid member in response to a rear collision to the vehicle. The first rigid member is configured to split a wheel of the spare tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Sakita, Takeshi Mishima, Masaya Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20130049394
    Abstract: A tire carrier member stands on a front inclined surface of a luggage storage well formed in a floor panel. Tire supporting flanges having upper surfaces on which a spare tire is placed are provided at the lower part of the tire carrier member. A tire fixing portion to which the spare tire in a vertical position is detachably fixed is provided above the tire supporting flanges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Chikato Urano, Atsushi Tanai
  • Patent number: 8382182
    Abstract: A storage compartment for a motor vehicle includes a wall defining a storage space and an access opening to the storage space. A lid element has a free end unsecured to the wall and a hinged end hinged to the wall. The wall has a support area forming a protrusion and which at least partially encloses the access opening such that the free end of the lid element is disposable on the support area in a covering position to form a joint section with the support area to cover the access opening. A cover has an overlap part for covering the joint section in order to prevent penetration of objects into the joint section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Reinhold Stössel
  • Patent number: 8371485
    Abstract: A spare tire holder and installation for a vehicle is provided. To this end, the spare tire holder includes, but is not limited to a mount that can be pivoted downward in the tail region underneath the car body. The mount can furthermore be pivoted about a pivot joint. To this end, an actuating mechanism holds the mount in a locked position and releases the mount such that it can be pivoted into a pivoted position. In this case, the vehicle has a reduced vehicle overhang between the rear wheel axle and the tail. Two swing arms are furthermore arranged to both sides of the mount. The swing arms feature double-jointed hinges with two pivot joints per hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Stephan Rosenplänter
  • Patent number: 8371595
    Abstract: A lower part structure in a vehicle body rear part has a rear suspension frame disposed in rear of a fuel tank and in front of a spare tire and has a mechanism for causing jump up of the rear part of the spare tire under load application from the vehicle rear. The lower part structure is configured so that the center in the vertical direction of the front part of the spare tire is located so as to lap on the extension line of vertical width of a frame in the vehicle width direction of the rear suspension frame, and when the spare tire is moved to the vehicle front by a load applied from the vehicle rear, the spare tire comes into contact with the rear suspension frame directly or indirectly, whereby the rear part of the spare tire is pushed up with the rear suspension frame side being the center, and is turned in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kodai Taneda, Koji Uchida
  • Patent number: 8348323
    Abstract: A rear vehicle body structure includes a rectangular frame, a box-shaped section, a spare-tire storage section, a peripheral flange, and a reinforcing member. The rectangular frame has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view and includes left and right rear frames and front and rear cross members so as to contain a spare tire. The box-shaped section has a substantially rectangular bottom so as to be placed in the rectangular frame. The spare-tire storage section is provided in the box-shaped section and has an opening at an upper part of the box-shaped section to receive the spare tire. The peripheral flange projects outward from the upper part so as to be attached to the rectangular frame. The reinforcing member extends along the bottom in a front-rear direction of a vehicle body and is laid between the front and rear cross members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihito Funakoshi
  • Patent number: 8308214
    Abstract: A lower structure of a vehicle body rear part includes a spare tire housing formed on a rear floor, a rear cross member disposed in front of the spare tire housing to connect side frames, and a hook reinforcing member disposed in the center in the vehicle width direction on the lower surface of the spare tire housing and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The front end portion of the hook reinforcing member is connected to the rear cross member, and the rear end portion thereof extends to the rear end portion of the rear floor. The side frame at the vehicle rear of the rear cross member is divided into a frame front part and a frame rear part in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the hook reinforcing member is divided into a reinforcing member front part and a reinforcing member rear part in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Souma, Norio Nishida
  • Patent number: 8308215
    Abstract: A lower structure of a vehicle body rear part, when receiving a load from a rear side of the vehicle, prevents deformation of a spare tire housing toward a front side of the vehicle and displacement of the front end of a spare tire toward the front side of the vehicle, and also facilitates the tipping up of a rear portion of the spare tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Souma, Norio Nishida
  • Patent number: 8308226
    Abstract: A storage panel assembly for a vehicle includes a panel having a louvered exterior and internal surfaces. A vent structure is formed on a portion of the panel. At least one jack wrench clip assembly is formed on the portion of the panel including the vent structure. The exterior louvered surface of the panel remains unblemished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Frank Parkinson, Robert Charles Steinbrecher
  • Patent number: 8303015
    Abstract: A lower structure of a vehicle body rear portion, includes: a spare tire housing formed in a rear floor; a cross member joining paired side frames, and being provided at a location frontward of the housing; a reinforcement for a hook, being arranged at a center of the housing; and a bumper member provided at a rear end of the vehicle body, in which a front side of the reinforcement is attached to the cross member, the reinforcement forms a closed cross section so that the closed cross section is larger at a rear side than at a front side, the reinforcement includes front and rear portions obtained by dividing the reinforcement at a location corresponding to a center of a spare tire, and an upper side of a rear end of the rear portion is arranged below the bumper member and overlaps with the bumper member (FIG. 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Souma, Norio Nishida
  • Patent number: 8282146
    Abstract: Provided is an automotive rear vehicle body structure which increases the amount of energy that can be absorbed, improves the safety of the vehicle occupant and protects a fuel tank in a reliable manner at the time of a rear end collision while allowing a spare tire to be placed within a cabin. In an automotive rear vehicle body structure having a H-type torsion beam wheel suspension system (12) pivotally supported by side sill extensions (2a, 3a) on either side of the vehicle body, the wheel suspension system including a pair of trailing arms (13, 14) and a torsion beam (15) connecting intermediate parts of the trailing arms with each other, a pair of rear side frames (6, 7) extend rearwardly from side sills (2, 3), and a spare tire pan (10) is defined by downwardly bulging a part of a rear floor panel (11) located between the rear side frames (6, 7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Izutsu, Kanji Fujii, Yutaka Kobashi, Hidenori Matsumoto, Katsuya Hishiki, Masami Yaguchi
  • Patent number: 8284251
    Abstract: In a tire type determination method, a surface image of a tread portion of a tire mounted on a vehicle is captured by a camera fixed at a predetermined position in a tilted hanger conveyor line, which is located downstream in a vehicle-carrying direction with respect to a position at which the tire of the vehicle is lifted from the ground and starts moving diagonally upward. Further, image information is extracted from the surface image of the tread portion, and a tire type is determined by checking the image information against registered information. A vehicle inspection system includes a tire type determination portion and a vehicle type information obtaining portion so as to determine the tire type using the method. A conformance determination portion determines whether the tire type determined by the tire type determination portion conforms to a specified tire type searched based on the vehicle type information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutsugu Suita, Kazufumi Kimura, Rikio Azumaya
  • Patent number: 8276966
    Abstract: A structure is in a lower part of a rear vehicle body 1. In this structure, each rear side member 2 is divided into a rear side member front part 10 and a rear side member rear part 11 in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, a cross member 26 below a spare tire housing is joined to the rear side member rear part 11, and a central part in a vehicle width direction 26a of the cross member 26 below the spare tire housing extends rearward in the vehicle and is curved obliquely downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Souma, Hiroyasu Shiromura, Katsunori Tannai
  • Publication number: 20120175907
    Abstract: An apparatus for storing a spare tire is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a hoisting device mountable to the underside of a vehicle. A tether is provided having a first portion and a second portion coupled to the hoisting device so that the first and second portions of the tether depend from the hosting device when it is mounted to the underside of a vehicle. A coupling member attached to the first portion of the tether permits an operator to attach the tether to the tire. A removable guard lays over at least part of the hub-facing wheel portion to cover one or more of the plurality of lug apertures such that the second portion of the tether cannot enter the plurality of lug apertures when the hosting device raises the spare tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: David Johnson, Shiro Kugo
  • Patent number: 8196987
    Abstract: A storage panel assembly for a vehicle includes a panel having louvered exterior and internal surfaces. A vent structure is formed on a portion of the panel. At least one lug nut retention assembly is formed on the portion of the panel including the vent structure. The exterior louvered surface of the panel remains unblemished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Frank Parkinson, Robert Charles Steinbrecher
  • Patent number: 8118341
    Abstract: A rear floor structure in a vehicle body rear part has a spare tire placing panel having an inclined surface inclined downward toward the vehicle front provided above a rear floor, and a spare tire tiltingly mounted on the spare tire placing panel. In the rear floor structure, in an intermediate portion in the front and rear direction of the spare tire placing panel, a convex part directed upward is provided so as to extend along the vehicle width direction; between the rear floor and the spare tire placing panel in the vertical direction, a space for disposing a jack, being a rigid member, is formed; and on the vehicle front side of the axis center of the jack on the rear floor, a projecting part extending in the vehicle width direction is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Kodai Taneda
  • Patent number: 8091941
    Abstract: A lower structure of a vehicle body rear part includes a spare tire housing formed on a rear floor, a rear cross member disposed in front of the spare tire housing to connect side frames, and a hook reinforcing member extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The side frame at the vehicle rear of the rear cross member is divided into a frame front part and a frame rear part in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the hook reinforcing member is divided into a reinforcing member front part and a reinforcing member rear part in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Asou, Takayuki Souma, Norio Nishida
  • Publication number: 20110266823
    Abstract: An embodiment of a vehicle having: a boot compartment; a spare wheel, which is housed within the boot compartment; and a thrust device, which is set within the boot compartment, rests against the spare wheel, and pushes the spare wheel in an eccentric way in order to bring about a rotation of the spare wheel about a horizontal axis of rotation and towards a vertical position following upon a progressive reduction of the size of the boot compartment during impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: FERRARI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Veniero PIZZAGALLI
  • Publication number: 20110254319
    Abstract: A bracket structure is in a vehicle body rear portion. In the bracket structure, an upper bracket 19 and first and second lower brackets 18 and 15 are disposed in such a manner as to be shifted to a right side or a left side in the vehicle width direction from an axis passing through a center of a spare tire housing 5, the second lower bracket 15 is formed in a concave shape and a closed section is formed between the first lower bracket 18 and the second lower bracket 15 by superposing the first lower bracket 18 and the second lower bracket 15, and the upper bracket 19 is attached to a top surface of the rear floor panel 4, and the upper bracket 19 and the first lower bracket 18 are disposed so as to correspond to each other in a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Hossain Amir, Takayuki Souma, Kazuaki Ikejima, Teruhisa Mita
  • Publication number: 20110227367
    Abstract: A rear vehicle body structure includes a rectangular frame, a box-shaped section, a spare-tire storage section, a peripheral flange, and a reinforcing member. The rectangular frame has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view and includes left and right rear frames and front and rear cross members so as to contain a spare tire. The box-shaped section has a substantially rectangular bottom so as to be placed in the rectangular frame. The spare-tire storage section is provided in the box-shaped section and has an opening at an upper part of the box-shaped section to receive the spare tire. The peripheral flange projects outward from the upper part so as to be attached to the rectangular frame. The reinforcing member extends along the bottom in a front-rear direction of a vehicle body and is laid between the front and rear cross members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akihito FUNAKOSHI
  • Patent number: 8007031
    Abstract: A rear structure of a vehicle body, where a spare tire pan is supported by rear frames extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, includes a plurality of arc-shaped beads that is continued in a circular arc shape and formed on the spare tire pan. The plurality of arc-shaped beads is disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other, and formed in a concave shape at substantially the same pitch toward the rear side of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeto Yasuhara, Yasuhisa Egawa, Yuji Matsuura
  • Patent number: 7976091
    Abstract: In a rear vehicle body structure, a spare tire is received in a spare tire pan in a rear end up slanted orientation, the front end of the spare tire is prevented from forward movement by a spare tire pan cross member, and a rear bottom of the spare tire pan is reinforced. At the time of a rear end crash, the spare tire is tilted substantially to an upright orientation around the front end, and the spare tire pan is deformed in such that the rear bottom folded upon a front bottom wall in the shape of letter Z as seen from side so that the spare tire pan provides a long deformation stroke, and is utilized for absorbing the impact energy of the rear end crash. Preferably, the rear bottom comprises an elevated horizontal part and a stepped portion defining a front edge of the elevated horizontal part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshizumi Yamaguchi, Hiro Nushii, Takumi Tsuyuzaki
  • Publication number: 20110156431
    Abstract: A lower structure of a vehicle body rear portion, includes: a spare tire housing formed in a rear floor; a cross member joining paired side frames, and being provided at a location frontward of the housing; a reinforcement for a hook, being arranged at a center of the housing; and a bumper member provided at a rear end of the vehicle body, in which a front side of the reinforcement is attached to the cross member, the reinforcement forms a closed cross section so that the closed cross section is larger at a rear side than at a front side, the reinforcement includes front and rear portions obtained by dividing the reinforcement at a location corresponding to a center of a spare tire, and an upper side of a rear end of the rear portion is arranged below the bumper member and overlaps with the bumper member (FIG. 2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Takayuki Souma, Norio Nishida
  • Publication number: 20110133504
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a convenient on-board tool storage structure, the storage structure allowing a storage location of an on-board tool to be seen easily, and allowing the on-board tool to be taken out without detaching a spare tire. The on-board tool storage structure of the present invention is formed in a supporting member 110 having a mounting surface 112 on which a spare tire 106 is mounted with such an inclination that a vehicle rear side thereof is elevated. A storage groove 114 which stores the tool therein is formed in the supporting member. A vehicle rear side end portion of the storage groove is exposed at a vehicle rear side of the spare tire. A distance along the storage groove between a position in which the storage groove starts to be exposed and a back panel 104 is shorter than the total length of the tool. A deep groove portion 114a is formed at a lower portion of the storage groove in such a manner as to be deeper toward the rear of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sho Takenaka, Shuta Sasayama
  • Patent number: 7954679
    Abstract: A retention system for a vehicular spare tire includes a chamber having a bottom portion. A tray is configured for movement in a first direction relative to the bottom portion between an extended position and a stored position. At least one removable interconnecting member is configured to selectively interface with both the tray and the chamber for substantially preventing movement of the tray relative in the first direction. At least one guide member is configured to selectively interface with a back portion of the tray for substantially preventing movement of the back portion of the tray in a second direction relative to the bottom portion while the tray is in the stored position. The second direction is generally perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: David Michael Edwards