Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Denso Corporation

Denso International America, Inc.

Toyota Technical Center, U.s.a., Inc.

Christian Arthur Trager

Umesh N Gandhi

Michael Paul Rowe

Ryohei Tsuruta

Paul A Gilmore

Yoshihisa Sato

Christopher M Higgins

Justin McBride

Hirohiko Yanagawa

Michael Wiegand

Thomas J Keeling

Masato Okuda

Toshihiro Wakamatsu

Christopher M Kurpinski

Tanemichi Chiba

Chad Eric Anderson

Jay Leonard Sackett

Michael J Niel

Andrea Lauren Sterling

Clare A McNamara

Kale William Hooper

Lisa Marie Brown

Jeffrey Edward Angeliu

James P Flaharty

Nicholas G Ruark

Richard Monroe Sullivan

Masaaki Tanaka

A vibration isolator cartridge can be configured to exhibit a non-linear stiffness profile. The non-linear stiffness profile including a region of quasi-zero stiffness. The vibration isolator cartridge can include a housing. The vibration isolator cartridge can include a plunger. The plunger can be configured to be depressed toward a distal end portion of the housing. The vibration isolator cartridge can include a plurality of spring members operatively positioned within the housing between the plunger and the distal end portion of the housing. The plurality of spring elements can be arranged in a stack. The vibration isolator cartridge can be used to provide improved vibration isolation performance in various applications, such as a bicycle saddle.

Bicycle saddle with spring-based vibration isolation

A vibration isolator can be configured to provide improved vibration isolation performance, such as in connection with a bicycle saddle. The bicycle saddle can be operatively connected to a bicycle frame. The vibration isolator can be located within a portion of the bicycle frame. The vibration isolator can be operatively positioned with respect to the bicycle saddle. The vibration isolator being configured to exhibit a non-linear stiffness profile. The non-linear stiffness profile can include a region of quasi-zero stiffness. The vibration isolator including one or more super elastic material members.

Vibration isolation for bicycle saddle using super elastic material members

A vibration isolator can be configured to provide improved vibration isolation performance, such as in connection with a bicycle saddle. A vibration isolator can be operatively connected to a bicycle saddle. The vibration isolator can be configured to exhibit a non-linear stiffness profile. The non-linear stiffness profile can include a region of quasi-zero stiffness. The vibration isolator can include one or more movable body members and one or more super elastic material members.

Bicycle saddle with super elastic material member activated vibration isolation

A vibration isolator can be configured to provide improved vibration isolation performance, such as in connection with a bicycle saddle. The bicycle saddle can be operatively connected to a bicycle frame. The vibration isolator can be located within a portion of the bicycle frame. The vibration isolator can be operatively positioned with respect to the bicycle saddle. The vibration isolator being configured to exhibit a non-linear stiffness profile. The non-linear stiffness profile can include a region of quasi-zero stiffness. The vibration isolator including a plurality of spring members arranged in a stack.

A vehicle surface wash apparatus using a cavitation heater fluidically coupled between a fluid reservoir and a spray nozzle to instantaneously heat wash fluid to an elevated temperature prior to dispensing the heated wash fluid through a spray nozzle onto a vehicle surface to be cleaned.

Vehicle surface wash apparatus with heated wash fluid

A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator includes a SMA element connected to a first crown to move the first crown with respect to a second crown along an axis to toggle the actuator rod between a first position and a second position, the first position and the second position maintained when the SMA element is deenergized.

Shape memory alloy latch with stable on-off position

A sensing and control system terminates a cycle test when it senses the part being cycle tested is about to fail. The sensing and control system uses a sensor for generating a signal each time the test part completes a motion cycle. The sensing and control system uses a controller, responsive to the sensor, for determining whether a failure is about to occur and stopping the cycle test.

Failure sensing and control system for cycle testing

Apparatus, devices, methods and systems corresponding to one or more embodiments relating to a jack handle for operation of a vehicle jack is described herein. In one embodiment, a two-piece jack is described. A first piece may include a handle and a first interlock portion. A second piece may include a jack mating portion, a second interlock portion for engagement with the first interlock portion of the first piece and a stopper for preventing the first piece and second piece from becoming disengaged during operation.

Interlocking handle

A push force simulator for measuring a force applied to a first component being attached to a second component with a pressure-sensitive adhesive located therebetween. The push force simulator can include a handheld block having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a palm-simulating polymer layer attached to the bottom surface. In addition, a pushable force gauge having an engagement end engaged with the top surface of the handheld block can be included. The pushable force gauge can measure an amount of force applied thereto, and thus measure the force transmitted through the block, through the palm-simulating polymer layer and applied to the pressure sensitive adhesive.

Push force simulator

The present invention discloses a windshield wiper system that affords for deicing of a windshield for a motor vehicle. The system includes a first container having a first liquid, a second container having a second liquid along with a spray nozzle or jet proximate to the windshield and in fluid communication with the first container and the second container. A pump operable to pump or force the second liquid through the spray nozzle and onto the windshield is also included. In addition, a time delay switch activates the windshield wiper only after the second liquid has been on the windshield a preset time.

Windshield cleaner

A system for assisting the alignment of a hitch pin mounted on the rear of a vehicle with a hitch socket mounted on the front of a trailer. The system includes a camera mounted to the vehicle and positioned to capture an image rearwardly of the vehicle. A video display is contained within the vehicle which displays the image captured by the camera. A processor is also contained in the vehicle which calculates a preferred path of travel of the vehicle to position the hitch pin in alignment with the hitch socket. The processor is programmed to provide instructions to an operator of the vehicle of the required steering to maintain the vehicle on the preferred path of travel. The processor recalculates the preferred path of travel whenever the vehicle veers from the preferred path of travel by a preset threshold.

System for assisting the attachment of a trailer to a vehicle

A pressure sensor assembly for measuring the pressure between a windshield and a windshield wiper. The pressure sensor assembly includes a support structure, a strain gage and a bearing member. The support structure supports the wiper spaced apart from the windshield. The strain gage is coupled to the support structure for providing pressure measurement data corresponding to the amount of strain in the support wall due to the pressure applied by the wiper toward the windshield. The bearing member is fixedly secured to the support structure to minimize friction between the pressure sensor assembly and the windshield.

Windshield wiper pressure sensor

An adjustable anchor assembly is designed to provide an anchor for a child restraint seat at the intersection of a back cushion and a bottom cushion of a seat in the interior of an automobile. The adjustable anchor assembly includes a housing designed to mount to a support member adjacent the intersection of the back and bottom cushions. An anchor member has an attachment end designed to provide an attachment for a child restraint seat and a mounting end. An adjustment device adjustably interconnects the housing with the mounting end of the anchor member and is operable to change the distance between the housing and the anchor member.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Christian Arthur Trager