Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

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

Umesh P Naik

Coh L Yoshizaki

Eric Yoshinari

Mingher Fred Shen

Ming Michael Meng

Brian Leonard Lindsay

David B Auner

James Castro

Akio Kimura

Yoshinori Kano

Randy S Hodder

Disclosed is a device for filtering electrical noise in a vehicle. The device includes a housing connectable to the vehicle, a variable capacitor, an input signal line coupled to the variable capacitor and couplable to a first conductor that carries electrical signals along with electrical noise of a given amplitude, and an output signal line coupled to the variable capacitor and couplable to a second conductor. When the input signal line is coupled to the first conductor and the output signal line is coupled to the second conductor, the second conductor carries the electrical signals along with electrical noise of reduced amplitude within a range of frequencies. The device also includes a tuner coupled to the housing and configured to adjust a capacitance of the variable capacitor, wherein adjusting the capacitance of the variable capacitor adjusts the range of frequencies.

Adjustable electrical noise filter for a vehicle

A system for monitoring a bed of a vehicle is provided. The system includes a display, an input device, a first imaging device configured to capture one or more images of a bed of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives a first signal indicating a first activation of the input device, determines whether a speed of the vehicle is greater than a threshold in response to a receipt of the first signal, and instructs the display to display an image of the bed captured by the first imaging device for a first predetermined time in response to determining that the vehicle speed is greater than the threshold and in response to the receipt of the first signal.

Methods and systems for monitoring a bed view for a vehicle

In one embodiment, an auxiliary camera unit for a vehicle includes an image capture device, a mounting mechanism for attaching the auxiliary camera unit to the vehicle, and a communication device to wirelessly transmit data to the vehicle and receive data from the vehicle. The auxiliary camera unit further includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing: a control module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to set one or more operational settings for the image capture device based on a position of the auxiliary camera unit relative to the vehicle and cause the communication device to transmit a video feed from the image capture device to the vehicle according to the one or more operational settings.

Vehicle auxiliary camera

A retaining structure and fastener assembly for securing a resin panel to a vehicle body. The panel has an inner surface and a retaining structure extending outwardly from the inner surface. The retaining structure has a retaining wall with a slot for receiving a shoulder of a bolt therethrough, so that a head of the bolt is retained between the inner surface and a washer for securing the panel to the body of the vehicle. The slot is oversized relative to the shoulder of the bolt so as to define a predetermined gap therebetween to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the panel, thereby preventing building of the panel relative to the vehicle.

Fastener assembly

A bumper cover assembly includes a resin panel, a fastener and a retainer. The panel has an inner surface. The fastener extends outwardly from a vehicle body. The retainer is fixedly secured to the inner surface of the resin panel. The retainer includes a hole for receiving the fastener therethrough, so as to fixedly secure the resin panel to the body of the vehicle.

Resin bumper cover attachment

A cushion for an automotive grille mounted in an automotive body. The cushion includes an elongated shank having an exterior thread formed along its length. The shank is adapted to be threadably mounted in a hole in the automotive body so that a portion of the shank is sandwiched in between the grille and the automotive body. The effective thickness of the cushion is controlled by rotation of the shank relative to the automotive body.

Cushion for an automotive grille

A bumper assembly that includes a molded bumper fascia and a molded cover/bezel mounted in an opening in the bumper. The bezel/cover is adapted to contain a fog lamp and is accurately positioned within the opening of the bumper fascia to avoid motion along the longitudinal axis of the opening, both in the forward and reverse directions, by external ribs on the cover/bezel that engage edges of the bumper to act as detents. Living hinges may be integrally molded with the bumper fascia to provide a mechanical fixation to the cover/bezel after the cover/bezel is installed in the opening and the hinges are bent from their mold positions.

Bumper assembly with fog lamp bezel

A side attachment for attaching a grill to a front bumper of a vehicle allows the grill to pivot independently relative to the front bumper. The grill also includes tabs that locate the bottom edge of the grill to the front bumper and release the grill to allow rotation during a frontal impact of the vehicle, thereby minimizing damage to the grill.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Umesh P Naik