Tag Archives: patents

Motorsport

Ford Trademarks RS200, Hopefully For A Sports Car

The mysterious world of automaker patents and logos is buzzing at present with two letters and a quantity: RS and 200. We discovered just lately Ford has utilized for the RS200 trademark in Europe, reigniting the flames of hope {that a} redux of the unique rally-bred homologation particular may quickly attain manufacturing. Though we would not depend on it. Here’s why.

Automakers ceaselessly trademark every kind of names, and oftentimes we by no means see something come of it. Yes, a plethora of new names can preview a brand new mannequin or trim stage being thought of. Reupping previous names can recommend a revival is imminent, however previous names even have model fairness. Depending on the title, it might be value renewing a trademark merely to guard that fairness. And it needs to be painfully apparent that RS200 has gobs of fairness for Ford.

The unique Ford RS200 was a product of Group B, an period within the mid-Eighties when the World Rally Championship went loopy with hilariously overpowered race vehicles disguised as street-legal econoboxes. To partake within the madness, automakers wanted a sure variety of precise road vehicles to satisfy homologation necessities for the collection.

That’s how the Ford RS200 was born. It made 250 horsepower in road-going trim from a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. In race trim, the mill was boosted to round 450 hp. That would not sound like a lot at present, however do not be fooled. The RS200 was a mid-engine, 2,600-pound race automobile with all-wheel drive. It was a rocket ship. So should you’re questioning why seeing an RS200 trademark from Ford sends our hearts all aflutter, that is it.

At this time, there is no indication of something occurring with Ford concerning an precise automobile, however we will dream. This is probably going only a case of the automaker defending the title, and rightfully so. The last item the world wants is a five-seat electrical crossover with RS200 badges on it.

ToyotaUk

Toyota Maintains Leadership in Automotive Innovation, Top Spot Among Automakers in Annual U.S. Patent Ranking

  • Toyota leads automotive business for 10th consecutive yr 
  • Toyota acquired 2,667 patents in 2023. 

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (March 12, 2024) – Securing its place on the forefront of U.S. automotive innovation for the tenth consecutive yr, Toyota has been awarded extra patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) than another automaker in line with an annual report by the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO).   

Despite a difficult yr that noticed a 3% total decline in patents granted throughout all industries within the United States, Toyota ranked seventh amongst all corporations awarded patents in 2023, receiving a complete of two,667 patents.  

“This achievement continues to underscore Toyota’s unwavering commitment to innovation, particularly in areas critical to the future of mobility such as electrification and intelligent transportation solutions,” stated Sandra Phillips Rogers, senior vp of Corporate Resources and chief authorized officer at Toyota Motor North America. “Our focus is on creating sustainable and advanced technological solutions and contributing to the betterment of society and the industry at large, all while ensuring our innovations are recognized through filings with the USPTO.” 

Toyota’s 2023 patents showcase the corporate’s wide-ranging improvements, together with: 

  • Kinetic Seat Cushion for Vehicles – A key component of the IsoDynamic Performance Seat, debuting solely on the all-new 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro that helps present a clean, confidence-inspiring trip for these within the driver and entrance passenger seats. The ISO D seat meeting absorbs car inputs vertically and laterally, decreasing the general load and impacts onto the car occupant.   
  • Woven Carbon Fiber Reinforced Steel Matrix Composite – A carbon fiber cloth of lengthy, organized fibers inside a metal matrix that produces a lighter weight materials with out sacrificing efficiency. By layering the carbon fiber in a weaving sample sintered with metal nanomaterial, the composite is stiff. This innovation can be utilized for lightweighting car elements the place engineered types of metal are wanted.    
  • Systems and Methods with Dual Function Coil Providing In-vehicle Wireless Power – This innovation for traction-battery-equipped automobiles (PHEVs & BEVs) makes use of a twin operate coil, put in within the car, that may wirelessly obtain energy from the grid for recharging the battery and transmit energy for the built-in auxiliary energy provide. The know-how eliminates the necessity for cumbersome cables, many connectors, and obligation plugs to supply in-vehicle charging and small load energy provide (for cabin lights, screens, cellular gadgets, and many others.), thereby enhancing comfort and system integration in addition to decreasing house wants, value, and weight of the car. 

“Toyota team members work very aggressively at research and development to discover cutting-edge technology for propelling the company forward,” stated Frederick Mau, mental property counsel and director of Patent Licensing for Toyota Motor North America. “It’s impressive to see the fruits of their efforts reflected in these rankings every year.” 

Globally, Toyota spends roughly $1 million per hour on R&D, to make sure that Toyota quickly and repeatedly develops cutting-edge, high-quality, and interesting automobiles and applied sciences. This dedication ensures that Toyota not solely delivers on the wants of consumers but in addition anticipates its position in future societal progress. 

About Toyota 
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been part of the cultural cloth in North America for greater than 65 years, and is dedicated to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility via our Toyota and Lexus manufacturers, plus our greater than 1,800 dealerships. 

Toyota instantly employs greater than 63,000 individuals in North America who’ve contributed to the design, engineering, and meeting of practically 47 million vehicles and vans at our 13 manufacturing vegetation. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will start to fabricate automotive batteries for electrified automobiles. With extra electrified automobiles on the highway than another automaker, Toyota at present presents 27 electrified choices. 

For extra details about Toyota, go to www.ToyotaNewsroom.com. 

About TMNA R&D  
For greater than 50 years, Toyota Motor North America Research & Development (TMNA R&D) has led engineering for a number of of the best-selling Toyota automobiles on U.S. roads. Teams at the moment are creating each next-generation automobiles and new and superior mobility ideas that may higher transfer individuals, items and data. Toyota’s innovation has produced extra patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office than another automaker for the previous 10 consecutive years (2,667 in 2023). Centered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, TMNA R&D is pursuing Toyota’s mission to “Produce Happiness for All” by making life safer, simpler and extra pleasurable. Globally, Toyota spends roughly $1 million per hour on R&D to make sure that Toyota quickly and repeatedly develops cutting-edge, high-quality, and interesting automobiles. 

Motorsport

Toyota Patents Air-Filled Pickup Beds To Keep Stuff In Place

Auto producers file patents for numerous concepts each single day, and generally, you come throughout one which’s truly fascinating. It appears Toyota is considering inside the field on this one.

Patent number US 11,858,408 B1 was initially filed again in June 2022 however printed early this yr. In essence, it is an air mattress caught to the underside of a pickup mattress cowl. Flip a change and it inflates downward into the mattress, pushing into and surrounding in any other case unfastened gadgets, holding them neatly in place till you flip one other change to deflate it. Or till a pointy nook of the metal cabinets you are hauling punctures the bladder. Presumably, Toyota assumes this would not be used with gadgets which have the potential to tear by way of plastic, vinyl, material, or no matter this huge air bladder is made from.

As you would possibly count on, it is inflated with an air compressor put in within the mattress between the internal wall and outer sheet steel. The patent description says it could possibly be hooked into the truck’s pc mind, monitoring stress on the bladder (or bladders) to maintain issues safe.

It does seem to be a novel solution to hold the groceries or that cool set of used golf golf equipment you scored at a storage sale from skidding across the mattress whereas driving house. Toyota particularly makes use of the time period “air mattress” within the patent’s description. In reality, it is referenced as getting used for tenting, be it on the bottom or within the mattress of the truck.


News, Wearables

Apple Fails To Delay ITC Ban Of Apple Watch Series 9 And Ultra 2

An organization like Apple isn’t any stranger to patent regulation and aggressively protects its patents within the courts, so discovering itself on the opposite finish of that stick is considerably ironic. The ITC discovered the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 to infringe on patents from Masimo, which produces medical know-how. The challenge is with the watches’ well being monitoring sensors, particularly people who detect blood oxygen saturation or SPO2.

As The Wall Street Journal reported, Apple met with Masimo founder Joe Kiani to debate implementing his firm’s know-how into wearable units just like the Apple Watch. But as an alternative of partnering with Masimo, Apple started to poach expertise, together with Masimo’s chief medical officer and high engineers. A patent filed in 2019 by a type of engineers bore a placing resemblance to certainly one of Masimo’s personal patents for cellular SPO2 sensors.

In January 2023, the ITC dominated that the SPO2 sensors utilized in Apple’s Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 infringed on Masimo’s patents. A commerce ban was issued in October after Apple countersued Masimo. While Apple had hoped to halt the ban whereas it labored on methods to distinguish the 2 infringing merchandise, at the moment’s denial of that movement means the watches will certainly halt gross sales for at the least a while.