Patents Examined by Philip F Gabler
  • Patent number: 11673494
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for securing a base of a child car seat in an associated vehicle using a safety belt of the associated vehicle. The system comprises a base configured to support a seat of the child car seat and a belt lock off mechanism. The belt lock off mechanism includes a first arm movable between (a) an unlocked position in which the first arm is not configured to tension the safety belt of the associated vehicle, and (b) a locked position in which the first arm is configured to tension the safety belt of the associated vehicle. A second arm of the belt lock off mechanism is configured to engage with and urge the first arm to move from the unlocked position to the locked position so as to tension the safety belt of the associated vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: CYBEX GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Douglas Goare, Jeffrey Douglas
  • Patent number: 11654808
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a frame, a seating base layer, a compression limiter layer, a load distribution layer, and an adjustment module. The seating base layer is arranged on the frame. The compression limiter layer is arranged adjacent to the seating base layer and comprises a wave portion forming a knee support. The load distribution layer is connected to the compression limiter layer. The adjustment module is movable between a rear position and a forward position and is configured to move the wave portion between a retracted position and an extended position. The wave portion has one of more first wave elements formed as springs and one or more second wave elements formed as springs. The first wave elements are offset from the second wave elements in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Craig M. Oomen
  • Patent number: 11654311
    Abstract: A trunk control system having a harness assembly and a flexion control assembly. The harness assembly has a backrest member and a harness secured to the backrest member. The backrest member is configured to be moveably coupled to a wheelchair. The backrest member is selectively moveable about and between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position. The harness cooperates with the backrest member to define a receiving space for receiving at least a portion of a torso of a wheelchair user. The flexion control assembly is coupled to the backrest member of the harness assembly. The flexion control assembly is configured to selectively permit or restrict movement of the backrest member about and between the fully retracted position and the fully extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignees: United States Government As Represented By The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.
    Inventors: Gary Goldish, Andrew Hansen, Stuart R. Fairhurst, Gregory O. Voss, Urs Schneider
  • Patent number: 11647839
    Abstract: A rotating work surface system for a chair including a seat base having a top engaging surface, a seat support having top side and a bottom side and a rotating surface positioned in between the seat base and the seat support. The rotating surface includes a top side and a bottom side wherein the rotating surface is adapted to pivotally engage about an axis and a fixed position of the seat base and the seat support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Inventors: Nicholas Brian Gillissie, William James McDonald, Gary Neil
  • Patent number: 11648859
    Abstract: Provided is to stabilize a fixed state of each bag body provided at a vehicle seat and configured to expand to push a corresponding one of the shoulders of a seated passenger. Of a seat back provided at the vehicle seat, each shoulder support configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand by injection of air. The air cell includes protrusions extending in a predetermined direction and provided at respective end portions of the air bag in the extending direction thereof. The air cell is attached to the inside of the seat back in such a manner that each of the protrusions provided at respective end portions in the extending direction is fixed to a corresponding one of fixing positions separated from each other in the width direction of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Ryuzaburo Abe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Soichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11648860
    Abstract: A vehicle seat side pillow mounting structure is provided and belongs to the field of vehicle parts installation. The mounting structure includes: a connection bar, two ends of the connection bar being disposed with mounting parts for mounting side pillows; two clamping heads, slidably assembled on the connection bar along a lengthwise direction of the connection bar and for clamping and being fixed on two insertion rods of a vehicle headrest; and locking mechanisms, respectively disposed between the clamping heads and the connection bar and for locking the clamping heads on or unlocking the clamping heads from the connection bar. The mounting structure does not require special customization, can reduce the purchase cost, can install the side pillows on other types of seats and has the advantage of strong practicability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SHEN ZHEN STAND BY ME TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventor: Zhiping Zhou
  • Patent number: 11648861
    Abstract: A headrest for a vehicle with improved collision performance includes: a headrest stay provided integrally with a seat back and exposed at an upper end of the seat back; a blower connected to the headrest stay; and a rotation direction change member installed between the headrest stay and the blower, connecting the headrest stay and the blower, and configured to allow a rotation direction of the headrest stay and a rotation direction of the blower to be opposite to each other in an event of a rear collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mu-Young Kim, Sang-Do Park, Deok-Soo Lim, Ji-Hyun Kim, Bong-Ku Kim, Ho-Suk Jung, Hyeok-Seung Lee, Sang-Hark Lee, Hoon-Bok Lee, Jun-Young Yun, Jun-Hwan Lee, Chan-Ho Jung, Han-Kyeol Cho
  • Patent number: 11634049
    Abstract: A child restraint seat sensing device for a vehicle including a structural element at least partially defining a volume, wherein the structural element is located in a vehicle passenger seat between a seat base and seat back or is located behind the vehicle passenger seat, a stationary anchor in the vehicle, wherein the stationary anchor is located within the volume defined by the structural element, and a sensor mounted to the structural element, wherein the sensor is configured to detect whether a child restraint seat connector is attached to the stationary anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Thomas, Tricia E. Morrow, Dorel M. Sala, Eugene J. Lau, Suzanne L. Johansson, Orhan Demirovic
  • Patent number: 11618353
    Abstract: An infant car seat system includes an infant car seat with an integrated anchor system to conveniently secure the infant car seat to a vehicle seat, without using a detachable vehicle installation base and without using a vehicle seat belt. The anchor system is coupled to the infant car seat at one or more mechanical constraining points positioned based on the center of gravity of the infant car seat and respective anchor points at which the anchor system engages with vehicle lower anchors. The anchor system may be a rigid anchor system or a belted anchor system, and the system may include one or more of a release actuator for a quick disconnect mechanism, an adjustment foot to accommodate different vehicle seats and ensure a tight fit, and/or one or more storage compartments to store parts of the anchor system when unused. Such features render the infant car seat system particularly useful for ride-hailing and ridesharing services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: WONDERLAND SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Kyle S. Mason, Nathaniel W. Keebler, Curtis Hartenstine, Bruce Williams, Brad Bickley
  • Patent number: 11618360
    Abstract: An armrest arrangement for a vehicle seat includes a mounting fitting to be mounted on a vehicle seat, and an armrest body having a trunk and a support element having an arm support surface for receiving an arm of a user when using the armrest arrangement. The armrest body having the trunk can be detachably attached to the mounting fitting. When mounted on the mounting fitting, the armrest body is pivotable about an axis of rotation with respect to the mounting fitting. The support element can be displaced with the arm support surface relative to the trunk in a longitudinal extension direction of the trunk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Enrico Artus, Stefan Feulner, Patrick Mahler
  • Patent number: 11613192
    Abstract: A height-adjustable headrest may have a base support element and a supporting element. The supporting element may be arranged in the base support element. The supporting element may be guidable in a longitudinally displaceable manner in an X direction. In order to form a guide, the basic supporting element may have a number of openings and the supporting element may have a number of guide parts. A shape of the number of openings may correspond to a shape of the number of guide parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Adient US LLC
    Inventors: Philippe Morilhat, Felix Manduzio, Christophe Moriniere
  • Patent number: 11602469
    Abstract: A lifting mechanism has a base to which a pivot of a parallelogram structure. A spring extends from a first link of the parallelogram to an adjustable termination point on a second link of the parallelogram to form a lifting triangle. The spring termination point is displaced from a main pivot of the parallelogram to create an adjustable “lever arm” to vary the lifting force. A lifting power adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the spring termination point. An extension is in fixed relation to one of the parallelogram links and maintains its angle with respect to the horizontal when angles of the parallelogram are varied upon raising or lowering the lifting mechanism between a sitting mode and a standing mode. The extension serves as a base for a rear seat section. A front seat section is pivotally attached to the rear seat section allowing it to swing downward upon elevation of the lifting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Inventors: Garrett W. Brown, John Christopher Fawcett
  • Patent number: 11603018
    Abstract: A power supply device for a vehicle child seat includes an anchor housing mounted on a rear seat, an anchor and a power supply connector, which are positioned within the anchor housing, a latch bar mounted on a child seat and fastened on the anchor in a locked manner, a connector module slidably fastened to the latch bar, and a power connection connector integrally combined with the connector module and removably fastened to the power supply connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Byeong Seon Son, Tae Hoon Lee, Seon Chae Na, Ji Hwan Kim, Sang Hoon Park, Sang Ho Kim, Seung Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11597462
    Abstract: A bicycle saddle includes a saddle shell. On an upper side of the saddle shell a saddle cushion is arranged. Further, a support element is provided that is connected to a saddle frame. For decoupling the saddle shell from the support element, an elastomer body is provided between the saddle shell and the support element. A side surface of the elastomer body is at least partly curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ergon International GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Krause, Franc Arnold
  • Patent number: 11584266
    Abstract: A seat belt fixing device and a seat including the same are introduced. The seat belt fixing device includes a seat belt clamp, top rod body, fixedly engaging element, locking element, and operating element coupled to the locking element. The seat belt clamp includes a first clamping element rotatably mounted on the seat and a second clamping element formed on the seat. The second clamping element is rotatable to a locked position to operate in conjunction with the first clamping element in clamping a seat belt. The top rod body and the second clamping element are connected and rotate concentrically. The locking element and fixedly engaging element are mounted on the top rod body (or second clamping element) and the seat, respectively. At the locked position, the locking element fittingly, engagingly connects to the fixedly engaging element to lock the top rod body and second clamping element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: WONDERLAND SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventor: Xiaohong Xiao
  • Patent number: 11584280
    Abstract: A seating assembly comprises a calf rest coupled to a seat base and having a body that comprises a first trough that extends from a first exterior peak to an interior peak and a second trough that extends from a second exterior peak to the interior peak. The seating assembly also comprises a wire that extends across the first trough from the first exterior peak to the interior peak, the wire being operable between an at rest condition and a contracted condition, wherein movement of the wire from the at rest condition to the contracted condition moves a portion of the wire between the first exterior peak and the interior peak away from a bottom of the first trough. The seating assembly further comprises a controller that prompts electrical current to be supplied to the wire to move the wire from the at rest condition to the contracted condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dylan Mandelbaum, Michael Steven Medoro, Andres Almeida Senatore, Siddharthan Selvasekar, Jimmy Moua, Katherine Ann Arnold, Johnathan Andrew Line
  • Patent number: 11584276
    Abstract: A headrest for a vehicle seat includes: a support surface for the head of an occupant; at least one lateral edge extending along an edge of the support surface; and a sound diffusion system arranged in a cavity in the edge and including a speaker configured to emit sound waves in front of the support surface and at least one passive radiator configured to emit low frequency sound waves in front of the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Faurecia Sièges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Stéphane Soltner, Anthony Maire, Benjamin Eller
  • Patent number: 11583088
    Abstract: A hanging chair includes a collapsible spreader bar that reduces the size of the product when in a disassembled configuration. The hanging chair includes a flexible seating portion having first and second side edges. A plurality of ropes connect the first and second side edges of the flexible seating portion to the collapsible spreader bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Snow Joe, LLC
    Inventor: Victor Sabbagh
  • Patent number: 11584468
    Abstract: A bicycle saddle includes a saddle shell with a saddle frame arranged on the lower side thereof. A first saddle cushion is arranged on the upper side of the saddle shell. An intermediate shell is arranged on an upper side of the saddle cushion. On the upper side of the latter, a second cushion element is arranged. The intermediate shell includes at least one recess for improving comfort in particular in the case of a perched sitting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ergon International GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Krause, Franc Arnold
  • Patent number: 11577632
    Abstract: A shock mitigation seat 10 includes a plurality of individual shock absorbing members 16 resilient to compression from a shock impact. The shock absorbing members 16 are positioned one adjacent another and such that at a certain stage of compression an individual shock absorbing member 16 resiliently deforms and comes into contact with one or more adjacent individual shock absorbing members 16 which thereby increases resistance to further compression. The seat may be incorporated in a shock mitigation system 50 which has at least one sensor operable to detect a force and to provide a feedback signal indicative of the nature of the force and a memory record the incidence and severity of these forces and provides an indication of cumulative forces absorbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Shock-WBV Limited
    Inventors: Graham Brown, Tom Coe