Patents Examined by Timothy J Brindley
  • Patent number: 11919591
    Abstract: A seatpost assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a housing fixedly coupled to a seatpost, the housing including at least one adjustable clamp assembly retaining member. The assembly also includes a reversable saddle rail clamp assembly, the reversable saddle rail clamping assembly having a bottom saddle rail clamping member and a top saddle rail clamping member. The top saddle rail clamping member is configured to be coupled with the bottom saddle rail clamping member in a first orientation to provide a first offset position, and further configured to be coupled with the bottom saddle rail clamping member in a second orientation to provide a second offset position different from said first offset position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Pollock
  • Patent number: 11912177
    Abstract: A passenger transport vehicle includes a system configured to vary the number of available seating places in accordance with the level of passenger traffic to be transported. The system has a mechanical support structure having a fixed part and a movable part movable between a first position in which the mechanical support structure forms a seating place, and a second position in which the seating place is unavailable for seating. The mechanical support structure includes a covering surface connected to and disposed around a portion of the movable part. The covering surface includes two rigid portions and a deformable portion. One rigid portion forms a seating surface when the movable part is in the first position, while both rigid portions and the deformable portion form an ischiatic support surface when the movable part is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: ALSTOM HOLDINGS
    Inventors: Jérôme Konieczka, Quentin Marcel Daniel Stocker, Adrien Ecoue
  • Patent number: 11910932
    Abstract: A motion seat is described that includes a chassis, a seat frame, a seat cushion, a backrest, and a resilient hinge. The seat frame is attached to the chassis and the seat cushion and the backrest are each attached to the seat frame. The resilient hinge formed as a unitary body and may be formed from a resilient polymer. The seat cushion and/or the backrest is pivotably attached to the seat frame with the resilient hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: American Leather Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Jeff Weber, Anders Larsen, Douglas L. Gasal, Jared Hurd, Robert B. Duncan, Kevin Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11904746
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seating frame for a vehicle seat, the frame comprising a back frame component for supporting a back rest, wherein the back frame component includes a plurality of interconnected reinforcing ribs that form a single unit, and wherein the seating frame is a one-piece injection-molded part made of plastic material. The invention also relates to a process of making such a seating frame. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle seat comprising such a seating frame, and a vehicle comprising such a vehicle seat or such a seating frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Chuangqi Guo, Geert-Jan Schellekens, Zhongcai Tong, Zhen Yu Xie, Zhi Tian, Tianhua Ding
  • Patent number: 11904750
    Abstract: A structural component may have a carrier structure and a substructure arranged on the carrier structure and having a variable contour. The substructure may have an adjustment mechanism with a plurality of adjustment elements. The adjustment mechanism may be configured to adjust the adjustment elements between a compressed position and an expanded position in order to vary the contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Adient US LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Frotz, Sven Oldach, Daniel Bahr, Rudolf Wilhelm Hemmelrath, Ben Schrieber
  • Patent number: 11897372
    Abstract: A recliner heart includes a first locking plate, a second locking plate, a hub, a pair of wedges, a first biasing member, and a second biasing member. The first locking plate includes first teeth. The second locking plate is rotatable relative to the first locking plate and includes second teeth. The first biasing member is configured to apply a first biasing force to the wedges. The second biasing member is configured to apply a second biasing force to the wedges. The hub is rotatable between a first position in which the first and second biasing forces are applied to the wedges to restrict rotation of the second locking plate relative to the first locking plate, and a second position in which the first biasing force applied to one wedge of the wedges is reduced to allow rotation of the second locking plate relative to the first locking plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Fisher & Company, Incorporated
    Inventors: Ralph L. Schmitz, Sapan M. Poptani, Christopher J. Ryan, Lawrence J. Magadanz
  • Patent number: 11897371
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a seat frame with reduced weight due to not including a cushion side frame, the seat frame comprising: a pair of rails; a cushion frame which supports a cushion and has a closed cross-sectional shape; front links which connect the rails to the cushion frame on the front side; rear links which connect the rails to the cushion frame on the rear side; and connection brackets which connect the rear links to a seatback frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: POSCO
    Inventors: Jae-Hyun Kim, Hong-Woo Lee, Dong-Yoon Seok
  • Patent number: 11890969
    Abstract: An extendable seat base for a seat of a vehicle is disclosed. The seat base includes an outer cushion, a cord, and a motor. The outer cushion forms a top of the seat base and extends, in one unitarily formed piece, down a front of the seat base and back underneath or within the seat base, such that excess material of the outer cushion is positioned underneath or within the seat base. The cord is connected to an end of the outer cushion at the excess material. The motor is adapted to pull the excess material underneath or within the seat base while the seat base is in a retracted position and to release the excess material while the seat base is in an extended position. At least a portion of the excess material is used to form part of an extended seat for a vehicle occupant while the seat base is in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Richard Aicken
  • Patent number: 11890975
    Abstract: Proposed is a folding seat which can be folded by manipulating a lever at various positions so as to improve the utilization of space around the folding seat. The folding seat includes: a seat frame; a seat back frame located at a rear of the seat frame and coupled rotatably to the seat frame or a vehicle; and a first latch part provided with a side support, a first end of the side support being coupled to the vehicle and a second end of the side support being coupled to the rear of the seat frame through a rotation shaft such that the seat frame is rotatable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: DAECHANG SEAT CO., LTD-DONGTAN
    Inventors: Jae Kwang Shin, Myung Soo Lee, Chan Ki Cho
  • Patent number: 11885172
    Abstract: An outdoor chaise lounge including a lock-box integrated therein. The chaise lounge may have a photovoltaic device mounted to a portion of a seat member where a user rests his or her head, and the lock-box may be positioned below a foot portion of the seat member. The foot portion of the seat member may be configured to be rotated upwards to enable a user to access the lock-box. In an embodiment, electronic devices may be integrated into a member of the chaise lounge, such as a leg member, frame member, or armrest, and be configured to enable a user to order food, beverages, attendants, or perform other communications with a billing or other system of a venue (e.g., hotel, cruise ship, etc.) via a wireless communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Loungera IP LLC
    Inventor: Michael Edelman
  • Patent number: 11882941
    Abstract: A chair structure with electronics support frame includes: a chair body, which includes an armrest; and an electronics support frame, which is located at one side of the armrest. The electronics support frame includes a mounting piece, a foldable pedestal, a claw part, a drive mechanism, and an image capturing device. The mounting piece is formed with an opening. The pedestal is arranged on the mounting piece. The pedestal includes multiple support arms rotatably connected to each other. The pedestal is switchable between a folded condition and an expanded condition. The claw part is arranged at one end of the pedestal and rotatable relative to the pedestal. The drive mechanism is electrically connected with the pedestal and the image capturing device. The image capturing device identifies a face position toward which the claw part is moved by the drive mechanism driving the pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: OXTI PTE LTD
    Inventor: Chih-Feng Ho
  • Patent number: 11872914
    Abstract: A fitting arrangement for a vehicle seat including two fitting parts adjustable relative to each other about an adjustment axis and forming a bearing space, a locking element disposed in the bearing space on one of the two fitting parts and radially adjustable with respect to the adjustment axis between an unlocking position, in which the two fitting parts are pivotable relative to each other and a locking position, in which the two fittings parts are non-rotatably locked to each other, and at least one adjuster part pivotally mounted within the bearing space for adjusting the locking element between the unlocking position and the locking position. The at least one adjuster part mounted on a bush element on which a cover element is provided for sealing the bearing space and attached axially with.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg
    Inventors: Jürgen Schukalski, Jochen Hofmann, Peter Hausmann
  • Patent number: 11873105
    Abstract: Described is a frame component for a passenger seat assembly. The frame includes a tubular frame component having a first portion and a second portion. The bent portion bends the frame at a non-zero angle within a plane. The tubular frame component includes a variable inner diameter such that the first portion of the tubular frame component has a first wall thickness and the bent portion of the tubular frame component has a second wall thickness that is different from the first wall thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC
    Inventors: Romain Tranier, Reza Mansouri, Charles Michael Parker
  • Patent number: 11872915
    Abstract: A vehicle seat reclining device includes a ratchet and a guide assembled to be rotatable, a plurality of pawls that are supported by a pair of guide walls provided on the guide, mesh with the ratchet, and are arranged in the relative rotation direction and restrict relative rotation between the ratchet and the guide, and a cam that moves the pawls outward. One of the pawls is a main pawl having a rattle preventing structure. The main pawl includes a bulging portion configured to abut against the pressing portion. Each of the pawls other than the main pawl do not have a bulging portion corresponding to the bulging portion of the main pawl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Teraguchi, Takeshi Nishiura
  • Patent number: 11864657
    Abstract: The invention discloses a sofa seat frame, a sofa base assembly, a sofa and a sofa production and assembly process, the sofa seat frame comprises two cross beams arranged at intervals and two longitudinal beams connecting the two cross beams, wherein a plurality of supporting elastic pieces are arranged between the two cross beams; and each longitudinal beam comprises a first supporting plate for supporting a seat cushion and a first side plate arranged at one side of the lower part of the first supporting plate and used for being detachably connected with sofa fabric on the seat cushion. In the sofa seat frame provided by the invention, when the seat cushion is placed on the supporting elastic pieces, the first supporting plates can give a certain supporting force to the seat cushion, so as to improve the sitting comfort of users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Remacro Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Weiming Chen, Xiaohong Li
  • Patent number: 11865957
    Abstract: A vehicle seat inter-connected tether assembly includes a first tether, a second tether and a vertically configured third tether positioned between the first tether and the second tether fixedly coupled to and connecting the first tether to the second tether. A connector positioned at distal ends of the first tether and the second tether is configured to couple the first tether and the second tether to opposed seat frame members of a vehicle seat frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ashish Nayak, Chin-hsu Lin, Prashant Kohakade
  • Patent number: 11857086
    Abstract: Chairs having a cleaning system integrated thereon are provided. These chairs allow a user to comfortably clean their feet while in a sitting or reclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventor: Julia Bornstein
  • Patent number: 11858576
    Abstract: A dropper seatpost head assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a lower post for insertion into a seat tube of a vehicle and an upper post having a housing coupled at one end thereof, the upper post to telescopically slide with respect to the lower post to form a dropper seatpost. The assembly also includes a saddle rail clamp assembly having a lower saddle rail clamping portion rotatably coupled with the housing and an upper saddle rail clamping portion to couple with the lower saddle rail clamping portion to form a clamping structure. The lower saddle rail clamping portion having a drooped shape such that the lower saddle rail clamping portion and the clamping structure hang down in a plane that intersects at least a portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Coaplen, Bryan Wesley Anderson, William M. Becker
  • Patent number: 11857083
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a chair with a backrest and a hook assembly. The backrest includes a rear surface having an outwardly protruding rim. The hook assembly comprises a cover plate and a weldment, and the cover plate may include a hook being integrally formed on an exterior face. The hook assembly is configured to be securely coupled on or within the outwardly protruding rim of the backrest, and a secure coupling between the hook assembly and the backrest is formed via insertion of a fastening member, which is inserted through an apertures on a bottom surface of the cover plate, such that the fastener is aligned substantially parallel to the rear surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Robert Machin, Mark Schneider, David O. Morton, Ryan Jerome Ramos, Mark Spoelhof, Jamie Payne, Daniel George Parker
  • Patent number: 11858392
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle seat with a function of reducing fatigue regardless of the physique of the seated person, a vehicle seat includes: an ischial tuberosity support device that is driven to change a position of a part of a seat cushion corresponding to ischial tuberosities of a seated person; a sacrum/ilium support device that is driven to change a position of a part of a seat back corresponding to the sacrum and ilia of the seated person; a ninth thoracic vertebra support device that is driven to change a position of a part of the seat back corresponding to a ninth thoracic vertebra of the seated person; and a control device, wherein the control device sequentially executes: an information acquisition step of acquiring physique information of the seated person; a decision step of deciding parameters regarding a driving amount of each of the ischial tuberosity support device, the sacrum/ilium support device, and the ninth thoracic vertebra support device based on the acquired physique information; and an out
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Naoto Yamauchi