Patents Examined by Timothy J Brindley
  • Patent number: 11780521
    Abstract: A telescopic bicycle seatpost is adjustable to fit on many different bicycle sizes, for riders of different heights and leg length. The telescopic length of the seatpost is able to be adjusted after the seatpost has been installed on the bicycle and without removing the seatpost from the frame, which enables the frame and seatpost combination to be quickly adjusted for different users of the same bicycle, in instances where the bicycle is shared between two or more riders or is used as part of a rental fleet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: The Hive Global, Inc.
    Inventors: George Dubois, Joel Peters, Greg Thrash
  • Patent number: 11780519
    Abstract: A telescopic apparatus controller for a human-powered vehicle comprises a controller configured to control a telescopic apparatus in one of a plurality of operating modes. The plurality of operating modes includes a first operating mode in which a reference portion of the telescopic apparatus is selectively arranged to one of a first predetermined position and a second predetermined position, and a second operating mode in which the reference portion of the telescopic apparatus is arbitrarily arranged between a first end position and a second end position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Toyoto Shirai, Yuki Sakagawa, Norikazu Taki, Akihiro Nozaki, Noor Ashyikkin Binti Mohd Noor, Kentaro Kosaka
  • Patent number: 11772516
    Abstract: A seat support of the conveyance seat includes right and left front foot members that are attached to a body floor with a gap therebetween in a seat width direction and extend to protrude upward from the body floor and a foot linking member that links the upper portions of the right and left front foot members and is disposed to partially overlap the right and left front foot members in the up and down direction. A closed section structure is formed by an opposing wall portion disposed at a position opposing the foot linking member in an up and down direction, right and left side wall portions continuously bent from both end portions of the opposing wall portion in a seat width direction and protruding to abut toward the foot linking member in the front foot member, and the foot linking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetsune Nonaka, Daisuke Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11772521
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seat arrangement for a means of transport, in particular for a means of passenger transport, wherein the seat arrangement can be arranged on the means of transport by means of a fastening device, wherein the seat arrangement is intended and suitable for providing a sitting position at standing height, wherein the seat arrangement comprises at least one frame element, which is arranged on the fastening device by means of at least one mounting shaft, wherein the at least one mounting shaft is received in at least one receiving device of the fastening device, wherein the at least one receiving device is arranged on a fastening element which is configured as an arm element extending along a height axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: GRAMMER AG
    Inventors: Dominik Meier, Sebastian Wegmann
  • Patent number: 11771228
    Abstract: A chair hanger system includes a front plate, a back plate opposing the front plate, a plate separator defining a gap between the front plate and the back plate, and a first and second hook attached to the back plate. The first hook defines a first opening geometry and the second hook defines a second opening geometry. A set of spacer blocks includes a first spacer block configured to insert within the first opening to reduce and change the first opening geometry, and a second spacer block configured to insert within the second opening to reduce and change the second opening geometry. A chair hanger device is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SAMUELSON GROUP INC
    Inventors: Michael Adam Chalfin, Michael Angelo Rinaldi, Lawrence Mark Chalfin
  • Patent number: 11772527
    Abstract: A seat reclining device includes a ratchet and a guide assembled to be rotatable relative to each other, a pawl capable of restricting relative rotation between the ratchet and the guide, and a rotation cam that pushes and moves the pawl. The pawl has an eccentric structure in which the pawl is pressed and inclined to one side in the rotation direction due to a pressing force received from the rotation cam, and has a first protrusion that restricts the inclination of the pawl by contact with a guide wall that the first protrusion faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Teraguchi, Takeshi Nishiura, Naoaki Hoshihara
  • Patent number: 11772518
    Abstract: It is provided a vehicle seat having a base and a displaceable seat member which when a backrest of the vehicle seat is tilted forward can be lowered at least with a front portion in the direction of the base, wherein there is provided a guiding element which when the front portion of the seat member is lowered can be displaced on a slotted guiding member for the guiding element from a first portion of the slotted guiding member to a second portion of the slotted guiding member. The slotted guiding member or the guiding element is provided on a blocking element of a blocking device of the vehicle seat. The blocking element with the slotted guiding member or with the guiding element can be displaced under the action of acceleration forces which occur in the event of a crash relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: BROSE FAHRZEUGTEILE GMBH & CO.
    Inventors: Bernd Freisleben, Ralf Knauf
  • Patent number: 11760242
    Abstract: A backrest of a vehicle seat includes an armature and an upholstery fixed to the armature. The upholstery has a slit for accommodating a headrest support rod by relative movement of the upholstery with respect to the armature in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat. The backrest further includes first and second trim elements. Each trim element forms a notch. The notches of the first and second trim elements define a passage for a headrest support rod. The second trim element partially covers the slit in the upholstery. The first and/or the second trim elements is/are in contact with the upholstery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: FAURECIA Sièges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Carsten Reith, Jean-Marie Mauffrey, Didier Duriez, Yesh Prajapati, Jean-Yves Piederriere, Etienne Poulet, Benoît Gazaniol
  • Patent number: 11760491
    Abstract: A leg assembly for a passenger seat for a vehicle such as an aircraft includes a forward leg and an aft leg. The forward leg includes a top end and a bottom end opposite the top end, and the top end of the forward leg includes a forward aperture for receiving a first base frame tube of the passenger seat. The aft leg includes a top end, a bottom end, a forward side, and an aft side, and the top end of the aft leg includes an aft aperture for receiving a second base frame tube of the passenger seat. The forward side at the aft aperture of the aft leg may be a forward-most portion of the aft leg, and the aft leg is indirectly connected to the forward leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC
    Inventor: Gokul Ramarathnam
  • Patent number: 11760239
    Abstract: A ISOFIX guide element, having a base section, a rear side section, and two side sections connected to the base, an insertion opening, which is delimited by respective inner sides of the base section and the two side sections, a bracket opening formed between the base section and the rear side section which has notches formed in the side sections in such a way that a bracket-like fixing element can be accommodated in the notches, and that the fixing element is accessible through the insertion opening. It is provided here that at least one fastening element protruding from the base section is arranged on an outer side of the base section, wherein the fastening element has at least one oblong-hole-type fastening opening, which is connectable to a tab of a seat cushion or a seat cover of a vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Daniel Weber, Jürgen Beckett
  • Patent number: 11751690
    Abstract: A seating furniture chassis comprises a base body, a fastener arranged on the base body and comprising a fastening element and a spring element that exerts a spring force on the fastening element, and a back part releasably fastenable to the fastener, wherein the fastening element is moved by the back part counter to the spring force upon fastening of the back part to the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: INNOTEC MOTION GMBH
    Inventor: Michael Mackert
  • Patent number: 11744373
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a chair that includes a backrest portion, a seat portion coupled with the backrest portion, a column portion coupled with the seat portion, a linkage coupled with the backrest portion, a leaf spring in direct contact with the linkage, an arc-shaped toothed structure fixed translationally relative to the column portion, and a different toothed structure in contact with the arc-shaped toothed structure. The chair is also configured such that when a weight is applied to the seat portion, a fulcrum point of the leaf spring moves as the different toothed structure moves along the arc-shaped toothed structure to thereby shorten a working length of the leaf spring and provide an increased resistance to tilting of the backrest portion relative to the column portion. A process for assembling the chair and a weight-based tilt-resistance assembly for use with the chair are also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: Aaron DeJule, Paul C. Evans, Scott Padiak
  • Patent number: 11745630
    Abstract: A passive safety system is provided for a vehicle. The passive safety system includes a support frame configured to be secured on the vehicle in a fixed position and a support surface configured to support a payload carried by the vehicle. The support surface is configured to float with respect to the support frame. The passive safety system includes an energy conversion device between the support frame and the support surface, and includes a frictional surface configured to engage a portion of the support surface when the support surface tends to move in a predetermined direction with respect to the support frame to thereby convert kinetic energy of the support surface into frictional energy and increase the stopping/braking distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Naveen Gopal Sampath
  • Patent number: 11745627
    Abstract: A double fitting for a vehicle seat may have a first fitting part and a second fitting part that are drivingly connected to each other. The double fitting may also have adapter parts that can be connected to at least one of the fitting parts. One of the adapter parts can be connected to a structural part of the vehicle seat or to a vehicle body part, and the other adapter part is movably connected to a limited degree to the other adapter part which can be rigidly connected to the structural part or the vehicle body part. An elastic element is arranged between the adapter parts, a first fitting of the fittings is arranged axially between the adapter parts, and one of the adapter parts is arranged axially between the fitting. A vehicle seat having the double fitting is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Christian Wolf, Viktor Enns, Thomas Dill
  • Patent number: 11745817
    Abstract: A dropper seatpost assembly is disclosed. The dropper seatpost assembly includes a lower post and an upper post configured to telescopically move with respect to the lower post. The dropper seatpost assembly also includes a translating mechanism configured to maintain an orientation such as a lateral orientation, a rotational orientation, or both a lateral orientation and a rotational orientation of the upper post with respect to the lower post as the upper post telescopically moves with respect to the lower post, the translating mechanism comprising two or more vertically offset features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Fox Factory, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Coaplen, John Ralph Kiffmeyer
  • Patent number: 11744374
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a reconfigurable apparatus that includes a backrest, a seat coupled with a column, a linkage statically attached to the backrest, a leaf spring in direct contact with the linkage, a first structure fixed to the column, and a second structure. The first and second structures each have one or more teeth. The chair is also configured such that when a weight is applied to the seat, the one or more teeth of the second structure move along the one or more teeth of the first structure to thereby shorten a working length of the leaf spring and provide an increased resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column. A process for assembling the reconfigurable apparatus is also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Aaron DeJule
  • Patent number: 11738669
    Abstract: A seat assembly secured to a floor in an automotive vehicle has a seat cushion, a seat back, a seat track assembly, a latch mechanism, a memory mechanism, and an interlock assembly. The seat back is operatively coupled to the seat cushion, and is movable between an upright position and a folded position. The seat track assembly includes a fixed track adapted to be fixedly secured to the floor and a movable track fixedly secured to the seat cushion. The movable track is slidably coupled to the fixed track. The latch mechanism is operatively coupled between the fixed and movable tracks. The latch mechanism prevents sliding movement of the movable track, and is (17) selectively unlocked from the fixed track to allow sliding movement of the seat cushion between a plurality of positions. The memory mechanism is operable between a home position and a memory position. In the home position, the memory mechanism is coupled and moves with the movable track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Magna Seating Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Ploch
  • Patent number: 11730281
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat that allows engagement holes for engaging an end part of the skin member to be provided without burdening the seat frame design. The seat cushion of the vehicle seat includes a frame structure, a support member supported by the frame structure within the frame structure to resiliently support an occupant, a pad provided on a proximal side of the frame structure and the support member, and a skin member covering the pad. The support member is provided with plurality of engagement portions engaging end parts of the skin member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Onuma, Soichiro Kamei
  • Patent number: 11731766
    Abstract: A device for securing passenger seat frame structures (e.g., seat spreaders, legs) to a lateral crossbeam includes a wedged clamping device insertable into a pocket directly adjacent to a passage allowing the crossbeam to pass through the seat frame structure. The wedged clamping device has an upper face providing a locking taper angle and a lower arcuate face opposite the upper face and in contact with the crossbeam. When inserted into the pocket, the wedged clamping device provides a clamping force securing the seat frame structure to the crossbeam without driving a bolt through, deforming, or otherwise compromising the integrity of the crossbeam. The wedged clamping device accepts a tuning bolt through a lateral face; tightening the tuning bolt can more precisely control the amount of clamping force provided on the crossbeam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil M. Ralph, Ryan J. Suhre, Stephen A. Puglisi, Eric M. McKee
  • Patent number: 11730272
    Abstract: An elastic storage device (1) for audience seating that provides storage for articles, such as event programs by providing an elastic support ribbon tensioned between two adhesive anchors (7, 8) that prevent ends of the elastic ribbon from slipping and failing with use. In addition, the present invention provides packaging (16) for the elastic storage device that doubles as an installation tool for installing the elastic storage device on a surface and ensuring a proper distance and tension between the two adhesive anchors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Inventor: Paul Dremann