Patents by Inventor Avery Folk

Avery Folk has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11904739
    Abstract: A disc recliner mechanism for use in an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of pawls and a cam mounted between a guide plate and a tooth plate. Rotation of the cam moves the pawls between an extended position in which the pawls engage the tooth plate to lock the disc recliner mechanism and a retracted position in which the pawls disengage the tooth plate to unlock the disc recliner mechanism and allow rotation between the guide plate and the tooth plate. A notch is disposed on an engagement surface of a cam lobe disposed on the cam for reducing friction when the cam lobe engages a cam follower disposed on the pawls. The tooth plate includes a circumferential outer lip with a concentric channel for retaining lubricant and reducing rotational friction between the tooth plate and the guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Magna Seating Inc.
    Inventors: Avery Folk, Kristof M Kurzeja, Kai Zhao, Louis Vetere, II, Detjon Marini, Cheikh Dioum, James Rudberg, Creston A Zang, Donald W Gray, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20230391230
    Abstract: A rail drive assembly having a loop latch and a loop latch release system is assembled with a fixed long rail for transposing a vehicle seat along the fixed long rail. The loop latch has spaced apart trigger releases and is repositionable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The loop latch release system includes a dual plunger, a rotatable actuator cam, and a return spring. The dual plunger has spaced apart plungers configured to engage with respective release triggers and is repositionable between a retracted position spaced apart from the loop latch and an extended position wherein the plungers engage with the release triggers and reposition the loop latch to the unlocked position. Rotation of the actuator cam repositions the dual plunger towards the extended position. The return spring biases the dual plunger towards the retracted position and towards an engaged position with the actuator cam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: Magna Seating Inc
    Inventors: Kai Zhao, Louis Vetere, II, Avery Folk, Kristof M Kurzeja
  • Publication number: 20230294564
    Abstract: A long rail assembly for use in an automotive vehicle includes a fixed long rail and a power rail drive assembly having a drive wheel for transposing the power rail drive assembly along the fixed long rail. The power rail drive assembly includes an upper channel, a spring-loaded gearbox assembly fixedly coupled to the upper channel, and the drive wheel fixedly coupled to a drive shaft projecting from the spring-loaded gearbox assembly and rotated by the spring-loaded gearbox assembly for transposing the power rail drive assembly along the fixed long rail. The spring-loaded gearbox assembly includes a mounting bracket fixedly coupled to the upper channel, a gearbox repositionable within the mounting bracket, and a spring biasing the gearbox within the mounting bracket such that the drive wheel is engaged with the fixed long rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Kai Zhao, Detjon Marini, Avery Folk, Kristof M Kurzeja
  • Publication number: 20230062149
    Abstract: A transmission system for providing sliding movement of a vehicle seat within a vehicle includes a dual output motor having a left-hand and right-hand motor output shafts, a left-hand bevel gearbox and a right-hand bevel gearbox operatively coupled to a respective one of the left-hand and right-hand output motor shafts, a left-hand long rail assembly comprising a left-hand power rail drive assembly slidably coupled to a left-hand fixed long rail and operatively coupled to the left-hand bevel gearbox and a right-hand long rail assembly comprising a right-hand power rail drive assembly slidably coupled to a right-hand fixed long rail and operatively coupled to the right-hand bevel gearbox. The dual output motor rotates the left-hand and right-hand motor output shafts resulting in each of the left-hand and right-hand power rail drive assemblies being transposed along the respective left-hand and right-hand fixed long rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Kai Zhao, Detjon Marini, Avery Folk, Kristof M Kurzeja
  • Publication number: 20220185152
    Abstract: A disc recliner mechanism for use in an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of pawls and a cam mounted between a guide plate and a tooth plate. Rotation of the cam moves the pawls between an extended position in which the pawls engage the tooth plate to lock the disc recliner mechanism and a retracted position in which the pawls disengage the tooth plate to unlock the disc recliner mechanism and allow rotation between the guide plate and the tooth plate. A notch is disposed on an engagement surface of a cam lobe disposed on the cam for reducing friction when the cam lobe engages a cam follower disposed on the pawls. The tooth plate includes a circumferential outer lip with a concentric channel for retaining lubricant and reducing rotational friction between the tooth plate and the guide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Avery Folk, Kristof M Kurzeja, Kai Zhao, Louis Vetere, II, Detjon Marini, Cheikh Dioum, James Rudberg, Creston A Zang, Donald W Gray, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10675998
    Abstract: A seat is provided in which a seat cushion is pivotally coupled to a seat back by a recliner assembly. The recliner assembly is selectively operable between a locked condition preventing pivotal movement of the seat back and an unlocked condition allowing pivotal movement of the seat back. A riser assembly supports the seat assembly above a floor, such as the floor of a vehicle, and is configured for actuation and movement of the seat assembly between a generally upright seating position, a pitched easy entry position tilted forwardly and downwardly towards the floor to allow easier ingress and egress behind the seat, and a stowed position recessed within a compartment below the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Magna Seating Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan A. Jensen, Prasad D. Jagtap, Alan Proulx, Timothy Jon Brush, Senthil Kumar Chinnadurai, Abhishek Kedia, Umesh Prakash Handigol, Jeffrey P. Carroll, Lyle Dadd, Omar D. Tame, Robert Thomas Coffey, Avery Folk, Ravindra Thamake
  • Publication number: 20190337426
    Abstract: A seat is provided in which a seat cushion is pivotally coupled to a seat back by a recliner assembly. The recliner assembly is selectively operable between a locked condition preventing pivotal movement of the seat back and an unlocked condition allowing pivotal movement of the seat back. A riser assembly supports the seat assembly above a floor, such as the floor of a vehicle, and is configured for actuation and movement of the seat assembly between a generally upright seating position, a pitched easy entry position tilted forwardly and downwardly towards the floor to allow easier ingress and egress behind the seat, and a stowed position recessed within a compartment below the floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Nathan A. Jensen, Prasad D. Jagtap, Alan Proulx, Timothy Jon Brush, Senthil Kumar Chinnadural, Abhishek Kedia, Umesh Prakash Handigol, Jeffrey P. Carroll, Lyle Dadd, Omar D. Tame, Robert Thomas Coffey, Avery Folk, Ravindra Thamake
  • Patent number: 10336222
    Abstract: A seat is provided in which a seat cushion is pivotally coupled to a seat back by a recliner assembly. The recliner assembly is selectively operable between a locked condition preventing pivotal movement of the seat back and an unlocked condition allowing pivotal movement of the seat back. A riser assembly supports the seat assembly above a floor, such as the floor of a vehicle, and is configured for actuation and movement of the seat assembly between a generally upright seating position, a pitched easy entry position tilted forwardly and downwardly towards the floor to allow easier ingress and egress behind the seat, and a stowed position recessed within a compartment below the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Magna Seating Inc
    Inventors: Nathan A. Jensen, Prasad D. Jagtap, Alan Proulx, Timothy Jon Brush, Senthil Kumar Chinnadurai, Abhishek Kedia, Umesh Prakash Handigol, Jeffrey P. Carroll, Lyle Dadd, Omar D. Tame, Robert Thomas Coffey, Avery Folk, Ravindra Thamake
  • Publication number: 20170368966
    Abstract: A seat is provided in which a seat cushion is pivotally coupled to a seat back by a recliner assembly. The recliner assembly is selectively operable between a locked condition preventing pivotal movement of the seat back and an unlocked condition allowing pivotal movement of the seat back. A riser assembly supports the seat assembly above a floor, such as the floor of a vehicle, and is configured for actuation and movement of the seat assembly between a generally upright seating position, a pitched easy entry position tilted forwardly and downwardly towards the floor to allow easier ingress and egress behind the seat, and a stowed position recessed within a compartment below the floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Nathan A. Jensen, Prasad D. Jagtap, Alan Proulx, Timothy Jon Brush, Senthil Kumar Chinnadurai, Abhishek Kedia, Umesh Prakash Handigol, Jeffrey P. Carroll, Lyle Dadd, Omar D. Tame, Robert Thomas Coffey, Avery Folk, Ravindra Thamake