Patents by Inventor Chuck R. Reese

Chuck R. Reese 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).

  • Publication number: 20240166160
    Abstract: An assembly includes a dash and a deployable panel supported by the dash. The deployable panel is moveable relative to the dash from an undeployed position to a deployed position. The deployable panel has a proximal end at the dash in the deployed position and a distal end spaced above the dash in the deployed position. An airbag is supported by the dash and is inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag abuts the deployable panel when the deployable panel is in the deployed position and the airbag is in the inflated position. A tether extends from the airbag to the deployable panel in the undeployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2024
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Axel Smitterberg, Russell Joseph Mihm, Johnathan Andrew Line, Chuck R. Reese, James Robert Chascsa, II
  • Publication number: 20240140349
    Abstract: An assembly includes a dash and a deployable panel supported by the dash. The deployable panel is moveable relative to the dash from an undeployed position to a deployed position. The deployable panel has a proximal end at the dash in the deployed position and a distal end spaced above the dash in the deployed position. An airbag is supported by the dash and is inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag abuts the deployable panel when the deployable panel is in the deployed position and the airbag is in the inflated position. A tether extends from the airbag to the deployable panel in the undeployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Axel Smitterberg, Russell Joseph Mihm, Johnathan Andrew Line, Chuck R. Reese, James Robert Chascsa, II
  • Patent number: 11891009
    Abstract: An assembly includes a dash and a deployable panel. The deployable panel has a proximal end rotatably connected to the dash. The deployable panel is rotatable about the proximal end from an undeployed position to a deployed position. The proximal end is engaged with the dash in the deployed position and the deployable panel has a distal end spaced above the dash in the deployed position. An airbag is supported by the dash and is inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag has a back panel abutting the deployable panel in the inflated position and an impact panel opposite the back panel. A tether is connected to the deployable panel and the impact panel. The tether extends through the back panel from the deployable panel to the impact panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Axel Smitterberg, Russell Joseph Mihm, Johnathan Andrew Line, Chuck R. Reese, James Robert Chascsa, II
  • Patent number: 11891007
    Abstract: An assembly includes a dash and a deployable panel. The deployable panel has a proximal end rotatably connected to the dash. The deployable panel is rotatable about the proximal end from an undeployed position to a deployed position. The proximal end is engaged with the dash in the deployed position and the deployable panel has a distal end spaced above the dash in the deployed position. A member is supported by the dash and translatable upwardly from an undeployed position to a deployed position. The deployable panel abuts the member in the deployed position. The member is rigid relative to the panel in the deployed position. An airbag is supported by the dash and is inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag abuts the panel in the inflated position. The deployable panel is between the airbag and the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Axel Smitterberg, Russell Joseph Mihm, Johnathan Andrew Line, Chuck R. Reese, James Robert Chascsa, II
  • Patent number: 11654856
    Abstract: An inflator bracket includes an elongate body having a first end and a second end. The elongate body defines an aperture proximate to the first end. A hook extends from the first end. An absorption feature has a proximal end coupled to the elongate body proximate to the aperture. The absorption feature defines a curve between the proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is spaced from the elongate body and the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John W. Jensen, Christopher Robert Tilli, Christopher Donald Schop, Chuck R. Reese
  • Patent number: 11634098
    Abstract: An assembly includes a vehicle seat. The assembly includes an armrest supported by the vehicle seat. The armrest includes an upright portion elongated along an axis and an arm support portion supported by the upright portion. The assembly includes an airbag supported by the arm support portion of the armrest. The airbag inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag includes an upper portion extending upwardly from the arm support portion when the airbag is in the inflated position and a lower portion extending downwardly from the arm support portion when the airbag is in the inflated position. The upper portion is vehicle-inboard of the axis and the lower portion being vehicle-outboard of the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, S. M. Akbar Berry, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Robyne Mcbride, Benjamin Yilma, Raed Essa El-Jawahri, Jeffrey C. Paddock, Chuck R. Reese
  • Publication number: 20230090937
    Abstract: An inflator bracket includes an elongate body having a first end and a second end. The elongate body defines an aperture proximate to the first end. A hook extends from the first end. An absorption feature has a proximal end coupled to the elongate body proximate to the aperture. The absorption feature defines a curve between the proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is spaced from the elongate body and the aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John W. Jensen, Christopher Robert Tilli, Christopher Donald Schop, Chuck R. Reese
  • Patent number: 11370367
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame. The vehicle is an open-frame vehicle. The frame includes an A-pillar, a B-pillar, and a roof siderail. The roof siderail extends between the A-pillar and the B-pillar. An A-pillar trim member is coupled to the A-pillar and includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion defines an aperture that receives the second portion. A B-pillar trim member is coupled to the B-pillar. A roof siderail trim member is coupled to the roof siderail and extends between the A-pillar trim member and the B-pillar trim member. An inflatable member is positioned between the frame and at least two of the A-pillar trim member, the B-pillar trim member, and the roof siderail trim member when the inflatable member is in a deflated state. An inflated state of the inflatable member separates the second portion of the A-pillar trim member from the aperture of the A-pillar trim member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Kirk Robert Goleniak, John Rudolph, Eric Axel Smitterberg, Chuck R. Reese, Srivardhan Tallapragada, Jay Douglas Blackson
  • Patent number: 11285900
    Abstract: An airbag assembly includes a housing having a base, a first wall, a second wall, and a pair of end walls defining a cavity. The first wall and the second wall are spaced from each other, each of the first wall and the second wall extending from the base to a distal edge. The pair of end walls are spaced from each other and extending from the first wall to the second wall. The distal edge of the first wall extends from the end walls toward the second wall. The airbag assembly includes an airbag disposed in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bhavani Thota, Chuck R. Reese, Angela Zaetta, Eric Axel Smitterberg, Linh Ngoc Doan, Murali Maddali
  • Patent number: 11254248
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a seat frame. The seat assembly includes an armrest. A hinge pivotally connects the armrest to the seat frame. The armrest includes an upper extension extending upwardly from the hinge and a lower extension extending downwardly from the hinge. The seat assembly includes a deformable member between the seat frame and the lower extension of the armrest. The deformable member is deformable relative to the seat frame and the armrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Russell Joseph Mihm, Chuck R. Reese, Jimmy Moua, Eric Axel Smitterberg, Nicholas Alphonse Billardello, Joseph E. Abramczyk, Sean Bayle West, Zhibing Deng, Deepak Patel
  • Publication number: 20210370851
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame. The vehicle is an open-frame vehicle. The frame includes an A-pillar, a B-pillar, and a roof siderail. The roof siderail extends between the A-pillar and the B-pillar. An A-pillar trim member is coupled to the A-pillar and includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion defines an aperture that receives the second portion. A B-pillar trim member is coupled to the B-pillar. A roof siderail trim member is coupled to the roof siderail and extends between the A-pillar trim member and the B-pillar trim member. An inflatable member is positioned between the frame and at least two of the A-pillar trim member, the B-pillar trim member, and the roof siderail trim member when the inflatable member is in a deflated state. An inflated state of the inflatable member separates the second portion of the A-pillar trim member from the aperture of the A-pillar trim member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Kirk Robert Goleniak, John Rudolph, Eric Axel Smitterberg, Chuck R. Reese, Srivardhan Tallapragada, Jay Douglas Blackson