Patents by Inventor Daniel Brunick

Daniel Brunick 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: 10518671
    Abstract: A car seat may include a seat shell configured for supporting a child thereon, a base supporting the seat shell, and a support frame positioned at least partially within the seat shell and/or the base and configured to manage energy during a crash event. The support frame may include a first frame portion and a second frame portion attached to the first frame portion. The first frame portion may include a first side support and a second side support spaced apart from one another, and the second frame portion may include a first side support and a second side support spaced apart from one another. A stiffness of each of the first side support and the second side support of the second frame portion may be different than a stiffness of each of the first side support and the second side support of the first frame portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Jake Mitchell, Daniel Brunick, Nicholas Lombardi, William Conway
  • Publication number: 20180072195
    Abstract: A car seat may include a seat shell configured for supporting a child thereon, a base supporting the seat shell, and a support frame positioned at least partially within the seat shell and/or the base and configured to manage energy during a crash event. The support frame may include a first frame portion and a second frame portion attached to the first frame portion. The first frame portion may include a first side support and a second side support spaced apart from one another, and the second frame portion may include a first side support and a second side support spaced apart from one another. A stiffness of each of the first side support and the second side support of the second frame portion may be different than a stiffness of each of the first side support and the second side support of the first frame portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Jake Mitchell, Daniel Brunick, Nicholas Lombardi, William Conway
  • Patent number: 9211820
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat bottom, a seat back coupled to the seat bottom at a seat bight region, and a seating surface defined by the seat bottom and seat back to support a child occupant. A structural element is coupled to the seat bottom, the seat back, or both. A bumper has a substantially rigid component or portion and is mounted to the structural element and protrudes from a side of the child safety seat. The bumper is positioned to redirect energy from a side impact with the child safety seat away from the seat back, the seat bottom, or both and to the structural element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Allen, Drew Kitchens, Daniel Brunick, William Conway
  • Patent number: 9150126
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat shell with a seat back portion, a seat bottom portion, and a seating surface. A track is provided on the child safety seat. A slot has a slot length along the track and a slot width defined between two parts of the track. An anchor strap has a belt, two anchoring connectors coupled to and spaced apart along the belt, and a central section between the two anchoring connectors. The central section has a thickness less than the slot width and captured in the slot between the two parts of the track. The two anchoring connectors are sized larger than the slot width thereby preventing removal of the anchor strap from the child safety seat. The anchor strap can slide along the slot length between at least a forward facing anchor position and a rear facing anchor position on the seat shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Kitchens, Daniel Brunick, Jake Mitchell, William Conway
  • Patent number: 8899678
    Abstract: A child seat assembly has a base to rest on a vehicle seat, a seat shell, and a recline mechanism that selectively permits adjustment of the seat shell between first and second recline positions and includes a recline positioner, pin, biasing element, and handle. The recline positioner has first and second portions defining the first and second recline positions, respectively. The pin is movable between a released position and an engaged position in which the pin is configured to engage the first or second portion to retain the seat shell in the corresponding first or second recline position. The biasing element is coupled to the pin and configured to bias the pin to the engaged position. The handle is operable to move the pin from the engaged position to the released position in which the seat shell is movable between the first and second recline positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: William Doolan, Daniel Brunick
  • Patent number: 8801096
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat back and a seat harness with a pair of shoulder straps. Each shoulder strap has a strap portion positioned forward of and extending along a front facing side of the seat back. A headrest is coupled to the seat near an upper end of the seat back. The vertical position of the headrest is selectively adjustable relative to the seat back between a raised position and a lowered position. A strap router is provided on the seat back and maintained at a fixed elevation relative to the seat back as the vertical position of the headrest is adjusted and directs the shoulder straps from a back side of the seat back toward the front facing side. The shoulder straps are directed under a bottom of the headrest. By selectively adjusting the vertical position of the headrest, the bottom of the headrest adjusts the vertical position of the shoulder straps on the front facing side of the seat back by increasing or decreasing the useable length of the strap portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Brunick, Ira Rubien
  • Publication number: 20140132049
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat back and a seat harness with a pair of shoulder straps. Each shoulder strap has a strap portion positioned forward of and extending along a front facing side of the seat back. A headrest is coupled to the seat near an upper end of the seat back. The vertical position of the headrest is selectively adjustable relative to the seat back between a raised position and a lowered position. A strap router is provided on the seat back and maintained at a fixed elevation relative to the seat back as the vertical position of the headrest is adjusted and directs the shoulder straps from a back side of the seat back toward the front facing side. The shoulder straps are directed under a bottom of the headrest. By selectively adjusting the vertical position of the headrest, the bottom of the headrest adjusts the vertical position of the shoulder straps on the front facing side of the seat back by increasing or decreasing the useable length of the strap portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel Brunick, Ira Rubien
  • Publication number: 20140117729
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat bottom, a seat back coupled to the seat bottom at a seat bight region, and a seating surface defined by the seat bottom and seat back to support a child occupant. A structural element is coupled to the seat bottom, the seat back, or both. A bumper has a substantially rigid component or portion and is mounted to the structural element and protrudes from a side of the child safety seat. The bumper is positioned to redirect energy from a side impact with the child safety seat away from the seat back, the seat bottom, or both and to the structural element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: GRACO CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Brian Allen, Drew Kitchens, Daniel Brunick, William Conway
  • Publication number: 20140062152
    Abstract: A child seat assembly has a base to rest on a vehicle seat, a seat shell, and a recline mechanism that selectively permits adjustment of the seat shell between first and second recline positions and includes a recline positioner, pin, biasing element, and handle. The recline positioner has first and second portions defining the first and second recline positions, respectively. The pin is movable between a released position and an engaged position in which the pin is configured to engage the first or second portion to retain the seat shell in the corresponding first or second recline position. The biasing element is coupled to the pin and configured to bias the pin to the engaged position. The handle is operable to move the pin from the engaged position to the released position in which the seat shell is movable between the first and second recline positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: William Doolan, Daniel Brunick
  • Patent number: 8632127
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat back (16) with an upper end (28), a lower end, a back side, and a front side (26). A harness (50) has a pair of shoulder straps (58) each having a portion positioned forward of and extending along the front side. A headrest (32) is coupled to the seat back near the upper end and has a bottom (40). The vertical position of the headrest is selectively adjustable along the seat back between a raised and a lowered position. A strap router (112) on the seat back directs the shoulder straps from the back side toward the front side. The shoulder straps are directed under the bottom (40) of the headrest. By selectively adjusting the headrest vertical position, the bottom (40) of the headrest adjusts the vertical position of the shoulder straps on the front side of the seat back by increasing or decreasing the useable length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Brunick, Ira Rubien
  • Publication number: 20110309663
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat back (16) with an upper end (28), a lower end, a back side, and a front side (26). A harness (50) has a pair of shoulder straps (58) each having a portion positioned forward of and extending along the front side. A headrest (32) is coupled to the seat back near the upper end and has a bottom (40). The vertical position of the headrest is selectively adjustable along the seat back between a raised and a lowered position. A strap router (112) on the seat back directs the shoulder straps from the back side toward the front side. The shoulder straps are directed under the bottom (40) of the headrest. By selectively adjusting the headrest vertical position, the bottom (40) of the headrest adjusts the vertical position of the shoulder straps on the front side of the seat back by increasing or decreasing the useable length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Brunick, Ira Rubien
  • Publication number: 20080030054
    Abstract: A child seat is provided for placement on the seat of a vehicle. The child seat includes a base and an object holder that is retractably connected to the base so that it moves in and out of a recess formed in the base between a retracted position and an extended position. When in the retracted position, the object holder is configured to be engaged so as to articulate the object holder from the fully retracted position toward the extended position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Daniel Brunick, Charles Crane
  • Publication number: 20070170759
    Abstract: A child booster seat is configured for use in an automobile and includes a seat portion and can also include a backrest connected to the seat. The seat includes a suspended flexible seating surface, and a crash pad mounted onto the seat below the seating surface. During normal use, the seating surface provides enhanced comfort to the occupant. In the event of a sudden deceleration (for instance during an automobile accident), the occupant travels forward and down into the pad, which limits the amount of travel of the occupant and prevents the automobile safety belt from pressing against soft tissue and causing seat belt syndrome while, at the same time, absorbing at least a portion of the shock imparted onto the occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Nolan, Shiva Gangadharan, Andrew Skrzypek, Daniel Brunick
  • Publication number: 20060261650
    Abstract: A car seat has a seat structure with a seating surface and a portion configured to rest on a dedicated seat of a vehicle when installed. The seat structure has a front and a pair of opposed sides. An instruction manual is provided with the car seat. The car seat has a compartment that is configured to receive and retain the instruction manual. The compartment is disposed interior to a part of the seat structure and has an access opening that is accessible when the car seat is installed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Billman, Charles Crane, Daniel Brunick, Michael Langmaid, Matthew Morgenstern, Patrick Nolan, Damaso Lamos, Patrick Laffan, Andrew Skrzypek
  • Publication number: 20050184567
    Abstract: A forward-facing child seat includes a base, a seat removably attachable to the base in a forward-facing orientation relative to a front of the vehicle, and at least one lock-off mechanism mounted to the base to secure a vehicle seat belt to the base. The lock-off mechanism may be one of a variety. For example, the lock-off mechanism may include a lower jaw mounted to the base, and an upper jaw movable relative to the lower jaw between an open position and a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Jason Carpenter, Damaso Lamos, Craig Weber, Michael Langmaid, Daniel Brunick, Craig Billman
  • Publication number: 20050146183
    Abstract: A reclinable child seat assembly includes a base, a seat movably and detachably coupled to the base, and a recline mechanism to enable the seat to be positioned in different recline positions relative to the base. The recline mechanism includes a recline positioner mounted to the seat, the recline positioner having slots corresponding to the different recline positions, a recline lock movably mounted to the base to releasably engage a desired one of the slots of the recline positioner to position the seat in the corresponding one of the recline positions, and a recline adjustment handle movably mounted to the seat to disengage the recline lock from the desired slot to allow repositioning of the seat relative to the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Langmaid, Daniel Brunick, Craig Billman, Craig Weber
  • Publication number: 20050082888
    Abstract: An adjustable child seat includes a backrest and a seat base. The backrest is adjustable and includes a top portion movably connected to a bottom portion. The back rest includes a latch connected to one of the top or bottom portions that engages a notch located in the other portion. A handle may be provided to disengage the latch from the notch and allow movement of the top portion of the backrest relative to the bottom portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Daniel Brunick, Charles Crane