Patents by Inventor Justin Sekula

Justin Sekula 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: 11919580
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example vehicle disclosed herein includes a steering assist system, a steering wheel, and a steering controller to detect a request to move the steering wheel of the vehicle to a first rotational position, the steering wheel having a second rotational position, actuate, via the steering assist system, the steering wheel towards the first rotational position, determine, based on a relationship between a first parameter and a second parameter, a third rotational position, the third rotational position having an angular offset from the first rotational position, the first parameter corresponding to a position of the steering system, the second parameter corresponding to a load on the steering system, and in response to reaching the third rotational position, disengage the steering assist system, the disengagement causing the steering wheel to rotate to the first rotational position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zhongzhou Yang, Alex Parker, Zheng Tan, Bo Lin, Justin Sekula, William Bouse
  • Publication number: 20230182807
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example vehicle disclosed herein includes a steering assist system, a steering wheel, and a steering controller to detect a request to move the steering wheel of the vehicle to a first rotational position, the steering wheel having a second rotational position, actuate, via the steering assist system, the steering wheel towards the first rotational position, determine, based on a relationship between a first parameter and a second parameter, a third rotational position, the third rotational position having an angular offset from the first rotational position, the first parameter corresponding to a position of the steering system, the second parameter corresponding to a load on the steering system, and in response to reaching the third rotational position, disengage the steering assist system, the disengagement causing the steering wheel to rotate to the first rotational position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Zhongzhou Yang, Alex Parker, Zheng Tan, Bo Lin, Justin Sekula, William Bouse
  • Publication number: 20220289270
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein to center a steering wheel. An example vehicle includes a steering assistance system, an axle including a wheel, memory, and a processor to execute instructions to identify a first position of the wheel, detect a request to move the wheel to a second position, adjust the wheel from the first position to the second position via the steering assistance system, disengage the steering assistance system, the disengagement of the steering assistance system to cause the wheel to move to a third position, the third position offset from the second position by an angular offset in a first direction, adjust the wheel to a fourth position, the fourth position offset from the second position by the angular offset in a second direction different than the first direction, and disengage the steering assistance system, the disengagement of the steering assistance system to cause the wheel to move to the second position..
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel James Nichols, William James Bouse, Justin Sekula, Alex Parker, Zhongzhou Yang, Timothy Panagis, Zheng Tan, Bo Lin
  • Publication number: 20220289276
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein to center a steering wheel. An example vehicle includes a steering position sensor to identify a steering wheel position, a pinion angle identifier to compare a first steering position angle to a second steering position angle, the second steering position angle corresponding to a centered steering wheel position, and an angle modifier to adjust the first steering position angle to match the second steering position angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel James Nichols, William James Bouse, Justin Sekula, Alex Parker, Zhongzhou Yang
  • Patent number: 9655794
    Abstract: An adjustable wheelchair is disclosed which adjusts to changes in a user's size and weight which includes a scissor-type foldable mechanism which connects two side frames. Wheels for the wheelchair are attached to each of the side frames. An adjustable seat and adjustable back support are a flexible material which span from one side frame to the other. These are designed to unroll and lengthen or roll up and shorten the width of the seat and the back support between the side frames. The scissor-type foldable mechanism includes a tube which slides within a tube, a threaded rod and a threaded stop which function to allow pre-adjustment of the width of the foldable mechanism such that it may be folded and opened to the pre-adjusted width. The frames may be supplemented with reinforcements to accommodate a change in the user's weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Inventors: Edward T. Bednarz, III, Heather Bednarz, Ryan Murphy, Justin Sekula, Mark Willchock, Tyler J. Brown
  • Publication number: 20170100291
    Abstract: An adjustable wheelchair is disclosed which adjusts to changes in a user's size and weight which includes a scissor-type foldable mechanism which connects two side frames. Wheels for the wheelchair are attached to each of the side frames. An adjustable seat and adjustable back support are a flexible material which span from one side frame to the other. These are designed to unroll and lengthen or roll up and shorten the width of the seat and the back support between the side frames. The scissor-type foldable mechanism includes a tube which slides within a tube, a threaded rod and a threaded stop which function to allow pre-adjustment of the width of the foldable mechanism such that it may be folded and opened to the pre-adjusted width. The frames may be supplemented with reinforcements to accommodate a change in the user's weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Edward T. Bednarz, III, Heather Bednarz, Ryan Murphy, Justin Sekula, Mark Willchock, Tyler J. Brown