Patents by Inventor Steven Ploch

Steven Ploch 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20230249586
    Abstract: A seat assembly for use in an automotive vehicle includes a seat back pivotally coupled to a seat cushion and at least one link pivotally coupled between the seat cushion and a seat base. A detent assembly is rotatably coupled to the seat base, the detent assembly actuatable between a use condition for operatively coupling the at least one link and the detent assembly, and an override condition for decoupling the at least one link and the detent assembly. A linkage motor is operatively engaged with the detent assembly for pivoting the at least one link to move the seat assembly between a plurality of positions. Actuation of the detent assembly from the use condition to the override condition allows for manual pivoting of the at least one link to move the seat assembly between the plurality of positions in situations where the linkage motor is unable to be actuated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventor: Steven Ploch
  • Patent number: 11353913
    Abstract: An interlock mechanism prevents erroneous operation of a vehicle rear seat. The vehicle seat has a seat back rotatably coupled to a seat cushion. The interlock mechanism includes a handle pivot link, a latch pivot link, and an interlock bracket rotatably coupled to a pivot pin. When the seat back is in an upright position, the interlock bracket releasably couples the handle pivot link to the latch pivot link such that rotation of the handle pivot link rotates the latch pivot link causing the cushion latches to be released. When the seat back is folded towards the seat cushion, the interlock bracket is moved to an interlock position decoupling the handle pivot link and the latch pivot link such that rotating the handle pivot link does not rotate the latch pivot link and does not release the cushion latches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Magna Seating Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Ploch
  • Publication number: 20210405681
    Abstract: An interlock mechanism prevents erroneous operation of a vehicle rear seat. The vehicle seat has a seat back rotatably coupled to a seat cushion. The interlock mechanism includes a handle pivot link, a latch pivot link, and an interlock bracket rotatably coupled to a pivot pin. When the seat back is in an upright position, the interlock bracket releasably couples the handle pivot link to the latch pivot link such that rotation of the handle pivot link rotates the latch pivot link causing the cushion latches to be released. When the seat back is folded towards the seat cushion, the interlock bracket is moved to an interlock position decoupling the handle pivot link and the latch pivot link such that rotating the handle pivot link does not rotate the latch pivot link and does not release the cushion latches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventor: Steven PLOCH
  • Publication number: 20210155126
    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: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventor: Steven Ploch
  • Patent number: 10286814
    Abstract: A seat assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising a seat cushion and a seat back for pivotal movement between an upright seating position and a forwardly dumped position. A recliner mechanism is operatively coupled between the seat cushion and the seat back for selective actuation between a locked and unlocked condition allowing the pivotal movement of the seat back. A seat track assembly is coupled to the seat cushion for selective actuation between a locked and unlocked condition allowing fore and aft sliding movement of the seat assembly between a passenger comfort position and a full forward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Magna Seating Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Ploch, Omar D Tame
  • Publication number: 20170166092
    Abstract: A seat assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising a seat cushion and a seat back for pivotal movement between an upright seating position and a forwardly dumped position. A recliner mechanism is operatively coupled between the seat cushion and the seat back for selective actuation between a locked and unlocked condition allowing the pivotal movement of the seat back. A seat track assembly is coupled to the seat cushion for selective actuation between a locked and unlocked condition allowing fore and aft sliding movement of the seat assembly between a passenger comfort position and a full forward position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Steven Ploch, Omar D. Tame