Patents by Inventor Thomas Wayne Messner

Thomas Wayne Messner 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: 8217770
    Abstract: A seat belt monitoring system is provided. The seat belt monitoring system includes a seat belt system. The seat belt system has a first portion including a seat belt webbing and a tongue. The seat belt system also includes a buckle. A radio frequency device is associated with the first portion. The seat belt monitoring system further includes a radio frequency receiver that detects either a signal from the radio frequency device or a particular spatial relationship between the radio frequency device and a second radio frequency device placed near the buckle of the seat belt system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wayne Messner, Brandon Scott Marriott, Gary Stroik, Paul Michael Smith, Russ Carlton
  • Patent number: 8047615
    Abstract: A seat belt stowage apparatus includes a seat with a backrest, a cavity, and a seat belt buckle. The cavity is located in the seat. The buckle is releasably attached to a seat belt tongue. The buckle is movable between a stowage position inside the cavity and an in-use position. When a force is applied to the seat belt buckle, a buckle strap allows the seat belt buckle to be rotated forward out of the seat. When the force is removed, a torsion spring reverts the seat belt buckle to the stowage position inside the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Scott Marriott, Thomas Wayne Messner, Paul Michael Smith
  • Patent number: 8005595
    Abstract: An occupant monitoring and restraint status system is provided. The system includes an occupant boarding and de-boarding system. The occupant boarding and de-boarding system detects boarding and de-boarding of occupants. The system also includes a bench type seat that has a plurality of seat locations. Each of these seat locations includes a seat belt system which has a status sensor to detect a state of the seat belt system. Each seat location also includes an occupant sensing system. The occupant sensing system detects the presence and identity of an occupant at the seat location. The system further includes a display which includes a seat status indicator for each of the plurality of seat locations. The seat status indicators include information regarding a presence of an occupant, an occupant identity, and a state of a seat belt system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Scott Marriott, Gary Stroik, Russ Carlton, Thomas Wayne Messner
  • Patent number: 7909360
    Abstract: A bus includes a plurality of bus seats with a side airbag module mounted to each of the plurality of bus seats. The bus includes a plurality of sensors configured to detect a collision event and a side airbag control module configured to determine which side airbag modules to deploy based on information received from the plurality of sensors. The control module is configured to selectively deploy one or more of the side airbag modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Scott Marriott, Thomas Wayne Messner
  • Patent number: 7905510
    Abstract: A bus or motor-coach includes a curtain airbag module. The airbag module comprises a curtain airbag, a trim cover, a plurality of fasteners to attach the curtain airbag module to an interior bus component or side wall of the bus, and an inflator to inflate the curtain airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: TK Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wayne Messner, Brandon Scott Marriott, Nicole Wiggins, Paul Michael Smith
  • Publication number: 20090160616
    Abstract: A seat belt monitoring system is provided. The seat belt monitoring system includes a seat belt system. The seat belt system has a first portion including a seat belt webbing and a tongue. The seat belt system also includes a buckle. A radio frequency device is associated with the first portion. The seat belt monitoring system further includes a radio frequency receiver that detects either a signal from the radio frequency device or a particular spatial relationship between the radio frequency device and a second radio frequency device placed near the buckle of the seat belt system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Wayne Messner, Brandon Scott Marriott, Gary Stroik, Paul Michael Smith, Russ Carlton
  • Publication number: 20090132128
    Abstract: An occupant monitoring and restraint status system is provided. The system includes an occupant boarding and de-boarding system. The occupant boarding and de-boarding system detects boarding and de-boarding of occupants. The system also includes a bench type seat that has a plurality of seat locations. Each of these seat locations includes a seat belt system which has a status sensor to detect a state of the seat belt system. Each seat location also includes an occupant sensing system. The occupant sensing system detects the presence and identity of an occupant at the seat location. The system further includes a display which includes a seat status indicator for each of the plurality of seat locations. The seat status indicators include information regarding a presence of an occupant, an occupant identity, and a state of a seat belt system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Brandon Scott Marriott, Gary Stroik, Russ Carlton, Thomas Wayne Messner
  • Publication number: 20090115229
    Abstract: A seat apparatus comprises a seat member with a seat bottom, a front leg, a rear leg, a seat back attached to the seat member, a seat cushion movably attached to the seat bottom, and a storage container positioned underneath the seat cushion and attached to the seat member. The seat cushion is pivotably attached to the seat bottom and configured to rotate upward to allow an occupant to access the container. The storage container may include a door to permit access to the storage container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Wayne Messner, April Lee Lampkowski
  • Publication number: 20090096192
    Abstract: A bus includes a plurality of bus seats with a side airbag module mounted to each of the plurality of bus seats. The bus includes a plurality of sensors configured to detect a collision event and a side airbag control module configured to determine which side airbag modules to deploy based on information received from the plurality of sensors. The control module is configured to selectively deploy one or more of the side airbag modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Brandon Scott Marriott, Thomas Wayne Messner
  • Publication number: 20090079172
    Abstract: A bus or motor-coach includes a curtain airbag module. The airbag module comprises a curtain airbag, a trim cover, a plurality of fasteners to attach the curtain airbag module to an interior bus component or side wall of the bus, and an inflator to inflate the curtain airbag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Wayne Messner, Brandon Scott Marriott, Nicole Wiggins, Paul Michael Smith
  • Publication number: 20090072608
    Abstract: A seat belt stowage apparatus includes a seat with a backrest, a cavity, and a seat belt buckle. The cavity is located in the seat. The buckle is releasably attached to a seat belt tongue. The buckle is movable between a stowage position inside the cavity and an in-use position. When a force is applied to the seat belt buckle, a buckle strap allows the seat belt buckle to be rotated forward out of the seat. When the force is removed, a torsion spring reverts the seat belt buckle to the stowage position inside the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Brandon Scott Marriott, Thomas Wayne Messner, Paul Michael Smith