Crash Seat Patents (Class 297/216.1)
  • Patent number: 11897377
    Abstract: A kinetic seat cushion assembly that rotates based on a force applied on an occupant seated therein is provided. The kinetic seat cushion assembly includes a primary seat cushion frame, a secondary seat cushion frame, a seat cushion tilt mechanism coupling the secondary seat cushion frame to the primary seat cushion frame such that the secondary seat cushion frame is movable with respect to the primary seat cushion frame, and a front pivot mechanism that pivotally couples a front portion of the primary seat cushion frame to a front portion of the secondary seat cushion frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Todd Rupert Muck, Charles P. Patterson, Matthew R. Speck, Peter J. Moegling
  • Patent number: 11772518
    Abstract: It is provided a vehicle seat having a base and a displaceable seat member which when a backrest of the vehicle seat is tilted forward can be lowered at least with a front portion in the direction of the base, wherein there is provided a guiding element which when the front portion of the seat member is lowered can be displaced on a slotted guiding member for the guiding element from a first portion of the slotted guiding member to a second portion of the slotted guiding member. The slotted guiding member or the guiding element is provided on a blocking element of a blocking device of the vehicle seat. The blocking element with the slotted guiding member or with the guiding element can be displaced under the action of acceleration forces which occur in the event of a crash relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: BROSE FAHRZEUGTEILE GMBH & CO.
    Inventors: Bernd Freisleben, Ralf Knauf
  • Patent number: 11766981
    Abstract: An occupant protecting device provided inside or below a seat cushion of a vehicle seat, containing: an airbag cushion capable of expanding and deploying to push up a seat surface of the seat cushion; and an inflator that supplies gas for expansion and deployment into the airbag cushion in the event of a vehicle emergency. The airbag cushion has front attaching points and rear attaching points attached to the vehicle seat side, and an expanding and deploying part that is expanded and deployed by the gas from the inflator. At least a portion of the expanding and deploying part overlaps itself in an up-down direction by folding between front attaching points and rear attaching points in a condition prior to expanding and deploying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Ryota Ishigaki
  • Patent number: 11760238
    Abstract: Child safety seats including energy absorbing elements in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In a variety of embodiments, a child safety seat includes a seat body comprising an outer surface and at least one energy absorber coupled to the outer surface, the energy absorber including an outwardly facing surface facing away from the outer surface of the seat body, an inwardly facing surface facing towards the outer surface of the seat body, and at least one energy absorbing element located between the outwardly facing surface and the inwardly facing surface, wherein the energy absorber absorbs energy in response to an impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: BRITAX CHILDCARE PTY LTD.
    Inventor: Wieslaw Maciejczyk
  • Patent number: 11745630
    Abstract: A passive safety system is provided for a vehicle. The passive safety system includes a support frame configured to be secured on the vehicle in a fixed position and a support surface configured to support a payload carried by the vehicle. The support surface is configured to float with respect to the support frame. The passive safety system includes an energy conversion device between the support frame and the support surface, and includes a frictional surface configured to engage a portion of the support surface when the support surface tends to move in a predetermined direction with respect to the support frame to thereby convert kinetic energy of the support surface into frictional energy and increase the stopping/braking distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Naveen Gopal Sampath
  • Patent number: 11634051
    Abstract: A kinetic seat assembly that rotates based on a force applied on an occupant seated therein is provided. The kinetic seat assembly includes a primary seat cushion frame, a primary seat back frame, a secondary seat cushion frame pivotally connected to the primary seat cushion frame, and a secondary seat back frame pivotally connected to the primary seat back frame. The kinetic seat assembly further includes a front pivot mechanism for damping movement between the primary seat cushion frame and the secondary seat cushion frame in a kinetic seat vertical direction, and an upper pivot mechanism for damping movement between the primary seat back frame and the secondary seat back frame in a kinetic seat longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Rupert Muck, Charles P. Patterson, Matthew R. Speck, Peter J. Moegling
  • Patent number: 11584269
    Abstract: A kinetic seat cushion assembly that rotates based on a force applied on an occupant seated therein is provided. The kinetic seat cushion assembly includes a primary seat cushion frame, a secondary seat cushion frame, a seat cushion tilt mechanism coupling the secondary seat cushion frame to the primary seat cushion frame such that the secondary seat cushion frame is movable with respect to the primary seat cushion frame, and a front pivot mechanism that pivotally couples a front portion of the primary seat cushion frame to a front portion of the secondary seat cushion frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Rupert Muck, Charles P. Patterson, Matthew R. Speck, Peter J. Moegling
  • Patent number: 11584326
    Abstract: A roof airbag system includes a roof airbag, a lifting mechanism, a collision sensor, memory, and a processor coupled to the memory. The roof airbag is provided at a roof portion of a vehicle, receives a supply of gas from an inflator and deploys toward an upper body side of a vehicle occupant sitting on a vehicle seat. The lifting mechanism is provided at a seat cushion side of the vehicle seat and lifts a thigh area of the vehicle occupant. A collision sensor detects a collision of the vehicle. The processor is configured to, when a seat back of the vehicle seat is tilted more than a predetermined angle to the seat rear side and the collision sensor detects a collision of the vehicle, control the lifting mechanism to lift the thigh area of the vehicle occupant and control operation of the inflator to deploy the roof airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11440478
    Abstract: There is disclosed herein examples of a vehicle container unit that may be mounted within a vehicle. The vehicle container unit may be mounted to a seat of a vehicle and may include space for transporting items within the vehicle container unit. The vehicle container unit may mount to the seat via an anchor system of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Jon Meador, Marie Ledger, Jessica Uelmen, Anthony Galliano, III, Arun A. Mathews, Pratik Palnitkar
  • Patent number: 11353356
    Abstract: A passenger?s weight measurement device for a vehicle seat includes an upper rail provided on a lower rail that is fixable to a vehicle floor, the upper rail being movable in at least one of rear and front directions; a load sensor fixed onto the upper rail; and a frame provided on the load sensor and below the vehicle seat. In plan view, the load sensor protrudes from the frame in at least one of left and right directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Takayasu, Shinya Ishima, Shigeru Endo, Kenji Sato
  • Patent number: 11338708
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a seat height adjustment device for adjusting the height of a seat cushion in relation to a seat frame, in particular, an upper rail, the seat height adjustment device comprising an actuating device, which may be, in particular, an electric motor, with a toothed pinion driven by the actuating device, and a toothed gear rack, the toothed gear rack comprising a hinge end for hinging onto the vehicle seat, and a front end including a gear rod region engaging with the toothed pinion, for adjusting the hinge end upon rotation of the toothed pinion. The present disclosure provides that the toothed gear rack is hot forged, the toothed gear rack comprises, between the hinge end and the gear rod region, a reinforced region, and the reinforced region comprises a profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Faurecia Autositze GmbH
    Inventors: Hosen Sulaiman, Heinz-Werner Dettmer, Markus Schenke, Jens Witt
  • Patent number: 11338710
    Abstract: A child safety seat includes a seat shell having two sidewalls respectively provided at a left and a right side for restricting sideways movement of a child on the seat shell, a buffering part movably connected with the seat shell, a retaining mechanism and a release mechanism. The buffering part is movable between a first position corresponding to a stowed state where the buffering part is retracted toward one of the sidewalls, and a second position corresponding to a deployed state where the buffering part protrudes sideways from the sidewall. The retaining mechanism is operable to hold the buffering part in the first position. The release mechanism includes an operating device that is disposed adjacent to a thigh region of the seat shell and is operatively connected with the retaining mechanism, the operating device being operable to release the buffering part from the hold of the retaining mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: BAMBINO PREZIOSO SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventor: Da Liang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11260820
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an assembly that has a seat, which can move between an upright position and a reclined position. The assembly also includes a track that is coupled to a side of the seat and a rail operably coupled to the rail. The assembly further includes an airbag inflator module that is mounted on the rail, such that the airbag inflator module slides along the rail when the seat moves between the upright position and the reclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Patel, Zhibing Deng, Joseph Edward Abramczyk
  • Patent number: 11214175
    Abstract: A system comprising a vehicle seat track, in particular automotive vehicle, and a support, where the track comprises a fixed profile intended to be added onto the chassis of the vehicle and a mobile profile configured for sliding relative to the fixed profile. The support comprises an engaging part forming a hook, where the engaging part is configured for engaging with the mobile profile in case of impact of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: FAURECIA Sièges d'Automobile
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon
  • Patent number: 11173813
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided with a wire that, in the event of a vehicle frontal collision, enables a pulling load applied by a vehicle occupant to a webbing to be transmitted between a cushion frame of a seat cushion and a movable rail of a sliding device. One end portion of the wire is anchored to a first anchoring member of the movable rail, while another end portion of the wire is anchored to a second anchoring member of the cushion frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Patent number: 11148561
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat mounted in a vehicle. The vehicle seat of the present disclosure includes a seat body, a seat frame forming a framework of the seat body, a first load absorber provided to a back of the seat frame, and a second load absorber provided lower than the first load absorber on the back of the seat frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takao Yamaguchi, Yasumasa Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11104252
    Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly having a housing assembly coupled to a seat frame with a transverse member. A cushion pan extends between the transverse member and a cross bar. A cushion nose extends between the transverse member and a front portion of the housing assembly. A gas-generating device is deployable in response to a sudden vehicle deceleration to exert a force on the cushion nose to rotate the cushion nose about an axis defined by a transverse member from a first position to a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Spencer Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Sean West, Benjamin Yilma, Edward Joseph DeSmet, S. M. Akbar Berry, Rodney Charles Brinker
  • Patent number: 11091070
    Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly including a seat cushion and a seat frame assembly with a carrier assembly and a displaceable platform coupled to the carrier assembly and selectively deployable from a design position to a fully deployed position in response to a sudden deceleration of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Gregory Hagedorn, Spencer Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, S. M. Akbar Berry
  • Patent number: 11066035
    Abstract: An airbag module (10) comprises a housing (12), a folded airbag (16) and a flexible fixation (14) which fixes the folded airbag (16) on the housing (12). There is provided a tensioning device (24) by which the fixation (14) can be brought from an initial state to a tensioned state. Moreover, a method of mounting an airbag module (10) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Daniel Elija
  • Patent number: 11053009
    Abstract: A conformal seat insert for an adjustable vehicle seat, the conformal seat insert comprising an insert frame, the insert frame having one or more insert reference features for locating the insert frame on a seat frame of the vehicle seat in a predetermined position relative to the seat frame, and a contoured support surface formed in the insert frame, the contoured support surface having a crew reference point corresponding to an acromial point of a shoulder of a seat occupant of the adjustable vehicle seat, the crew reference point being a datum from which an eye position of the seat occupant is established relative to instrumentation of an aerospace vehicle in which the adjustable vehicle seat is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Michael C. McCarley, Christopher Ferguson
  • Patent number: 11040636
    Abstract: A seat mounting system includes a seat frame having a support surface and first and second side surfaces downwardly extending from opposed sides of the support surface. Mounting members are supported on the first and second side surfaces. The mounting members each include an inner layer, an outer layer, and a deformable core portion disposed therebetween. The mounting members each include a mounting aperture extending through the deformable core portion, such that the deformable core portion surrounds the mounting aperture. A base frame includes a receiving aperture disposed through a body portion of the base frame. The base frame is operably coupled to the seat frame by a fastener received through the receiving aperture of the base frame and further received through the mounting aperture of the mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christian J. Hosbach, John Wayne Jaranson, Keith Allen Godin, Johnathan Andrew Line, Patrick Maloney
  • Patent number: 11021120
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving the safety and performance of an automobile in crash events is disclosed. The safety device includes first and second crash pad regions and a connecting member region disposed between the first and second crash pad regions. At least a portion of the connecting member region is arranged to move in one of an upward and downward direction at the initial moment of a crash to absorb crash energy. The safety device is arranged to collapse on itself upon continuation of the crash. In some embodiments, the safety device collapses in a horizontal direction upon continuation of the crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Tesseract Structural Innovations, Inc.
    Inventor: Henry L. Renegar
  • Patent number: 11007912
    Abstract: In one embodiment there is disclosed an energy attenuating vehicle seat. The seat includes a seat back pivotally connected to a seat pan, the seat back and the seat pan independently pivotal. At the pivot between the seat back and the seat pan there is a rotary energy attenuation device. The device extends between the seat back longitudinal members and the seat pan longitudinal members and is pivotally attached to the seat pan and the seat back allowing individual adjustment of the back or pan. The rotary energy attenuating device cooperates with a track system along the length of seat longitudinal members allowing for different directions of travel and height adjustment. The vehicle seat offers passive or active protection from impact and sudden acceleration (G force and Pressure Wave) due to accident or explosive events and is capable of automatically resetting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & MILLER ENGINEERING AND FABRICATION, INC.
    Inventors: Celyn M. Evans, Kevin Kwiatkowski
  • Patent number: 10988063
    Abstract: A seat for a vehicle includes a seat back frame, a first elastic member, and a second elastic member. The seat back frame includes a main frame and a sub-frame. The first elastic member and the second elastic member are configured to support the sub-frame such that the sub-frame is rotatable in a width direction of the seat and are mounted between the main frame and upper end portions of the sub-frame on both sides in the width direction of the seat. Each of the first elastic member and the second elastic member has a limit of elongation and has a characteristic in which a load that is applied to the sub-frame in a rear direction of the seat acts as tension to generate a reaction force due to the limit of elongation and does not generate the reaction force in the width direction of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohshi Katoh, Norihisa Aoki, Kohei Yasuda
  • Patent number: 10988062
    Abstract: A 3-point seatbelt device includes webbing for restraining an occupant, with one end of the webbing disposed on one seat width direction side of a rear portion of a seat cushion frame, and includes a buckle to engage with a tongue plate. The rod shaped submarining restriction member spans across a front portion of the seat cushion frame in the seat width direction, is actuated by a first load imparted to the webbing from a seated occupant in a frontal collision of the vehicle, and moves toward a vehicle upper side from a pre-actuation normal position toward a post-actuation restricting position. The pair of load transmission members are respectively coupled to the submarining restriction member and either the one end of the webbing or the buckle in a seat front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Patent number: 10988058
    Abstract: A seat assembly having a seat bottom frame and at least one front mounting bracket assembly. The seat bottom frame may include an anti-submarine tube. The front mounting bracket assembly may have an anti-submarine bracket that may be configured to engage the anti-submarine tube to limit rotation of the seat bottom frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Tejas Bharsakale, Venkateswarulu Kongathi, Rajiv Kumar, Ravi Pandharkar, Kishor Patil, Anurag Sune
  • Patent number: 10974626
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a seatback having an interior portion and a seat portion having an interior portion. A belt member includes first and second ends and a deployable portion disposed therebetween. The deployable portion is operable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The deployable portion of the belt member is disposed within the interior portion of the seatback and the interior portion of the seat portion when the deployable portion is in the stowed position. The deployable portion of the belt member is disposed outside of the interior portion of the seatback and outside of the interior portion of the seat portion when the deployable portion is in the deployed position. One or more retractor mechanisms are operably coupled to the belt member and operative to retract a portion of the deployable portion of the belt member after or during deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Spencer Robert Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Johnathan Andrew Line, Sean Bayle West, Edward Joseph DeSmet, William Jerome Olsen, S. M. Akbar Berry
  • Patent number: 10967766
    Abstract: An energy absorber (100) for a vehicle seat (1), in particular for a linear adjuster (60) of the vehicle seat (1), includes a deformation element (110). The deformation element (110) is deformable by forces occurring in a vehicle collision. The energy absorber (100) includes a bending element (120) that releases the deformation element (110). Upon achieving a bending load acting on the bending element (120), the bending element (120) bends and the bending element (120) thereby releases the deformation element (110) to a lesser extent. A linear adjuster (60) for a vehicle seat (1) is also provided, having the energy absorber (100). Further, a vehicle seat (1) is provided having at least such one linear adjuster (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.á r.l.
    Inventors: Roland Schoenbach, Andreas Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 10946779
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat cushion, an ottoman, and an energy absorbing portion. The ottoman is provided at a seat front side end portion of the seat cushion and is changeable between an unfolded position and a stored position. The ottoman, at the unfolded position, is adapted to support, from a seat lower side, calves of the passenger seated on the seat cushion, and the ottoman, at the stored position, is apart from the calves of the passenger seated on the seat cushion. The energy absorbing portion is configured to, in a case in which a load, which is inputted to the ottoman at the stored position toward a seat rear side, exceeds a predetermined value, absorb kinetic energy inputted to the ottoman while permitting displacement of the ottoman toward the seat rear side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuya Mori
  • Patent number: 10926675
    Abstract: A vehicle seat comprising a seat member and a backrest, wherein a belt connection is attached to or integrated into the upper end of the backrest, a mechanical coupling device is provided for coupling the backrest to the assembly for adjustment of the inclination of the seat member in the event of a collision. A triggering threshold is defined wherein the backrest is decoupled from the assembly under normal operating conditions, and wherein in a collision, when the triggering threshold is exceeded, the backrest pivots forwards and is finally coupled via the mechanical coupling device to the assembly, so that further pivoting of the backrest forwards triggers the assembly and causes the front region of the seat member facing away from the backrest to pivot upwards about a transverse axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. KG (Coburg)
    Inventor: Andreas Höpfner
  • Patent number: 10919419
    Abstract: An adequate mechanical stiffness and strength are afforded to a tumble seat or a vehicle seat having a latch mechanism provided in a rear end of the seat cushion. A cushion frame (F1) of the seat includes a side frame (5) extending in a fore and aft direction, and the side frame includes a first member (10) comprising a channel member having an open side facing sideways and a second member (11) attached to the first member so as to form a closed cross section jointly with the first member, and extending downward further than the first member. A latch mechanism is positioned under the first member and attached to the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shoma Sato
  • Patent number: 10821860
    Abstract: A seat device includes a seatback frame attached to a seat cushion frame via a seatback attachment member. The seatback attachment member includes a first attachment point to which the seat cushion frame extending forward is attached, a second attachment point to which the rear portion of the seat cushion frame is attached, and a third attachment point to which the lower portion of the seatback frame is rotatably attached. The second attachment point has a floating structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Tamaki, Takumi Sato, Hideki Hitomi
  • Patent number: 10793032
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a pelvis movement suppression member, a moving mechanism, a control section and an energy-absorbing mechanism. The pelvis movement suppression member is disposed at a seat upper side of a seat front side of a seat cushion, extends in a seat width direction, and is movable in a seat front-rear direction relative to a frame of the seat cushion. The moving mechanism moves the pelvis movement suppression member from an initial position to a restraining position at a seat rear side relative to the initial position. When a collision is detected or predicted, the control section activates the moving mechanism and moves the pelvis movement suppression member to the restraining position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsunori Ando, Katsunori Yamada, Mitsuaki Gotoh
  • Patent number: 10780802
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle seating assembly including a seat back and a seat base. A bracket couples the seat base to the seat back, wherein the bracket defines an opening. A fastener retains the bracket to the seat base via the opening. A deformable spacer is positioned about the fastener and within the opening. The deformable spacer is configured to deform in response to a pre-determined force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: N. R. Adarsh Gupta, George Jacob, Robert J. Sack, II, Travis Pierce, Craig Rackers
  • Patent number: 10696195
    Abstract: A seat having a seat frame with a seat back designed to prevent injuries to a rear occupant seated behind the seat as the rear occupant moves forward into the seat back during a frontal crash of a vehicle, the seat including a seat back frame part designed to support the back of any occupant but which can rotate during a crash as a rear occupant moves forward into the seat back, the invention including at least one energy absorbing assembly to control the rotary motion of the rotating seat frame part, the rotating frame part maintained in a non-rotating state by an articulating or breakable pin which when moved or broken permits the frame part to rotate as the rear occupant engages the seat frame in response to a frontal vehicular crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Young, Tammy M Korona, John J Pollard
  • Patent number: 10632874
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle seat system for reduction of vertical peak acceleration of a person seated in a vehicle seat during impact. The vehicle seat system comprises a seating structure and a trim at least partially enclosing the seating structure. The trim is releasably fastened to the seating structure by means of interconnected trim fastening means comprising at least two parts adapted to release from each other when the vertical peak acceleration exceeds a predetermined limit value, subsequently reducing the vertical peak acceleration. The present invention further relates to a vehicle comprising the vehicle seat system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO.
    Inventor: Tony Jonsson
  • Patent number: 10589646
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a power tilt mechanism; a seat front panel that forms a part of a front portion of a seat cushion, bridges a right and left pair of side frames of the seat cushion, and is configured to be rotatable by the power tilt mechanism about a tilt central axis that is provided in linking portions, at which the seat front panel is linked to the side frames, an axial direction of the tilt central axis coinciding with a seat width direction; and a control device that is connected to the power tilt mechanism, the control device being configured to activate the power tilt mechanism to cause the seat front panel to rotate in a seat upward direction, in a case in which a vehicle impact in which an occupant sitting on the seat cushion will move in a seat forward direction has been predicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takamichi Komura, Osamu Fukawatase
  • Patent number: 10569677
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a seat cushion frame, a seat back frame, a bracket, a pin actuator, a sensor, and an electronic control unit. The seat back frame is pivotally connected to the seat cushion frame about a pivot axis. The bracket is fixed to the seat cushion frame. The bracket includes a cam surface, and a distance between the cam surface and the pivot axis varies along the cam surface. The pin actuation includes a pin. The pin actuator is fixed to the seat back frame. The pin actuator is configured to move the pin from a disengaged position to an engaged position. The electronic control unit determines whether the sensor detects the front collision of the vehicle and controls the pin actuator to move the pin from the disengaged position to the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Suk Jae Ham, Preston Jerome Lemanski, Yosuke Ota, John P. Kim, MaryEllen Claire Hunt
  • Patent number: 10518668
    Abstract: A vehicle seat (101, 201), includes a seat height adjusting multi-bar linkage (4) with five transmission links (5, 6, 7, 8, 9), operative in normal operation as a four-bar linkage based on a locking unit (10) acting between at least two transmission links (7, 8). In the event of a crash a crash blocking unit (121) locks a vehicle-structure-fixed frame (5) and a rocker (8) to each other, such that the multi-bar linkage (4) acts as a three-bar linkage. A transmission link (7) is arranged between the frame (5) and the rocker (8). In the event of a crash, the multi-bar link (4) acts as a five-bar linkage because of a load-controlled release of the locking unit (10), whereby locking of the crash blocking unit (121) can be triggered independently of a load-controlled release of the locking unit (10) by an inertia-controlled pawl (125) of the crash blocking unit (121).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.à. r.l.
    Inventor: Rolf Schueler
  • Patent number: 10518677
    Abstract: A seat frame including: a cushion frame including: a pair of side frames having a cross section that is a closed section; a front frame; a rear frame; and a plate-shaped panel member disposed between the front frame and the rear frame; and a back frame; wherein the panel member is formed of a material having at least one of a higher specific strength and a higher specific modulus than those of the pair of side frames, the front frame, and the rear frame, a rear end side of the panel member is attached to a lower side of the rear frame and lower sides of the pair of side frames, and a front end side of the panel member is attached to an upper side of the front frame and upper sides of the pair of side frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Hiroshi Mizobata
  • Patent number: 10434911
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes; a pair of frame members, the frame members forming a frame of at least one of a seat cushion and a seat back and being disposed at positions surrounding a seat region supporting an occupant with an interval therebetween; and a cloth spring member bridged between the frame members to cover the seat region. The cloth spring member has a shorter length in a bridging direction at least on one end side of the frame member in a longitudinal direction of the frame member than in a center portion of the frame member in the longitudinal direction; and the cloth spring member has elasticity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shota Higashihara, Keisuke Toda
  • Patent number: 10434910
    Abstract: Provided is a seat cushion member for use in a vehicle seat. The seat cushion member includes a cushion pad; a first side frame; a second side frame; at least one coupling member; and a load receiving member arranged in an area lower than the cushion pad and capable of receiving a downward load that acts on the cushion pad. The load receiving member is joined to the at least one coupling member and is spaced apart from the second side frame with a void therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Furukawa, Teruyuki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10369907
    Abstract: Right and left brackets coupling a seat back frame and seat cushion frame together are configured to adjust an amount of deformation upon impact absorption. A vehicle seat frame includes a seat cushion frame, seat back frame, coupling bracket configured to couple a cushion side frame as a side frame of the seat cushion frame on one side of the vehicle seat frame and a seat back side frame as a side frame of the seat back frame on the one side, and coupling bracket configured to couple a cushion side frame as a side frame of the seat cushion frame on the other side and a seat back side frame as a side frame of the seat back frame on the other side. Deformability upon impact absorption is different between a weak portion provided at the coupling bracket and a weak portion provided at the coupling bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Baba, Takaya Kurisu, Yuki Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 10343564
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat including an upper rail, a lower rails, a lock mechanism for normally locking the upper rail relative to the lower rail, and a lock release member for selectively unlocking the upper rail relative to the lower rail, a deformation restraining member is fixedly attached to the lower rail, and extends toward a part of the lower rail so as to define a small gap relative to the lower rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignees: TS TECH CO., LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Yamada, Yushiro Tachibana
  • Patent number: 10315541
    Abstract: A deformation element for a motor vehicle seat, which element is intended to be arranged on a subassembly of a motor vehicle seat, having a base member, a deformation portion which is formed on the base member and on which the deformation element can be deformed and/or destroyed under the action of an external force, and a force introduction region by means of which a structural element of a motor vehicle seat can be brought into operational connection with the deformation portion so that a force acting on that structural element can be introduced via the force introduction region into the deformation portion. The deformation portion is formed by means of partial deformation of the material of the deformation element and at the transition of the deformation portion to the base member of the deformation element there is a weakening region which defines at least one tear line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg
    Inventor: Sergej Kostin
  • Patent number: 10279913
    Abstract: Described is a breakover mechanism for a passenger seat that includes a frame member with a rear portion attached to two opposing sides of a seat back of the passenger seat wherein the frame member is at least partially disposed under a seat pan of the passenger seat, at least one moving portion attached to a forward portion of the frame member, a carriage portion fixedly attached to the seat pan; and a single point mechanism attached to the carriage portion. Once a threshold loading condition occurs, the single point mechanism changes states to facilitate movement of the moving portion relative to the carriage portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC
    Inventors: Girish J. Malligere, Nahum Madrid, Michael T. Murray, Michael Willey
  • Patent number: 10245983
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a frame assembly have a seat portion and a seatback portion, wherein a seat member is supported on the seat portion of the frame assembly and a seatback is supported on the seatback portion of the frame assembly. Each of the seatback and the seat include a support portion supported on a carrier member, wherein the support portion and the carrier member are comprised of porous non-absorbent materials that are configured to allow water to drain therethrough. A cover member is comprised of a perforated fabric that is non-absorbent, and includes a first portion covering the seat member and a second portion covering the seatback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Hagedorn, Jimmy Moua, Timothy Owen Hamlin, Adam Ewel, Johnathan Andrew Line
  • Patent number: 10086766
    Abstract: A seating assembly includes a seatback frame having first and second pivot apertures defined on an inside surface of first and second side members, respectively, of the seatback frame. A seat includes a cushion assembly supported on a polymeric seat storage lid having a rear vertical wall and a forward lateral body. The forward lateral body is defined by a plurality of upwardly-opening support cells. First and second metal pivot pins extend from first and second sides of the rear vertical wall of the seat storage lid and engage such that a seat is operable between open and closed positions. A forward rounded hump is detachably coupled with a top surface of the seat storage lid. The forward rounded hump is configured to lessen the potential of an occupant to slide forward in the seat. A lock is operably coupled with the seat storage lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Jay Osterhoff, Raghavan Setlur, Derek Williams, Arthur Beneventi, Murtatha Zalzala
  • Patent number: 10059456
    Abstract: Tubular bodies for use in frames for seats of vehicles such as aircraft are described. A tube can include a sidewall that has a variable thickness along the length of the tube. The variable thickness of the sidewalls can result in the tube having a variable inner diameter along the length of the tube. The tube may also include a variable outer diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: C&D Zodiac, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Tien Le, Aram Aris Krikorian
  • Patent number: 10053174
    Abstract: A method for adjustably supporting a seat back of a vehicle includes securing a vehicle engaging member to the vehicle body, the vehicle engaging member including a supporting section; and adjustably coupling a seat back receiving member to the vehicle engaging member, the seat back receiving member including (i) a base that is adjustably coupled to the supporting section, the base being alternatively positioned in a first vertical position and a second vertical position relative to the supporting section; and (ii) a receiver that is coupled to the base, the receiver being configured to receive the seat back. When the base is in the first vertical position, the seat back is at a first height relative to the vehicle seat. Additionally, when the base is in the second vertical position, the seat back is at a second height relative to the vehicle seat that is different than the first height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: High End Seating Solutions LLC
    Inventor: Lars Roulund