Patents Examined by David E Allred
  • Patent number: 11865055
    Abstract: A seat positioning system includes a base frame having a pair of forward slots and a pair of rear slots, and a seat frame having a front end and a back end. The seat frame is coupled to the base frame and movable relative to the base frame. A first pair of linkages is slideably coupled to the pair of forward slots and connects the frames. A first pair of locking devices has a locked configuration adapted to prevent the first pair of linkages from sliding relative to the pair of forward slots and an unlocked configuration adapted to allow the first pair of linkages to slide relative to the pair of forward slots. A second pair of linkages slideably is coupled to the pair of rear slots and connects the frames. An actuator is pivotally connected to both the seat frame and the base frame and is configured to extend and contract to move the seat frame relative to the base frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: PRIDE MOBILITY PRODUCTS CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Mulhern, Stephen J. Antonishak
  • Patent number: 11866176
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a backrest that is configured to recline over a reclination range, and a variable reclination range limiter that is configured to selectively adjust a limit of the reclination range limit. A variable reclination range limiting method for a seat assembly includes allowing a backrest of the seat assembly to recline over a reclination range, and selectively adjusting a limit of the reclination range by a variable reclination range limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mark L. Cloud, Christopher Edward Plass, Raymond Roeder, Dean Hettick, Anis Noorani
  • Patent number: 11857471
    Abstract: A seat cushion assembly includes a base defining a leg support and a support portion recessed relative to the leg support, and an air pad assembly positioned on the recessed support portion, the air pad assembly including a plurality of independent air support zones that are configured to be separately inflated and deflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: PERMOBIL, INC.
    Inventors: Ross Peyton, Conor Sullivan
  • Patent number: 11849858
    Abstract: A pillow assembly for a chair is disclosed. The pillow assembly includes a pillow and clip assembly. The clip assembly is attached to the back of the pillow and is biased toward the back of the pillow such that a restorative force may secure the pillow to a chair. A grippy part may be disposed on the clip assembly to enhance securing the pillow in a desired position. The attached clip part may also have a protruding tab for a user to easily grasp the clip assembly. The clip assembly can slide over a complementary part on a chair, and is biased to secure the pillow in a desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Sunflow, Inc.
    Inventors: Leslie Hsu Besner, Jeffrey Servaites
  • Patent number: 11849850
    Abstract: Systems and methods for moving a convertible bench between a first position, which presents a backrest, and a second position, which presents a tabletop, is described herein. While the described systems can include any suitable component, in some cases, they include a base having a first end piece that has a first set of legs with a first arched leg support that extends between the first set of legs and a second end piece having a second set of legs with a second arched leg support that extends between the second set of legs. The bench further includes a backrest/table portion that is hingedly coupled to the base so as to be pivotable from a first position that presents a backrest to a second position that presents a tabletop. Other implementations are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventor: M. Brent Norton
  • Patent number: 11850979
    Abstract: A knee bolster assembly for a vehicle seat includes a knee bolster moveably mounted in proximity to the vehicle seat, the knee bolster selectively moveable between a first position, wherein a passenger is able to enter and exit the vehicle seat, and a second position, wherein the knee bolster is positioned directly in front of a seating surface of the vehicle seat, such that legs of a passenger seated within the vehicle seat are positioned between the seating surface of the vehicle seat and the knee bolster, the knee bolster adapted to prevent an occupant of the vehicle seat from sliding forward off the vehicle seat and restrict any hyper-extending of their lower legs due to forward inertia, and an energy absorbing device adapted to absorb energy when knees or legs of a passenger within the vehicle seat impact the knee bolster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Scott D. Thomas, Chin-hsu Lin, George H. Baker
  • Patent number: 11845365
    Abstract: Disclosed is a locking device for a walk-in seat of a vehicle capable of stably maintaining the locked state of the walk-in seat prior to a walk-in operation. An object of the present invention is to provide a locking device for a walk-in seat of a vehicle capable of stably maintaining the locked state of the walk-in seat prior to a walk-in operation (that is, the locked state of a drive plate for the walk-in operation of the seat) even if the engagement between the drive plate and a pawl is released due to deformation caused by a torsional load applied to a connection frame of the seat by additionally providing a separate component configured to prevent the drive plate from being rotated in an unlocking direction when a load is applied to a seat belt buckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI TRANSYS INC.
    Inventors: Jun Sik Hwang, Hae Dong Kwak, Dong Hyun Kim, Cheol Hwan Yoon, Jung Bin Lee, Jae Yong Jang
  • Patent number: 11844439
    Abstract: The present disclosure proposes a height-adjustable folding chair including a base, retractable arms connected to the base and legs connected to the base; the base includes a support enclosing an inner cavity and a locking assembly arranged in the inner cavity; the support includes an upper receiving portion connected to the arms and a lower receiving portion connected to the legs; the locking assembly includes a leg unlock button inserted in the inner cavity and slidable relative to the support, a first spring, and a first locking block. The first locking block defines locking slots each with a downward opening; an end of each leg connected to the lower receiving portion defines a positioning slot and is arranged with a positioning tongue protruding from an edge of the positioning slot and a positioning block protruding upward from a bottom of the positioning slot and matched with a corresponding locking slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventor: Lili Wang
  • Patent number: 11833937
    Abstract: An occupant support includes a seat bottom and a seat back coupled to the seat bottom and arranged to extend upwardly away from the seat bottom in a normal-seating configuration. The seat back is pivotable relative to the seat bottom between a plurality of positions. The seat back may be changed from an upright position to a folded-forward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, LLC
    Inventors: Michael P. Miller, Grzegorz Wojtowicz
  • Patent number: 11820266
    Abstract: A shock mitigation seat 10 including a plurality of individual shock absorbing members 16 resilient to compression from a shock impact, the shock absorbing members 16 being positioned one adjacent another and such that at a certain stage of compression an individual shock absorbing member 16 resiliently deforms and comes into contact with one or more adjacent individual shock absorbing members 16 which thereby increases resistance to further compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: SHOCK-WBV LIMITED
    Inventors: Graham Brown, Tom Coe
  • Patent number: 11819465
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a lift chair assembly for assisting a user to transition between sitting and standing. The assembly includes a frame body, a backrest member coupled to the frame body, a seat member coupled to the frame body and configured to pivot about an axis relative to the frame body independently from the backrest member such that the seat member pivots between a neutral position and an elevated position, a motor that selectively pivots the seat member, and a controller that selectively engages the motor to pivot the seat member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Inventor: Gregg Cohen
  • Patent number: 11820257
    Abstract: A vehicle seat arrangement includes a vehicle seat arranged to be adjusted between a forward facing setup and a rearward facing setup and a seat support structure. The vehicle seat has three seat parts, where a second seat part is pivotably connected to both a first seat part and a third seat part. The second seat part is pivotably connected to the seat support structure. In the forward facing setup, the first and second seat parts make up a seat back and the third seat part make up a seat cushion. In the rearward facing setup, the first seat part make up the seat cushion and the second and third seat parts make up the seat back of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO.
    Inventors: Oskar Ewehag, Johan Höcks, Christian Forsberg
  • Patent number: 11820267
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seat bottom including a panel pivotable from a first position to a second position. The assembly includes a track supported by the seat bottom. The assembly includes a spring in the track and urging the panel toward the second position. The assembly includes a pyrotechnic actuator maintaining the spring in compression and actuatable to release the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mangesh Kadam, Yuqin Zhao, Srinivas Reddy Malapati
  • Patent number: 11819138
    Abstract: The invention provides a customizable seating support for a seat base that is particularly useful for supporting a physically disabled person in a chair, such as a wheelchair. The seating support includes a posterior portion and a pair of thigh supports that are connected to the posterior portion, via a multi-directional connection, so that the position of at least one thigh support is independently adjustable to tilt upwardly or downwardly or to pivot outwardly relative to the posterior portion to an abducted position. In some embodiments, at least one of the thigh supports may be configured to pivot inwardly relative to the posterior portion to an adducted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Roger Thomas Mascull and Elizabeth Jocelyn Mascull as Trustees of the RT and EJ Mascull Family Trust
    Inventor: Bruce Gordon Mascull
  • Patent number: 11805923
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved structure for a children bounce chair, comprising a base module, two telescopic support assemblies, a plurality of bounce assemblies and a table and chair module, wherein the telescopic support assemblies are assembled on the base module, one end of the bounce assemblies is respectively assembled on the corresponding telescopic support module, and the other end of the bounce assembly is respectively assembled on the table and chair module, so that the children bounce chair can be easily assembled, used or disassembled and stowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: TUNG TZU INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chin-I Lai, Yen-Wen Lai, Wei-Jia Lai
  • Patent number: 11805920
    Abstract: A foldable mechanism is applied to locking an infant carrier and includes first and second mounts and a locking member. The second mount is pivoted to the first mount and has first and second mating portions. The infant carrier is locked in the folded state when the first mount rotates to a first rotating position, and is locked in the expanded state when the first mount rotates to a second rotating position. The locking member is movably disposed between the first and second mounts and has a positioning portion and a locking portion. The positioning portion is engaged with the first mating portion to lock the first mount at the first rotating position. The locking portion is engaged with the second mating portion to lock the first mount at the second rotating position. A depth of the first mating portion is shallower than a depth of the second mating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Wonderland Switzerland AG
    Inventor: Chengkai Zhang
  • Patent number: 11794619
    Abstract: To reduce the weight of a cross member bridged between right and left sides of a seat frame. A seat frame includes an upper frame forming an upper portion of a seat back frame, and a cross member bridged at the upper frame. The cross member includes right and left end portions in a seat width direction, the right and left end portions being fixed to the upper frame; and a first recessed portion that is recessed upward or downward and provided between the right and left end portions. The first recessed portion is provided at a center portion of the cross member in the seat width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Baba, Yuki Hosokawa, Takaya Kurisu
  • Patent number: 11793697
    Abstract: A system includes an adapter and a lock. The adapter includes a flexible collar and an attachment structure. The flexible collar is configured to at least partially surround a portion of the wheelchair such that the flexible collar engages the portion of the wheelchair and aids in preventing rotation of the adapter relative to the portion of the wheelchair. The attachment structure has a first arm attached to and extending from the flexible collar and a second arm attached to and extending from the flexible collar. The lock includes a body and a mounting platform attached thereto. The body of the lock is configured to engage the attachment structure to aid in maintaining the flexible collar in a closed position. The mounting platform has one or more coupling mechanisms attached thereto for use in removably mounting one or more accessories to the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Inventor: Mohammad Sayed
  • Patent number: 11786422
    Abstract: A support device has a main support surface for a person's body, including an auxiliary device influencing the main support surface shape. The auxiliary device includes: a group of supports supporting the main support surface, positioned on the side of the main support surface facing away from the body-supporting side, the supports each including a sub-support surface; an adjuster for each sub-support surface influencing the height of each sub-support surface. The device also includes a monitor for each sub-support surface monitoring the height of the respective sub-support surface; and a programmable control unit controlling the adjuster. The supports include an elastically bendable plate connected to the adjuster. The bending plate is connected to the sub-support surface to influence its height depending on the extent of bending imposed by the adjuster. The adjuster includes an electromotor on the concave side of the bending plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignees: HANS VOORWINDE BEHEER B.V., TINKE 7 MEI B.V.
    Inventors: Hans Voorwinde, Cornelis Willem Tinke
  • Patent number: 11772571
    Abstract: A ski rack configured for an interior of a vehicle is described. Embodiments of the ski rack include a main body and at least one strap. The ski rack can be adapted to secure to a backside of a rear seat in a vehicle and receive one or more pairs of skis thereon. The main body of the ski rack can include a front section sloping up to a second flat section. The at least one strap can be located in the second section and can be implemented to secure the pairs of skis to the ski rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventor: Cynthia Wark