Patents Examined by Laurie K. Cranmer
  • Patent number: 7530631
    Abstract: A passenger seat for a vehicle includes a seat bottom and a seat back mounted to a frame. The passenger seat includes at least one storage feature. One of the storage features may be a storage unit positioned underneath the seat bottom which is moveable between a first position in which the unit is readily accessible by a seated passenger, and a second position in which the unit is held upright or against a lower side of the seat bottom to reduce the intrusion of the unit into the under-seat space. Another storage feature may be a recess formed in the upper part of the seat bottom. The recess is covered by a moveable lid which forms part of the seating surface when closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: BE Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Trevor B. Skelly, James Randy Penley, Alexander Filip Grauls, Edgar Owen Kinnier, III, Glenn A. Johnson, Michael Princip, Gary William McKelvey
  • Patent number: 7530633
    Abstract: In a seat back structure, an auxiliary frame having a pressure receiving portion and a headrest mounted thereon is movably provided in seat back frame via guide element and link element. The guide and link elements are respectively disposed in upper and lower portions respectively of the auxiliary and seat back frames. Biasing element is provided to the link element, such that a line of force of the former is positioned on one side of a pivotal point of the link element, thereby retaining the headrest at initial position, and that, when excessive backward load is applied to the pressure receiving portion, the link element is rotated to displace the line of force toward another side of the first pivotal point, whereby the auxiliary frame is displaced forwardly and upwardly of the seat back frame, thereby causing the headrest to move to a position for supporting a head of seat occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Yokota, Atsushi Koike
  • Patent number: 7530638
    Abstract: A dual action seat release mechanism for a seat on a vehicle includes a seat assembly having a vertically oriented seat back portion pivotally connected to a horizontally oriented seat cushion portion. A lever is pivotally attached to the seat assembly, and includes an elongated handle extending from a disc-shaped portion, and a center of the disc-shaped portion is pivotally attached to the seat assembly. A cable attachment means is disposed on the disc-shaped portion of the lever, and is positioned radially outboard from the center of the disc-shaped portion. A cable having a first end and a second end is provided and the first end of the cable is attached to the cable attachment means on the lever. A cable support bracket for fixedly supporting the cable is fixedly attached to the seat assembly. A cable routing bracket for routing the cable is fixedly attached to the seat assembly, and includes an elongated channel for receiving the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Christopher Day, Vikas Bhatia
  • Patent number: 7527331
    Abstract: The tent chair includes a folding frame supporting a folding cover, with the frame attached to a folding or portable chair. The chair has a single rearward frame bow which is radially flexible but rigid orthogonal to the lateral bow pivot axis of the chair. A series of similar bows is pivotally attached at or toward the front of the chair. The axially orthogonal rigid rearward bow supports the cover and prevents the forward bows from collapsing the cover forwardly as it is pulled taut. One use of the device is as a hunting blind, with a quick release optionally allowing the cover to be rapidly opened. Other configurations provide for use as a photography blind, a privacy shelter for camping or beach use, ice fishing, as a wheelchair or beach lounge chair cover, etc., and may have sufficient room for more than one person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Fargason Outdoor Technologies, Inc
    Inventor: William H. Fargason, III
  • Patent number: 7523992
    Abstract: Provided is a plastic fastening mechanism including an intermediate main body having an axial, shouldered first through hole, two wings each having an axial, shouldered second through hole, and two flexible interconnections each formed between the wing and the main body; and elastomeric first and second elements each shaped to conform to the rear of either the first or second member. The main body is threadedly secured to a chair J-bar and the wings are threadedly secured to chair backrest. The main body of each of another two plastic fastening mechanisms is threadedly secured to the J-bar, and the wings thereof are threadedly secured to chair headrest. Moreover, there are provided two elastomeric mechanisms shaped to conform to the rears of the fastening mechanisms. The elastomeric mechanism includes an intermediate, hollow member, two side receptacles, and second interconnections each formed between the hollow member and either receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Da Yin Wei Tong Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Teng-Chiang Yang
  • Patent number: 7523991
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat assembly having an exposed non-seating surface that includes one of a hook material and a loop material. The seat assembly also includes at least one removable storage element having a surface portion covered with the other of the hook material and the loop material. The removable storage element further removably attaches to a portion of the exposed non-passenger supporting surface in any one of a plurality of orientations and positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Scot Thompson, Raymond Devers, Anke Mazzei, Hideshi Saiki
  • Patent number: 7517013
    Abstract: A combination cooling pad and bag comprises a flexible pad with pockets, cooling packs in the pockets, handles on opposing edges of the pad, and closure mechanisms on the edges and surface of the pad. A handle is sized to loop around a vehicle seat headrest and suspend the pad to cover a substantial portion of the seat and backrest portions of the vehicle seat. The pad, handles, and the edge closure mechanism are arranged, with the edge closure mechanism engaged and with the pad in a single-fold configuration, to form a single-compartment bag with the pair of handles positioned next to one another. The pad, handles, and the surface closure mechanism are arranged, with the surface closure mechanism engaged and with the pad in a multiple-fold configuration, to form a dual-compartment bag with the pair of handles positioned next to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: DD&G Holdings 1, LLC
    Inventor: Deborah H. Lowe
  • Patent number: 7513568
    Abstract: A bicycle saddle assembly includes a seat body, a supporting rail and a suspension means. The seat body includes a front portion and a rear portion being wider than the front portion. The seat body further includes a longitudinal axis dividing the seat body into two symmetrical portions, and a pressure receiving center located on the rear portion of the seat body and passed through by said longitudinal axis. The supporting rail has a first rear end engaged on the underside of the front portion of the seat body, a second and front rear ends respectively extending from the front end along the longitudinal axis of the seat body. The suspension means is disposed exactly under the pressure receiving center of the seat body and coupled with the first and second rear ends of the suspension rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Velo Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Fu Hung
  • Patent number: 7513574
    Abstract: A light alloy seat back frame for a vehicle seat, including a pair of spaced apart side sections, an upper section interconnecting the side sections, a lower section formed into a substantially plate-shape having a width, the lower section extending between lower regions of rear sides of the side sections and interconnecting the side sections, the upper, side and lower sections being integrally made of light alloy, and a belt-shaped metal plate fixed onto a surface of the lower section. The seat back frame further includes a recliner mechanism for allowing a seat back of the vehicle seat to be pivoted with respect to a seat cushion of the vehicle seat. The recliner mechanism comprises cam devices mounted onto lower regions of outer surfaces of the side sections, and an actuating shaft extending along the lower section and interconnecting the cam devices. A metal pipe member for reinforcing a lower part of the seat back frame is mounted around an axial portion of the actuating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignees: TS TECH Co., Ltd., HONDA MOTOR Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Nagayama, Nobuhiro Inomata, Isao Awano
  • Patent number: 7510241
    Abstract: A pop-up display suitable for use in a seat back of an occupant seat, such as but not limited to those employed within vehicles to carry vehicle occupants. The display being configured to pop-up from the seat back in response to mechanical and/or electrical stimulation. The mechanical actuation optionally being localized relative to the display such that the occupant may be required to be in reach of the display in order to impart the mechanical stimulation. The electrical actuation optionally being imparted with electrical signals communicated thereto by a switch or vehicle controller such that the display may be ejected without being in reach of the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: John F. Nathan, Sam Hanlon
  • Patent number: 7510243
    Abstract: A folding and fixing structure of a chair backrest, both sides of one end of the backrest are disposed with a pivotal member having a pivotal portion and a locking portion, respective. The pivotal portions are pivotally disposed on two armrests. The armrests are defined at a side of their opposite surfaces with a containing portion for containing a clutch structure, respectively. Since the backrest is rotated around and is moved with respect to the pivotal portions of the pivotal members, the locking portions of the pivotal members will be slid into the containing portions of the armrests and can be restricted by or disengaged from the clutch structures. Thereby, the backrest can be folded or unfolded stably, such that the chair will occupy less space after being folded and can be assembled quickly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Inventor: Yu-Ching Hung
  • Patent number: 7506926
    Abstract: A deformable, polypropylene-moulding lining (11), is provided in a head rest. It has a crosspiece (12), clipped (14) to the head support (5) and right and left deformable wings (15, 16). These are longer than the support wings (5, 6) of the head part (4), extending past distal edges (17) of the support wings. The deformable wings are spaced inwards from the support wings, with voids (18) defined between them. The deformable wings are divided into two in their forwards extent by a living hinge (19) into a front portion (20) and a rear portion (21). The living hinge is positioned just inside the distal edges of the shell wings. The injection moulded lining has its own foam materiel lining (22), the whole being covered with upholstery (23). The result of the arrangement is that if an occupant's head H impacts the lining in side impact of the vehicle equipped with the seat, the relevant lining wing will be pressed against the shell wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Britax Excelsior Limited
    Inventor: David Shaun Carine
  • Patent number: 7506930
    Abstract: A seat bottom assembly for a passenger seat includes a flexible support panel having a left portion and a separate right portion, and a structural support member underlying the support panel. The structural support member is selectively moveable between a first, forward position in which the seat bottom assembly has a nominal length in a longitudinal direction, and a second, rearward position in which a forward portion of the support panel folds downward over the structural support member such that at least a portion of the seat bottom assembly has an effective length less than the nominal length. The effective length of the left portion and the right portion of the seat bottom assembly can be independently varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: BE Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: James Randy Penley, Lars Kroeplin, Joachim Gustav Voigt
  • Patent number: 7506939
    Abstract: Vehicle seat includes a cushion body and an attached cover with a groove at the attachment sites in the cushion body, and first lockable attachment elements attached to a groove base that lock with second lockable attachment elements affixed to the cover. Vehicle seat includes attachment elements that enable the cover to be easily, quickly and properly attached to the cushion body. This is achieved in that the first and second lockable attachment elements are the halves of a slide lock or zipper lock with a slide received by the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Faurecia Autositze GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dagmar Brockschneider, Silvia Krömer, Benno Kauls
  • Patent number: 7497519
    Abstract: In a geared fitting (11) for a vehicle seat, in particular for an automotive seat, having a first internal geared wheel (13), an eccentric (21) rotatable about an axis of rotation (A), a pinion (22) driven by the eccentric (21) and meshing with the first internal geared wheel (13), and a second internal geared wheel (31) in which the pinion (22) meshes and which is mounted on the first internal geared wheel (13), at least one wedge system (27) is provided axially offset from the eccentric (21), with respect to the axis of rotation (A), the wedge system (27) acting to compensate for the play between one of the internal geared wheels (13, 31) and the other internal geared wheel (13, 31) and/or the pinion (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Dill, Ulf Schäffling, Viktor Enns
  • Patent number: 7497517
    Abstract: Vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, with a seat part (3) that is linked to a support via a cushion-four-joint (42), a backrest that can be tilted and locked by at least one fitting and which is linked to the cushion-four-joint (42) through a link-four-joint (48), in which a linking member (41) is a common component of both four-joints (42, 48), wherein the vehicle seat at a minimum can be converted from at least one in-use position that is suited for passenger transport, to a folded together, not-in-use position, and between the seat part (3) and the support an additional securing device with leeway (53) is provided in the in-use position, wherein the leeway (53) defines the mobility of the cushion-four-joint (42) in the case of a crash and during a forward tilt adjustment of the backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Gundall, Andreas Closset, Klaus Hassler
  • Patent number: 7494182
    Abstract: A furniture seating support system includes furniture support structure and a frame having tubular elements connected to the support structure. First and second tubular elements are positioned parallel to each other. A tubular cross member is connected to the frame between the first and second elements. A pair of pivoting joints each connect first element ends to the support structure, permitting first element rotation. Elastically flexible support straps with elastomeric elements are connected to the first and second elements to support an occupant. The cross member position is adjustable to vary strap stiffness. A furniture member cavity is accessible by raising the first element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: West & Knowles Design & Engineering, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David J Westendorf, Kevin J Knowles
  • Patent number: 7490904
    Abstract: A device that can be attached to any existing reclining type device such as chairs and beds that will eliminate shear forces on the user's body regardless of the level of movement. The primary components of the device are a seat plate, a seat slide plate, a back plate and a back slide plate. The back slide plate is pivotally attached to the seat plate. The seat slide plate is pivotally attached to the back plate. Pivoting the back plate with respect to the seat plate engages the pivotally attached seat slide plate and the pivotally attached back slide plate toward or away from each other depending on the starting position. The engagement of the slide plates mirrors the movement of the occupant in both the recline to horizontal position or the return to upright to vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Inventor: Mark G. Hogg
  • Patent number: 7490899
    Abstract: A combination lumbar bolster system for attachment to a vehicle seat frame comprises a lumbar support having a flat position and a deployed position, wherein the deployed position is forward of the flat position; a pair of lateral bolsters each having a resting position and an extended position, wherein the extended position is further from the seat frame than the resting position; at least one traction cable operably attached to at least one of the lumbar support and the lateral bolsters; and at least one spring. The traction cable moves the lumbar support between the flat position and the deployed position and the lateral bolsters between the resting positions and the extended positions such that the movements of the lumbar support and the bolsters is coordinated, and the spring opposes the movement of the traction cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Schukra of North America
    Inventor: Robert J. McMillen
  • Patent number: 7490909
    Abstract: A pillow includes a washable L-shaped body that has longitudinal and latitudinal regions. The longitudinal region is abutted against a lateral edge of an infant car seat such that the latitudinal region protrudes inwardly towards the car seat center. The latitudinal region has a medially disposed end provided with an arcuate top edge curving upwardly away from a latitudinal region bottom edge, forming a curvilinear lip that is spaced from the top edge and the longitudinal region affixing mechanisms. A mechanism is included for affixing the longitudinal region to the car seat such that the latitudinal edge can bias towards and away from the back rest, adjusting a location of the lip. A mechanism is included for affixing a longitudinal region top edge to a car seat rear side, allowing the body to be freely positioned along x-, y- and z-axes while remaining affixed to the car seat rear side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Inventors: Dale L. Haggman, Lisa R. Haggman