Patents Examined by Laurie K. Cranmer
  • Patent number: 9463717
    Abstract: A rotatable vehicle seat frame assembly has a main frame, at least one first seat frame, at least one second seat frame, and at least one elevatable desk. Each seat frame has a bottom sliding mechanism, a top sliding mechanism, and an angle-adjusting mechanism. The second seat frame further has a leg rest assembly. The bottom sliding mechanisms, the top sliding mechanisms, the angle-adjusting mechanisms, and the leg rest assembly enable the seat frame to be rotated into a flattened status in a limited inner space of a vehicle, enable the seat frame to be transformed between a passenger-mode and a cargo-mode, and enable the seat frame to be used as a bed during a long trip. When in the passenger-mode, the position of the seat bracket and the angle of the back support bracket may be adjusted to facilitate convenience, and to provide more use modes in a limited inner space with the elevatable desk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Inventor: Wan-Yu Li
  • Patent number: 9462889
    Abstract: A chair comprising: a base structure having two lateral uprights fixed relative to the base structure, a backrest comprising a support panel, two connecting portions fixed to respective side uprights of the base structure, and two hinge portions located between the support panel and said connecting portions, wherein said hinge portions allow a backward inclination of the support panel about a transverse axis (A) under a backward thrust applied by the user, a seat panel connected to the base structure by at least one guide, which allows a movement of the seat panel with respect to the base structure in a longitudinal direction (B), and at least one elastic connecting element fixed to the support panel and to the seat panel and configured to move the seat panel along said longitudinal direction (B) as a result of the oscillation of the support panel about said transverse axis (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: PRO-CORD S.P.A.
    Inventor: Alessandro Piretti
  • Patent number: 9463720
    Abstract: A child safety seat assembly includes a seat shell that is secured to a vehicle seat by way of a standard safety belt system, and a belt adjustment mechanism that facilitates adjusting the horizontal belt path taken by the standard safety belt through the safety seat assembly such that the horizontal belt path aligns with a child's center of gravity (CG). In a first fixed state, the belt adjustment mechanism generates a lower horizontal belt path that is a relatively short distance from the seat base portion, thereby optimizing the seat assembly for securing shorter children or infants having lower CGs. As a child grows, the belt adjustment mechanism is adjusted into a second fixed state that maintains the horizontal belt path at a relatively long distance from the seat base portion, thereby optimizing the seat assembly for securing taller children having higher CGs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Inspired Products Group, LLC
    Inventors: Eugene R. Balensiefer, II, James W. Holley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9463728
    Abstract: A seat for a vehicle may include a unit foam that is formed so as to have a magnetic property due to a magneto-rheological fluid, and magnetic bodies that are provided on both sides of the unit foam, respectively, to form a magnetic field passing through the unit foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Sogang University
    Inventors: In Ju Lee, Sung Rae Kim, Hyung Joo Kim, Do Young Jeon, Sang Yoon Han, Kook Jin Jang
  • Patent number: 9446693
    Abstract: In a height-adjustable arrangement of a head restraint on a vehicle seat, the head restraint or at least one cushion of the head restraint is fastened by a receiving plate fixed on a framework to a receiving slide of a height-adjustment mechanism. The receiving slide is arranged in a height-displaceable manner on at least one guide element of the height-adjustment mechanism by at least two actuating pulls acting in an opposed manner on the receiving slide, the guide element being arranged in or on a holding element of the head restraint. A vehicle seat can include a height-adjustable head restraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Philippe Morilhat, Mikulas Ptasinsky, Peter Pastorek
  • Patent number: 9440571
    Abstract: A conveyance seat includes a pair of side frames and a lower frame. The lower frame is formed to have a U-shaped section, an upper part of which is open, a center part position of a front side area of the U shape is recessed backward relative to both side positions in a view in a width direction of the seat. Cutouts are formed in end surfaces of the lower frame in areas connected with the pair of side frames, and the cutouts are made from the end surfaces to an inner side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidekazu Kitou
  • Patent number: 9434280
    Abstract: A seat assembly can include a base, a linkage assembly, a seat, and an energy-management assembly. The linkage assembly can be supported by the base and include a return plate supported by the base for rotation about a first axis of rotation. The seat can be supported by the linkage assembly for movement relative to the base along a generally arcuate path. The return plate can be operable to rotate relative to the seat about a second axis of rotation. The energy-management assembly can be supported by the base for rotation about a third axis of rotation and supported by the return plate for rotation about a fourth axis of rotation. The energy-management assembly can include a biasing member configured to resist the movement of the seat relative to the base along the generally arcuate path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: FISHER & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Tobias Keller, Walton H. Shurtleff
  • Patent number: 9427364
    Abstract: An arm support for a personal mobility vehicle can include a first member having a first end that defines a first cavity, and a first attachment member that extends through the first cavity so as to define an axis. The arm support can further include a second member having a first end that is disposed within the first cavity such that the second member is pivotally attached to the first member by the first attachment member. The arm support can further include an actuator that extends through the first end of the second member and through the first cavity. The actuator can be operatively coupled to the second member such that actuation of the actuator causes the second member to pivot about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Pride Mobility Products Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Grant, John Carminati, Matthew Tolan
  • Patent number: 9428090
    Abstract: There is provided a headrest with speakers capable of exhibiting an excellent sound effect. The headrest with speakers includes: a headrest frame; a pair of left and right enclosures supported by the headrest frame; speaker units supported in the enclosures respectively; and a headrest cushion member supported by the headrest frame to support a head, the headrest cushion member including: a net member having a pair of left and right acoustically transparent parts at places substantially facing the respective speaker units; and soundproof parts disposed between the pair of left and right acoustically transparent parts in the net member and between the pair of left and right enclosures respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignees: Bose Corporation, Delta Tooling Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Charles Oswald, Etsunori Fujita, Yumi Ogura, Seiji Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 9421893
    Abstract: A vehicle heating apparatus (100A) of the present disclosure is a heating apparatus to be mounted on a vehicle seat (11) at a position below a sitting portion (S) of the vehicle seat (11). The vehicle heating apparatus (100A) includes: a housing (10) having an intake port (2), a blowing port (3), and an internal space (4) serving as a flow path of air from the intake port (2) to the blowing port (3); a fan (6) provided in the internal space (4); a heater (7) provided in the internal space (4); and a mounting structure (8) adapted to mount the housing (10) to the vehicle seat (11) in such a manner that the housing (10) is movable in a width direction of the vehicle seat (11). Therefore, the vehicle heating apparatus (100A) of the present disclosure is highly convenient for occupants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Ise, Yoshiaki Kurosawa, Atsunori Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9415714
    Abstract: A lumber support apparatus may include a base plate installed in a fixed wire installed in seatback frame to be elevated, nut units having left and right nuts coupled to upper portions of opposite sides of the base plate to be slid leftwards and rightwards, respectively, link units having left and right links located outside the nut units to be spaced apart from each other and ends of which are hinge-coupled to upper portions of opposite sides of the base plate, respectively, arm units having left and right arms leftward/rightward movements of which are restricted by the link units and raised forwards and rearwards when the nut units are slid, and a screw rod having a screw structure passing the left and right nuts leftwards and rightwards to be screw-coupled to the left nut and right units, for moving the left and right nuts in opposite directions during rotation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Ewon Comfortech Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae Jo Kim, Hoon Hee Choi
  • Patent number: 9414673
    Abstract: A suspension chair includes a first and second back support portion having first and second suspension elements extending in first and second substantially perpendicular directions respectively. The first and second suspension elements are tensioned so as to provide first and second normal biasing forces to the first and second body support portions. In one embodiment, the chair includes a fixed support defining an upper portion and a pivotable side support. A fabric layer covers at least a portion of the fixed support and a front surface of the side support. Various furniture arrangements and modular furniture kits incorporating one or more chairs, desks and/or tables are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Yves Behar, Qin Li, Naoya Edahiro, Noah Murphy-Reinhertz, Diana Chang, Erik Kreider, Casey Doran Lewis, Andrew J. Kurrasch, Elindo G. Castro, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9415702
    Abstract: A swiveling assembly comprising a swivel, the swivel comprising a swivel bottom element and a swivel top element rotatable relative thereto; a gear provided with gear teeth along at least a portion thereof, the gear being mounted to the swivel top element; an actuator operatively coupled to the gear teeth for selectively rotating the gear relative to the swivel bottom element; at least one spacer element mounted to the gear and extending away therefrom; and a seat support mounted to the at least one spacer element so as to be spaced apart from the gear, a vehicle seat being mountable to the seat support. The at least one spacer element raises the seat support so that the vehicle seat is above a doorstep when the swiveling assembly is operatively mounted to a vehicle floor and the vehicle seat is operatively mounted to the swiveling assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Inventor: Laurent Auger
  • Patent number: 9409506
    Abstract: A conveyance seat includes: a seat frame; a seat pad that covers the seat frame; and a seat cover that covers the seat pad and that is fixed to the seat frame. The seat pad has a U-shaped portion formed by a supporting portion, a side surface portion that is continuous with the supporting portion, and a tension adjusting portion that is continuous with the side surface portion, the tension adjusting portion having a protruding portion as a portion of the tension adjusting portion that protrudes toward the seat cover. The protruding portion abuts against the seat cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideo Sahashi
  • Patent number: 9403453
    Abstract: An easy entry seat assembly may include a seat frame having a seat bottom and a backrest supported for pivotal movement relative to the seat bottom. A reclining mechanism may be provided on the seat frame to selectively control pivotal movement of the backrest relative to the seat bottom. A backrest stopper mechanism may be provided on the seat frame. The backrest stopper mechanism may include an easy entry stopper that can be movable from a non-actuated position to an actuated position to stop pivotal movement of the backrest in an easy entry position. An easy entry actuator may be provided on the seat frame, wherein operation of the easy entry actuator can cause movement of the easy entry stopper to the actuated position and release the reclining mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Philippe Perrin, Johan E. Gustavsson
  • Patent number: 9402482
    Abstract: A posture support system that includes a base portion, a vertical arm portion extending from the base portion, a horizontal arm portion extending from the vertical arm portion, and a support portion extending from the horizontal arm portion. The base portion includes a rectangular board that rests on a flat surface. The vertical arm and horizontal arm portions are fully adjustable to accommodate different users when a user rests against the support portion to perform work, such as typing, on the flat surface. The posture support system induces proper seated posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventor: Lowell G. Miller
  • Patent number: 9403458
    Abstract: Disclosed is a headrest moving device. The headrest moving device includes: a cover including a front wall and a rear wall a middle cover disposed inside the cover and formed with a hollow portion; a locking cover inserted into the hollow portion, connected to the cover, and formed with teeth along a forward/backward direction thereof; a lock pin plate installed on the middle cover to be slidable in a leftward/rightward direction and provided with a lock pin inserted into the teeth; a lock plate formed with through-holes through which vertical portions of a stay rod pass, the lock plate being installed on the middle cover to be slidable in the leftward/rightward direction and being connected to the lock pin plate; a return spring configured to return the lock plate or the lock pin plate; and a button configured to move the lock plate in the leftward/rightward direction. The cover is formed in an integrated body so that the spacing between the front wall and the rear wall may be maintained constantly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Woobo Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hae Il Jeong
  • Patent number: 9402484
    Abstract: A cover system for a seat having a base, a back, armrests and a tray is provided. The cover system includes a main cover with a bottom portion extending across the base of the seat and a top portion extending across and over the back of the seat. The cover system further includes first and second armrest covers defining an open end opposing a closed end. The first and second armrest covers extend over the armrests of the seat with the closed ends thereof abutting outwardly facing ends of the armrests. The cover system also includes tray cover adapted to extend over the tray of the seat. The tray cover has at least first and second securing components extending from opposite sides thereof. The first and second securing members secure the tray cover relative to the tray of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Kehei Traveler Corporation
    Inventor: Adrienne Moore
  • Patent number: 9399414
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided. The vehicle seat comprising a seat member, a backrest member which is connected to the seat member so as to be able to be pivoted about a pivot axis, a first fitting which, when viewed along the pivot axis, is arranged at a first position on the seat member and a second fitting which, when viewed in the direction of the pivot axis, is arranged at a second position on the seat member for a pivotable connection of the backrest member with the seat member. The vehicle seat further comprising a third fitting which, when viewed along the pivot axis is arranged between the first fitting and the second fitting and which is spaced apart from the first fitting and the second fitting along the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg
    Inventors: Markus Prause, Andi Langguth
  • Patent number: 9398813
    Abstract: A frameless furniture assembly adapted to be converted between an unfilled configuration and a filled configuration including: an outer liner having an inner surface and an outer surface; a plurality of pieces of fill material, wherein the fill material is retained within the outer liner; and a container holder associated with the outer liner. The frameless furniture assembly is preferably adapted to support a human in a seated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel C. George, II, Matthew Jung