Patents Examined by Philip F Gabler
  • Detachable vehicle seat
    Patent number: 11554688
    Abstract: A detachable vehicle seat includes: a seat cushion including a seat latch for selectively securing the seat cushion to a vehicle body, and a seat control device for selectively unlatching the seat latch; a seatback pivotally attached to the seat cushion via a recliner device, the recliner device including a recliner control device configured to selectively cause the recliner device to be in a first state for locking the seatback in an upright position and a second state for locking the seatback in a stowage position; a first connecting element connecting the recliner device to the seat control device so that the seat latch can be unlatched only when the recliner device is in the second state; and a second connecting element connecting the seat latch to the recliner control device so that the recliner device can take the first state only when the seat latch is fully latched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Carl Williams, Jacob Williams, Adam Greening, Vipul Khinvasara, James Denlinger
  • Extensively reconfigurable vehicle seat design
    Patent number: 11548411
    Abstract: An extensively reconfigurable seat design can include a vehicle seat system including: a vehicle seat defining a vehicle occupant accommodating space, the vehicle seat including a seat cushion portion including multiple individually adjustable bladders, where each of the multiple individually adjustable bladders has a connected valve that controls fluid communication with an internal space of the individually adjustable bladder to adjust a pressure level within the internal space of the individually adjustable bladder, and an associated sensor configured to detect the pressure level within the internal space of the individually adjustable bladder. A computer can actively sense and control the pressure levels within the bladders, using the sensors and valves, to provide customization, adaptive, ride-active and intelligent control over a reconfigurable cushion for a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhupendra Lodhia, Andriy Banadyha
  • Easy hook armrest assembly for aircraft seat
    Patent number: 11548644
    Abstract: An armrest for a seat may comprise paneling and an easy hook assembly. The easy hook assembly may include a flange and a keyhole protrusion. The flange and the keyhole protrusion may each extending beyond an exterior surface of the paneling. The flange and the keyhole protrusion may allow the armrest to be installed after the paneling is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Rajesh A Shinde, Rob Jacobson, Kyle David Doughty
  • Power leg rest for vehicle
    Patent number: 11548424
    Abstract: A power leg rest for a vehicle includes a pair of fixed plates; a main pipe connected to between internal surfaces of the fixed plates; a tilt motor tiltably mounted to the main pipe; a pair of main links fastened to external surfaces of the fixed plates by respective first hinge pins; a support pipe connected to between front end portions of the main links; a lead nut bracket coupled to a lead screw and movable forwards and backwards and hingedly fastened to the support pipe; a pair of leg rest links mounted on both sides of a leg rest frame; and a pair of driving links, each being hingedly fastened to corresponding ones of the leg rest links, the main links, and the fixed plates, operating in linkage with the main link, and folding or unfolding the pair of leg rest links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, DAS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Tae Su Kim, Soo Hyun Moon, Hyun Kyu Moon, Sang Hwi Yoon, Du Go Jung, Hyun Ko, Won Jin Choi, Young Joon Kim
  • Seat assemblies having resettable armrests
    Patent number: 11541791
    Abstract: A seat assembly including a seat frame, an armrest pivotally coupled to the seat frame, a stopper, and an engagement member. The armrest pivots between a use position and a drop down position below the use position in a vertical direction. In the use position, the armrest is configured to support an arm of a user. The engagement member contacts the stopper in the use position to inhibit movement of the armrest from the use position toward the drop down position. The engagement member is configured to deform against the stopper upon application of a predetermined force to allow the armrest to move from the use position toward the drop down position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: John D. Harkleroad, Manish Shah, Patrick J. Edgar
  • Rotating armrest assembly
    Patent number: 11535380
    Abstract: An armrest assembly for a passenger seat includes a moveable arm including a proximal end and a distal end, a stowed configuration wherein the moveable arm is disposed adjacent and approximately parallel to a seatback of the passenger seat, and a deployed configuration wherein the moveable arm is approximately parallel to a seat pan of the passenger seat. The moveable arm may include a first portion and a second portion. The armrest assembly may include a first rotation axis such that the moveable arm pivots about the first rotation axis when moving between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration. The armrest assembly may include a second rotation axis such that the second portion pivots about the second rotation axis relative to the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC
    Inventors: Arthur Glain, Oscar Ruiz Lara
  • Moving vehicle
    Patent number: 11534352
    Abstract: Provided is a moving vehicle which enables a user to easily recognize that the moving vehicle is stopped due to the user's own clothing or the like being determined as an object, thereby enabling the user to cancel the stopped state and return to a moving state. A moving vehicle on which a person rides and which stops moving if the distance to an object is equal to or less than a first predetermined value, said moving vehicle comprising: a sensor (124) for detecting the distance; a determiner (125) for determining, if the distance is equal to or less than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value, a state in which the field of view of the sensor (124) is blocked due to the clothing covering the sensor (124); and a notifier (128) that, if said state is determined by the determiner (125), issues a notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sasai, Hiroyuki Uematsu, Takeshi Ando, Noriaki Imaoka, Duyhinh Nguyen
  • Vehicle seating assembly with displaceable platform
    Patent number: 11518278
    Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly having a seat cushion and a suspension system disposed proximate an underside of the seat cushion. The suspension system includes a carrier assembly, a displaceable platform, and an attachment member extending between the carrier assembly and the displaceable platform, wherein the attachment member is positionable between the rest position and an extended positon. The displaceable platform is positionable between a design position and a fully deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Derek Board
  • System architecture for office productivity structure communications
    Patent number: 11517113
    Abstract: A furniture system includes an office productivity structure (OPS). The furniture system also includes a sensor coupled to the OPS, the sensor operable to detect occupancy of the OPS and generate an output signal indicative of the occupancy; and a processor coupled to the sensor. The processor is operable to receive the output signal generated by the sensor, determine, based on the output signal, that the OPS is occupied, and, in response to determining that the OPS is occupied, generate a command to initiate at least one action associated with the OPS or an operator of the OPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: MillerKnoll, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Hoyt, Daniel Rucker, Joseph Doran, Brian Alexander, Adam Daley-Fell
  • Controlled deformation bicycle saddle
    Patent number: 11518462
    Abstract: A bicycle saddle includes a shell fitted with fastening means for fastening the bicycle saddle to an associable bicycle, the shell extending, in a prevailing longitudinal direction (Y-Y), from a front end to a rear end, and a padding associated to an upper portion of the shell, opposite a frame of the associable bicycle. The shell has a rigid portion supporting the fastening means and a controlled deformation portion positioned between the rigid portion and the padding. The controlled deformation portion has at least one yielding insert adapted to deform elastically under compression during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SELLE ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventors: Riccardo Bigolin, Michele Cito
  • Device for reducing kinetosis-related disorders of an occupant while in driving mode of a vehicle, and a vehicle
    Patent number: 11511654
    Abstract: A device for reducing a kinetosis-related disorder in a driving mode of a vehicle includes a vehicle seat with a headrest and an actuator system. The vehicle seat and/or the headrest is adjustable by the actuator system to position the headrest relative to a head of an occupant on the vehicle seat. A support region of the headrest includes a material which is elastically switchable and the material is solidifiable when a pressure is exerted on the material such that the material stiffens when the head of the occupant sinks into the support region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz Group AG
    Inventor: Dominique Bohrmann
  • Child carrier restraint
    Patent number: 11498460
    Abstract: A child carrier restraint that allows the upper ends of the shoulder straps to be adjustably positioned to properly secure children having varying torso lengths within the child carrier. The child restraint includes a traditional five point belt harness and pair of shoulder belt location adjusters, which allows the shoulder strap to be selectively positioned over and behind the child regardless of the length of the child's torso. The shoulder location adjusters are mounted to the back of the child carrier and includes a strap loop trained about a locking slide and a bottom strap loop anchor. The end of the shoulder strap is sewn directly to the strap loop. The locking slide can be manually disengaged to allow the strap loop to slide freely, thereby selectively positioning the end of the shoulder strap along the back of the child carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: E.V.S Ltd.
    Inventor: Thomas Rumler
  • Child safety seat
    Patent number: 11498462
    Abstract: A child safety seat is provided. The child safety seat includes a seat shell configured to receive and secure a child therein. The seat shell includes a top portion, a base portion, and side portions operably coupling the top portion to the base portion, and the side portions are fabric or mesh. The child safety seat further includes a support frame configured to absorb energy and that defines a seat portion and backrest portion of the child safety seat to enable the child to be secured therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: BRITAX CHILD SAFETY, INC.
    Inventor: Angela M. Stacey
  • Vehicle seat trim member and assembly
    Patent number: 11491899
    Abstract: A vehicle seat trim assembly for concealing a vehicle seat frame is provided with at least two adjacent panels, which are oriented at angles relative to each other. At least one slot extends through the at least two adjacent panels. An interior lining is formed from a flexible nonwoven fabric material and sewn within the at least one slot. The interior lining includes a slot with a width smaller than the width of the at least one slot in the at least two adjacent panels to enclose the slot in the at least two adjacent panels and to deform to provide clearance for a head restraint post. An embroidered seam is sewn into the vehicle seat trim member around the at least one slot and sewn into the interior lining to attach the interior lining to the at least two adjacent panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Laura Schulz, Julian Svaighert
  • Child safety seat
    Patent number: 11479152
    Abstract: A child safety seat (1) is held in a vehicle by a vehicle seat belt (70). The child safety seat (1) includes a seat shell comprising a base section (20) and a backrest section (10), and a tensioning system (50) that acts to alter the effective path of travel of the vehicle seat belt (70). The tensioning system (50) comprises a pair of belt carriages (56) for acting upon intermediate portions of the belt (70). The belt carriages (56) are adjustably moveable relative to the seat shell such that the effective path of travel of the vehicle seat belt (70) is able to be adjusted to increase tension in the seat belt (70). The child safety seat (1) can be correctly installed in the vehicle and can ensure that any remaining slack is removed from the vehicle seat belt (70), such that in the event of an accident, movement of the child safety seat (1) relative to the vehicle is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: BRITAX CHILDCARE (ZHONGSHAN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Alberto Garcia Urrea, Jackson Kwok, Oliver Gao, Meiping Huang
  • Frame structure for a vehicle seat backrest
    Patent number: 11472323
    Abstract: A frame structure (5) for a vehicle seat backrest (3), said frame structure (5) comprising a centre frame (18) and a side frame (14), said centre frame (18) and said side frame (14) extending in a longitudinal (x), transversal (y) and vertical (z) direction, respectively, said longitudinal (x), transversal (y) and vertical (z) directions being perpendicular to each other and corresponding to a longitudinal, transversal and vertical direction, respectively, of a vehicle. Said frame structure (5) further comprises a lower connection (7) which is adapted to interconnect said centre frame (18) and said side frame (14) and which is located at or adjacent to a lower end of said frame structure (5) in said vertical direction (z).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Lars Modh, Johan Wallmander
  • Coupling mechanism as well as a child seat transporting system provided with at least one such coupling mechanism
    Patent number: 11472316
    Abstract: A coupling mechanism for coupling a first component to a second component. The first component comprises at least one coupling element provided with at least a first hook. The coupling element is pivotable about a pivot axis. The second component comprises at least a first pen. The coupling element is pivotable between a first position wherein the first pen is disconnected from the first hook and the first and second component can be decoupled from each other and a second position wherein the first pen is located in the first hook and the first and second component are detachably coupled to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Olfers, Robért Sjang Josine Van Dijk, Sanders Gerardus Toonders
  • Ergonomically designed bicycle saddle
    Patent number: 11472503
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a customizable bicycle saddle for a bicycle. The bicycle saddle has been designed to allow it to be adjusted to match the ischial tuberosities of each rider's pelvis in order to minimize the pressure placed on other portions of the rider's body while seated on the bicycle. The bicycle saddle comprises a first seating portion that has been configured to allow a rider to sit on the bicycle, a second seating portion that has been configured to allow the rider to sit on the bicycle. The bicycle saddle also includes a first adjustment means configured to allow the first seating portion to be moved closer to the second seating portion, and a second adjustment means configured to allow the saddle to be moved closer to a forward portion on the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Inventor: James Richard Colthurst
  • Bicycle saddles with an ischial-perineal suspension region
    Patent number: 11472504
    Abstract: A bicycle saddle with an ischial-perineal suspension region may include a monolithic frame, a flexible lamina stretched across and attached to the frame, a cushion on the lamina, and a cover over the cushion. The frame may include a mounting rail configured to attach to a seat post of a bicycle, a seat rail, a nose, and an open region circumscribed by the seat rail and the nose. The seat rail may include a rear rail that forms an arc-shape, a first side rail that forms a first trough, and a second side rail that forms a second trough. The nose may extend from the seat rail and/or the mounting rail. The open region may be an ischial-perineal suspension region. The flexible lamina may be stretched over the open region. The cushion may be disposed on the lamina over the open region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Inventor: David Niles
  • Armrest for car seats
    Patent number: 11465539
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an armrest for car seats including a connection bracket coupled to a car seat, a rest body connected to the connection bracket so as to be turnable about a fourth axis of rotation, a third cam connected to the rest body so as to be turnable about the fourth axis of rotation, a gas cylinder connected to the third cam, the gas cylinder being configured to be extended and contracted in a longitudinal direction, and a manipulation button installed at the rest body, the manipulation button being configured to manipulate the gas cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI TRANSYS INC.
    Inventor: Teh Chiang Wang