Patents by Inventor Benjamin Yilma
Benjamin Yilma has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11124147Abstract: A seat assembly includes a seatback having a back support portion centrally disposed thereon. A retractor mechanism is operably coupled to the seatback. A belt member is coupled to the retractor mechanism. The belt member further includes a body portion disposed between first and second ends of the belt member. The body portion of the belt member is operable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The belt member is disposed in front of the back support portion of the seatback in the deployed position. The belt member is disposed in an interior portion of the seatback in the stowed position. The seat assembly further includes an airbag assembly to which the belt member is attached. The belt member is deployed when the airbag assembly is deployed as coupled thereto.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Sean Bayle West, Edward Joseph DeSmet, Benjamin Yilma, Srinivasan Sundararajan, Alan George Dry, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Spencer Robert Hoernke, S. M. Akbar Berry, Derek Board, Raed Essa EL-Jawahri
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Patent number: 11104252Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 19, 2019Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Spencer Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Sean West, Benjamin Yilma, Edward Joseph DeSmet, S. M. Akbar Berry, Rodney Charles Brinker
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Patent number: 11091023Abstract: A wheel assembly includes an attachment module, a motor module, a battery module, and a wheel. The wheel is rotatably coupled to the attachment module about a rotational axis of the wheel. The attachment module has a plurality of coupling elements, and the motor module and the battery module each releasably couple to one of the coupling elements. The wheel extends around the attachment, motor, and battery modules. The motor and battery modules are identically shaped in a direction along the rotational axis.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2016Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Benjamin Yilma, Travis Justin Raines, Pattrick Loew, Brian Robert Spahn
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Patent number: 11059399Abstract: A retractable anchor assembly for a seating assembly includes an actuating arm operably coupled with a seatback and defining a guide slot. The actuating arm may be movable with the seatback. A guide plate may be coupled with a seat base and may define an arm receiving slot configured to receive the actuating arm. A support plate may be slidably coupled with the guide plate. The support plate may include a side fastener received by the guide slot of the actuating arm. An anchor may be coupled with the support plate. Movement of the actuating arm through the arm receiving slot may be configured to move the support plate and anchor between an extended positioned and a retracted position.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2020Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Benjamin Yilma, Spencer Robert Hoernke, Jason Matthew Koberstein, Sean Bayle West, David Frederick Lyons
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Patent number: 11021127Abstract: A seating assembly for a vehicle comprises: a seatback; an airbag having a stowed position and an inflated position, the airbag being configured to inflate from the stowed position to the inflated position in response to the vehicle impacting an object; a head restraint coupled to the seatback, the head restraint including a forward position, a rearward position, and a locking mechanism preventing the head restraint from moving from the forward position to the rearward position after taking the forward position; and as the airbag inflates from the stowed position to the inflated position, the airbag forces the head restraint from the rearward position to the forward position. As the airbag inflates from the stowed position to the inflated position and forces the head restraint to the forward position, the airbag does not contact the one or more support bars and does not force the seatback to change position.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2019Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Chris Fredriksson, Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Benjamin Yilma, Michael Steven Medoro
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Patent number: 10974626Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 12, 2019Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Benjamin Yilma, Spencer Robert Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Johnathan Andrew Line, Sean Bayle West, Edward Joseph DeSmet, William Jerome Olsen, S. M. Akbar Berry
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Publication number: 20210101511Abstract: A seatback assembly includes a front carrier module having a mounting portion with an inverted U-shaped outer perimeter edge. A plurality of doors includes individual doors that are hingedly coupled to the outer perimeter edge of the front carrier module. Each door of the plurality of doors is operable between open and closed positions. An airbag carrier module includes an inverted U-shaped raceway with an open front portion. The airbag carrier module is operably coupled to the front carrier module, such that the doors of the front carrier module selectively open and close the open front portion of the raceway of the airbag carrier module.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2019Publication date: April 8, 2021Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: S.M. Akbar Berry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Alan George Dry, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Benjamin Yilma
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Publication number: 20210078468Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2019Publication date: March 18, 2021Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Benjamin Yilma, Spencer Robert Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Johnathan Andrew Line, Sean Bayle West, Edward Joseph DeSmet, William Jerome Olsen, S.M. Akbar Berry
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Publication number: 20210078521Abstract: A seat assembly includes a seatback having a back support portion centrally disposed thereon. A retractor mechanism is operably coupled to the seatback. A belt member is coupled to the retractor mechanism. The belt member further includes a body portion disposed between first and second ends of the belt member. The body portion of the belt member is operable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The belt member is disposed in front of the back support portion of the seatback in the deployed position. The belt member is disposed in an interior portion of the seatback in the stowed position. The seat assembly further includes an airbag assembly to which the belt member is attached. The belt member is deployed when the airbag assembly is deployed as coupled thereto.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2019Publication date: March 18, 2021Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Sean Bayle West, Edward Joseph DeSmet, Benjamin Yilma, Srinivasan Sundararajan, Alan George Dry, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Spencer Robert Hoernke, S.M. Akbar Berry, Derek Board, Raed Essa EL-Jawahri
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Patent number: 10933821Abstract: A seating assembly for a vehicle comprising: a seat; a seatback including an occupant side configured to contact and support an occupant of the seating assembly, a rear side that faces in the generally opposite direction as the occupant side, and a top portion; seatbelt webbing, the seatbelt webbing extending along the rear side of the seatback; a plurality of emitters of UVC radiation; and an emitter support structure attached to the seatback that supports the plurality of emitters of UVC radiation such that the plurality of emitters of UVC radiation emit UVC radiation onto the seatbelt webbing extending along the rear side of the seatback.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2019Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Daniel Ferretti, Michael Kolich, Scott Holmes Dunham, Edward Joseph DeSmet, Benjamin Yilma, Matthew Anthony Majkowski
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Patent number: 10933784Abstract: A seatback assembly includes a seatback frame having first and second side members that define a back support portion of the seatback frame. An upper frame member interconnects the first and second side members of the seatback frame to define a headrest support portion of the seatback frame. An upper mounting plate is coupled to the upper frame member. A retaining bar is coupled to the upper mounting plate. A retractor mechanism is operably coupled the back support portion of the seatback frame. A mounting bracket is operably coupled to the seatback frame. A seatbelt includes a webbing having a first portion which is operably coupled to and extending from the retractor mechanism towards the retaining bar within an interior of the seatback assembly. A second portion of the webbing extends from the retaining bar to the mounting bracket within the interior of the seatback assembly.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2019Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Benjamin Yilma, Edward Joseph DeSmet, Johnathan Andrew Line, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Spencer Robert Hoernke
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Patent number: 10926733Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a seatback including a left lateral panel and a right lateral panel opposite the left lateral panel, a left airbag inflatable from the left lateral panel to an inflated position, a right airbag inflatable from the right lateral panel to an inflated position, a tether extending from the left lateral panel to the right lateral panel, and a sheet connected to the left airbag and the right airbag. The tether is connected to the left and right airbags.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Alan George Dry, Brian Spahn, Benjamin Yilma, Johnathan Line, S. M. Akbar Berry
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Patent number: 10899279Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for securing an item for transport in a vehicle. The apparatus includes a tether anchor bezel, having a housing and a displaceable cover, a tether anchor held within the tether anchor bezel, and a hook carried on the displaceable cover.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2019Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Benjamin Yilma, Saeed Chehade, James Cornell Weaver, Thomas J. Susko
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Publication number: 20210016693Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2019Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Spencer Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Sean West, Benjamin Yilma, Edward Joseph DeSmet, S. M. Akbar Berry, Rodney Charles Brinker
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Patent number: 10850699Abstract: An assembly includes a seatback. The assembly includes a first airbag and a second airbag, each inflatable to an inflated position spaced from each other at the seatback and abutting each other in front of and spaced from the seatback. The assembly includes a sheet extending from the first airbag to the second airbag in front of where the first airbag abuts the second airbag in the inflated positions.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2018Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Alan George Dry, Srinivasan Sundararajan, Johnathan Andrew Line, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma, Derek Board, S. M. Akbar Berry
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Patent number: 10814818Abstract: A method for operating an airbag carrier is provided herein. The method includes the steps of moving carrier containing an airbag along a guide-channel of a seating assembly from a stowed position to a use position, and deploying the airbag into an occupant space of the seating assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2017Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma, S. M. Akbar Berry
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Publication number: 20200331401Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for securing an item for transport in a vehicle. The apparatus includes a tether anchor bezel, having a housing and a displaceable cover, a tether anchor held within the tether anchor bezel, and a hook carried on the displaceable cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2019Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Saeed Chehade, James Cornell Weaver, Thomas J. Susko
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Publication number: 20200331418Abstract: A seating assembly for a vehicle comprises: a seatback; an airbag having a stowed position and an inflated position, the airbag being configured to inflate from the stowed position to the inflated position in response to the vehicle impacting an object; a head restraint coupled to the seatback, the head restraint including a forward position, a rearward position, and a locking mechanism preventing the head restraint from moving from the forward position to the rearward position after taking the forward position; and as the airbag inflates from the stowed position to the inflated position, the airbag forces the head restraint from the rearward position to the forward position.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2019Publication date: October 22, 2020Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Chris Fredriksson, Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Benjamin Yilma, Michael Steven Medoro
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Publication number: 20200331371Abstract: A seatback assembly includes a seatback frame having first and second side members that define a back support portion of the seatback frame. An upper frame member interconnects the first and second side members of the seatback frame to define a headrest support portion of the seatback frame. An upper mounting plate is coupled to the upper frame member. A retaining bar is coupled to the upper mounting plate. A retractor mechanism is operably coupled the back support portion of the seatback frame. A mounting bracket is operably coupled to the seatback frame. A seatbelt includes a webbing having a first portion which is operably coupled to and extending from the retractor mechanism towards the retaining bar within an interior of the seatback assembly. A second portion of the webbing extends from the retaining bar to the mounting bracket within the interior of the seatback assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2019Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Edward Joseph DeSmet, Johnathan Andrew Line, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Spencer Robert Hoernke
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Patent number: 10807556Abstract: A vehicle includes a roof. The vehicle includes a first row and a second row of airbags supported by the roof and elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis. The vehicle includes a third row and a fourth row of airbags supported by the roof, elongated along a vehicle-lateral axis, and intersecting the first row and the second row of airbags.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2018Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Anna Miller Hill, Brian Robert Spahn, Paul Alan Forgette, Jeffrey Charles Paddock, Benjamin Yilma, Robert Ralph Armitage