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).

  • Patent number: 11124147
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 11104252
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Spencer Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Sean West, Benjamin Yilma, Edward Joseph DeSmet, S. M. Akbar Berry, Rodney Charles Brinker
  • Patent number: 11091023
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Travis Justin Raines, Pattrick Loew, Brian Robert Spahn
  • Patent number: 11059399
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Benjamin Yilma, Spencer Robert Hoernke, Jason Matthew Koberstein, Sean Bayle West, David Frederick Lyons
  • Patent number: 11021127
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Fredriksson, Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Benjamin Yilma, Michael Steven Medoro
  • Patent number: 10974626
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Spencer Robert Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Johnathan Andrew Line, Sean Bayle West, Edward Joseph DeSmet, William Jerome Olsen, S. M. Akbar Berry
  • Publication number: 20210101511
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: S.M. Akbar Berry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Alan George Dry, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Benjamin Yilma
  • Publication number: 20210078468
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Spencer Robert Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Johnathan Andrew Line, Sean Bayle West, Edward Joseph DeSmet, William Jerome Olsen, S.M. Akbar Berry
  • Publication number: 20210078521
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 10933821
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Daniel Ferretti, Michael Kolich, Scott Holmes Dunham, Edward Joseph DeSmet, Benjamin Yilma, Matthew Anthony Majkowski
  • Patent number: 10933784
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Edward Joseph DeSmet, Johnathan Andrew Line, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Spencer Robert Hoernke
  • Patent number: 10926733
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Brian Spahn, Benjamin Yilma, Johnathan Line, S. M. Akbar Berry
  • Patent number: 10899279
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Saeed Chehade, James Cornell Weaver, Thomas J. Susko
  • Publication number: 20210016693
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Spencer Hoernke, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Sean West, Benjamin Yilma, Edward Joseph DeSmet, S. M. Akbar Berry, Rodney Charles Brinker
  • Patent number: 10850699
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Srinivasan Sundararajan, Johnathan Andrew Line, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma, Derek Board, S. M. Akbar Berry
  • Patent number: 10814818
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma, S. M. Akbar Berry
  • Publication number: 20200331401
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Saeed Chehade, James Cornell Weaver, Thomas J. Susko
  • Publication number: 20200331418
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Fredriksson, Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Benjamin Yilma, Michael Steven Medoro
  • Publication number: 20200331371
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Edward Joseph DeSmet, Johnathan Andrew Line, Marcos Silva Kondrad, Spencer Robert Hoernke
  • Patent number: 10807556
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Anna Miller Hill, Brian Robert Spahn, Paul Alan Forgette, Jeffrey Charles Paddock, Benjamin Yilma, Robert Ralph Armitage