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).

  • Publication number: 20190111877
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat, an arm connected to the seat, a carrier supported by the arm, and an airbag supported by the carrier. The arm is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The carrier is spaceable from the seat when the arm is in the deployed position. The airbag is inflatable to an inflated position in a direction toward the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Alan George Dry, Daniel Ferretti, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma
  • Publication number: 20190105975
    Abstract: A tonneau cover includes a hinge assembly including a first portion attached to a first panel and a second portion attached to a second panel. Each of the first portion and the second portion include release sections and secure sections and the second portion is detachable when moved to align the release sections with the secure sections. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Pattrick Loew
  • Publication number: 20190106077
    Abstract: A seat includes a seatback, two armrest portions, and two airbags. Each armrest portion is rotatably coupled to the seatback about a generally vertical axis from a stowed position elongated in a forward direction to a deployed position extending in front of the seatback. Each airbag is fixed to one of the armrest portions and inflatable to an inflated position in which one of the airbags is disposed in front of the other of the airbags relative to the seatback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma, Marcos Silva Kondrad, S.M. Akbar Berry
  • Publication number: 20190092275
    Abstract: A seatbelt assembly includes a seatbelt retractor, a support spaced from the seatbelt retractor, and a webbing retractably engaged with the seatbelt retractor. The webbing is moveable relative to the support. The seatbelt assembly includes a magnet and a conductive material adjacent the magnet. One of the magnet and the conductive material is fixed to the support, and the other of the magnet and the conductive material is moveable by the webbing relative to the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Tien Vo, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma
  • Publication number: 20190092264
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat, two arms coupled to the seat, and an airbag coupled to each arm. Each arm is movable from a stowed position beside the seat to an extended position abutting the other arm. The airbags are inflatable toward the seat when the arms are in the extended position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Spahn, Alan Dry, Johnathan Line, Daniel Ferretti, Benjamin Yilma
  • Publication number: 20190084391
    Abstract: A disclosed cover system for a vehicle cargo area includes at least one panel including folding legs, a hinge, and at least one clasp securing the panel to the hinge. In a clasped position the panel is secured to the hinge and in a released position the panel is removable from the hinge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Pattrick Loew
  • Patent number: 10232815
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a first bolster and a second bolster spaced from each other. The seat assembly includes a seat bottom between the first and second bolster. The seat assembly includes a bridge deployable to a deployed position. The bridge in the deployed position is spaced from the seat bottom. The bridge in the deployed position is supported on the first and second bolsters and extends from the first bolster to the second bolster. The seat assembly includes an inflatable device supported by the bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Johnathan Andrew Line, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma
  • Publication number: 20190071046
    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, and a tether extending from the left lateral panel to the right lateral panel. The tether is connected to the airbags.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan George Dry, Brian Robert Spahn, Johnathan Andrew Line, Benjamin Yilma, S.M. Akbar Berry
  • Publication number: 20190061587
    Abstract: A seat assembly is provided herein. The seat assembly includes a seat member having a support surface. A pair of seat member bolsters is disposed on opposing sides of the seat member. A seat base supports the seat member and has a wraparound sidewall that extends above a bottom portion of each seat member bolster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Marcos Silva Kondrad, Johnathan Andrew Line, Kevin Wayne Preuss, S. M. Akbar Berry, Benjamin Yilma, Brian Robert Spahn
  • Publication number: 20190054893
    Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a housing and a spool rotatably supported by the housing. A torsion bar has a first end and a second end. The first end of the torsion bar is fixed to the spool, and the second end of the torsion bar is fixable relative to the housing. The seatbelt retractor includes a magnet and a rotor disposed adjacent the magnet. One of the magnet and the rotor being fixed relative to the spool and the other of the magnet and the rotor being rotatable relative to the spool. The rotor includes a conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Tien Vo, Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma
  • Patent number: 10207636
    Abstract: A seatbelt stowage assembly comprises a housing including an outer rim and a cover and further defining a compartment. The housing is disposed within a headliner of a vehicle and is configured to house a seatbelt in a stowed position. The seatbelt stowage assembly also includes a light source disposed within the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James J. Surman, Cornel Lewis Gardner, Benjamin Yilma, Stuart C. Salter, Pietro Buttolo
  • Patent number: 10196033
    Abstract: A webbing guide for a vehicle seat includes a base defining a length between a first end and a second end and defining first and second spaced-apart post holes extending through the base between top and bottom surfaces thereof. The webbing guide further includes a guide body coupled with the base and defining a guide channel extending through the guide body in a direction generally normal to the length of the base and normal to the posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Pattrick Loew, Benjamin Yilma, Travis Justin Raines
  • Patent number: 10189436
    Abstract: A latch plate for a vehicle safety belt includes a latch plate tongue element and a grip element. The grip element includes a gripping portion that is held on a plane that is offset from a plane defined by the latch plate tongue element. The gripping portion plane may be parallel to the plane defined by the latch plate tongue element. The gripping portion may be held at a plane defining an included angle to a plane defined by an associated safety belt webbing element when the latch plate tongue element is secured to a safety belt buckle element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Travis Justin Raines, Edwin C. Chiu, Christopher Donald Schop
  • Publication number: 20190023212
    Abstract: A vehicle seat belt system is provided. The vehicle seat belt system includes a seat belt comprising a tubular seat belt webbing defining a passageway and a plurality of pressure control valves and a seat belt buckle for connecting to the seat belt. The seat belt buckle has an air delivery port for delivering air to the passenger, and an air delivery device supplies air to the seat belt, wherein the valves allow the supplied air to exit the seat belt at a first air pressure and block air from exiting at a second pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma, Jeffrey Tien Vo, Edward Joseph DeSmet, JR., Travis Justin Raines
  • Patent number: 10173634
    Abstract: A webbing guide for a vehicle seat includes a base defining a length between a first end and a second end and a guide body coupled with the base and defining a guide channel extending at least partially along a length of the base. A first end of the guide channel is disposed adjacent the first end of the body and is moveable toward and away from the second end of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Pattrick Loew, Benjamin Yilma, Travis Justin Raines
  • Patent number: 10173558
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a seat member having a support surface, wherein the support surface is disposed at an inclined angle from a rear portion to a front portion thereof. A seat cover covers the support surface. An airbag assembly is disposed below the seat cover at the front portion of the support surface at a thigh support region. The airbag is operable between inflated and deflated conditions, wherein the airbag assembly increases the inclined angle of the support surface when the airbag assembly is in the inflated condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Marcos Silva Kondrad, Johnathan Andrew Line, Kevin Wayne Preuss, S. M. Akbar Berry, Benjamin Yilma, Brian Robert Spahn
  • Publication number: 20180312099
    Abstract: A tonneau cover for a vehicle cargo area includes a plurality of interfacing or interlocking panels at least one of which includes a plurality of deployable supports. A plurality of removable hinges is provided, adapted to retain the plurality of interfacing or interlocking panels in a folded and/or an unfolded configuration. Adjoining panels of the plurality of interfacing or interlocking panels may define an interlocking joint which may further include a sealing member. Removable hinges defining different spans may be provided. The removable hinges may further include locking elements for retaining an engagement between the removable hinges and the interfacing or interlocking panels in particular orientations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Pattrick Loew, Benjamin Yilma
  • Publication number: 20180208149
    Abstract: A webbing guide for a vehicle seat includes a base defining a length between a first end and a second end and a guide body coupled with the base and defining a guide channel extending at least partially along a length of the base. A first end of the guide channel is disposed adjacent the first end of the body and is moveable toward and away from the second end of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Pattrick Loew, Benjamin Yilma, Travis Justin Raines
  • Patent number: 10017099
    Abstract: A tonneau cover is provided. That tonneau cover includes a panel, a first set of folding legs carried on the panel and a second set of folding legs carried on the panel. The first set of folding legs have a first length L1 while the second set of folding legs have a second length L2 where L1>L2. Depending upon which set of folding legs is deployed, the panel may be converted into a table or a bench as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Yilma, Pattrick Loew
  • Patent number: 9974365
    Abstract: A guide mechanism may be provided in a buckle assembly including an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve. The guide mechanism in one example includes notches in the outer sleeve mateable to notches in a tongue piece. In another example, the guide mechanism includes ribs formed on an interior of the outer sleeve, that together with a wall of an outer button included in the outer sleeve, form a slot for receiving a tongue piece. In yet another example, the guide mechanism includes a pair of leaf springs having openings therein forming a slot for receiving a tongue piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Robert Spahn, Benjamin Yilma