Patents by Inventor Charles E. Crane

Charles E. Crane 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: 7798571
    Abstract: A car seat has a seat structure with a seating surface and a portion configured to rest on a dedicated seat of a vehicle when installed. The seat structure has a front and a pair of opposed sides. An instruction manual is provided with the car seat. The car seat has a compartment that is configured to receive and retain the instruction manual. The compartment is disposed interior to a part of the seat structure and has an access opening that is accessible when the car seat is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Craig M. Billman, Charles E. Crane, Daniel J. Brunick, Michael N. Langmaid, Matthew A. Morgenstern, Patrick Nolan, Damaso Lamos, Patrick W. Laffan, Andrew P. Skrzypek
  • Patent number: 7472955
    Abstract: An infant car seat includes a base and a carrier to detachably secure to the base. In an exemplary infant car seat, the carrier can have a carrier weight of less than 10 pounds, and the infant car seat can have a rated weight of up to 40 pounds. In another exemplary infant car seat, the carrier can have a carrier weight of less than 10 pounds, a front surface of the seat back of the carrier can have a length greater than about 20 inches, and the infant car seat can have a rated weight of at least about 27.5 pounds. In another exemplary infant car seat, the carrier can have a carrier weight of less than 10 pounds, a front surface of the seat back of the carrier can have a length greater than about 20 inches, and the infant car seat can have a rated weight of greater than 22 pounds. In another exemplary infant car seat, the carrier can have a carrier weight of less than 10 pounds, and the infant car seat can have a rated height of up to 35 inches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Crane, Matthew A. Morgenstern, Shiva M. Gangadharan, Damaso A. Lamos
  • Patent number: 7370912
    Abstract: An adjustable child seat includes a backrest and a seat base. The backrest is adjustable and includes a top portion movably connected to a bottom portion. The back rest includes a latch connected to one of the top or bottom portions that engages a notch located in the other portion. A handle may be provided to disengage the latch from the notch and allow movement of the top portion of the backrest relative to the bottom portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Daniel J. Brunick, Charles E. Crane
  • Patent number: 7325871
    Abstract: An infant car seat includes a base including a belt path along which a vehicle belt can be secured to the base, and a carrier to detachably couple to the base. The carrier is positionable in a first, reclined position and a second, upright position. The belt path is fixed in location on the base such that the carrier can be positioned in either the first, reclined position or the second, upright position without adjustment of the vehicle belt relative to the base. This two-position infant carrier provides improved fit to child, The infant car seat also can include grips on the carrier of the infant car seat for improved carryability, grips on the base of the infant car seat for improved gripping of the vehicle seat and easier installation, and an adjustable height mechanism in the base for improved fit to vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Shiva M. Gangadharan, Jason A. Carpenter, Charles E. Crane, Damaso A. Lamos, Thomas M. Perrin
  • Patent number: 7278683
    Abstract: An adjustable child seat includes a backrest and a seat base and may be used with or without the backrest. The child seat includes adjustable arm rests. The height of the backrest and the depth of the seat base are also adjustable. The connection between the backrest and the seat base is configured to prevent unintentional separation but allows simple and intuitive separation when desired. A belt guide operating in either a seat belt locking mode or a seat belt free mode is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Daniel J. Brunick, Charles E. Crane
  • Patent number: 7188897
    Abstract: An infant carrier includes a carrier shell including a seating area for a child; and a harness system adapted to connect to the carrier shell and adapted to be adjusted between a first configuration for a smaller child and a second configuration for a larger child. The harness system includes first and second straps, each of the first and second straps having a shoulder strap end and a lap strap end, a shoulder strap adjuster associated with the shoulder strap ends of each of the first and second straps to enable adjustment of the shoulder strap ends between the first configuration and the second configuration, and a lap strap adjuster associated with the lap strap ends of each of the first and second straps to enable adjustment of the lap strap ends between the first configuration and the second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Patrizi, Charles E. Crane
  • Patent number: 7066536
    Abstract: An adjustable child seat includes a backrest and a seat base and may be used with or without the backrest. The child seat includes adjustable arm rests. The height of the backrest and the depth of the seat base are also adjustable. The connection between the backrest and the seat base is configured to prevent unintentional separation but allows simple and intuitive separation when desired. A belt guide operating in either a seat belt locking mode or a seat belt free mode is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Daniel J. Brunick, Charles E. Crane
  • Publication number: 20040124678
    Abstract: An adjustable child seat includes a backrest and a seat base. The backrest is adjustable and includes a top portion movably connected to a bottom portion. The back rest includes a latch connected to one of the top or bottom portions that engages a notch located in the other portion. A handle may be provided to disengage the latch from the notch and allow movement of the top portion of the backrest relative to the bottom portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Daniel J. Brunick, Charles E. Crane
  • Publication number: 20040090094
    Abstract: An adjustable child seat includes a backrest and a seat base and may be used with or without the backrest. The child seat includes adjustable arm rests. The height of the backrest and the depth of the seat base are also adjustable. The connection between the backrest and the seat base is configured to prevent unintentional separation but allows simple and intuitive separation when desired. A belt guide operating in either a seat belt locking mode or a seat belt free mode is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Daniel J. Brunick, Charles E. Crane
  • Publication number: 20040070244
    Abstract: An adjustable child seat includes a backrest and a seat base and may be used with or without the backrest. The child seat includes adjustable arm rests. The height of the backrest and the depth of the seat base are also adjustable. The connection between the backrest and the seat base is configured to prevent unintentional separation but allows simple and intuitive separation when desired. A belt guide operating in either a seat belt locking mode or a seat belt free mode is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Daniel J. Brunick, Charles E. Crane
  • Publication number: 20030151282
    Abstract: An adjustable child seat includes a backrest and a seat base and may be used with or without the backrest. The child seat includes adjustable arm rests. The height of the backrest and the depth of the seat base are also adjustable. The connection between the backrest and the seat base is configured to prevent unintentional separation but allows simple and intuitive separation when desired. A belt guide operating in either a seat belt locking mode or a seat belt free mode is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Daniel J. Brunick, Charles E. Crane