Patents by Inventor Christian Couasnon

Christian Couasnon 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: 8814122
    Abstract: A slide rail for motor vehicle seat comprising a first profile section, attached to said vehicle, with a cross-section having a bottom and two side parts, a second profile section, guided translationally relative to the first profile section along the longitudinal axis, the second profile section having a cross-section with a web and first and second side flanges, a fixed motorization element connected to the first profile section, a movable motorization element connected to the second profile section, a sensor attached to the second profile section, the sensor being suitable for detecting the presence of the fixed motorization element when the sensor is opposite a portion of the fixed motorization element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: FAURECIA Sieges d'Automobile
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon
  • Publication number: 20140145485
    Abstract: A seat comprising: a seating portion and a backrest, a hinge mechanism comprising a case, a locking system having locked and unlocked states in order to respectively prevent and enable pivoting of the backrest about a rotation axis, and a control member movable between an rest position placing the locking system in the locked state, and an actuating position placing the locking system in the unlocked state, a disabling system comprising a disabling member having an active position placing the control member in the actuating position, and a retaining member in order to maintain the disabling member in the active position, wherein at least essential portions of the disabling member and of the retaining member are contained in a radial overall dimension of the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Christian Couasnon, Cedric Ruppe
  • Patent number: 8678336
    Abstract: The vehicle seat runner comprising first and second profiles sliding inside each other and a stop fixed on the first profile to limit the travel of the second profile. The stop passes through a first opening in the first profile and has, inside the runner, a stop face oriented capable of stopping the second profile and a nose opposite the stop face and that rests against an inner face of the first profile. The stop is extended opposite the nose, by a shank that extends against an outer face of the first profile to a fixing lug clipped into a second opening in the first profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Faurecia Sièges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Christian Couasnon, Emmanuel Levert
  • Patent number: 8469432
    Abstract: A sliding rail for a vehicle seat, comprising a fixed section and a mobile section assembled to slide on the fixed section and controlled by a screw-nut system comprising a longitudinal adjusting screw. The adjusting screw is integral with a support which comprises a base pressing against the bottom of the fixed section. The base and the bottom of the fixed section are traversed by an attaching screw screwed into the floor of the vehicle. The base of the support is held against the bottom of the fixed section by a retaining tab which passes above the base and which is integral with the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Faurecia Sièges d'Automobile
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon
  • Publication number: 20120286556
    Abstract: A hinge assembly for vehicle seat, comprising first, second, and third frames assembled to pivot, a hinge mechanism for adjusting an angular usage position of the first frame relative to the third frame, a first lock to immobilize the first frame relative to the third frame in said usage position, and a first control device for releasing the first lock is disclosed. It also comprises a second lock to immobilize the first frame relative to the second frame in a tilted position, a stop to immobilize the first frame in the tilted position, and a second control device for releasing the second lock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon
  • Publication number: 20110278875
    Abstract: A sliding rail for a vehicle seat, comprising a fixed section and a mobile section assembled to slide on the fixed section and controlled by a screw-nut system comprising a longitudinal adjusting screw. The adjusting screw is an integral part of a support which comprises a base pressing against the bottom of the fixed section. The base and the bottom of the fixed section are traversed by an attaching screw screwed into the floor of the vehicle. The base of the support is held against the bottom of the fixed section by a retaining bracket which passes above the base and which is an integral part of the bottom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: FAURECIA SIEGES D'AUTOMOBILE
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon
  • Publication number: 20110240821
    Abstract: The vehicle seat runner comprising first and second profiles sliding inside each other and a stop fixed on the first profile to limit the travel of the second profile. The stop passes through a first opening in the first profile and has, inside the runner, a stop face oriented capable of stopping the second profile and a nose opposite the stop face and that rests against an inner face of the first profile. The stop is extended opposite the nose, by a shank that extends against an outer face of the first profile to a fixing lug clipped into a second opening in the first profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: FAURECIA SIEGES D'AUTOMOBILE
    Inventors: Christian Couasnon, Emmanuel Levert
  • Patent number: 7100984
    Abstract: A vehicle seat comprising a runner made up of a fixed rail fixed to a vehicle floor, and of a moving rail mounted to slide relative to the fixed rail, a front leg having a top end and a bottom end mounted to pivot relative to the vehicle floor, a seat back mounted to pivot relative to the moving rail of the runner, and a seat proper having a front end mounted to pivot on the top end of the front leg. The seat back is mounted to pivot relative to the seat proper, and the seat further comprises at least one locking device adapted to selectively preventing the seat back from pivoting or allowing said seat back to pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile S.A.
    Inventors: David Epaud, François Fourrey, Fabrice Lesbats, Christian Couasnon
  • Publication number: 20040212237
    Abstract: A vehicle seat comprising a runner made up of a fixed rail fixed to a vehicle floor, and of a moving rail mounted to slide relative to the fixed rail, a front leg having a top end and a bottom end mounted to pivot relative to the vehicle floor, a seat back mounted to pivot relative to the moving rail of the runner, and a seat proper having a front end mounted to pivot on the top end of the front leg. The seat back is mounted to pivot relative to the seat proper, and the seat further comprises at least one locking device adapted to selectively preventing the seat back from pivoting or allowing said seat back to pivot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: David Epaud, Francois Fourrey, Fabrice Lesbats, Christian Couasnon
  • Patent number: 6371558
    Abstract: A fold flat vehicle seat comprises a movable track member slidably engaging a fixed track member. A seat assembly is mounted thereon for longitudinal sliding movement of the seat assembly relative to the fixed track member. A track lock is operatively interconnected between the movable and fixed track members and movable between a locked configuration whereat the movable track member is precluded from moving longitudinally relative to the fixed track member and a released configuration whereat the movable track member is permitted to move longitudinally relative to the fixed track member. The seat assembly includes a seat cushion member mounted on the movable track member and a seatback member mounted on the seat cushion member for forward folding about a seatback pivot axis between a substantially upright occupiable position and a substantially horizontal load supporting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Components Ltd.
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon
  • Patent number: 6347834
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly comprises a seat cushion member mountable on the floor and a seatback member having a loadable back surface and a lockable member mounted on the seatback member adjacent the lower extent thereof. The seatback member is movable between a generally upright occupiable configuration in which the loadable back surface is positioned in a generally rearwardly facing, vertical orientation and the lockable member is retained in closely held juxtaposed proximity to a rearward extent of the seat cushion member, and a substantially horizontal load supporting configuration in which the loadable back surface is positioned in a generally horizontal, upwardly facing relation and the lockable member is rearwardly displaced from the closely held juxtaposed proximity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Components Ltd.
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon
  • Patent number: 5918847
    Abstract: The slide (1) consists of a first (3) and a second (5) section sliding in relation to each other in a longitudinal direction and a lock (10) including locking teeth (16) which mate with notches (57) made in the second section (5) to ensure locking. The lock (10), which is formed of a part in a flexible blade, is securely attached to the first section (3) in an attachment area (13) far from the said teeth and it is elastically deformable in an intermediary area (12) located between the attachment area and the teeth. Unlocking is achieved by pivoting the lock along a longitudinal axis by elastic deformation of the said intermediary area. Applicable especially to the slides of automobile vehicle seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements S.A.
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon
  • Patent number: 5855413
    Abstract: A motor vehicle seat slideway has an unlocking lever pivotally mounted on the moving rail of the slideway and urged towards a rest position, a cable connecting said lever to the seat back to unlock the slideway when the seat back is tilted down forwards, and a trigger pivotally mounted on the moving rail to pivot between a blocking position in which it holds the lever in its actuated position and a retracted position enabling the lever to return to its rest position. The trigger is urged resiliently towards its blocking position, and it also includes an actuator finger which, on coming into contact with an abutment secured to the stationary rail of the slideway, moves the trigger towards its retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipments SA
    Inventors: Christian Couasnon, Fran.cedilla.ois Cortal
  • Patent number: 5820218
    Abstract: A hinge for the back of a vehicle front seat comprises two fine adjustment mechanisms A and B having respective central cams and toothed slugs 7A and 7B, the mechanisms being disposed on either side of the seat and being controllable by a common handle 8, the hinge also has a single locking mechanism C with a latch that is controllable by a knob M, the locking mechanism being situated on the same side as the handle and allowing the back to be tilted down forwards. The cams are controlled by two colinear lengths of shaft 6A and 6B that are free to move angularly relative to each other and the first of which is connected to the handle. These lengths are respectively connected to two levers 17 and 18-19 that bear angularly against each other, the lever 18 which is not connected to the handle being connected by a cable 20 to the latch in such a manner that the mechanism B that is further from the handle is controlled both by the handle and by the knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements S.A.
    Inventors: Fran.cedilla.ois Baloche, Christian Couasnon
  • Patent number: 5806825
    Abstract: A slide device includes a female section piece of U-shaped cross section, a male section piece sliding longitudinally between the branches of the U in the female section piece, and a latch for longitudinally immobilizing the male section piece on the female section piece. The latch is formed of an end part of an elastically flexible blade which is fixed, at some distance from the end part, on one of the section pieces. The end part is provided with square teeth which, in a locked position, engage with notches made on the other section piece. The slide device includes unlocking means acting on the latch in order, by an elastic flexing of the blade, to disengage the square teeth from the notches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements S.A.
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon
  • Patent number: 5772173
    Abstract: A slide includes two sections sliding in relation to each other, and a locking device, attached to the first section, which includes at least two elastically flexible blades. Each bade includes, at one end, teeth adapted to mate in a locking position, with notches made in the second section. The slide includes an unlocking device adapted to act simultaneously on the blades by elastically deflecting them, so that the teeth of all the blades are disengaged from the notches. By offsetting the locking teeth on one blade in relation to the other by a distance equal to K*p+p/n (K: whole number; p: notch pitch; n: number of blades), a reduced locking pitch equal to p/n is obtained. The invention is especially useful for adjusting the position of automobile vehicle seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements S.A.
    Inventor: Christian Couasnon