Patents by Inventor Christophe Aufrere

Christophe Aufrere 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: 9022475
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back extending upwardly from the seat bottom. The seat back includes a backrest and a headrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Seating, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Brncick, Christophe Aufrere, Andreas Kratz
  • Publication number: 20120119551
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back extending upwardly from the seat bottom. The seat back includes a backrest and a headrest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: FAURECIA AUTOMOTIVE SEATING, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory Brncick, Christophe Aufrere, Andreas Kratz
  • Patent number: 8052195
    Abstract: Device for energy absorption in particular for an automotive vehicle seat upon impact, said device comprising a first element substantially in the form of a plate with a hole and a second element inserted in the hole, said first element comprising a series of cutouts that are successive along a deformation direction and define a series of yokes between each other extending along a direction of elongation transversal to the direction of deformation, said yokes having each a length along the direction of elongation, said length increases strictly from one yoke to the next according to the distance of the yokes in relation to the second element and the yokes having an overall concavity turned towards the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Ho-Sung Kang, Julien Meghira
  • Publication number: 20100176621
    Abstract: Device for energy absorption in particular for an automotive vehicle seat upon impact, said device comprising a first element substantially in the form of a plate with a hole and a second element inserted in the hole, said first element comprising a series of cutouts that are successive along a deformation direction and define a series of yokes between each other extending along a direction of elongation transversal to the direction of deformation, said yokes having each a length along the direction of elongation, said length increases strictly from one yoke to the next according to the distance of the yokes in relation to the second element and the yokes having an overall concavity turned towards the second element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Ho-Sung Kang, Julien Meghira
  • Patent number: 7635165
    Abstract: Vehicle seat structure comprising first and second metal sections that extend substantially parallel to one and the same plane in two different directions and that form a junction where the first and second sections are welded together. The first section comprises a cut-out into which the second section is fitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d' Automobile
    Inventors: Jacques Robert, Richard Farnault, Christophe Aufrere
  • Publication number: 20080164743
    Abstract: Vehicle seat structure comprising first and second metal sections that extend substantially parallel to one and the same plane in two different directions and that form a junction where the first and second sections are welded together. The first section comprises a cut-out into which the second section is fitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: FAURECIA SIEGES D'AUTOMOBILE
    Inventors: Jacques Robert, Richard Farnault, Christophe Aufrere
  • Patent number: 7328930
    Abstract: The seat includes a backrest (2) installed so as to pivot on the seat pan (1) and arranged to be placed in a table position where the rear wall of the backrest is maintained in horizontal position, more or less parallel to a seat support frame (3) arranged to be attached to the floor (5) of the vehicle, the seat pan (1) being itself installed on the said frame in a tiltable manner, so that it can be positioned, with a sufficient tilt angle, the rear of the seat pan being raised, so that the backrest tilted on the seat pan can be placed in the said table position. The seat pan (1) is attached to the frame (3) by a set of links (6, 7) forming, with the frame and the seat pan, a deformable quadrilateral (ABCD) such that a pivoting of the links leads to the deformation of the said quadrilateral to place the seat pan in the said sufficient tilt angle position, and locking means (10) are provided to lock the pivoting of the links in relation to the seat pan or the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Pierre Bequet
  • Patent number: 7237839
    Abstract: The automobile vehicle seat features a seat back hinged on the seat pan and device for blocking the seat back with respect to the seat pan in the event of forward impact. The automobile vehicle seat features a height adjustment mechanism. The device for blocking the seat back includes a cam pivot-mounted on the shaft, and a weight joined to the cam, with the cam arranged so upon impact the cam, pivots by the inertia of the weight and the cam engages with a lower edge of the seat back frame, such that pivoting of the seat back is prevented by bracing of the cam against the lower edge and such that this produces a high radial force on the height adjustment shaft, thereby limiting the possibilities of rotation of the height adjustment shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Fabrice Charras, Slawomir Klukowski, Gérald Thevenot
  • Publication number: 20070001474
    Abstract: The seat includes a backrest (2) installed so as to pivot on the seat pan (1) and arranged to be placed in a table position where the rear wall of the backrest is maintained in horizontal position, more or less parallel to a seat support frame (3) arranged to be attached to the floor (5) of the vehicle, the seat pan (1) being itself installed on the said frame in a tiltable manner, so that it can be positioned, with a sufficient tilt angle, the rear of the seat pan being raised, so that the backrest tilted on the seat pan can be placed in the said table position. The seat pan (1) is attached to the frame (3) by a set of links (6, 7) forming, with the frame and the seat pan, a deformable quadrilateral (ABCD) such that a pivoting of the links leads to the deformation of the said quadrilateral to place the seat pan in the said sufficient tilt angle position, and locking means (10) are provided to lock the pivoting of the links in relation to the seat pan or the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Pierre Bequet
  • Patent number: 7021706
    Abstract: A vehicle seat comprising a rigid support structure provided with a rear central beam, which structure carries a headrest, a seat proper, and a seat back carried by the central beam. The seat back is pivotally mounted on the central beam via two couplings that enable the seat back to move rearwards, under a force greater than a predetermined limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Laurent Liaigre
  • Publication number: 20050248200
    Abstract: A vehicle seat comprising a seat proper and a seat back comprising a bottom portion pivotally mounted on the seat proper via a first hinge mechanism situated on a first side of the seat back, and a top portion pivotally mounted on the bottom portion via a second hinge mechanism situated on the second side of the seat back, the top portion being mounted to pivot freely on the bottom portion on the first side of the seat back. On said second side, one of the cheek plates of the first hinge mechanism is connected to the bottom portion of the seat back by a locking member making it possible either to secure said cheek plate to the bottom portion of the seat back, or to allow said bottom portion of the seat back to pivot freely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventors: Bernard Pradier, Christophe Aufrere
  • Publication number: 20050225133
    Abstract: A cheek plate for a rigid structure of a vehicle seat, the cheek plate being constituted by a rigid plate having a central portion defined on either side by first and second side portions. The central portion has at least a first channel section, and the first side portion extends to a side end which is folded over and fastened against said first channel section so as to form at least a first box section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Alain Laporte, Dominique Cottin
  • Publication number: 20050023870
    Abstract: The automobile vehicle seat features a seat back hinged on the seat pan and means for blocking the seat back with respect to the seat pan in the event of forward impact. It features a height adjustment mechanism. The seat back blocking means comprise a cam pivot-mounted on the shaft, and a weight joined to the cam, with the cam arranged so upon impact, it is caused to pivot by the inertia of the weight, it engages with a lower edge of the seat back frame, such that pivoting of the seat back is prevented by bracing of the cam against the said lower edge and such that this produces a high radial force (F) on the height adjustment shaft, thereby limiting the possibilities of rotation of the said height adjustment shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Fabrice Charras, Slawomir Klukowski, Gerald Thevenot
  • Publication number: 20050015929
    Abstract: A braking system for braking a first element (2) pivotally mounted on a pivot pin (6) that is secured to a stationary second element (3). The system includes a helical spring (18) which has a diameter adapted so that, in the assembled state, said helical spring (18) is in contact against the inside wall (15) of a sleeve (14) secured to the second element, the helical spring (18) being adapted so as to make it possible, while the first element is pivoting, to increase the diameter of the helical spring (18) so as to increase the friction force between the helical spring (18) and the sleeve (14), thereby causing the pivoting of the first element (2) to be braked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Slawomir Klukowski, Alain Laporte
  • Publication number: 20040164595
    Abstract: A vehicle seat comprising a rigid support structure provided with a rear central beam, which structure carries a headrest, a seat proper, and a seat back carried by the central beam. The seat back is pivotally mounted on the central beam via two couplings that enable the seat back to move rearwards, under a force greater than a predetermined limit value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: FAURECIA SEIGES D'AUTOMOBILE S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Laurent Liaigre
  • Patent number: 6361115
    Abstract: A seat for a motor vehicle has a seat with two side flanges mutually joined by a transverse tube. An anchoring wire for securing an element designed to be placed on the seat is joined at two ends to a flap extending in the vicinity of the transverse tube. Extending between the two ends is an open loop and a fixing section. The anchoring wire is deformable under the action of a strong force exerted on the fixing section, causing the loop to contract around the tube and transmit the force to the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements SA
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Joël Canteleux
  • Patent number: 6254181
    Abstract: A vehicle seat has a horizontal safety bar which restricts the displacement of the occupant in the event of an accident. This bar is moved towards the occupant by means of an activating device in the event of an accident, following a certain activation trajectory, after which the bar is displaced in the opposite direction applying deceleration on a dissipation trajectory, the initial portion of which follows the final portion of the activation trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements SA
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Gerald Morin, Erik Levernieux
  • Patent number: 6082823
    Abstract: A vehicle seat frame assembly includes two lateral upright side members and a brace connected between the upright side members to form a lower backrest frame. At least one of the upright side members has an upper end and it is rigid from a bottom of the lower backrest frame to the upper end, the upper end further including a point for attaching or passing a seat belt. An upper backrest frame is located above the lower backrest frame and is positioned below the upper end of the at least one upright side member. A hinge is provided for mounting the upper backrest frame at a lower edge thereof to the upright side members for allowing pivotal movement of the upper backrest frame relative to the lower backrest frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Betrand Faure Equipments S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Aumont, Patrick Daniel, Christophe Aufrere
  • Patent number: 5988756
    Abstract: A method of making a vehicle seat in which the strength member of the back has a first upright connected to the strength member of the seat proper by a hinge mechanism, a second upright that is not as strong as the first and that is hinged to the strength member of the seat proper, and two horizontal cross-members, the two cross-members and the top portion of the second upright being constituted by a tube folded into a general U-shape and of section that varies along its length. The method includes a step which consists in imparting the final shape to the tube by hydroforming, starting from an initial tube of substantially constant section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements SA
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Mark Moller, Fran.cedilla.ois Sensby, Joel Canteleux
  • Patent number: 5788331
    Abstract: An armature assembly is provided for a vehicle seat. The assembly includes an armature having a central web extending in a plane substantially orthogonal to the transverse direction of the vehicle seat. A first flange extends from a first edge of the central web that is situated towards the outside of the seat, the first flange extending in a first direction toward an opposite side member. A second flange extends from a second edge of the central web that is situated towards the inside of the seat, the second flange being directed toward a second direction, opposite the first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Equipements S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Aufrere, Bruno Hamelin