Patents by Inventor Erik Sprenger

Erik Sprenger 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: 11904733
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat may have at least one pair of rails which is formed from a first rail and a second rail. A spindle nut may be connected to the second rail and a spindle operatively connected to the spindle nut are located in the inner channel. A spindle gear, which can be driven a motor and interacts with the spindle, may be located at one end of the first rail. The spindle nut may be fixed to the second rail so that the spindle nut has a degree of freedom of at least one. The spindle nut may be fixedly connected to the second rail by a fixing device. A projection may be provided between a base body of the spindle nut and the second rail. The invention also relates to a vehicle seat with the longitudinal adjuster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventors: Peter Gregor, Thorsten Schuermann, Erik Sprenger, Juergen Stemmer, Andrej Sulak
  • Patent number: 11878607
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a motor vehicle seat may have a first rail, a second rail, a spindle, and a gear. The gear may be fastened to the second rail by a substantially U-shaped gear holder, and the gear holder may have at least two limbs arranged opposite one another in the longitudinal direction. The gear holder may have at least one recess in a base connecting the two limbs, and a gear housing surrounding the gear projects at least in sections into the at least one recess. A motor vehicle seat may have the longitudinal adjuster for adjusting a seat longitudinal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Adient US LLC
    Inventors: Peter Gregor, Thorsten Schuermann, Erik Sprenger
  • Publication number: 20240017642
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster having at least one rail pair, formed from a first rail and a second rail. The first and second rails are displaceable relative to each other and fit around each other to form an inner channel. A spindle nut is connected to the second rail and a spindle is operatively connected to the spindle nut and are arranged in the inner channel. The spindle nut is fixed on the second rail by a first fixing element and an second fixing element. The spindle nut is centered perpendicular to a longitudinal extent of the second rail by the two fixing elements. A method for assembling the longitudinal adjuster to a vehicle seat are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: ADIENT US LLC
    Inventors: Erik Sprenger, Maros Rovny
  • Publication number: 20230322128
    Abstract: A seat longitudinal adjustment mechanism may have two pairs of seat rails which are each formed from a lower seat rail and an upper seat rail, which is movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the lower seat rail. An electric motor may be provided for driving the seat longitudinal adjustment mechanism. The electric motor may be arranged between the two pairs of seat rails. The electric motor may have a single output which may be coupled to one of the two movable upper seat rails. Further, a seat arrangement having a plurality of seats where a seat may have a seat longitudinal adjustment mechanism is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Adient US LLC
    Inventor: Erik SPRENGER
  • Patent number: 11745625
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat may have a rail assembly having two rail pairs of seat rails. The respective rail pair has a fixed seat rail and a seat rail that is movable relative to the fixed seat rail. The rail assembly may also have a motor unit and a gearbox unit, which couples the motor unit and the movable seat rail. The rail assembly may also comprise a holder for receiving a gearbox housing of the gearbox unit. The holder is arranged with the gearbox unit in a hollow space formed by the one rail pair and is fixed to the movable seat rail. The holder is formed so as to be open at one end and closed at the opposite end. The holder has at least one stiffening element at the open end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Erik Sprenger
  • Publication number: 20230139092
    Abstract: An apparatus for operating a longitudinal seat adjustment device of a vehicle seat may have one drive unit for the adjustment device, a control unit for controlling the at least one drive unit, a main power supply unit for providing a main supply voltage during normal operation and a rechargeable, emergency power supply unit which is configured to provide during emergency operation an emergency supply voltage for the control unit and the drive unit. A vehicle having such an apparatus for operating the adjustment device is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Ingo QUAST, Erik SPRENGER, Kornel ZALAVARI
  • Publication number: 20230049188
    Abstract: A seat fore-and-aft adjuster for a vehicle seat may have a lower rail and an upper rail. The adjuster may also have a drive unit, a gearbox unit having a gearbox housing, and a cover element. The upper rail may have at least one through-hole. The cover element may have at least one covering region, which is formed from two cover legs opposite to and parallel with one another. The cover element may have at least one covering sub-region arranged laterally to the covering region. The covering sub-region is defined by a covering wing protruding vertically in the longitudinal direction from one of the cover legs. The covering region is frictionally and/or interlockingly connected to the housing section, and the covering sub-region covers at least one connecting region of the bracket above that of the upper rail by the covering wing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: ADIENT US LLC
    Inventors: Erik Sprenger, Andrej Sulak
  • Patent number: 11479150
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a motor vehicle seat may have a seat rail that can be connected to the vehicle seat, and a floor rail, which can be connected to a vehicle floor and on which the seat rail is displaceably guided. The longitudinal adjuster may have a drive device for adjusting the seat rail relative to the floor rail along the longitudinal direction. The drive device may have a spindle fixed to the floor rail or to the seat rail. A rotatable spindle nut may be mounted on the spindle via a thread engagement. An electric motor may be operatively connected to the spindle nut for driving the spindle nut. A drive-side output shaft of the electric motor may be oriented parallel to the spindle. The floor rail has a cut-out and the electric motor is at least partly arranged through the cut-out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Erik Sprenger
  • Publication number: 20220332221
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a motor vehicle seat may have a first rail, a second rail, a spindle, and a gear. The gear may be fastened to the second rail by a substantially U-shaped gear holder, and the gear holder may have at least two limbs arranged opposite one another in the longitudinal direction. The gear holder may have at least one recess in a base connecting the two limbs, and a gear housing surrounding the gear projects at least in sections into the at least one recess. A motor vehicle seat may have the longitudinal adjuster for adjusting a seat longitudinal position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: Adient US LLC
    Inventors: Peter GREGOR, Thorsten SCHUERMANN, Erik SPRENGER
  • Publication number: 20220227260
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat may have at least one pair of rails which is formed from a first rail and a second rail. A spindle nut may be connected to the second rail and a spindle operatively connected to the spindle nut are located in the inner channel. A spindle gear, which can be driven a motor and interacts with the spindle, may be located at one end of the first rail. The spindle nut may be fixed to the second rail so that the spindle nut has a degree of freedom of at least one. The spindle nut may be fixedly connected to the second rail by a fixing device. A projection may be provided between a base body of the spindle nut and the second rail. The invention also relates to a vehicle seat with the longitudinal adjuster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter GREGOR, Thorsten SCHUERMANN, Erik SPRENGER, Juergen STEMMER, Andrej SULAK
  • Publication number: 20220161693
    Abstract: An end cap for a rail of a longitudinal adjuster has a covering portion, for covering an end-face end of the rail, and a fastening portion, for fastening the end cap to the rail. The fastening portion may be connected to the covering portion forming a four-bar-linkage coupling mechanism. The longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat may have at least one pair of rails which is formed from the first rail and the second rail, which is guided displaceably in the longitudinal direction relative to the first rail. At least the first rail or the second rail has at least one opening for the fastening of the end cap for an end of the respective rail. The longitudinal adjuster may have an end cap fastened in the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Adient Engineering and IP GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo QUAST, Erik SPRENGER, Turgay TURAN
  • Publication number: 20220161692
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjustment mechanism for a vehicle seat may have a first rail and a second rail. The rails may engage about one another to form an inner channel. A spindle nut may be connected to the second rail and a spindle operationally connected to the spindle nut may be arranged in the inner channel. On one end of the first rail, a transmission may be driven by a motor, which may interact with the spindle. The spindle may be screwed into an internal thread of a worm gear of the transmission, and the spindle may be conjointly connected by a fixing element to the worm gear. The fixing element may be arranged coaxially to a spindle axle of the spindle and may be pressed between a front end portion of the spindle and the worm gear. A vehicle seat having the longitudinal adjustment mechanism is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter GREGOR, Thorsten SCHUERMANN, Erik SPRENGER, Juergen STEMMER, Andrej SULAK
  • Patent number: 11299072
    Abstract: A seat rail pair for a vehicle seat is disclosed. The seat rail pair may have a lower rail and an upper rail. The upper rail may be moved relative to the lower rail via mutually engaged profiles. The lower rail may have a substantially C-shaped profile and the upper rail may have a substantially U-shaped profile. Roller members may be arranged between the upper rail and the lower rail to facilitate relative movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ingo Quast, Erik Sprenger, Udo Goettel, Turgay Turan, Michael Zacharias, Joachim Flick
  • Patent number: 11267370
    Abstract: A seat length adjuster for a vehicle seat may have two rail pairs, each pair formed by an upper rail and a lower rail. The upper rail is provided with openings and the lower rail has through holes. At least one spring-loaded, movable locking member may be provided. The locking member carries toothlike protrusions on its two opposite lengthwise sides, which are movable from a released position into the locked position both into the openings and into the through holes. The openings and/or the through holes have contact regions for the toothlike protrusions of the locking member and at least some of the toothlike protrusions have a respective undercut on both tooth flanks. In the locked position a projecting edge resulting from this on the respective tooth flank lies opposite the contact region and/or touches this contact region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignees: Adient Engineering and IP GmbH, Adient Yanfeng Seating Mechanism Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Joachim Flick, Erik Sprenger, Pan Wang, Peigui Wu
  • Publication number: 20220048409
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a motor vehicle seat may have a seat rail that can be connected to the vehicle seat, and a floor rail, which can be connected to a vehicle floor and on which the seat rail is displaceably guided. The longitudinal adjuster may have a drive device for adjusting the seat rail relative to the floor rail along the longitudinal direction. The drive device may have a spindle fixed to the floor rail or to the seat rail. A rotatable spindle nut may be mounted on the spindle via a thread engagement. An electric motor may be operatively connected to the spindle nut for driving the spindle nut. A drive-side output shaft of the electric motor may be oriented parallel to the spindle. The floor rail has a cut-out and the electric motor is at least partly arranged through the cut-out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventor: Erik SPRENGER
  • Publication number: 20220048408
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat may have a rail assembly having two rail pairs of seat rails. The respective rail pair has a fixed seat rail and a seat rail that is movable relative to the fixed seat rail. The rail assembly may also have a motor unit and a gearbox unit, which couples the motor unit and the movable seat rail. The rail assembly may also comprise a holder for receiving a gearbox housing of the gearbox unit. The holder is arranged with the gearbox unit in a hollow space formed by the one rail pair and is fixed to the movable seat rail. The holder is formed so as to be open at one end and closed at the opposite end. The holder has at least one stiffening element at the open end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: ADIENT ENGINEERING AND IP GMBH
    Inventor: ERIK SPRENGER
  • Patent number: 11230208
    Abstract: A vehicle seat longitudinal adjuster (106) includes a seat track pair (1) with a lower seat track (2) and an upper seat track (4) that mutually engage one another for guided relative and longitudinal direction (x) movement. The lower seat track (2) has a substantially C-shaped profile (20, 22) with sections (24) that are bent downward at the ends. The upper seat track (4) has a substantially U-shaped profile (40, 42) with end sections (44) that are bent upward; the relative displaceability of the two seat tracks (2, 4) with respect to one another is limited by means of an interaction of an end stop (30) disposed on the lower seat track (2) with a stop element (48) disposed on the upper seat track (4), and wherein the end stop (30) is designed in the form of an extension of part of the downward bent sections (24) and the lower seat track (2) comprises a slotted hole (32) in the region of the end stop (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joachim Flick, Erik Sprenger, Ingo Quast, Turgay Turan
  • Patent number: 11180053
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat may have at least one seat rail pair, which is formed from a lower seat rail and an upper seat rail, which is guided for sliding in the longitudinal direction relative to the lower seat rail. The two seat rails of the seat rail pair may engage around one another. The lower seat rail or the upper seat rail may have at least one opening. The at least one opening may have an opening cross-section, the two upper corner regions of which each have a curvature portion may have a radius which continuously changes of the course of the curvature portion. A vehicle seat with the adjuster is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ingo Quast, Erik Sprenger
  • Patent number: 11130425
    Abstract: An actuation mechanism for a longitudinal adjuster of a vehicle seat may have at least one actuation arm, a trigger lever, and a positioning element which is arranged on the trigger lever and which is pivotally mounted on a free lever end of the trigger lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Keiper Seating Mechanisms Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joachim Flick, Erik Sprenger
  • Publication number: 20210252999
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat may have at least one seat rail pair, which is formed from a lower seat rail and an upper seat rail, which is guided for sliding in the longitudinal direction relative to the lower seat rail. The two seat rails of the seat rail pair may engage around one another. The lower seat rail or the upper seat rail may have at least one opening. The at least one opening may have an opening cross-section, the two upper corner regions of which each have a curvature portion may have a radius which continuously changes of the course of the curvature portion. A vehicle seat with the adjuster is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: ADIENT ENGINEERING AND IP GMBH
    Inventors: Ingo Quast, Erik Sprenger