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).
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Publication number: 20210252999Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2019Publication date: August 19, 2021Applicant: ADIENT ENGINEERING AND IP GMBHInventors: Ingo Quast, Erik Sprenger
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Patent number: 11052788Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster may have a first transverse locking bar accommodated in a slot of a first seat rail. A spindle may be guided through an opening of the first transverse bar in a contact-free manner. At a distance from the first transverse locking bar toward the front, a shoulder of the spindle is arranged. In reaction to a specified action of force, the first transverse locking bar is clamped between the first seat rail and the shoulder. As a result, a force from the first seat rail via the first transverse locking bar, the shoulder, the spindle, and the spindle nut can be diverted to the second seat rail.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Adient Engineering and IP GmbHInventor: Erik Sprenger
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Patent number: 10994635Abstract: A vehicle seat longitudinal adjuster (2) includes two guide rail pairs (P1, P2) with a first guide rail (3) and a second guide rail (4) movable with respect to the first guide rail, a motor unit (12), a gear unit (G) with a gear rotary shaft (6) connected to the first guide rail and a rotatable gear element (7). A transmission unit (11) is coupled with the gear unit and the motor unit to transmit torque to the gear rotary shaft. A gearbox (9) receives the gear unit. A support (5) receives the gearbox inside a gap (BR) formed between the guide rails and passes through a second rail opening (13) and extends out of the guide rail opening and closes the second rail opening. A vehicle seat (1), has the longitudinal adjuster for mechanically and longitudinally adjusting the vehicle seat.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2018Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignees: Adient Engineering and IP GmbH, Adient Yanfeng Seating Mechanism Co., Ltd.Inventors: Juergen Stemmer, Erik Sprenger, Qi Wang, Jian Chang, Zhenyi Tang, Stefan Josten
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Publication number: 20210061137Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2018Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: ADIENT ENGINEERING AND IP GMBHInventors: JOACHIM FLICK, ERIK SPRENGER
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Patent number: 10933772Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster (3) for a vehicle seat (1) includes at least one rail pair (7), including a lower rail (9) and an upper rail (11), which can be moved longitudinally in relation to the lower rail (9). At least one locking unit (13) locks the upper rail (11). At least one actuating element (5) releases the locking of the upper rail (11). The locking unit (13) includes at least one locking element (15) and at least one spring element (17), which are operatively engaged with each other. The spring element (17) is interlockingly and frictionally connected to the upper rail (11) by an insertion locking connection (S). The spring element (17) applies a preloading force to the actuating element (5) and to the locking element (15). A vehicle seat (1) is also provided with at least one such longitudinal adjuster (3).Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2015Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.á r.l.Inventor: Erik Sprenger
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Patent number: 10759309Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster (10), for a vehicle seat (1), includes at least one pair of rails (12), formed from a lower seat rail (14a) and an upper seat rail (14b). The seat rails mutually engage around each other and are movable relative to each other in a longitudinal direction (x) and are lockable to each other by a locking device (16). The locking device has at least one latching plate (18), which is movable in the vertical direction (z). The latching plate has a guide pin (20) protruding in the vertical direction. The upper seat rail has an opening (22) aligned with the guide pin. A guide sleeve (24) extends into a cavity between the seat rails and is accommodated in the opening. The guide pin is guided by the guide sleeve. The upper seat rail and the guide sleeve are connectable by a bayonet catch.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2017Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.á r.l.Inventors: Joachim Flick, Erik Sprenger
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Patent number: 10703226Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster (10) for a vehicle seat (1), has pairs of rails (12a, 12b) including a lower rail (14a) and an upper rail (14b) that are movable in a longitudinal direction (x) relative to one another and can be locked together by a locking device (16). An actuating device (18) has a transmission rod (22) arranged between the two locking devices. A hand grip (20), connected to the transmission rod, is provided for joint actuation of the two locking devices. The transmission rod is operatively connected to the two locking devices. A spring element (30), which applies a spring force to the actuating device toward a rest position or passive position, does not project beyond the locking device in the vertical direction (z). The spring element applies a torque to the transmission rod along the longitudinal extent thereof relative to the longitudinal direction (x).Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2017Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.á r.l.Inventors: Erik Sprenger, Martin Kuzma, Pavol Farkas
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Publication number: 20200156507Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster may have a first transverse locking bar accommodated in a slot of a first seat rail. A spindle may be guided through an opening of the first transverse bar in a contact-free manner. At a distance from the first transverse locking bar toward the front, a shoulder of the spindle is arranged. In reaction to a specified action of force, the first transverse locking bar is clamped between the first seat rail and the shoulder. As a result, a force from the first seat rail via the first transverse locking bar, the shoulder, the spindle, and the spindle nut can be diverted to the second seat rail.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2018Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: ADIENT ENGINEERING AND IP GMBHInventor: ERIK SPRENGER
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Patent number: 10611272Abstract: A bearing cage (6), for a seat rail pair (2) of a vehicle seat (1), has two interconnected cage elements (6.1, 6.2) which are axially symmetrical and accommodate a number of rolling bodies (5). A connecting element (6.3) is arranged between the cage elements (6.1, 6.2) at longitudinal sides of said cage elements, which face toward one another. The connecting element runs parallel to an axis of symmetry (S) and is of mechanically flexible. The connecting element (6.3) is in the form of a spring. The cage elements (6.1, 6.2) form spring limbs which are pivotable about the axis of symmetry (S). A seat rail pair (2) for a vehicle seat (1), in particular a motor vehicle seat, is also provided and includes at least one such bearing cage (6). A vehicle seat (1) is also provided that includes at least one such seat rail pair (2).Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.à r.l.Inventors: Ingo Quast, Erik Sprenger
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Patent number: 10596924Abstract: A rail system (1), for a vehicle seat, includes a lower rail (3), an upper rail (5), a sliding block (7) and at least one rolling body cage (9) having rolling bodies (11). The sliding block (7) is rigidly connected to the lower rail (3). The rolling body cage (9) is movable relative to the sliding block (7), parallel to a longitudinal axis (13) of the lower rail (3), between two end positions defined by end stops (71) of the sliding block (7). The rolling body cage (9) is coupled to the lower rail (3) via the rolling bodies (11). The upper rail (5) is mounted movably on the sliding block (7) along the longitudinal axis (13) of the lower rail (3) and is coupled to the rolling body cage (9).Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2017Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.à r.l.Inventor: Erik Sprenger
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Publication number: 20200039389Abstract: A vehicle seat longitudinal adjuster (2) includes two guide rail pairs (P1, P2) with a first guide rail (3) and a second guide rail (4) movable with respect to the first guide rail, a motor unit (12), a gear unit (G) with a gear rotary shaft (6) connected to the first guide rail and a rotatable gear element (7). A transmission unit (11) is coupled with the gear unit and the motor unit to transmit torque to the gear rotary shaft. A gearbox (9) receives the gear unit. A support (5) receives the gearbox inside a gap (BR) formed between the guide rails and passes through a second rail opening (13) and extends out of the guide rail opening and closes the second rail opening. A vehicle seat (1), has the longitudinal adjuster for mechanically and longitudinally adjusting the vehicle seat.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2018Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Juergen STEMMER, Erik SPRENGER, Qi WANG, Jian CHANG, Zhenyi TANG, Stefan JOSTEN
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Publication number: 20200039390Abstract: The invention relates to a seat length adjuster (3), especially for a vehicle seat, comprising at least: two rail pairs (10) arranged at a distance from each other, formed respectively by two rails, an upper rail (11) and a lower rail (12), wherein the upper rail is provided with openings (16) and the lower rail (12) has through holes (14), and at least one spring-loaded, movable locking member (21), which is held on the upper rail (11) and which blocks a movement of the upper rail (11) in the lower rail (12) in a locked position (VS), and which carries toothlike protrusions (15) on its two opposite lengthwise sides, which are movable from a released position (FS) into the locked position (VS) both into the openings (16) and into the through holes (14), wherein the locking member (21) secures the upper rail (11) and lower rail (12) in the locked position (VS), wherein the openings (16) and/or the through holes (14) have contact regions (K) for the toothlike protrusions (15) of the locking member (21) andType: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Joachim FLICK, Erik SPRENGER, Pan WANG, Peigui WU
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Publication number: 20190389332Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2017Publication date: December 26, 2019Inventors: Joachim FLICK, Erik SPRENGER, Ingo QUAST, Turgay TURAN
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Publication number: 20190375314Abstract: A seat rail pair (1) for a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle seat, includes a lower rail (2) and an upper rail (4). The upper rail (4) is guided displaceably in the longitudinal direction relative to the lower rail (2). Profiles of the rails are mutually in engagement. The lower rail (2) has a substantially C-shaped profile (20, 22) with portions (24) bent downwards at the ends. The upper rail (4) has a substantially U-shaped profile (40, 42) with end portions (44) bent upwards. Rolling bodies (8a, 8b) are arranged in two lower rolling-body raceways (10a) and two upper rolling-body raceways (10b) between the lower rail (2) and the upper rail (4). A part of the end portions (44) making contact with the rolling bodies (8a) arranged in the lower rolling-body raceways (10a) has a flat supporting surface (46).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2017Publication date: December 12, 2019Inventors: Ingo QUAST, Erik SPRENGER, Udo GOETTEL, Turgay TURAN, Michael ZACHARIAS, Joachim FLICK
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Patent number: 10500986Abstract: An actuating mechanism (4), for a longitudinal adjuster (1) of a vehicle seat, includes an upper rail (2.1) and a lower rail (2.2), which rails are lockable to each other by at least one lock (3). The actuating mechanism (4) includes an actuating arm (4.1), a release lever (5), a positioning element (5.2), which is arranged on the release lever (5) and is mounted pivotably at a free lever end (5.3) of the release lever (5), and a connecting region (5.1) which is arranged on the release lever (5) and has an opening (5.4) provided for the non-rotatable fastening of the actuating arm (4.1). The free lever end (5.3) is configured for arrangement in an interior space (I) of the rails (2.1, 2.2). The connecting region (5.1) is configured so as to be able to pass through an upper side of the upper rail (2.1).Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2016Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.à{grave over (.)}r.l.Inventors: Erik Sprenger, Maros Rovny, Martin Kuzma, Michael Zacharias
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Patent number: 10399464Abstract: A cover (11), for a rail pair (3) of a longitudinally adjustable vehicle seat (1), includes at least one bottom rail (5) affixed to the vehicle and one top rail (7) which top rail (7) is longitudinally movable relative to the bottom rail (5). The cover (11) has a cover element (11.1) arranged and placed on at least one end (7.1, 7.2) of the rail pair (3) and an integrated stiffening element (11.2), designed to stiffen at least one of the two rails (5, 7), which protrudes into an interior chamber of the rail pair (3).Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2015Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.à. r. l.Inventors: Ingo Quast, Erik Sprenger
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Publication number: 20190184859Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster (10), for a vehicle seat (1), includes at least one pair of rails (12), formed from a lower seat rail (14a) and an upper seat rail (14b). The seat rails mutually engage around each other and are movable relative to each other in a longitudinal direction (x) and are lockable to each other by a locking device (16). The locking device has at least one latching plate (18), which is movable in the vertical direction (z). The latching plate has a guide pin (20) protruding in the vertical direction. The upper seat rail has an opening (22) aligned with the guide pin. A guide sleeve (24) extends into a cavity between the seat rails and is accommodated in the opening. The guide pin is guided by the guide sleeve. The upper seat rail and the guide sleeve are connectable by a bayonet catch.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2017Publication date: June 20, 2019Inventors: Joachim FLICK, Erik SPRENGER
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Publication number: 20190176659Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster (10) for a vehicle seat (1), has pairs of rails (12a, 12b) including a lower rail (14a) and an upper rail (14b) that are movable in a longitudinal direction (x) relative to one another and can be locked together by a locking device (16). An actuating device (18) has a transmission rod (22) arranged between the two locking devices. A hand grip (20), connected to the transmission rod, is provided for joint actuation of the two locking devices. The transmission rod is operatively connected to the two locking devices. A spring element (30), which applies a spring force to the actuating device toward a rest position or passive position, does not project beyond the locking device in the vertical direction (z). The spring element applies a torque to the transmission rod along the longitudinal extent thereof relative to the longitudinal direction (x).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2017Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Erik SPRENGER, Martin KUZMA, Pavol FARKAS
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Publication number: 20190168639Abstract: A rail system (1), for a vehicle seat, includes a lower rail (3), an upper rail (5), a sliding block (7) and at least one rolling body cage (9) having rolling bodies (11). The sliding block (7) is rigidly connected to the lower rail (3). The rolling body cage (9) is movable relative to the sliding block (7), parallel to a longitudinal axis (13) of the lower rail (3), between two end positions defined by end stops (71) of the sliding block (7). The rolling body cage (9) is coupled to the lower rail (3) via the rolling bodies (11). The upper rail (5) is mounted movably on the sliding block (7) along the longitudinal axis (13) of the lower rail (3) and is coupled to the rolling body cage (9).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2017Publication date: June 6, 2019Inventor: Erik SPRENGER
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Publication number: 20190135140Abstract: A vehicle seat longitudinal adjuster includes two pairs of rails (10), each including a seat-mounted upper rail (10a) and a structure-mounted lower rail (10b). A first locking element (16a) and a second locking element (16b) block movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail. The lower rail has apertures (14) and the upper rail has slot openings (12). The locking elements have tooth projections (18), which are guided in the slot openings, and in a locking position, reach through the slot openings and the apertures. In the locking position, the first locking element engages partially in the apertures for the play-free position of the pair of rails. In the locking position, the second locking element is always fully inserted into the apertures. A vehicle seat (1) has a seat part (3), a backrest (5) which is coupled to the seat part and a longitudinal adjuster.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2017Publication date: May 9, 2019Applicant: Adient Luxembourg Holding S.à r.l.Inventors: Joachim FLICK, Erik SPRENGER