Patents by Inventor Jennifer Sterling

Jennifer Sterling 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: 11833941
    Abstract: Mechanisms for raising at least a portion of a vehicle load floor in response to lowering of one adjacent seat, to allow for easier loading of vehicle cargo areas. Mechanisms may raise a portion of the load floor when any one or more adjacent seats are lowered, but only lower the load floor when all adjacent seats are raised. In this manner, mechanisms of embodiments of the disclosure raise the load floor to an inclined position so that the load floor gradually rises to the elevation of any adjacent folded seat backs, rather than having a step increase in height at the boundary between load floor and seats. This allows for easier sliding of cargo over the load floor and onto the seat backs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Jennifer Sterling, Marcus Merideth, John Behrendt, Peter McKean
  • Publication number: 20220242283
    Abstract: Mechanisms for raising at least a portion of a vehicle load floor in response to lowering of one adjacent seat, to allow for easier loading of vehicle cargo areas. Mechanisms may raise a portion of the load floor when any one or more adjacent seats are lowered, but only lower the load floor when all adjacent seats are raised. In this manner, mechanisms of embodiments of the disclosure raise the load floor to an inclined position so that the load floor gradually rises to the elevation of any adjacent folded seat backs, rather than having a step increase in height at the boundary between load floor and seats. This allows for easier sliding of cargo over the load floor and onto the seat backs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Jennifer Sterling, Marcus Merideth, John Behrendt, Peter McKean
  • Publication number: 20070047217
    Abstract: A vehicle backlit panel includes a base substrate, an electroluminescent element and an outer substrate. The electroluminescent element is disposed on one side of the base substrate. The outer substrate overlies the electroluminescent element. The outer substrate includes a translucent substrate portion having areas of different thicknesses as measured in a direction of illumination through the outer substrate to form a three-dimensional graphic image with a three-dimensional appearance resulting from different translucency levels of the areas of different thicknesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Heather Konet, Jason Gray, Michael Miller, Jennifer Sterling
  • Publication number: 20070041169
    Abstract: A light panel includes an outer layer, a first proximity switch, an electroluminescent element and a base portion. The outer layer includes a translucent portion. The first proximity switch is disposed beneath the outer layer and has first and second electrically conductive switch portions that are arranged to form an electric field that emanates through the outer layer when the first proximity switch is energized. The electroluminescent element is disposed beneath the outer layer to provided backlighting to the outer layer. One of the first and second electrically conductive switch portions of the first proximity switch forms at least a portion of an electrode of the electroluminescent element. The base portion is disposed beneath the electroluminescent element and the first proximity switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Heather Konet, Jason Gray, Michael Miller, Jennifer Sterling