Patents by Inventor Keith Michael Ferguson

Keith Michael Ferguson 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: 8292221
    Abstract: A support for an aircraft seat, table or other piece of equipment has a lower support link that sweeps out a lateral arc. The lower support link cooperates with a conventional linear track to support the piece of equipment. The linear track provides fore/aft movement substantially orthogonal to a line tangent to the center of the lateral arc. A pilot link is operatively attached to the piece of equipment to form a four-bar linkage that maintains the equipment in a predetermined rotational attitude as the lower support link sweeps out its lateral arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: AMI Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Othar P. Kennedy, Ryan Stuart Porter, Keith Michael Ferguson
  • Patent number: 8146999
    Abstract: An aircraft seat has an adjustable armrest in which the armrest platform is supported by a hinged attachment to an armrest support member. The hinged attachment between the armrest platform and the arm support member is located at the wrist-end of the arm support member near the aircraft control stick. The armrest platform and the armrest support are locked into position by means of telescoping struts that are controlled at the wrist-end of the arm platform member. The telescoping struts can be selectively locked to create triangular and/or quadrilateral trusses that lock the armrest firmly into position and may include springs or other elements to bias the armrest platform up and forward so that the armrest “floats” when the telescoping struts re released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: AMI Industries. Inc
    Inventors: Keith Michael Ferguson, Donald R. Pinkal
  • Publication number: 20110133030
    Abstract: A support for an aircraft seat, table or other piece of equipment has a lower support link that sweeps out a lateral arc. The lower support link cooperates with a conventional linear track to support the piece of equipment. The linear track provides fore/aft movement substantially orthogonal to a line tangent to the center of the lateral arc. A pilot link is operatively attached to the piece of equipment to form a four-bar linkage that maintains the equipment in a predetermined rotational attitude as the lower support link sweeps out its lateral arc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Othar P. KENNEDY, Ryan Stuart Porter, Keith Michael Ferguson
  • Patent number: 7905450
    Abstract: A support for aircraft seats and other equipment has a lower support link that sweeps out a lateral arc. The lower support link supports a platform that may have a conventional linear track. The linear track provides fore/aft movement substantially orthogonal to a line tangent to the center of the lateral arc. A pilot link is attached to the platform to form a parallelogram linkage that maintains the equipment platform in a rotationally fixed attitude as the lower support link sweeps out its lateral arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: AMI Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Othar P. Kennedy, Ryan Stuart Porter, Keith Michael Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20110049960
    Abstract: An aircraft seat has an adjustable armrest in which the armrest platform is supported by a hinged attachment to an armrest support member. The hinged attachment between the armrest platform and the arm support member is located at the wrist-end of the arm support member near the aircraft control stick. The armrest platform and the armrest support are locked into position by means of telescoping struts that are controlled at the wrist-end of the arm platform member. The telescoping struts can be selectively locked to create triangular and/or quadrilateral trusses that lock the armrest firmly into position and may include springs or other elements to bias the armrest platform up and forward so that the armrest “floats” when the telescoping struts re released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: AMI Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Michael FERGUSON, Donald R. Pinkal
  • Patent number: 7887020
    Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the position of a seat comprises a rack and a clock nut that grips the rack. The rack comprises a threaded rod, while the clock nut comprises a short cylindrical body that is drilled and threaded along its diameter with internal threads corresponding to the thread diameter and pitch of the rack. Circumferential reliefs are then formed in the threaded bore to enable the clock nut to be “clocked” from a position in which the threads of the clock nut engage the threads of the rack to a second position in which the threads of the clock nut disengage the threads of the rack. A pair of linkages are provided to rotate the clock nut between the engaged and disengaged positions and to transmit loads from the clock nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: AMI Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Michael Ferguson, Othar P. Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20080237398
    Abstract: A support for aircraft seats and other equipment has a lower support link that sweeps out a lateral arc. The lower support link supports a platform that may have a conventional linear track. The linear track provides fore/aft movement substantially orthogonal to a line tangent to the center of the lateral arc. A pilot link is attached to the platform to form a parallelogram linkage that maintains the equipment platform in a rotationally fixed attitude as the lower support link sweeps out its lateral arc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: AMI Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Othar P. Kennedy, Ryan Stuart Porter, Keith Michael Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20080238124
    Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the position of a seat comprises a rack and a clock nut that grips the rack. The rack comprises a threaded rod, while the clock nut comprises a short cylindrical body that is drilled and threaded along its diameter with internal threads corresponding to the thread diameter and pitch of the rack. Circumferential reliefs are then formed in the threaded bore to enable the clock nut to be “clocked” from a position in which the threads of the clock nut engage the threads of the rack to a second position in which the threads of the clock nut disengage the threads of the rack. A pair of linkages are provided to rotate the clock nut between the engaged and disengaged positions and to transmit loads from the clock nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: AMI Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Michael Ferguson, Othar P. Kennedy