Patents by Inventor Lea Thomas Smith

Lea Thomas Smith 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: 12570198
    Abstract: A system for moving cargo includes an in-vehicle conveyor system mounted in a vehicle cargo space, the in-vehicle conveyor system comprising one or more rails. The rails may be mounted to walls, floor, or ceiling of the vehicle cargo space. The system also includes one or more cargo storage units attached to the in-vehicle conveyor system. Each of the one or more cargo storage units is secured to the rails such that the one or more cargo storage units are raised with respect to a floor of the vehicle cargo space and define a circuit as based on a travel path of the one or more cargo storage units. Upon instruction, the cargo storage units are movable along the circuit to move a specified cargo storage unit to a predetermined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2026
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Farquhar, Brian Phillips, Jeanene F. Munroe, Evan Katz, Praveen Dodamani, Nilesh Mate, Gegi George, Kyle Calvert, Eric Veine, Krzysztof Wroblewski, Stephen Redwood, Vishal Sarode, Chris Armbruster, Kevin Gasparotto, Andrew Showich, Christopher D. Johnson, Sumanth Muthyala, Aaron Roggow, Salim Marouf, Lea Thomas Smith, Anthony Mollica, Michael Currie, Erik Elie, Jason Scott
  • Patent number: 12479344
    Abstract: The present application relates to an arm rest trash compartment. An arm rest assembly includes an arm rest body having an A-surface with a trash cavity defined therethrough; and a trash compartment corresponding to the trash cavity. The trash compartment includes a movable member releasably secured at the A-surface, and a flexible member which forms the trash cavity. The trash compartment has a stored position and an extended position, where, in the stored position, the movable member is flush with the A-surface, and in the extended position, at least a portion of the flexible member is positioned below the A-surface such that a trash cavity volume in the extended position is greater than a trash cavity volume in the stored position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2025
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Lea Thomas Smith, Thomas Sundberg, Jochen Kohlhofer
  • Patent number: 12391294
    Abstract: A cargo device, cargo management system and method of managing cargo are provided. A cargo device includes a platform having a top side configured to support cargo thereon; a cassette attached to the platform, the cassette configured to engage with at least one corresponding rail in a surface, and electrically communicate with the at least one corresponding rail to receive power and/or data related to the cargo from a controller to actuate the wheels, the cassette, or both; and wheels attached to the platform, the cassette, or both, the wheels being configured to move the platform along the surface. One or both of the cassette and the wheels are retractable based on the data such that the cassettes are moved between an engaged position with the corresponding rail and a disengaged position with the corresponding rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2025
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Lea Thomas Smith, Jochen Kohlhofer, Dhananjay Ingale, Brian Phillips, Anthony Mollica, Michael Currie
  • Publication number: 20240227682
    Abstract: A cargo-module arrangement for a vehicle having a body-in-white (BIW) portion and a load floor secured to the BIW portion may include a cargo platform disposed above the load floor and having a front edge and a back edge. The cargo platform may be selectively movable along a track arrangement in forward and rearward directions and include a cargo gate disposed proximate to the back edge. The cargo gate may include a forward edge and a rearward edge and may be pivotable upward about at least one of the forward edge or the rearward edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Applicant: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sumanth MUTHYALA, Lea Thomas SMITH, Aaron ROGGOW, Salim MAROUF, Arjun YETUKURI
  • Publication number: 20240149770
    Abstract: An armrest employed with a vehicle seat assembly that includes a storage compartment in the armrest that is accessible by moving a storage cover relative to the armrest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Lea Thomas Smith, Zhengda Mao, Thomas Loyal Sundberg, JR., Liting Shen, Jochen Kohlhofer, Jasmine Pizana, Mark Steven Sparschu
  • Publication number: 20240131992
    Abstract: A cargo-module arrangement for a vehicle having a body-in-white (BIW) portion and a load floor secured to the BIW portion may include a cargo platform disposed above the load floor and having a front edge and a back edge. The cargo platform may be selectively movable along a track arrangement in forward and rearward directions and include a cargo gate disposed proximate to the back edge. The cargo gate may include a forward edge and a rearward edge and may be pivotable upward about at least one of the forward edge or the rearward edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sumanth MUTHYALA, Lea Thomas SMITH, Aaron ROGGOW, Salim MAROUF, Arjun YETUKURI
  • Publication number: 20240059205
    Abstract: A system for moving cargo includes an in-vehicle conveyor system mounted in a vehicle cargo space, the in-vehicle conveyor system comprising one or more rails. The rails may be mounted to walls, floor, or ceiling of the vehicle cargo space. The system also includes one or more cargo storage units attached to the in-vehicle conveyor system. Each of the one or more cargo storage units is secured to the rails such that the one or more cargo storage units are raised with respect to a floor of the vehicle cargo space and define a circuit as based on a travel path of the one or more cargo storage units. Upon instruction, the cargo storage units are movable along the circuit to move a specified cargo storage unit to a predetermined location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark FARQUHAR, Brian PHILLIPS, Jeanene F. MUNROE, Evan KATZ, Praveen DODAMANI, Nilesh MATE, Gegi GEORGE, Kyle CALVERT, Eric VEINE, Krzysztof WROBLEWSKI, Stephen REDWOOD, Vishal SARODE, Chris ARMBRUSTER, Kevin GASPAROTTO, Andrew SHOWICH, Christopher D. JOHNSON, Sumanth MUTHYALA, Aaron ROGGOW, Salim MAROUF, Lea Thomas SMITH, Anthony MOLLICA, Michael CURRIE, Erik ELIE, Jason Scott
  • Publication number: 20230415625
    Abstract: The present application relates to an arm rest trash compartment. An arm rest assembly includes an arm rest body having an A-surface with a trash cavity defined therethrough; and a trash compartment corresponding to the trash cavity. The trash compartment includes a movable member releasably secured at the A-surface, and a flexible member which forms the trash cavity. The trash compartment has a stored position and an extended position, where, in the stored position, the movable member is flush with the A-surface, and in the extended position, at least a portion of the flexible member is positioned below the A-surface such that a trash cavity volume in the extended position is greater than a trash cavity volume in the stored position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Lea Thomas SMITH, Thomas SUNDBERG, Jochen KOHLHOFER
  • Publication number: 20230192201
    Abstract: A vehicle having a floor, first and second lateral side body structures, a roof, a rear wall, and a bulkhead. The rear wall extends from the roof and cooperates with the floor to at least partially define an opening. The bulkhead may be moveable in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventor: Lea Thomas Smith
  • Publication number: 20230053315
    Abstract: A cargo device, cargo management system and method of managing cargo are provided. A cargo device includes a platform having a top side configured to support cargo thereon; a cassette attached to the platform, the cassette configured to engage with at least one corresponding rail in a surface, and electrically communicate with the at least one corresponding rail to receive power and/or data related to the cargo from a controller to actuate the wheels, the cassette, or both; and wheels attached to the platform, the cassette, or both, the wheels being configured to move the platform along the surface. One or both of the cassette and the wheels are retractable based on the data such that the cassettes are moved between an engaged position with the corresponding rail and a disengaged position with the corresponding rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Lea Thomas SMITH, Jochen KOHLHOFER, Dhananjay INGALE, Brian PHILLIPS, Anthony MOLLICA, Michael CURRIE
  • Publication number: 20230034702
    Abstract: A delivery vehicle having a cargo area and a package positioning system that includes a moveable panel. The moveable panel may move a package in the cargo area. In at least one configuration, the panel may be mounted to first and second cassettes that are moveably disposed in first and second rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Orsini, Lea Thomas Smith, Dave Anderson, Dhananjay Ingale, Jochen Kohlhofer