Patents by Inventor Mark Leonard Little

Mark Leonard Little 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: 11338715
    Abstract: An automotive head restraint apparatus includes a housing having a padded and upholstered exterior, the housing being rotatable about a lateral support tube that supports a lock plate having a lobe extending radially with a detent slot extending therein. A latch finger extends from a pivotable lock lever plate to releasably engage in the detent slot to latch the housing in the deployed position. A pull rod is secured to the lock lever plate, and is connected to a release lever arm at its other end. A shape memory alloy (SMA) wire loop is passed about a drive pulley that is supported by a reciprocally translatable slide. A drive arm extends from the slide to impinge on the release lever and raise the pull rod when the SMA wire loop is energized and contracted, thereby releasing the latch finger to rotate the housing to the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Inventors: Mark A. Gummin, Mark Leonard Little
  • Publication number: 20210370816
    Abstract: An automotive head restraint apparatus includes a housing having a padded and upholstered exterior, the housing being rotatable about a lateral support tube that supports a lock plate having a lobe extending radially with a detent slot extending therein. A latch finger extends from a pivotable lock lever plate to releasably engage in the detent slot to latch the housing in the deployed position. A pull rod is secured to the lock lever plate, and is connected to a release lever arm at its other end. A shape memory alloy (SMA) wire loop is passed about a drive pulley that is supported by a reciprocally translatable slide. A drive arm extends from the slide to impinge on the release lever and raise the pull rod when the SMA wire loop is energized and contracted, thereby releasing the latch finger to rotate the housing to the retracted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Mark A. Gummin, Mark Leonard Little
  • Patent number: 10160361
    Abstract: A head restraint assembly includes a base portion mountable to a vehicle seat. Also included is a frame plate disposed within a cover. Further included is a vertical power actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the frame plate for vertical adjustment of the frame plate. Yet further included is a fore-aft power actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the frame plate for fore-aft adjustment of the frame plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: WINDSOR MACHINE AND STAMPING (2009) LTD.
    Inventor: Mark Leonard Little
  • Patent number: 10112510
    Abstract: A lockable armrest includes a main body. The lockable armrest also includes a latch assembly operatively coupled to the main body. The latch assembly includes a latch coupled to the main body with a spring resisting movement of the latch during acceleration events below a predetermined acceleration threshold. The latch assembly also includes a locking member operatively coupled to the main body, the latch moveable into engagement with the locking member in response to an acceleration event greater than the predetermined acceleration threshold to lock the lockable armrest in a stowed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: WINDSOR MACHINE AND STAMPING (2009) LTD.
    Inventors: Robert Purves, Evan Kayahara, Mark Leonard Little
  • Publication number: 20180029510
    Abstract: A head restraint assembly includes a base portion mountable to a vehicle seat. Also included is a frame plate disposed within a cover. Further included is a vertical power actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the frame plate for vertical adjustment of the frame plate. Yet further included is a fore-aft power actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the frame plate for fore-aft adjustment of the frame plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventor: Mark Leonard Little
  • Publication number: 20170158101
    Abstract: A head restraint assembly includes a base, a head restraint having a housing, and an internal cavity at least partially defined by the housing. Also included is a lock mechanism assembly disposed within the internal cavity, the lock mechanism assembly comprising a first lock member and a second lock member, the first lock member including a plurality of teeth and the second lock member including a single lock tooth, wherein the plurality of teeth and the single lock tooth are engageable with each other and selectively rotatable with respect to each other. Further included is an actuator arm engaged with the second lock member, actuation of the actuator arm required to selectively permit rotation of the second lock member relative to the first lock member in one direction, wherein disengagement of the plurality of teeth and the single lock tooth is not required to rotate in another direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventor: Mark Leonard Little
  • Publication number: 20170158100
    Abstract: A head restraint assembly includes a base portion mountable to a vehicle seat, the base portion including at least one post portion extending in a substantially vertical direction, the at least one post portion having a plurality of notches therealong. Also included is a head restraint operatively coupled to the base portion. Further included is a first pin extending in a fore-aft direction, the first pin having a plurality of notches therealong. Yet further included is a cross member having at least one first protrusion engageable with the notches of the post portion and at least one second protrusion engageable with the notches of the first pin. Also included is a push button in operable contact with the cross member to translate the cross member to disengage the first protrusion and the second protrusion from the respective notches to allow translation of the head restraint assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Brockman, Mark Leonard Little
  • Publication number: 20170101036
    Abstract: A lockable armrest includes a main body. The lockable armrest also includes a latch assembly operatively coupled to the main body. The latch assembly includes a latch coupled to the main body with a spring resisting movement of the latch during acceleration events below a predetermined acceleration threshold. The latch assembly also includes a locking member operatively coupled to the main body, the latch moveable into engagement with the locking member in response to an acceleration event greater than the predetermined acceleration threshold to lock the lockable armrest in a stowed condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Purves, Evan Kayahara, Mark Leonard Little
  • Patent number: 9409503
    Abstract: A head restraint assembly is provided and includes a base including a cross member. Also included is a head restraint having a housing. Further included is an internal cavity at least partially defined by the housing. Yet further included is a lock mechanism assembly retained within the internal cavity, the lock mechanism assembly comprising first and second lock members, the first lock member including a first plurality of teeth and the second lock member including a second plurality of teeth, wherein the pluralities of teeth are engageable with each other and selectively rotatable with respect to each other in first and second directions. Also included is an actuator arm engaged with the second lock member and configured to selectively permit rotation of the second lock member relative to the first lock member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: WINDSOR MACHINE AND STAMPING (2009) LTD.
    Inventor: Mark Leonard Little
  • Publication number: 20150232002
    Abstract: A head restraint assembly is provided and includes a base including a cross member. Also included is a head restraint having a housing. Further included is an internal cavity at least partially defined by the housing. Yet further included is a lock mechanism assembly retained within the internal cavity, the lock mechanism assembly comprising first and second lock members, the first lock member including a first plurality of teeth and the second lock member including a second plurality of teeth, wherein the pluralities of teeth are engageable with each other and selectively rotatable with respect to each other in first and second directions. Also included is an actuator arm engaged with the second lock member and configured to selectively permit rotation of the second lock member relative to the first lock member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventor: Mark Leonard Little