Patents by Inventor Michael Douglas Moffa

Michael Douglas Moffa 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).

  • Publication number: 20230019826
    Abstract: An example embodiment of a system and methods for detecting and reporting whether passengers are seated and secured in their seats within a vehicle may include a passenger sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a presence of a passenger in a seat in a vehicle, a restraint sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a status of a passenger safety restraint associated with the seat, a transmitter configured to be in electronic communication with the passenger sensor and the restraint sensor and to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the presence of a passenger in the seat and the status of the restrain, and a reporting module configured to be disposed proximate a driver of the vehicle. The reporting module may be configured to receive the data from the transmitter, and output a respective status for each of a plurality of seats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Moffa, Gregory E. Schafer, Dan C. Mower, Erin M. West
  • Patent number: 11390214
    Abstract: An example embodiment of a system and methods for detecting and reporting whether passengers are seated and secured in their seats within a vehicle may include a passenger sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a presence of a passenger in a seat in a vehicle, a restraint sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a status of a passenger safety restraint associated with the seat, a transmitter configured to be in electronic communication with the passenger sensor and the restraint sensor and to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the presence of a passenger in the seat and the status of the restrain, and a reporting module configured to be disposed proximate a driver of the vehicle. The reporting module may be configured to receive the data from the transmitter, and output a respective status for each of a plurality of seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Freedman Seating Company
    Inventor: Michael Douglas Moffa
  • Patent number: 11318910
    Abstract: An example embodiment of a system and methods for detecting and reporting whether passengers are seated and secured in their seats within a vehicle may include a passenger sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a presence of a passenger in a seat in a vehicle, a restraint sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a status of a passenger safety restraint associated with the seat, a transmitter configured to be in electronic communication with the passenger sensor and the restraint sensor and to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the presence of a passenger in the seat and the status of the restrain, and a reporting module configured to be disposed proximate a driver of the vehicle. The reporting module may be configured to receive the data from the transmitter, and output a respective status for each of a plurality of seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Freedman Seating Company
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Moffa, Gregory E. Schafer, Dan C. Mower, Erin M. West
  • Publication number: 20200047666
    Abstract: An example embodiment of a system and methods for detecting and reporting whether passengers are seated and secured in their seats within a vehicle may include a passenger sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a presence of a passenger in a seat in a vehicle, a restraint sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a status of a passenger safety restraint associated with the seat, a transmitter configured to be in electronic communication with the passenger sensor and the restraint sensor and to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the presence of a passenger in the seat and the status of the restrain, and a reporting module configured to be disposed proximate a driver of the vehicle. The reporting module may be configured to receive the data from the transmitter, and output a respective status for each of a plurality of seats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventor: Michael Douglas Moffa
  • Publication number: 20200017068
    Abstract: An example embodiment of a system and methods for detecting and reporting whether passengers are seated and secured in their seats within a vehicle may include a passenger sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a presence of a passenger in a seat in a vehicle, a restraint sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a status of a passenger safety restraint associated with the seat, a transmitter configured to be in electronic communication with the passenger sensor and the restraint sensor and to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the presence of a passenger in the seat and the status of the restrain, and a reporting module configured to be disposed proximate a driver of the vehicle. The reporting module may be configured to receive the data from the transmitter, and output a respective status for each of a plurality of seats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Moffa, Gregory E. Schafer, Dan C. Mower, Erin M. West
  • Publication number: 20190344712
    Abstract: An example embodiment of a system and methods for detecting and reporting whether passengers are seated and secured in their seats within a vehicle may include a passenger sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a presence of a passenger in a seat in a vehicle, a restraint sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a status of a passenger safety restraint associated with the seat, a transmitter configured to be in electronic communication with the passenger sensor and the restraint sensor and to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the presence of a passenger in the seat and the status of the restrain, and a reporting module configured to be disposed proximate a driver of the vehicle. The reporting module may be configured to receive the data from the transmitter, and output a respective status for each of a plurality of seats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Douglas Moffa
  • Patent number: 10457208
    Abstract: An example embodiment of a system and methods for detecting and reporting whether passengers are seated and secured in their seats within a vehicle may include a passenger sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a presence of a passenger in a seat in a vehicle, a restraint sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a status of a passenger safety restraint associated with the seat, a transmitter configured to be in electronic communication with the passenger sensor and the restraint sensor and to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the presence of a passenger in the seat and the status of the restrain, and a reporting module configured to be disposed proximate a driver of the vehicle. The reporting module may be configured to receive the data from the transmitter, and output a respective status for each of a plurality of seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: FREEDMAN SEATING COMPANY
    Inventor: Michael Douglas Moffa
  • Patent number: 6554357
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for removably associating a child seat to a dual occupancy stowable seat. In addition to being able to secure a child seat, the stowable seat has a deployed position and a stowed position. The stowed position provides space for storing a wheel chair or other item in the space formerly occupied by the deployed seat. The deployed position is utilized for seating or for statically securing up to two child seats. For the purpose of securing a child seat, the stowable seat has one or more anchor systems, which are an integral and permanent part of a previously existing seat frame of sufficient strength and durability or are installed as OEM in the vehicle. The anchor system is arranged and positioned such that when it is not being used to secure a child safety seat it will not interfere with the ability of the stowable seat to provide seating for an occupant or interfere with the stowable seat's movement from the deployed to the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Freedman Seating Company
    Inventor: Michael Douglas Moffa
  • Patent number: 6485102
    Abstract: The instant invention relates to a method and system of securing a child seat in a vehicle that includes a child seat and a child restraint seat and where the child seat has rearwardly projecting anchorage means and a tether hook, and the child restraint seat is an integral and permanent part of a previously existing seat frame or it is installed as OEM in the vehicle and two front projecting loops are provided that engage with the two rearwardly projecting anchorage means of the child seat and a rearwardly projecting loop that engages the tether hook of the child seat and the said three loops are physically attached to a tubular frame of the child restraint seat and are a permanent and integral part thereof to anchor said child seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Freedman Seating Company
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Moffa, Erin Renee Reichenberger
  • Publication number: 20020109382
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for removably associating a child seat to a dual occupancy stowable seat. In addition to being able to secure a child seat, the stowable seat has a deployed position and a stowed position. The stowed position provides space for storing a wheel chair or other item in the space formerly occupied by the deployed seat. The deployed position is utilized for seating or for statically securing up to two child seats. For the purpose of securing a child seat, the stowable seat has one or more anchor systems, which are an integral and permanent part of a previously existing seat frame of sufficient strength and durability or are installed as OEM in the vehicle. The anchor system is arranged and positioned such that when it is not being used to secure a child safety seat it will not interfere with the ability of the stowable seat to provide seating for an occupant or interfere with the stowable seat's movement from the deployed to the stowed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: Freedman Seating Company
    Inventor: Michael Douglas Moffa
  • Patent number: 6398302
    Abstract: This invention relates to an adjustable child-restraint seat for a vehicle comprising a seat shell, a harness panel, and a restraint harness, The seat shell has a top-portion formed to include two spaced-apart belt-receiving openings. The harness panel consists of a harness casing, a slot panel, an adjustable anchor-point shaft and a spring biased medium that retains the shaft in the corresponding slot of said slot panel . The restraint harness is coupled with the adjustable anchor-point shaft and couples with the restraint coupler which is attached to the bottom-seat portion to provide an adjustable shoulder harnessing system. The apparatus allows the user to easily adjust the height of the shoulder harness from the front of the seat shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Inventors: Gerald Freedman, Michael Douglas Moffa, Erin Renée Reichenberger
  • Patent number: 6106066
    Abstract: A stowable seat for mounting to a support member of a vehicle and for use next to a preexisting obstruction wherein a space may be selectively provided for positioning a wheelchair article adjacent to the stowed seat which includes a frame attached to the support member (floor), a cantilevered seatbase and a seatback. The cantilevered seatbase has a free end, a linked end associated along a path generated arc with the frame for providing the seatbase with a range of motion that avoids the obstruction even when moved from a horizontally deployed position to a substantially vertical stowed position. For additional stability a diagonal support truss supports the seatbase in the deployed position with a movable end of the support truss sliding within a runner track and a fixed end journalled with the frame working in combination with said linked end defining the vertical and lateral motion of the seatbase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Freedman Seating Company
    Inventors: Michael Douglas Moffa, Erin Renee Reichenberger, Michael Minbiole