Patents by Inventor Robert Elton
Robert Elton 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).
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Patent number: 10065536Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a track latch assembly having a lower track configured to couple to a vehicle floor, an upper track coupled to a seat base, a recline handle rotatably coupled to a seat bottom, and a track release mechanism configured to move between a disengaged position that enables relative sliding movement between the lower track and the upper track, and an engaged position that facilitates preventing relative sliding movement between the lower track and the upper track. Rotation of the recline handle is configured to move the track release mechanism from the engaged position to the disengaged position, and movement of the seat bottom from a lowered position to a raised position is configured to move the track release mechanism from the engaged position to the disengaged position. A pivot latch assembly prevents movement of the seat bottom to and from the lowered and raised positions.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2016Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: FCA US LLCInventors: Jeffrey J Poniatowski, Robert Elton, Travis D Bechtel, David M Gable, Joel T Hudson
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Patent number: 9809135Abstract: A vehicle seat has a seat base and movable backrest coupled to the seat base. Each side of the seat has a backrest locking mechanism. A case having a first slot is fixedly mounted to the seat. A pulley having a pulley wheel and a first pin is received in the case and translatable longitudinally in the case. The pin is received in the first slot and coupled to the pulley wheel for common translation therewith. A case attachment end of an input cable is fixedly coupled to the case and a user input end of the input cable receives an input force from a user. The input cable extends around a portion of the pulley wheel. Ends of at least two output cables are coupled to the pulley for common translation therewith and opposite ends of the output cables are coupled to respective ones of the backrest locking mechanisms.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2015Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: FCA US LLCInventor: Robert Elton
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Patent number: 9802570Abstract: An adjustable occupant restraint system for a vehicle includes a floor bracket configured to couple to a vehicle floor, a link system rotatably coupled to the floor bracket, and a seat belt buckle coupled to the link system. The link system rotates in response to and along with the fore/aft adjustment of the vehicle seat to substantially maintain the seat belt buckle at a hip point of a seat occupant throughout the fore/aft adjustment of the vehicle seat.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2016Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: FCA US LLCInventors: Robert Elton, Steven J Schenten
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Publication number: 20170088020Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a track latch assembly having a lower track configured to couple to a vehicle floor, an upper track coupled to a seat base, a recline handle rotatably coupled to a seat bottom, and a track release mechanism configured to move between a disengaged position that enables relative sliding movement between the lower track and the upper track, and an engaged position that facilitates preventing relative sliding movement between the lower track and the upper track. Rotation of the recline handle is configured to move the track release mechanism from the engaged position to the disengaged position, and movement of the seat bottom from a lowered position to a raised position is configured to move the track release mechanism from the engaged position to the disengaged position. A pivot latch assembly prevents movement of the seat bottom to and from the lowered and raised positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Jeffrey J Poniatowski, Robert Elton, Travis D Bechtel, David M Gable, Joel T Hudson
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Publication number: 20170057382Abstract: A vehicle seat has a seat base and movable backrest coupled to the seat base. Each side of the seat has a backrest locking mechanism. A case having a first slot is fixedly mounted to the seat. A pulley having a pulley wheel and a first pin is received in the case and translatable longitudinally in the case. The pin is received in the first slot and coupled to the pulley wheel for common translation therewith. A case attachment end of an input cable is fixedly coupled to the case and a user input end of the input cable receives an input force from a user. The input cable extends around a portion of the pulley wheel. Ends of at least two output cables are coupled to the pulley for common translation therewith and opposite ends of the output cables are coupled to respective ones of the backrest locking mechanisms.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2015Publication date: March 2, 2017Inventor: Robert Elton
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Patent number: 9573490Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat base and a seat bottom pivotally coupled to the seat base such that the seat bottom is movable between a seating position, stowed position, and reclined position. A seat guide assembly is configured to couple to a vehicle rear wall, and includes a guide bracket having a slot formed therein and a pin extending through the slot and configured to travel along the slot. The vehicle seat includes a seat back having an upper end, a lower end, and a latch coupled to the upper end. The lower end is pivotally coupled to the seat bottom, and the latch is configured to receive the pin. The seat back upper end travels with the latch and pin along the slot such that the seat back is movable between a seating position, stowed position, and reclined position along a predetermined path relative to the vehicle wall.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: FCA US LLCInventors: Jeffrey J Poniatowski, Robert Elton, Travis D Bechtel
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Patent number: 9403447Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a latch mechanism, a seat frame bracket, a seat back bracket and an interlock assembly. The interlock assembly is configured to inhibit movement of the seat back bracket from the folded position to the upright position when the latch mechanism is in an unlatched condition. The interlock assembly includes a lever movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The lever is coupled to the latch mechanism such that movement of the latch mechanism from the latched condition to the unlatched condition moves the lever to the extended position. The lever is coupled to the latch mechanism such that movement of the latch mechanism from the unlatched condition to the latched condition permits the lever to move to the retracted position.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: FCA US LLCInventors: Robert Elton, Gurminder Rai
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Patent number: 9352672Abstract: An inertial latch system includes a floor bracket, a seat cushion bracket, an inertial weight and an inertial weight damper assembly. The seat cushion bracket is rotatable between a down position, an up position and an intermediate position between the down and up positions. The inertial weight damper assembly is selectively coupled to the inertial weight and includes a detent plunger and a contact plug coupled to the detent plunger. The detent plunger is movable between an extended condition and a retracted condition. In each of the up and down positions, the detent plunger is in the extended condition and inhibits movement of the seat cushion bracket from the up and down positions, respectively, and the contact plug inhibits movement of the inertial weight. In the intermediate position, the detent plunger is in the retracted condition, and the contact plug does not inhibit movement of the inertial weight.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: FCA US LLCInventor: Robert Elton
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Patent number: 9193281Abstract: A vehicle seat system includes a vehicle floor, a floor bracket fixedly secured to the vehicle floor, an adjustable upper bracket, and a linkage assembly coupling the floor bracket to the adjustable upper bracket and including two front links and two rear links. The vehicle seat system also includes a seat back bracket coupled to the adjustable upper bracket and configured to travel between an upright position and a reclined position, and a seat bottom bracket coupled to the seat back bracket. As the seat back bracket travels between the upright and reclined positions, each of the two front links travel from one side of a vertical position, through the vertical position, and to the other side of the vertical position such that the vertical distance between the vehicle floor and the seat bottom bracket in the upright and reclined positions are substantially identical.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2014Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: FCA US LLCInventor: Robert Elton
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Publication number: 20150329014Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a latch mechanism, a seat frame bracket, a seat back bracket and an interlock assembly. The interlock assembly is configured to inhibit movement of the seat back bracket from the folded position to the upright position when the latch mechanism is in an unlatched condition. The interlock assembly includes a lever movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The lever is coupled to the latch mechanism such that movement of the latch mechanism from the latched condition to the unlatched condition moves the lever to the extended position. The lever is coupled to the latch mechanism such that movement of the latch mechanism from the unlatched condition to the latched condition permits the lever to move to the retracted position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2014Publication date: November 19, 2015Inventors: Robert Elton, Gurminder Rai
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Publication number: 20150298582Abstract: A vehicle seat system includes a vehicle floor, a floor bracket fixedly secured to the vehicle floor, an adjustable upper bracket, and a linkage assembly coupling the floor bracket to the adjustable upper bracket and including two front links and two rear links. The vehicle seat system also includes a seat back bracket coupled to the adjustable upper bracket and configured to travel between an upright position and a reclined position, and a seat bottom bracket coupled to the seat back bracket. As the seat back bracket travels between the upright and reclined positions, each of the two front links travel from one side of a vertical position, through the vertical position, and to the other side of the vertical position such that the vertical distance between the vehicle floor and the seat bottom bracket in the upright and reclined positions are substantially identical.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2014Publication date: October 22, 2015Inventor: Robert Elton
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Publication number: 20150274043Abstract: An inertial latch system includes a floor bracket, a seat cushion bracket, an inertial weight and an inertial weight damper assembly. The seat cushion bracket is rotatable between a down position, an up position and an intermediate position between the down and up positions. The inertial weight damper assembly is selectively coupled to the inertial weight and includes a detent plunger and a contact plug coupled to the detent plunger. The detent plunger is movable between an extended condition and a retracted condition. In each of the up and down positions, the detent plunger is in the extended condition and inhibits movement of the seat cushion bracket from the up and down positions, respectively, and the contact plug inhibits movement of the inertial weight. In the intermediate position, the detent plunger is in the retracted condition, and the contact plug does not inhibit movement of the inertial weight.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2014Publication date: October 1, 2015Inventor: Robert Elton
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Patent number: 5476283Abstract: A knee restraint for the interior passenger compartment of a vehicle which deploys upon sudden deceleration such as vehicle impact. The knee restraint system acts as a passive restraint for the lower part of the passengers' body to restrain forward movement. The restraint system includes independent restraint pads which normally form a portion of the dashboard. Spring-biased linkages extend the restraint pads into the passenger compartment closer to the occupant. An inertia latch prevents deployment until a predetermined rate of deceleration is reached. One embodiment of the restraint system incorporates the glove box.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 1994Date of Patent: December 19, 1995Assignee: MascoTech Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventor: Robert Elton