Patents by Inventor Samuel Hanlon

Samuel Hanlon 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: 9661928
    Abstract: An air bladder system is provided with a pair of lateral spaced apart air bladder assemblies, each provided with a primary region received in a seat bottom of a seat assembly. The primary region is expandable in a height direction to support a pelvis of an occupant. A secondary region extends from the primary region and is expandable for angular adjustment relative to the primary region to support a femur of the occupant. A plurality of sensors detects a seating position of an occupant. A controller is in electrical communication with the sensors and the air bladder assemblies. The controller is configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors. The data is compared to determine if the occupant is seated evenly. At least one of the air bladder assemblies is adjusted to balance an uneven left-to-right occupant seating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Patrick, Samuel Hanlon, Michelle A. Pereny, Winsen C. Zouzal
  • Publication number: 20170086588
    Abstract: An air bladder system is provided with a pair of lateral spaced apart air bladder assemblies, each provided with a primary region received in a seat bottom of a seat assembly. The primary region is expandable in a height direction to support a pelvis of an occupant. A secondary region extends from the primary region and is expandable for angular adjustment relative to the primary region to support a femur of the occupant. A plurality of sensors detects a seating position of an occupant. A controller is in electrical communication with the sensors and the air bladder assemblies. The controller is configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors. The data is compared to determine if the occupant is seated evenly. At least one of the air bladder assemblies is adjusted to balance an uneven left-to-right occupant seating position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Gerald PATRICK, Samuel HANLON, Michelle A. PERENY, Winsen C. ZOUZAL
  • Publication number: 20150352990
    Abstract: A seat assembly is provided with a seat cushion and a pivotal seat back. Sensors are connected to the seat cushion and/or the seat back to detect a seating position. An actuator is connected to the seat cushion and/or the seat back for adjustment. A controller is configured to receive data from the plurality sensors, compare the data to determine if the occupant is seated evenly, and adjust the actuator to balance the occupant posture seating position. The controller is in electrical communication with an inflation device to inflate a first air bladder assembly in a thoracic region of the seat back. A second air bladder assembly oriented in a lumbar region, a sacrum region, and/or a scapular region of the seat back is inflated after initiating inflation of the first air bladder assembly for sequential posture alignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Winsen C. ZOUZAL, Ashford Allen GALBREATH, Gerald PATRICK, Karl HENN, Kim KRULEK, Michelle A. PERENY, Samuel HANLON
  • Patent number: 7185916
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly including a rail pair defining a mounting rail and a triggering rail. One of the rails is supported on a floor pan of the vehicle and the other is adapted to support a seat cushion. The rails are moveably supported relative to each other. Also, included is a field effect sensor operatively supported by the mounting rail such that the field effect sensor can be positioned in a first range of positions as well as second range of positions relative to the triggering rail. The sensor is adapted to emit an electric field and to detect disruption of the field when the field effect sensor is positioned in the first range of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel Hanlon, Matthew Zuzga
  • Publication number: 20070040421
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a seat cushion having a recess, and an air plenum member disposed in the recess for routing air through at least a portion of the seat cushion. The air plenum member has a first portion that comprises foam, and a second portion that is attached to the first portion and that comprises a polyolefin sheet. The seat assembly further includes a cover layer covering the air plenum member and the seat cushion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew Zuzga, Philip Leistra, Robert Karbowski, Samuel Hanlon
  • Publication number: 20050151355
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly including a rail pair defining a mounting rail and a triggering rail. One of the rails is supported on a floor pan of the vehicle and the other is adapted to support a seat cushion. The rails are moveably supported relative to each other. Also, included is a field effect sensor operatively supported by the mounting rail such that the field effect sensor can be positioned in a first range of positions as well as second range of positions relative to the triggering rail. The sensor is adapted to emit an electric field and to detect disruption of the field when the field effect sensor is positioned in the first range of positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Samuel Hanlon, Matthew Zuzga