Patents by Inventor Steve Michell

Steve Michell 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: 10300823
    Abstract: A method for controlling and selecting massage functions of a motor vehicle seat and include the steps of: switching the system to a selection mode and starting the selection mode; scrolling through massage functions that are organized in a block-by-block manner, wherein the massage functions that are organized in a block-by-block manner include a specific massage zone per block; confirming a selection of the massage block by way of a user selection; and terminating the selection mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeroen Lem, Steve Michell, Florian Golm, Stefan Wolter, Johnathan Andrew Line
  • Patent number: 9840171
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided herein. The vehicle seat includes a cushion disposed within a seating member having at least one inflatable first bladder for selectively adjusting the firmness of the cushion. An inflatable second bladder is separated from a support surface of the seating member by the first bladder and fluidly connected to the first bladder. A vehicle seat hip pivot point is maintained when adjusting the firmness of the cushion by increasing the pressure in the second bladder when the pressure in the first bladder is selectively decreased, and by decreasing the pressure in the second bladder when the pressure in the first bladder is selectively increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Paul Arant, Jeroen Lem, Steve Michell
  • Publication number: 20160046207
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided herein. The vehicle seat includes a cushion disposed within a seating member having at least one inflatable first bladder for selectively adjusting the firmness of the cushion. An inflatable second bladder is separated from a support surface of the seating member by the first bladder and fluidly connected to the first bladder. A vehicle seat hip pivot point is maintained when adjusting the firmness of the cushion by increasing the pressure in the second bladder when the pressure in the first bladder is selectively decreased, and by decreasing the pressure in the second bladder when the pressure in the first bladder is selectively increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Paul Arant, Jeroen Lem, Steve Michell
  • Patent number: 9211824
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat back and a seat for supporting an occupant. A cushion is coupled to the seat and has at least one inflatable upper bladder for selectively adjusting the firmness of the cushion. The seat further includes an inflatable lower bladder positioned beneath the upper bladder. The seat is configured such that a vehicle seat hip pivot point is maintained when adjusting the firmness of the cushion by increasing the pressure in the lower bladder when the pressure in the upper bladder is selectively decreased, and by decreasing the pressure in the lower bladder when the pressure in the upper bladder is selectively increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Paul Arant, Jeroen Lem, Steve Michell
  • Publication number: 20140207333
    Abstract: A seat massage system for a vehicle includes a vehicle seating assembly that has a massaging apparatus. The seat massage system also includes a positioning device for determining a location of the vehicle. A controller controls the massaging apparatus based on the determined location of the vehicle or a location characteristic of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Karl Douglas Vandivier, Jeroen Lem, Yifan Chen, Basavaraj Tonshal, Steve Michell, Milind Modi
  • Publication number: 20140032043
    Abstract: A method for selecting and controlling massage functions of a motor vehicle seat having a control system comprising the steps of: switching the system to a selection mode and starting the selection mode; providing a menu list having options for querying the user's requirements during the massage; selection of an option by the user and providing predefined responses to the respective query and selection of the response by the user and if necessary repeating the steps for further queries; and terminating the selection mode and automatically determining suitable massage settings on the basis of the user's selection and controlling the massage actuators in the motor vehicle seat on the basis of determined massage settings to perform the massage function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Steve Michell, Jeroen Lem, Florian Golm, John Gerald Kaminski, Stefan Wolter
  • Publication number: 20140025258
    Abstract: A method for controlling and selecting massage functions of a motor vehicle seat and include the steps of: switching the system to a selection mode and starting the selection mode; scrolling through massage functions that are organized in a block-by-block manner, wherein the massage functions that are organized in a block-by-block manner include a specific massage zone per block; confirming a selection of the massage block by way of a user selection; and terminating the selection mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Jeroen Lem, Steve Michell, Florian Golm, Stefan Wolter, Johnathan Andrew Line
  • Publication number: 20130285426
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat back and a seat for supporting an occupant. A cushion is coupled to the seat and has at least one inflatable upper bladder for selectively adjusting the firmness of the cushion. The seat further includes an inflatable lower bladder positioned beneath the upper bladder. The seat is configured such that a vehicle seat hip pivot point is maintained when adjusting the firmness of the cushion by increasing the pressure in the lower bladder when the pressure in the upper bladder is selectively decreased, and by decreasing the pressure in the lower bladder when the pressure in the upper bladder is selectively increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Paul Arant, Jeroen Lem, Steve Michell