Patents by Inventor Susan V. Elrod

Susan V. Elrod 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: 7320223
    Abstract: A system is provided to control the environment experienced by a child in a child safety seat. Each of a plurality of thermoelectric elements is individually controllable to be one of heated and cooled relative to an ambient temperature. A first portion of the thermoelectric elements are positioned on the child safety seat such that a child sitting therein is positioned thereover. A ventilator coupled to the child safety seat moves air past a second portion of the thermoelectric elements and filters the air moved therepast. One or more jets coupled to the ventilator receive the filtered air. Each jet is coupled to the child safety seat and can be positioned to direct the heated/cooled filtered air to the vicinity of the head of the child sitting in the child safety seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Richard W. Dabney, Susan V. Elrod
  • Patent number: 7284792
    Abstract: A cushion system for use with a child safety seat has a plurality of bladders assembled to form a seat cushion that cooperates with the seat's safety harness. One or more sensors coupled to the safety harness sense tension therein and generate a signal indicative of the tension. Each of the bladders is individually pressurized by a pressurization system to define a support configuration of the seat cushion. The pressurization system is disabled when tension in the safety harness has attained a threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Richard W. Dabney, Susan V. Elrod