Patents by Inventor Thomas Dills

Thomas Dills 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: 20150306984
    Abstract: A vehicle seat (1) includes a seat segment (14) with a first seat (11) including a first backrest (21) that can be pivoted about a pivot axis (A), and a second seat (12) including a second backrest (22) that can be pivoted about the pivot axis (A). A coupling (8, 9) couples the first backrest (21) to the second backrest (22) to be pivotable together when the backrests (21, 22) are coupled together. The second backrest (22) is pivotable independently of the first backrest (21) when the backrests (21, 22) are uncoupled. A belt outlet point for seat belt webbing, which is associated with the second seat (12), runs in a vertical direction in an approximately direct line over a longitudinal side piece (41) and a mounting (5) for the first backrest (21) of the first seat (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Components GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas DILL, Wolfgang PLUTA, Heinrich HAMMANN, Viktor ENNS
  • Patent number: 9162589
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjustor for a vehicle seat has a first seat rail and a second seat rail which engage around one another to form a rail profile and can be moved relative to one another in the longitudinal direction, and a rail locking member which can lock the seat rails to one another, an activation arrangement for activating an unlocking unit, a force-transmitting element which connects the activation arrangement to the unlocking unit. The force-transmitting element and interacts with the unlocking unit within the second seat rail, wherein a positively locking connection is provided between the force-transmitting element and the unlocking unit, and that the force-transmitting element serves simultaneously for mounting the activation arrangement in a pivotable fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: KEIPER GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Dill, Heinrich Hammann, Viktor Enns
  • Publication number: 20140183912
    Abstract: A vehicle seat, has a seat part, a backrest, and at least one fitting, by which the back rest is attached pivotably to the seat part. The fitting has a first fitting part connected to the backrest and a second fitting part connected to the seat part. The fittings are normally located in the force flux between the backrest and seat part. The seat has at least one deformation zone which is deformed in the event of a crash. A supporting element is mounted on the backrest and supporting element is mounted on the seat part, the supporting elements normally being spaced apart from each other and, in the event of a crash, coming into contact with each other because of the deformation of the deformation zone to provide a further force flux path lying parallel to the fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: Christian Markel, Thomas Dill, Wolfgang Pluta, Viktor Enns, Gerhard Mueller
  • Publication number: 20130278035
    Abstract: A vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, has a seat part and a backrest which is provided with a backrest frame which runs all around as a load-bearing structure. The backrest frame has a lower crossmember, two side parts and an upper crossmember. The backrest can pivot relative to the seat part by at least one fitting which is attached to the backrest frame. At least one corner piece is provided as part of the backrest frame, which corner piece connects the lower crossmember to one of the seat parts. The fitting is attached to the corner piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: KEIPER GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Christian Markel, Thomas Dill, Wolfgang Pluta
  • Publication number: 20130264453
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjustor for a vehicle seat has a first scat rail and a second seat rail which engage around one another to form a rail profile and can be moved relative to one another in the longitudinal direction, and a rail locking member which can lock the seat rails to one another, an activation arrangement for activating an unlocking unit, a force-transmitting element which connects the activation arrangement to the unlocking unit. The force-transmitting element and interacts with the unlocking unit within the second seat rail, wherein a positively locking connection is provided between the force-transmitting element and the unlocking unit, and that the force-transmitting element serves simultaneously for mounting the activation arrangement in a pivotable fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas Dill, Heinrich Hammann, Viktor Enns
  • Patent number: 8540203
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat (1) with a spindle (13), which is arranged in a hollow space formed by a pair of rails (5, 7), and with spindle holders (15). The area of connection of at least one of the spindle holders (15a) to one of the rails (5) lies outside of the hollow space formed by the rails (5, 7). The spindle holder (15a) extends with a partial area, with which it is connected to an end (13a) of the spindle (13), into the hollow space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Georg Ruess, Jürgen Krebs, Heinrich Hammann, Thomas Dill, Ulf Schäffling, Andreas Rüth
  • Patent number: 8438951
    Abstract: A pill bottle opener including a base, a utility ring, and a cap. The utility ring includes two tabs positioned in its inner portion. The cap has a hollow, cylindrical body open on one end and has a dome-shaped top on its other end. The utility ring and cap may be interlocked by a locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Patrick A. McCabe, Mark Jeffrey Hornick, Eliot Thomas Dill, Michael Wood, Dean A. Collura
  • Patent number: 8201878
    Abstract: A seat arrangement is provided that includes, but is not limited to a first and a second vehicle seat, which are disposed adjacent to one another in a seat row and of which the first vehicle seat has a backrest, which can be pivoted from a substantially upright usage position in the seat direction forward into a substantially horizontal non-usage position. The backrest, includes, but is not limited to at least one height-adjustable cushion portion which, in the non-usage position of the backrest, can be moved by means of a four-bar mechanism having four articulation axes from a lower armrest non-usage position into an upper first armrest position to form an armrest for the second vehicle seat. The articulation axes extend transversely to the seat direction and are inclined with respect to a horizontal transverse to the seat direction. In an alternative embodiment, the articulation axes extend in the seat direction in the non-usage position of the backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jürgen Maier, Jens Winter, Thomas Dill, Heinrich Hammann, Viktor Enns, Ulf Schäffling
  • Patent number: 8186758
    Abstract: An automobile seat is provided that includes, but is not limited to a backrest, a seat portion, a backrest pivoting mechanism, and a two-link seat-portion pivoting mechanism. The seat portion is fastened to the backrest or the backrest pivoting mechanism so that it is pivotable about a first transverse axis and the backrest is fastened to the backrest pivoting mechanism so that it is pivotable about a second transverse axis, so that the backrest may be pivoted from a usage position in which the seat portion adopts a first position, forward about the second transverse axis into a non-usage position, in which the seat portion occupies a second position, in which the seat portion is displaced rearward with respect to the first position. The backrest pivoting mechanism is a four-link backrest pivoting mechanism, which is configured in such a manner that the second transverse axis may be displaced rearward into the non-usage position by pivoting the backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jürgen Maier, Jens Winter, Thomas Dill, Heinrich Hammann, Viktor Enns, Jaroslaw Sendecki
  • Patent number: 7992914
    Abstract: A seat arrangement is provided for an automobile comprising a vehicle seat, a longitudinal guide for displacement of the vehicle seat in the longitudinal direction, and a transverse guide for displacement of the vehicle seat in the transverse direction. A forced guidance is furthermore provided, this being configured in such a manner that during displacement in the longitudinal or transverse direction, the vehicle seat is automatically also displaced in the transverse or longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jürgen Maier, Jens Winter, Thomas Dill, Heinrich Hammann, Viktor Enns, Ulf Schäffling
  • Patent number: 7988229
    Abstract: A vehicle seat arrangement (1) is provided including a seat structure divided, in a transversal direction, into an outer first seat (11), a middle second seat (12), and an outer third seat (13), which can all be moved in a longitudinal direction in relation to the vehicle structure and can be locked therewith. The arrangement is provided with a coupling device (20) which couples the second seat (12) to one of the two outer seats (11, 13), forming a pair, when the other of the two outer seats (11, 13) is moved in relation to the pair in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Dill, Ingo Teufel, Ulf Schaeffling, Kai Schumann, Heinrich Hammann
  • Publication number: 20110139954
    Abstract: A longitudinal adjuster for a vehicle seat (1) with a spindle (13), which is arranged in a hollow space formed by a pair of rails (5, 7), and with spindle holders (15). The area of connection of at least one of the spindle holders (15a) to one of the rails (5) lies outside of the hollow space formed by the rails (5, 7). The spindle holder (15a) extends with a partial area, with which it is connected to an end (13a) of the spindle (13), into the hollow space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Georg RUESS, Jürgen Krebs, Heinrich Hammann, Thomas Dill, Ulf Schäffling, Andreas Rüth
  • Publication number: 20090236885
    Abstract: A seat arrangement is provided that includes, but is not limited to a first and a second vehicle seat, which are disposed adjacent to one another in a seat row and of which the first vehicle seat has a backrest, which can be pivoted from a substantially upright usage position in the seat direction forward into a substantially horizontal non-usage position. The backrest, includes, but is not limited to at least one height-adjustable cushion portion which, in the non-usage position of the backrest, can be moved by means of a four-bar mechanism having four articulation axes from a lower armrest non-usage position into an upper first armrest position to form an armrest for the second vehicle seat. The articulation axes extend transversely to the seat direction and are inclined with respect to a horizontal transverse to the seat direction. In an alternative embodiment, the articulation axes extend in the seat direction in the non-usage position of the backrest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jurgen MAIER, Jens WINTER, Thomas DILL, Heinrich HAMMANN, Viktor ENNS, Ulf SCHAFFLING
  • Publication number: 20090230712
    Abstract: A seat arrangement is provided for an automobile comprising a vehicle seat, a longitudinal guide for displacement of the vehicle seat in the longitudinal direction, and a transverse guide for displacement of the vehicle seat in the transverse direction. A forced guidance is furthermore provided, this being configured in such a manner that during displacement in the longitudinal or transverse direction, the vehicle seat is automatically also displaced in the transverse or longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jurgen MAIER, Jens WINTER, Thomas DILL, Heinrich HAMMANN, Viktor ENNS, Ulf SCHAFFLING
  • Publication number: 20090230740
    Abstract: A vehicle seat arrangement (1) is provided including a seat structure divided, in a transversal direction, into an outer first seat (11), a middle second seat (12), and an outer third seat (13), which can all be moved in a longitudinal direction in relation to the vehicle structure and can be locked therewith. The arrangement is provided with a coupling device (20) which couples the second seat (12) to one of the two outer seats (11, 13), forming a pair, when the other of the two outer seats (11, 13) is moved in relation to the pair in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Dill, Ingo Teufel, Ulf Schaeffling, Kai Schumann, Heinrich Hammann
  • Publication number: 20090230747
    Abstract: The invention relates to an automobile seat (2) comprising a backrest (4), a seat portion (6), a backrest pivoting mechanism (18), and a two-link seat-portion pivoting mechanism (10), wherein the seat portion is fastened to the backrest (4) or the backrest pivoting mechanism (18) so that it is pivotable about a first transverse axis (10) and the backrest (4) is fastened to the backrest pivoting mechanism so that it is pivotable about a second transverse axis (12), so that the backrest (4) may be pivoted from a usage position in which the seat portion (6) adopts a first position, forward about the second transverse axis (12) into a nonusage position, in which the seat portion (6) occupies a second position, in which the seat portion (6) is displaced rearward with respect to the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jurgen Maier, Jens Winter, Thomas Dill, Heinrich Hammann, Viktor Enns, Jaroslaw Sendecki
  • Patent number: 7497519
    Abstract: In a geared fitting (11) for a vehicle seat, in particular for an automotive seat, having a first internal geared wheel (13), an eccentric (21) rotatable about an axis of rotation (A), a pinion (22) driven by the eccentric (21) and meshing with the first internal geared wheel (13), and a second internal geared wheel (31) in which the pinion (22) meshes and which is mounted on the first internal geared wheel (13), at least one wedge system (27) is provided axially offset from the eccentric (21), with respect to the axis of rotation (A), the wedge system (27) acting to compensate for the play between one of the internal geared wheels (13, 31) and the other internal geared wheel (13, 31) and/or the pinion (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Dill, Ulf Schäffling, Viktor Enns
  • Patent number: 7335129
    Abstract: In a gear unit fitting (1) for a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle seat, with a first ring wheel (13) to be mounted on a frame side, with a pinion (21) meshing with the first ring wheel (13), and with a second ring wheel (31) meshed with the pinion (21), on the output side, both the difference between the number of teeth (z2) of the first ring wheel (13) and the number of teeth (z3) of the pinion (21) on the frame side, and the difference between the number of teeth (z4) of the second ring wheel (31) and the number of teeth (z3?) of the pinion (21) on the output side, is in each case four.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Boltze, Thomas Dill, Joachim Mühlberger
  • Patent number: 7264566
    Abstract: In the case of a geared fitting (11) for a vehicle seat, in particular for an automotive seat, having a first internal geared wheel (13), a pinion (21) which is driven by an eccentric (15) and meshes with the first internal geared wheel (13), and a second internal geared wheel (31) in which the pinion (21) meshes, the eccentric (15) forms part of an axial clamping (15, 41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Dill, Erdal Kuscu
  • Publication number: 20060161783
    Abstract: A mechanism for rapidly authenticating an interactive user in an operating system logon session based on a shared account by using a credential delivery application to enable permission-based access to a user's remote session from the shared account is disclosed. The present invention provides the ability to switch local interactive users, authenticate the new interactive user, and switch the remote session without requiring the client to first establish a new logon session tied to the new local interactive user. The present invention also alters the normal locking mechanism found in operating system logon sessions so as to restrict access to an interactive local user's applications (both local and remote) while still allowing the rapid switching of interactive users at the client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Applicant: Citrix Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Aiken, Timothy Gaylor, Thomas Dills