Patents by Inventor Wei X. ZHANG

Wei X. ZHANG 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).

  • Electrically releasable buckle assembly for a motor vehicle restraint
    Patent number: 11969059
    Abstract: An electrically releasable buckle assembly (12) for a motor vehicle restraint (10) may include latch components (18) configured to releasably engage a tongue member (14B) of the motor vehicle restraint (10), a release button (16) operatively coupled to the latch components (18), the release button (16) having a latched position in which the latching components engage the tongue member (14B) and a release position in which the latch components (18) release the tongue member (14B), an electrical energy source (32), at least one shape memory alloy component (26) operatively coupled to the release button (16), the at least one shape memory alloy component (26) responsive to heating thereof by electrical energy supplied by the source (32) to a temperature at or above a transition temperature thereof to move the release button (16) from the latched position to the release position, and means (34) for selectively supplying electrical energy from the electrical energy source (32) to the at least one shape memory allo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: INDIANA MILLS & MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Chris P. Jessup, Nathan Beadle, Brian N. Coffman, Wei X. Zhang
  • ELECTRICALLY RELEASABLE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE RESTRAINT
    Publication number: 20220338599
    Abstract: An electrically releasable buckle assembly (12) for a motor vehicle restraint (10) may include latch components (18) configured to releasably engage a tongue member (14B) of the motor vehicle restraint (10), a release button (16) operatively coupled to the latch components (18), the release button (16) having a latched position in which the latching components engage the tongue member (14B) and a release position in which the latch components (18) release the tongue member (14B), an electrical energy source (32), at least one shape memory alloy component (26) operatively coupled to the release button (16), the at least one shape memory alloy component (26) responsive to heating thereof by electrical energy supplied by the source (32) to a temperature at or above a transition temperature thereof to move the release button (16) from the latched position to the release position, and means (34) for selectively supplying electrical energy from the electrical energy source (32) to the at least one shape memory allo
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Chris P. JESSUP, Nathan BEADLE, Brian N. COFFMAN, Wei X. ZHANG