U-clamp Mounted Patents (Class 297/399)
  • Patent number: 10843608
    Abstract: In general, privacy apparatuses, systems, and methods are described. In one embodiment, a privacy apparatus supportable on a backrest of a seat is provided, including a frame including first and second supports, a connecting member that extends between the supports, and first and second shield panels connected to the supports. The privacy apparatus can serve as privacy shield and/or head/neck support for a user or vehicular passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventor: Madelyne Carlson
  • Patent number: 9579999
    Abstract: A headrest assembly is attached to a seat back assembly by providing holes through a panel of the seat back assembly; providing loops protruding from a rear surface of the headrest assembly; inserting the loops of the headrest assembly through the corresponding holes of the seat back assembly; and inserting a retainer through the loops to fasten the headrest assembly to the seat back assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Franklin Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Howard Velasco
  • Patent number: 9315129
    Abstract: A vehicle interior fixture has first and second elements movable relative to each other by an adjuster that is carried on the first element and that has at least one passage and a row or string of solid bodies in contact with one another, guided in and extending along the passage, and movable relative to the passage. At least one of the solid bodies bears on the second element. A drive element engaging the row or string of solid bodies at a location offset from the one body bearing on the second element is movable for pushing the row or string and thereby transmitting force by compression through the row or string to the one body and the second element to displace same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: GRAMMER AG
    Inventor: Maximilian Kotz
  • Patent number: 9283878
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides compact portable head supporting devices that secure a user's head in a position sufficient to enhance the user's comfort in a seated position. A head supporting device comprises a first member configured to be at least partially sandwiched between a user and a seat, a support apparatus configured to support a head of the user relative to the first member, and a coupling member configured to couple the support apparatus to the first member, the coupling member further configured to enable repositioning of the support apparatus with respect to the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: IPNOS TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Rabih Bachir Zaouk, Pere Margalef-Valldeperez
  • Patent number: 8979205
    Abstract: A seat assembly having a seat back that includes a side frame member and a cross member. The cross member may have first and second support post openings for receiving a headrest support post. First and second sets of arcuate ribs may be disposed between the first and second support post openings. Members of the first set may be concave with respect to the first support post opening. Members of the second set may be concave with respect to the second support post opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Zimmermann, Karsten Mueller, Timo Schroeder, Inko Eberhardt, Vaibhav Tonge
  • Patent number: 8814271
    Abstract: A headrest with a function of a dynamic damper that damps vibrations of a vehicle seat, and provide the headrest with an impact absorbing function with respect to a head portion of a seated vehicle occupant. A stay of a headrest is held at a seat back, and a cover, that covers at least a portion of the stay, is supported at the stay so as to be swingable in a seat front-rear direction around a seat transverse direction. Due to a torsion coil spring (an elastic member) elastically deforming when the cover swings, restoring force in a direction opposing a swinging direction of the cover is generated. Further, displacement other than in the swinging direction is suppressed by a suppressing portion that is provided between the stay and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Manabu Ishimoto, Yuji Yamada, Keisuke Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 8668270
    Abstract: An improved head and neck support couples to an upper back edge of a chair. In a preferred embodiment, the support couples to an upper back edge of a reclining salon chair. The improved support comprises a rigid inner clamping means, an inner filling of compressible memory material, all enclosed by an outer covering with a sufficiently high coefficient of friction to grip the front and the back of an upper back of the chair under the weight of a user's head as the user reclines in the chair. The composite filled support further comprises an upper portion, and a lower portion, said lower portion defining a groove along the length of the support, into which an upper back edge of a reclining salon chair may be wedged by friction fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Inventor: Marzena Ciepiela
  • Patent number: 8662591
    Abstract: A chair includes at least one leg; a rotatable seat; a backrest; and a headrest including a clamping member having a yoke with two hollow cylindrical yoke arms; two hook members extending forward downward from both sides of the yoke respectively; and a lower well; a support including a hinge head pivotably disposed between the yoke arms; and two opposite fastening portions; a head frame including two rear bars and two joints frictionally, slidably fastened on the bars, each joint frictionally, pivotably secured to the fastening portion; a hooking member in the well and including two hook elements curved upward forward wherein the hook elements cooperate with the hook members to releasably mount the headrest on the backrest; a first hinge element pivotably disposed in one yoke arm and includes a lever; and a second hinge element moveably disposed in the other yoke arm and the hinge head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Inventor: Yu-Jen Lin
  • Patent number: 8544958
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seat that comprises: a base; a sitting portion and a back support mounted on the base; a back including a shell and a padding attached to the shell; at least one attachment point provided with attachment means for attaching the back holder to the back; a headrest; and a headrest holder. The seat further includes: a bearing profile section adapted for attachment to the top of the shell of the back; and an arm with a planar aspect extending between the padding and the shell of the back, wherein said arm extends down to the attachment point(s) and is held rigidly by the attachment means of the back to the back holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Steelcase S.A.
    Inventors: Andre Holtzinger, Jean-Francois Host
  • Publication number: 20130161997
    Abstract: An improved head and neck support couples to an upper back edge of a chair. In a preferred embodiment, the support couples to an upper back edge of a reclining salon chair. The improved support comprises a rigid inner clamping means, an inner filling of compressible memory material, all enclosed by an outer covering with a sufficiently high coefficient of friction to grip the front and the back of an upper back of the chair under the weight of a user's head as the user reclines in the chair. The composite filled support further comprises an upper portion, and a lower portion, said lower portion defining a groove along the length of the support, into which an upper back edge of a reclining salon chair may be wedged by friction fit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventor: Marzena Ciepiela
  • Publication number: 20120181836
    Abstract: A headrest includes at least one seat back mounting member and a connector coupling a cushion to the mounting member. The headrest may include two mounting members and two connectors with a single U-shaped cushion extending between the two connectors. The hinges provide two deployed positions of the cushion depending upon the orientation of the mounting members on the seatback. The hinge movably deploy the cushion between a first use position for supporting a portion of a user's head and second substantially vertically extending non-use position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventor: Sami Maassarani
  • Patent number: 8033603
    Abstract: A vehicle seat neck protection device (8) that protects and supports the nape of the neck (4) of a user wherein the device (8) has a body (27) of a predetermined size and shape and a convex surface (6) for positioning the device (8) behind the nape of a neck (4), a rear wall (10) located on the body (27) and at least one securing means (7) located on the rear wall (10) for securing the vehicle neck protection device (8) to at least one post (3) of a vehicle headrest (1). The body (27) may include a cushion area (12) that forms the convex surface (6) and a dense area (11) located between the cushion area (12) and the rear wall (10). In the alternative, an inflatable bladder (17) may form the convex surface (6) wherein a user may selectively adjust the degree of inflation of the bladder (17). The bladder (17) may also be automatically inflated upon strong impact against the vehicle itself. The device (8) may be retroactively fit onto an existing vehicle headrest (1) or may built-into a vehicle headrest (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Inventor: Clifford Bruce Meert
  • Patent number: 7393057
    Abstract: A portable headrest apparatus engages a top of a chair with a U-shaped bracket sized for clamping onto the chair top. The bracket provides a quick-release clamp holding a telescoping rod extending downwardly. An adjustable elbow joint at a downwardly terminal end of the rod enabled rotation of a support arm extending to a head rest mounting plate which is pivotally engaged with the support arm. A head rest cushion is removably attached to the head rest mounting plate which is thus able to be positioned for comfortably resting one's head in almost any position desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Inventor: Lorraine Fraser
  • Patent number: 7204557
    Abstract: A portable adjustable headrest for seats that will prevent a person's head from falling to the side while sleeping including a support bar, telescoping bar, and a headrest pad. The support bar includes a curved flexible top for hanging from a variety of seat-tops, and includes an elongated portion for interaction with the telescoping bar. The telescoping bar is removably attached through bands along the front surface of the support bar allowing for the raising and lowering of the telescoping bar wherein the headrest pad is coupled thereto. The headrest pad is hingeably attached to a ring that is integrally coupled to the telescoping bar, allowing the headrest pad to rotate upwardly and downwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Inventor: Darryl Burton
  • Patent number: 7093903
    Abstract: A headrest with pivotable side support members and safety features. A head support assembly according to one embodiment includes a first wing member including a deformable plastic wing frame portion. The head support assembly also includes a center member that includes a plastic center frame portion to which the first wing member is pivotably coupled. The forward pivoting of the first wing member is limited an acute angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Inventors: Richard W. O'Connor, Brian H. Steuer
  • Patent number: 6938958
    Abstract: A toddler head support having a unitary support member which includes a padded central support portion and padded side support portions having rounded ends. The central support portion includes a support panel which provides a support base for a wire that forms looped members on each of the side supports. The looped wire provides for adjustability of the side supports. The support member includes an elastic strap and padded wire clips for attachment to a toddler car seat or automobile head rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Gold Bug, Inc.
    Inventors: Katherine Gold, Lynn Rosen
  • Patent number: 6935695
    Abstract: A portable traveller headrest is provided. The portable traller headrest includes a bar that may be articulated so that it can be folded onto itself, the ends of said bar having transversal holes to fix the bar to a seat with a fixing mechanism that adapts to different thickness of a top edge of various seats and fixes the bar to a backrest of the seats by pressure and at a desired height chosen by the user. Headrest elements, which comprise thin plates made of a rigid material and have a cushioned cover, can be connected, disconnected and rotated in discrete positions relative to the bar . The fixing mechanism is hingedly mounted in holes located on the bar, thereby requiring little space for storing the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Veme, S.A.
    Inventors: Jose Antonio Carta Gonzalez, Gerardo Garces Martin
  • Patent number: 6893094
    Abstract: A headrest. In one embodiment, the headrest includes a rear head support potion and a wing member. In this embodiment, the wing member is rotatable upwardly and downwardly relative to the rear head support member to allow the wing member to be rotated vertically from a stowed position to a head support position. In this embodiment, the wing member is also pivotable horizontally relative to the rear head support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Dreamwings Corporation
    Inventor: Richard W. O'Connor
  • Patent number: 6648416
    Abstract: A headrest. In one embodiment, the headrest includes a support member having a center portion and an end portion which is integrally formed and which extends angularly from the center portion. A wing member is coupled to the end portion by a hinge mechanism that has sufficient friction to maintain any of a plurality of positions under a load of a human head leaning against said wing member, yet yields when a greater load is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Inventors: Richard W. O'Connor, Brian H. Steuer
  • Patent number: 6644747
    Abstract: First and second head supports are releasably attached to the side edges of a child safety seat. Each of the head supports has a cushion section positioned on the inner side of the seat back and a clamp arm positioned on the outer side of the seat back, with the clamp arm having a proximal end attached to the cushion section. The spacing between the clamp arm adjacent the proximal end of the cushion section is approximately equal to the width of the seat back. Preferably, the cushion section is generally cubical, with first and second headrest faces, permitting use of the head supports on seats having backs with side edges generally parallel to the seat back center section, as well as seat backs having side edges generally perpendicular to the seat back center section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Inventor: Eugene H. Jones
  • Publication number: 20030137176
    Abstract: First and second head supports are releasably attached to the side edges of a child safety seat. Each of the head supports has a cushion section positioned on the inner side of the seat back and a clamp arm positioned on the outer side of the seat back, with the clamp arm having a proximal end attached to the cushion section. The spacing between the clamp arm adjacent the proximal end of the cushion section is approximately equal to the width of the seat back. Preferably, the cushion section is generally cubical, with first and second headrest faces, permitting use of the head supports on seats having backs with side edges generally parallel to the seat back center section, as well as seat backs having side edges generally perpendicular to the seat back center section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Inventor: Eugene H. Jones
  • Patent number: 6305749
    Abstract: A headrest for supportably engaging a person's head at rest to substantially inhibit neck strain is disclosed. In one embodiment, the headrest includes a center portion for supporting a neck portion of a person's head and first and second wing portions for supporting first and second side portions, respectively, of the person's head, and padding covering at least a portion of the center portion and the first and second wing portions. In another embodiment, the center portion is located distally relative to the first and second wing portions, and is adapted to frictionally and/or abuttingly engage the back surface of a seatback to releasably secure the headrest to a seatback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Inventors: Richard W. O'Connor, Brian H. Steuer
  • Patent number: 6123389
    Abstract: A headrest for supportably engaging a person's head at rest to substantially inhibit neck strain is disclosed. In one embodiment, the headrest includes a frame member for supporting the back portion and first and second side portions of a person's head, and a padding member covering at least a portion of the frame member. Such frame member may include a back member extending between first and second wing members, such wing members being pivotal relative to the back member to provide adjustability in the width of the headrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Inventors: Richard W. O'Connor, Brian H. Steuer
  • Patent number: 6010192
    Abstract: A travel pillow having a channel formed into a pillow member having a slope adapted for contoured support of the head and neck of the user and a rubber backed flap extending from the lower side edge thereof that extends downwardly past the back and shoulders of the user to allow the weight from the user's back and shoulder area to maintain the pillow in a fixed position during use. An alternate embodiment provides mounting brackets for attachment to a car seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Inventor: Jenny K. King
  • Patent number: 5934754
    Abstract: A pet head rest that is attachable to the top edge of an automobile passenger side or driver side window. The head rest provides a cushioned support for a dog to rest its head when extending same outside of the automobile window. The head rest includes an elongate U-shaped cushioned body having opposing ends and a pair of generally parallel side edges which extend between opposing ends and extend the entire length of the cushion body to define a slot opening for receiving the top edge of the automobile window. A clipping mechanism is provided for biasing the side edges of the cushion body inwardly for releasably mounting the head rest to the top edge of the automobile window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Inventor: Christina Raffa
  • Patent number: 5800019
    Abstract: A headrest for use in combination with a seat back structure, including a clamp having a plurality of attachment sites and being detachably attachable to a side or top of the seat back structure; and a cushion detachably attachable to the clamp at any one of the attachment sites, at varying locations and angles. The clamp is D-shaped and has a rounded front portion bearing the plurality of attachment sites, and a back portion. Each attachment site is tubular and is interiorly threaded. The cushion has an external threaded portion and is attachable to the clamp by threading the threaded portion into a selected tubular portion to a desired depth to effect a desired headrest location and angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Inventor: Thomas D. Knightlinger
  • Patent number: 5765918
    Abstract: A headrest device includes a stay fixed to a seat back, a headrest body supported on the stay so as to be able to rotate around the stay, and a resistance adding member for increasing the resistance to the rotation of the headrest body relative to the stay, the member includes a plurality of projections provided on the stay, and a plurality of concave portions provided on the headrest body so as to be able to be elastically deformed whereby each of the projections is in frictional engagement with each of the concave portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumio Wakamatsu, Nobuhiko Takeda
  • Patent number: 5294171
    Abstract: A safe multi-functional foldable leisure chair composed of a chair frame body, a chair pad disposed thereon, and a waters guiding pad, wherein the water-guiding pad is optionally detachably disposed on the chair frame body, permitting the leisure chair to alternatively serve as a shampooing chair; the chair frame body being composed of a plurality of frame members which are connected by pivot means and formed with stopper blocks, whereby when not used, the chair frame body can be folded into a flat and small body for easy storage, and when folding the chair frame body, the stopper blocks form an obstacle at a bending corner to keep a space between the frame members for protecting the hands of the user from being clamped and injured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Inventor: Min-Liang Horng
  • Patent number: 5273342
    Abstract: A detachable headrest (10) for removable installation on a seat back (12) includes a frame (16) having a base member (18) for contacting the seat back and a collapsible, resilient upper member (20) projecting upwardly from the base member above the seat back. A cushion (22) is mounted on and supported by the upper member of the frame. Channel brackets (25) are secured to the underside of the base member and grip the top of the seat back. A flap (46) of fabric extends downwardly from the anterior face of the cushion and covers a portion the seat back so that a person leaning against the flap secures the detachable headrest in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Inventor: Charles W. Pratt
  • Patent number: 4904021
    Abstract: A soft, resilient column is provided for use as a cushioned support upon which a passenger in a vehicle may lean. The column is positioned in a vertical direction contiguous to the backrest of a vehicle seat, so that the user may lean sideways against a soft surface while traveling in the vehicle. The column is bendable, and its lower end is tucked into the crevice of the seat to hold the column in its vertical position when the user leans against the column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Inventor: Edith R. Clemmer