Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Kendrick Alden Harper

Johnathan Andrew Line

John Wayne Jaranson

Daniel Ferretti

Grant A Compton

Kevin VanNieulande

Marc Silva Kondrad

Michael Kolich

Lorne Joseph Lovelace

Anton Crainic

Khaled Ayyash

Jerry R Brown

Harry X Zhong

David Paul Marshman

Robert J Sack

David James Hoffman

Christopher James Kiehler

Jay Erickson

Michael John Kitti

Mark Damien Jessup

A vehicle seat suspension system includes first and second side supports that define a seatback frame. A front trim piece is coupled between the first and second side supports. A suspension component is coupled with a central area of the front trim piece and has flexible members protruding forward and outward therefrom. A passenger support panel has a periphery coupled to distal ends of the flexible members and suspended away from the seatback frame.

Flexible seatback system

A vehicle seat suspension system includes first and second side supports defining a seatback structure. An upper component and a lower component are provided, each including at least two outwardly extending flex members. A passenger support includes a periphery operably coupled to distal ends of the flex members. An external peripheral gap is defined between the passenger support and the seatback structure.

A seating assembly includes a seat frame. A first leg support is pivotally coupled with a forward portion of the seat frame. The first leg support is operable between raised and lowered positions. A first extendable member is disposed on a top portion of the first leg support and is operable between extended and retracted positions. A second leg support is adjacent to and independent of the first leg support and is pivotally coupled with the forward portion of the seat frame. The second leg support is operable between raised and lowered positions. A second extendable member is disposed on a top portion of the second leg support and is operable between extended and retracted positions.

Independent cushion extension and thigh support

A seat recliner system includes a seat back having a back support member configured to support the back of a passenger. A connecting member extends generally orthogonally from a lower end of the back support member. The connecting member includes a front portion and a rear portion. A seat base includes a forward link operably coupled to the front portion of the connecting member. A rearward link is operably coupled to the rear portion of the connecting member such that the seat back is rotatable about a virtual hip-point of a passenger that is above the seat base and forward of the seat back.

Virtual H-point seat back system

A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat frame. A first leg support is pivotally coupled with a forward portion of the seat frame. The first leg support is operable between raised and lowered positions. A first extendable member is disposed on a top portion of the first leg support and is operable between extended and retracted positions. A second leg support is adjacent to and independent of the first leg support and is pivotally coupled with the forward portion of the seat frame. The second leg support is operable between raised and lowered positions. A second extendable member is disposed on a top portion of the second leg support and is operable between extended and refracted positions.

A vehicle headrest assembly includes a head restraint operably coupled to a vehicle seatback and having a head support surface. A flexible member includes a top portion operably coupled to the head restraint. The flexible member includes an intermediate portion adjacent the head support surface, a lower portion, and an upper back support disposed on the vehicle seatback and defining an elongated slot through which the flexible member extends. An actuation system is operably coupled to the lower portion of the flexible member. The actuation system operates to move the flexible member through the slot between a deployed position and a non-deployed position.

Integrated thin flex composite headrest assembly

A vehicle seating assembly includes first and second side supports defining a seatback structure that is operable between upright and reclined positions. A motorized actuation assembly is disposed between the first and second side supports and is operably coupled to a pivot bar that is rotatably coupled with the seatback structure. An upper seatback suspension component is coupled to the pivot bar. The upper seatback suspension component automatically pivots relative to the pivot bar to a rearward position when the seatback structure is in the upright position and automatically pivots relative to the pivot bar to a forward position when the seatback structure is in the reclined position. An external peripheral gap is defined between the upper seatback suspension component and the seatback structure.

Upper seatback pivot system

A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a support base. A seat is supported on the support base and cantilevered forwardly therefrom. The support base includes a first brace operably connecting the frame with a first slide assembly disposed on a rocker panel of the vehicle. A second brace operably connects the frame with a second slide assembly disposed on a transmission tunnel of the vehicle.

Adjustable floating seat

A vehicle seatback assembly includes a seatback side support that has a frame member that extends. A suspension component extends forward from the side support to define a peripheral gap. An airbag module is operably coupled to the frame member. A first trim piece conceals a rear area of the frame member and extends forward over the airbag module. A second trim piece is coupled to a forward portion of the frame member and is detachably coupled with the first trim piece along a seam. The airbag module is deployable forward through the seam to move the second trim piece into the peripheral gap.

Vehicle seatback with side airbag deployment

A vehicle including a seat base having a first slide assembly disposed on each of first and second sides of the seat base. A first support column is disposed below the seat base and is positioned between the first and second sides of the seat base. A second support column is disposed below the second side of the seat base. A brace connects the second support column to a transmission hump of the vehicle.

Reverse pedestal seat

A seat assembly having a seat and a seat back that is pivotally connected to the seat. A back cover is disposed on a rear portion of the seat back. The back cover includes an interior side and an exterior side. The interior side includes a plurality of laterally-extending ribs aligned with a plurality of engagement members. At least one vertically-extending channel is disposed on the exterior side of the back cover.

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Temperance, MI, United States of America

Kendrick Alden Harper