# US 11,993,223 B2 · Vehicle seat connector assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,223 B2 - Document ID: US11993223B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/821,671 - Filed: 2022-08-23 - Published: 2023-03-02 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-24 - Assignees: CTS Corporation - Applicants: CTS Corporation - Inventors: Douglas C. Moore; Gregory Bunin; Xiaofeng Huang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993223B2 ## CPC - B60R 16/03: for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} - B60R 22/26: secured to the seat - B60R 22/1952: {Transmission of tensioning power by cable; Return motion locking means therefor} - B60R 22/48: Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness - B60R 2022/1806: {for buckles} - B60R 2022/4816: {for sensing locking of buckle} - B60R 2022/485: {for sensing belt anchor position, belt orientation, or the like} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A vehicle seat connector assembly comprising a first connector coupled to the seat of the vehicle and including a first inductive coil. A second connector is coupled to the vehicle and includes a second inductive coil. The first and second connectors are positioned relative to each other into a first relationship with the first and second connectors coupled to each other and the first and second inductive coils positioned opposite each other to define a closed inductive coil circuit and a second relationship with the first and second connectors and the first and second inductive coils separated from each other to define an open inductive coil circuit. A third inductive coil is located on the vehicle seat belt buckle and a coil cable extends between the first inductive coil of the first connector and the third inductive coil. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle seat connector assembly comprising: a first connector coupled to a seat of a vehicle and including a first inductive coil; and a second connector coupled to the vehicle and including a second inductive coil, the first and second connectors being positioned relative to each other in a first relationship with the first and second connectors coupled to each other and the first and second inductive coils positioned opposite each other to define a closed inductive coil circuit and a second relationship with the first and second connectors and the first and second inductive coils separated from each other to define an open inductive coil circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising: a third inductive coil on a vehicle seat belt buckle; and a cable extending between the first inductive coil of the first connector and the third inductive coil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the third inductive coil is a printed circuit coil disposed on a printed circuit board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 2, wherein the seat of the vehicle that the first connector is coupled to is a removable seat of the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle seat belt buckle is free from a battery. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 2 further comprising a shield on the vehicle seat belt buckle, the third inductive coil and the shield being movable relative to each other into a relationship wherein the shield either covers or is retracted from the third inductive coil. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 5, wherein the third inductive coil is stationary within the vehicle seat belt buckle, and wherein the shield surrounds the third inductive coil when the vehicle seat belt buckle is engaged. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 2 further comprising a vehicle seat/belt buckle monitor module and another cable extending between the vehicle seat/belt buckle monitor module and the second inductive coil of the second connector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second connectors includes a housing defining an interior for a foot, a coil spring, a pusher, and the first and second inductive coils respectively. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the respective first and second inductive coils are seated against the respective pusher, the coil spring exerts a compressive force against the first inductive coil, the foot is secured to the housing, and a cable extends through the foot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 8 wherein the foot includes a plurality of clips for securing the foot to the housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second inductive coils include respective ends wound on respective first and second coil bases. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second inductive coils are printed circuit coils. ### Claim 13 A vehicle seat connector assembly comprising: a first connector coupled to a seat of a vehicle and including a first inductive coil; a second connector coupled to the vehicle and including a second inductive coil, the first and second connectors being positioned relative to each other in a first relationship with the first and second connectors coupled to each other and the first and second inductive coils positioned opposite each other to define a closed inductive coil circuit; a third inductive coil disposed on a vehicle seat belt buckle; and a cable extending between the first inductive coil of the first connector and the third inductive coil. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 13 further comprising a shield disposed on the vehicle seat belt buckle, the third inductive coil and the shield being movable relative to each other into a relationship wherein the shield either covers or is retracted from the third inductive coil. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 14 further comprising a vehicle seat/belt buckle monitor module and another cable extending between the vehicle seat/belt buckle monitor module and the second inductive coil of the second connector. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 15 wherein each of the first and second connectors includes a housing defining an interior for a foot, a coil spring, a pusher, and the first and second inductive coils respectively. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 16 wherein the respective first and second inductive coils are seated against the respective pushers, the coil spring exerts a compressive force against the first inductive coil, the foot is secured to the housing, and the cable extends through the foot. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second inductive coils are printed circuit coils. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 18, wherein the third inductive coil is a printed circuit coil, and wherein a second relationship with the first and second connectors occurs when the first and second inductive coils separated from each other when a removable vehicle seat is removed to define an open inductive coil circuit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The vehicle seat connector assembly of claim 13, wherein the third inductive coil is stationary within the vehicle seat belt buckle, wherein the shield includes a central open sleeve that receives the third inductive coil when the vehicle seat belt buckle is engaged, and wherein the seat of the vehicle that the first connector is coupled to is a removable seat of the vehicle.