Patents Examined by Catherine A Kelly
  • Patent number: 11098529
    Abstract: A curtain may include a blind shade stretched or contracted in a first direction to adjust transmittance of light, a base coupled to one end portion of the blind shade in the first direction thereof, and a transmittance adjusting device to adjust the transmittance of the light passing through the blind shade by pulling outward or releasing inward an other end portion of the blind shade in the first direction thereof, in the state that spacing from the base in the first direction is fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jong Won Kim
  • Patent number: 11098527
    Abstract: A concealed door hingedly-affixed to a concealed door frame adapted to resemble shelving and cabinets, the concealed door assembly simulated permanently-affixed shelving and cabinets, and comprising a playless hinge and various overlapping, double-stacked and interconnected components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Inventor: Jeremy Barker
  • Patent number: 11072962
    Abstract: A vehicle door assembly may include a vehicle door pivotally arranged on a vehicle body, a drive motor for electromotively adjusting the vehicle door, a transmission element for producing a flux of force between the vehicle door and the vehicle body to adjust the vehicle door relative to the vehicle body, and a control device for controlling the drive motor. The control device may be configured to provide an anti-pinch protection. An acceleration sensor may be arranged on the vehicle door for measuring the acceleration of the vehicle door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignees: BROSE FAHRZEUGTEILE GMBH & CO., KG, BAMBERG
    Inventors: Christian Herrmann, Wolfgang Uebel
  • Patent number: 11066867
    Abstract: A door control device in a vehicle including seats and doors, includes: a door driver; a seating position detector; and a door controller. The door driver at least drives opening of the doors. The seating position detector detects a seating position information indicating a position of the seat on which an occupant is seated. The door controller determines a door to be opened on the basis of the seating position information detected by the seating position detector and causes the door driver to drive opening of the determined door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junya Seki
  • Patent number: 11060334
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vertical sliding element including an element frame and a sash which can be moved in the vertical direction relative to the element frame. In the closed position of the sash, one fitting chamber each is formed in the intermediate spaces which are laterally limited by mutually facing side faces of the sash and the element frame. Each fitting chamber is provided with a guide rail and guide elements guided in the guide rail. The sash is connected to the guide elements via a scissors' arrangement having a plurality of parking scissors. The scissors arrangement is designed for parallel parking of the sash in a partially open position, in which the sash is positioned in front of an opening in the element frame, seen in the horizontal direction, and wherein the guide elements are designed to move the sash parked in parallel in the vertical direction by moving the guide elements in the guide rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: METALL BAU GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Augustin, Jurgen Kain, Tanja Süß
  • Patent number: 11053734
    Abstract: A shade channel system and method provide interchangeability of use with a zippered shade and a regular or blackout shade, together with improved efficiency of installation. A guide channel accepts a shade and is configured with a tensioning mechanism to allow the guide channel to be retained at varying depths within a base channel. The system is suitable for providing polished, uniform looks throughout a room and allowing for use of standard-sized shades by allowing the guide channel to be placed at an adjustable depth within a base channel. Existing channels may be utilized, or new base channels may be coupled to existing mullions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: MECHOSHADE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Joel Berman, Stephen P. Hebeisen, Xi Ming Liarno, Eugene Miroshnichenko
  • Patent number: 11047169
    Abstract: A shutter panel for an architectural opening is provided. The shutter panel may include a frame and a louver rotatably coupled to the frame. The louver may be automatically closable based on an angular orientation of the louver. The shutter panel may include a closure device operably associated with the louver. The closure device may be actuated based on the angular orientation of the louver. The shutter panel may include a damping device operably associated with the louver. The damping device may be actuated based on the angular orientation of the louver. The shutter panel may include a tension device operably associated with the louver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventors: Michael S. Holford, James M. Anthony, Joseph E. Kovach
  • Patent number: 11034225
    Abstract: In a vehicle door seal structure in which an outer side weather strip whose tip end portion extends upward from a molding side base end portion toward a door window glass is formed integrally with a molding portion provided on a vehicle outer side of a belt line portion, at least an outer side weather strip positioned at the uppermost portion is configured such that a first hollow portion is formed from the base end portion to the tip end portion and a second hollow portion is formed below the first hollow portion at the base end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignees: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, KATAYAMA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Takahashi, Hiroaki Yokoyama, Takashi Moriya
  • Patent number: 11021900
    Abstract: A magnetically levitating door is disclosed herein. The door may have a bracket having a magnet that is repelled from a magnet of a track. The magnet field of the bracket and the magnet field of the track may have different widths. The track may be disposed adjacent to a door opening. The bracket may have a guard in slidable engagement with the track to limit lateral movement of the magnet of the bracket disposed above and repelling the magnet of the track to levitate the door off of the track while preventing excessive lateral forces on the guard. The bracket may have at least one guide in slidable engagement with the track to secure the engagement of the bracket to the track and maintain vertical alignment of the bracket to the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventor: Tony Lam
  • Patent number: 11021048
    Abstract: A window weather strip arrangement for covering at least sections of a window well of a motor vehicle includes a window weather strip carrier which can be secured on a vehicle skin and has a reinforcing core and a carrier sleeve accommodating the reinforcing core. The window weather strip arrangement further includes a window weather strip secured to the window weather strip carrier. The window weather strip carrier has a vehicle skin receiving portion for receiving sections of the vehicle skin and the window weather strip is secured to the window weather strip carrier on a side of the window weather strip carrier facing away from the vehicle skin receiving portion. A lamp is arranged in a lamp-receiving opening of the window weather strip and the reinforcing core protrudes out of the carrier sleeve overlapping with at least sections of the lamp-receiving opening, such that at least sections of the reinforcing core function as a reflector for the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: FYSAM AUTO DECORATIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Rolf Vetter, Stefan Sirrenberg
  • Patent number: 11008775
    Abstract: Hardware for a lift glide door assembly and lift glide window assembly provides ease of opening with an operational opening assist that urges the door or window to an open position on operation of an opening handle by use of a cable drive system. A lock mechanism actuates a lock pin, blocks opening gear mechanisms from operating and extends a security bolt for locking. A guide blade is provided for assisting the door during opening or closing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Inventors: Lawrence E Chaffin, John R Glover
  • Patent number: 11002065
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a sealing system configured to provide a sealed boundary between a conditioned and an uncontrolled or separately conditioned environment. In some examples, the sealing system may comprise a door, a conditioning device, and a seal assembly. The door may be moveable between an opened position and a closed position. The seal assembly may be coupled to the door and have an airflow path. When the door is in the closed position, the conditioning device may be configured to direct conditioned air into the airflow path, thereby urging conditioned air through the seal to inhibit undesirable door and/or adjacent surface conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: ASI Doors, Inc.
    Inventors: George F. Balbach, Joseph M. Endter, Steven E. Spitz, William B. Weishar
  • Patent number: 11002061
    Abstract: An electronic door system is disclosed for a door that selectively closes a door opening of a building structure. The electronic door system includes two or more of a gyroscope that senses angular velocity of the door, an accelerometer that senses acceleration of the door, a capacitive sensor that capacitively senses the building structure, or a microphone that senses sound of the door. The electronic door system also includes a controller that assesses a physical position of the door according to the two or more of the gyroscope, the accelerometer, the capacitive sensor, or the microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: PassiveBolt, Inc.
    Inventors: Kabir Zachary Maiga, Philip Michael Johnson, Simon Forster
  • Patent number: 11002057
    Abstract: A window operating system moves a window sash between an open position and a closed position. A window has a top member operatively connected to a bottom member by a first side member and a second side member to form a frame. The sash is mounted to the frame for relative movement between the open and closed positions. The window operating system comprises an operator and an elongate member. The operator has a rotating member, and the elongate member provides rotational movement to the rotating member of the operator and movement of the elongate member rotates the rotating member thereby opening and closing the sash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: QuB LLC
    Inventors: John J. Micinski, Frank W. Campbell
  • Patent number: 10995538
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for a frame with a slidable segment are disclosed. The slidable segment is slidably mounted within the frame. A first motor is coupled to the slidable segment. A first pulley is affixed to and driven by the first motor. A first end of a first wire is affixed to a first vertical member of the frame. A second end of the first wire is affixed to a second vertical member of the frame. The first wire wraps around the first pulley at least once. Driving the first pulley in a first direction causes the first pulley to pull on the first vertical member such that the slidable segment slides towards the first vertical member. Driving the first pulley in a second direction causes the first pulley to pull on the second vertical member such that the slidable segment slides towards the second vertical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Hall Labs LLC
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Jerome Miles, Nathan Davis
  • Patent number: 10988969
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses and related methods involving a screening apparatus and assembly. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a plurality of panels, a frame and, for each panel, a locking mechanism coupled to the frame and a mechanical actuator connected to the panel and the frame. The locking mechanism locks the panel in place when engaged with the panel, and may do so at a different angle of rotation, relative to the other panels. The mechanical actuator positions the panel relative to the frame and offset from the other panels, and facilitates rotation of the panel about an axis of rotation that is fixed relative to the frame, in response to the panel being disengaged from the locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Inventor: Theron Clark Harley
  • Patent number: 10988965
    Abstract: A sliding door unit has a mounting frame and an active door panel mounted in and capable of sliding relative to the mounting frame. The active door panel has a face including a panel portion and a glazing portion. The glazing portion comprises less than 65% of a surface area of the face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Endura Products, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Procton, Michael K. Mitchell, Tomasz Jaskiewicz
  • Patent number: 10988010
    Abstract: A hollow seal member of a weather strip for an automobile includes a first wall and a second wall. The first wall extends toward a top end of a flange, turns toward a base root of the flange on a first bent point, and protrudes and curves outwardly toward an exterior of the automobile. The second wall extends toward a base root of the flange, turns toward the top end of the flange on a second bent point, and protrudes and curves outwardly toward the exterior of the automobile. Almost a whole inside surface between the first bent point and the second bent point includes a foamed material. Almost a whole outside surface between the first bent point and the second bent point is a film which includes a non-foamed material. An interval on the hollow seal member includes the same non-foamed material as the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: NISHIKAWA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takao Toyoshima
  • Patent number: 10982477
    Abstract: A sliding door unit has a mounting frame and an active door panel mounted in and capable of sliding relative to the mounting frame. The active door panel has a face including a panel portion and a glazing portion. The glazing portion comprises less than 65% of a surface area of the face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Endura Products, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Procton, Michael K. Mitchell, Tomasz Jaskiewicz
  • Patent number: 10967717
    Abstract: Provided is a door structure including: a door installed capable of opening and closing a door opening part of a vehicle body; a decorative member attached to a surface of the door which faces an outside of a vehicle; and a sealing member arranged along an end part of the door which faces an outside of the door, and sealing the door opening part, wherein the sealing member includes a thick part which becomes thicker toward an inside of the door, and which is inserted into a gap formed between the end part of the door which faces the outside of the door and an end part of the decorative member which faces the outside of the door, and the sealing member is biased toward an inside of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sasaki, Yoichi Katayama