Patents Examined by Kristina Fulton
  • Patent number: 10472865
    Abstract: A latch having: a fork bolt movably mounted thereto; a detent lever movably mounted thereto, wherein the detent lever prevents the fork bolt from moving from a closed position to an open position when the detent lever is in a latched position; a bell crank lever movably mounted to the latch for movement between a first position and a second position, wherein the bell crank lever moves the detent lever from the latched position to the released position as the bell crank lever moves from the first position to the second position; a release lever movably mounted to the latch for movement between a first position and a second position; and an intermittent pin operatively coupled to bell crank lever and the release lever, wherein movement of the release lever is not transferred to the bell crank lever when the intermittent pin is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: INTEVA PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Francisco Javier Vazquez, Ari Mino, Alfredo Martinez
  • Patent number: 10041279
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a motor vehicle lock for a motor vehicle door arrangement, wherein a pivotable catch and an inlet mouth for a lock striker are provided, wherein the catch can be brought into at least one closed position and into at least one open position, wherein the catch as such in its closed position may hold the lock striker by a holding engagement between the catch and the lock striker and in its open position may release the lock striker, wherein during a closing cycle the lock striker comes into an actuating engagement with the motor vehicle lock such that the catch moves from its open position into the direction of its closed position, preferably into its closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: David Rosales, Michael Wittelsbuerger
  • Patent number: 10041280
    Abstract: A latch assembly is provided herein, the latch assembly having: a chassis; a latch bolt, movably mounted on the chassis and having a closed position for retaining a striker, an open position for releasing the striker; a first safety position between the closed position and the open position for retaining the striker; a first pawl having a first pawl engaged position at which the first pawl is engageable with the latch bolt to hold the latch bolt in the closed position and a first pawl disengaged position at which the first pawl is disengaged from the latch bolt thereby allowing the latch bolt to at least move towards the first safety position; and a second pawl having a second pawl engaged position at which the second pawl is engageable with the latch bolt to hold the latch bolt in the first safety position and a second pawl disengaged position at which the second pawl is disengaged from the latch bolt thereby allowing the latch bolt to move towards the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: INTEVA PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Coleman, Gurbinder Singh Kalsi
  • Patent number: 10035490
    Abstract: An active hood latch device for a vehicle may actively reduce a pedestrian injury value by uniformly lifting up a front end portion of a hood of the vehicle by directly popping up a striker in case of a pedestrian collision accident. Such an active hood latch device may include an actuator for generating power for lifting up a striker locked by a passive latch, an actuator cooperating portion installed to connect the striker with the actuator and to lift up the striker in cooperation with the actuator when the actuator operates, and an electronic controller for operating the actuator upon receiving a sensing signal from a collision sensor that senses pedestrian collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, PYEONG HWA AUTOMOTIVE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Il Kim, Seong Tae Hong
  • Patent number: 10006230
    Abstract: An actuator integrated push opener includes a fuel inlet door of a vehicle to open and close a vehicle fuel inlet. A housing accommodates a motor having a worm mounted on a rotational shaft and has a guide hole formed. A striker is mounted in the housing, penetrates through the guide hole, and is connected to the fuel inlet door. A gear is mounted in the housing and engaged with the worm. A catch has an inserting protrusion which is inserted into a through-hole formed in the striker and mounted in the housing to rotate based on a rotation center of the gear. A gear spring is provided in the catch so that the catch constantly rotates in a direction toward the striker. A stopper is mounted to the gear to limit the rotation of the catch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Kyung Hyun Nam
  • Patent number: 9982455
    Abstract: A door lock includes a latch assembly positioned at least partially within the door and movable between an engaged position in which the door is held in a closed position and a disengaged position in which the door is movable from a closed position to an open position. An outside spindle is rotatable about an axis and an inside spindle is rotatable about the axis to move the latch assembly between the engaged position and the disengaged position. A locking plate is movable along the axis between a locked position in which the outside spindle is fixed and an unlocked position in which the outside spindle and the inside spindle are each rotatable and a privacy lock actuator positioned on the inside of the door and movable in a direction substantially normal to the axis to move the locking plate between the locked position and the unlocked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventors: Rohith Badhya, Sajil J. Mathachan, Mohammed M. Ali, Nimbennappa Gani, Mayur Anandache
  • Patent number: 9982465
    Abstract: A locking mechanism selectively suitable for security locks with different design includes a first locking component, a second locking component and a pivoting component. The first locking component includes a first body, a first stretching portion and a second stretching portion. A first locking hole is formed on the first body. A first piercing hole, a first constraining hole and a second constraining hole are formed on the first stretching portion. A second piercing hole and a slide slot are formed on the second stretching portion. The second locking component includes a second body whereon a second locking hole, a third piercing hole and a third constraining hole are formed. The pivoting component includes a shaft, a first block and a second block. The shaft pieces through the foresaid piercing holes. The first block and the second block are movably switched between the foresaid constraining holes and the slide slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventor: Hung-Yi Lee
  • Patent number: 9970221
    Abstract: A door handle assembly configured for installation in a motor vehicle door may include a housing accommodating an actuator mechanism, a grip assembly activating the actuator mechanism, wherein the actuator mechanism includes a plurality of levers juxtaposed to each other and pivotably positioned in the housing, and the plurality of levers having a first lever and a second lever, wherein the first lever and the second lever may be positioned to be in contact with a grip lever during a normal working condition and during a side impact condition of the vehicle, thereby exerting a holding force on the grip lever, and wherein after experiencing the side impact, the first lever may be configured to rotate about a pivot and the second lever continues exerting the holding force on the grip lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, HYUNDAI MOTOR INDIA ENGINEERING PVT, LTD.
    Inventors: Ch P K N Varma Rudraraju, Youn Seob Kim
  • Patent number: 9969536
    Abstract: A lock for a ball display case includes a plate having a plurality of recessed areas spaced radially about the plate. A plurality of posts extend away from the plate in a direction generally perpendicular to the plate. Each post is in general radial alignment with one of the recessed areas of the plate and spaced radially inward from the recessed area. The lock has frangible portions connecting the posts to the plate. The lock is suitable for engagement with a ball display case in a manner that limits access to an object in the display case. The lock is suitable for use by professional graders and/or authenticators to prevent tampering after the object has been graded and/or authenticated and then locked in the display case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Inducomp Corporation
    Inventor: John T. Weldon
  • Patent number: 9963276
    Abstract: A latch is usable for latching and automatically unlatching a lid operative to close a bin of a waste container. The latch includes a release weight that is moveable responsive to gravity from a first position to a second position to cause the latch to disengage from a release mechanism when the latch is rotated to one or more angular positions in a dump angular orientation. The latch and release mechanism are held in latched engagement when release slide bolts and latch slide bolts are engaged in extended positions. Movement of the release weight causes the latch slide bolts to move to retracted positions to enable disengagement of the release slide bolts and latch slide bolts. A release knob is operative responsive to manual movement in two different directions to enable the latch and release slide bolts to disengage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: THE EASTERN COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott Arthurs, Lee S. Weinerman, Keith A. Braun
  • Patent number: 9945153
    Abstract: An actuator-controlled strike comprising a housing disposable within a doorframe and including a chamber for receiving a spring latch and a dead latch of a mortise-type lockset. A keeper is pivotably mounted within the chamber to restrain the spring latch. A pivotable spring latch lifter is positively driven by the keeper, and a pivotable dead latch release platform is supported by the keeper when the spring latch is locked within the strike. The keeper is released by the actuator and then may be rotated which causes rotation of the dead latch release platform, allowing the dead latch to enter the chamber. The keeper positively drives the spring latch lifter to lift the spring latch onto the external ramp of the strike. In an alternate embodiment, an internal ramp feature may be used instead of the spring latch lifter to positively lift the spring latch out of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Hanchett Entry Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dominik Scheffler, Scott Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9932761
    Abstract: A vehicular door device in which an inner handle is connected to a latch mechanism with a wire so as to be capable of being linked, and in which a latch release restriction device that disables and restricts a link between the inner handle and the latch is provided in an operation transmission path ranging from the inner handle to the latch with the wire in between. A release motor that actuates the latch in an engagement releasing direction is provided, the release motor being linked to the latch without having the wire between itself and the latch. When a switch operation of the door opening switch is performed, restriction to the link performed by the latch release restriction device is cancelled and the release motor is actuated in the engagement releasing direction without waiting for the cancellation of the restriction to be completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Hamada
  • Patent number: 9933071
    Abstract: A seal and method of manufacturing same that provides increased service life and is preferably configured to provide both a dynamic seal and a static seal while demonstrating improved rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Tyler James Ryther, Raymond Lee Chaplin, III, Daniel K. Zitting
  • Patent number: 9920555
    Abstract: A lock with a locking mechanism includes a rotary catch and a pawl for engaging the rotary catch, and a releasing lever for opening or releasing the locking mechanism. The lock may include a blocking lever capable of blocking the pawl if the latter is located in its catching position. If the releasing lever is actuated, the pawl or the blocking lever is thereby moved out of its blocking position if the releasing lever is not excessively accelerated. If excessively large accelerations of the releasing lever occur, as can be caused by a crash, then an arresting device of the lock prevents the releasing lever from being able to move the pawl or the blocking lever out of its blocking or latching position, respectively. The lock is therefore incapable of opening if the releasing lever is accelerated in the event of a crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Robert L. Brickner, Robert S. Pettengill
  • Patent number: 9897038
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing system consisting of a first part and a second part and at least a passage opening extending in both parts, in particular a passage opening for fluids such as hot combustion gases from combustion engines as well as a corresponding metallic flat gasket such that the sealing system comprises or consists of a first part and a second part with the first part and the second part being compressed against each other at a joint contact surface and comprising at least one passage opening in the contact surface, which protrudes into the first and/or second part, an annular groove, which is delimited by the first and the second part and which encircles the passage opening, with the first and second part in the area at least radially outside of the groove come to rest one on the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Reinz-Dichtungs-GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Claus, Steffen Erthle, Kurt Hoehe, Ahmet Oruc, Hans Waldvogel
  • Patent number: 9890565
    Abstract: A lock structure includes a case, a first latch, a second latch, a transmission member, a transmission module, a swaying plate and a driving plate, wherein the transmission module is rotated to drive the swaying plate and the transmission member to perform swing action for making the swaying plate driving the first latch being hidden into the case. In addition, the driving plate moves upwardly by swing action of the transmission member, and the driving plate drives the second latch in operation for making the second latch being hidden into the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN FU HSING INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiun-Nan Shiu, Shih-Min Lu
  • Patent number: 9879779
    Abstract: A self-retaining gasket including a main body, a first retention tab, and a second retention tab. The main body includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The main body defines a first aperture extending between the first surface and the second surface. The first retention tab and the second retention tab extend from the main body at the first aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo Guidi, Blaise DiDonato, Kyle Renno
  • Patent number: 9869393
    Abstract: A shaft seal that is preferably a radial shaft seal has a sealing element of polyfluorocarbon that is provided with a sealing lip. The sealing element contacts a surface to be sealed under a radial force action acting in a radial direction of the shaft seal. An elastomer element is provided that is acting on the sealing lip and loads the sealing lip in a direction toward the surface to be sealed. The elastomer element supports the sealing element. The sealing element is resting flat on a face of the elastomer element, wherein the face is facing away from a medium side of the shaft seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: KACO GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Tobias Hoffmann, Matthias Podeswa
  • Patent number: 9863168
    Abstract: A locking unit may include a case unit fixed to a first object; and a magnetic assembly for selectively engaging with a second object which is disposed outside the case unit, the magnetic assembly movably disposed in the case unit and including a plurality of magnets having a same polarity, wherein when a shock is generated, at least a portion of the magnetic assembly moves from inside the case unit to outside the case unit by a repulsive force generated between the plurality of magnets, thereby engaging with the second object and restricting rotation of the second object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corp.
    Inventor: Jung Hoon Woo
  • Patent number: 9845009
    Abstract: A seal for a meter ring includes a sealing section and a connecting portion. The sealing section is configured to block transmission of light from a first portion of a meter cluster to a second portion of the meter cluster. The connecting portion extends from the sealing section and is configured to couple the sealing section to a meter ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Horton, Timothy Fridley