Patents by Inventor Jeff Stokes

Jeff Stokes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11578511
    Abstract: An inertial blocking member subassembly of a handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a blocking member pivotally rotatable about an axis of rotation, and the blocking member has a center of gravity offset from the axis of rotation. The blocking member is responsive to an acceleration force acting thereon to rotate about the axis of rotation from an at rest position in which the blocking member does not prevent unlatching of the vehicle door, to an engagement position in which the blocking member prevents unlatching of the vehicle door. In the engagement position, the center of mass is positioned between the axis of rotation and a vector of the acceleration force acting in a direction toward the center of mass and the axis of rotation, and the center of mass, the axis of rotation and the vector of the acceleration force are approximately in line with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: ADAC Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Cort Corwin, Jeff Stokes, Drew Fouchea
  • Publication number: 20190211591
    Abstract: An inertial blocking member subassembly of a handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a blocking member pivotally rotatable about an axis of rotation, and the blocking member has a center of gravity offset from the axis of rotation. The blocking member is responsive to an acceleration force acting thereon to rotate about the axis of rotation from an at rest position in which the blocking member does not prevent unlatching of the vehicle door, to an engagement position in which the blocking member prevents unlatching of the vehicle door. In the engagement position, the center of mass is positioned between the axis of rotation and a vector of the acceleration force acting in a direction toward the center of mass and the axis of rotation, and the center of mass, the axis of rotation and the vector of the acceleration force are approximately in line with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Cort Corwin, Jeff Stokes, Drew Fouchea
  • Patent number: 10273727
    Abstract: An inertial blocking member subassembly being part of a release handle assembly associated with a vehicle door, the inertial blocking member subassembly being activated by an acceleration force associated with an impact event, the release handle assembly having a release handle framework supporting a bell crank assembly and a manually actuatable door handle grip, the door handle grip operatively coupled to the bell crank assembly to unlatch the vehicle door upon manual actuation of the door handle grip. The inertial blocking member subassembly includes a blocking member associated with the release handle assembly framework, movable in at least one of rotation about an axis of rotation and translation along the axis of rotation. The blocking member has a center of gravity which is offset from the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: ADAC Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Cort Corwin, Jeff Stokes, Drew Fouchea
  • Publication number: 20150035299
    Abstract: An inertial blocking member subassembly being part of a release handle assembly associated with a vehicle door, the inertial blocking member subassembly being activated by an acceleration force associated with an impact event, the release handle assembly having a release handle framework supporting a bell crank assembly and a manually actuatable door handle grip, the door handle grip operatively coupled to the bell crank assembly to unlatch the vehicle door upon manual actuation of the door handle grip. The inertial blocking member subassembly includes a blocking member associated with the release handle assembly framework, movable in at least one of rotation about an axis of rotation and translation along the axis of rotation. The blocking member has a center of gravity which is offset from the axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Cort Corwin, Jeff Stokes, Drew Fouchea
  • Patent number: 8322077
    Abstract: A door handle assembly includes a door handle that engages a bell crank to actuate a door release latch. A locking member moves relative to the bell crank, and shifts to a locked position wherein the locking member engages an engagement member to prevent rotation of the bell crank when the door handle assembly experiences an inertial force due to an impact or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kosta Papanikolaou, Venky Krishnan, Jeff Stokes, Cort Corwin
  • Publication number: 20110120022
    Abstract: A door handle assembly includes a door handle that engages a bell crank to actuate a door release latch. A locking member moves relative to the bell crank, and shifts to a locked position wherein the locking member engages an engagement member to prevent rotation of the bell crank when the door handle assembly experiences an inertial force due to an impact or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: Kosta Papanikolaou, Venky Krishnan, Jeff Stokes, Cort Corwin