Patents by Inventor Matthew Schroll

Matthew Schroll 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).

  • Publication number: 20240175296
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a lock with a radially extending cam that can be pivoted electrically or manually by a key. The lock resides in a housing for ease of manufacture and reduction of space, for use, as an example, as a replacement or retrofit for an existing manual cam lock. The cam extends transversely to a first axis and is manually rotatable by a key about the first axis. The cam is also rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis by an electrical signal to a motor or a linear actuator connected to a cam mechanism body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2024
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Publication number: 20240141705
    Abstract: A locking compression latch that can be changed from a locked state to an unlocked state either mechanically by turning an appropriate key in a key plug or electrically by an electric signal. Once in an unlocked condition, the compression latch can be opened by rotating a latch lever that disengages a protrusion on the latch lever from a striker mounted on the base of the compression latch. The compression latch can be changed from a locked to an unlocked condition by the electrical signal while the key plug is in the locked position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11933074
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a lock with a radially extending cam that can be pivoted electrically or manually by a key. The lock resides in a housing for ease of manufacture and reduction of space, for use, as an example, as a replacement or retrofit for an existing manual cam lock. The cam extends transversely to a first axis and is manually rotatable by a key about the first axis. The cam is also rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis by an electrical signal to a motor or a linear actuator connected to a cam mechanism body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11808060
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a lock body comprising a base portion and a moveable portion with each having first and second sides. One of the base portion second side and the moveable portion first side has an extension and the other having a receiver to allow the moveable portion to move translationally with respect to the base portion. A slot is transverse to the extension and cut into one of the face of the second side of the base portion or the first side of the moveable portion. In the open state the portions are separated and in the locked state the faces are substantially adjacent to capture a cylindrical object in the slot. In another embodiment, the lock body is cylindrical with a pair of transverse apertures. A plug inside the lock body moves translationally to capture an object between the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11772567
    Abstract: An improved modular vehicle accessory clamp for is disclosed. The clamp provides for gross and fine adjustment between the jaws to allow for differences in the width of vehicle roof rack cross bars. The clamp has a first body with a depending jaw and an extension portion and a second body portion also with a depending jaw and a receiving portion that receives the extension of the first body and allows for adjustment of the distance between the jaws. The clamp can be locked to the cross bar. Upper grooves in the clamp allow for easy attachment to vehicle accessories such as rooftop carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11629533
    Abstract: The invention is a sliding latch with a bolt sliding in and out of a primary housing from a closed condition to an open condition on a sled that also slides in the housing. A spring biases the bolt to extend out of the housing to the closed condition. The bolt can be moved to an open condition by an electric motor mounted on the sled that rotates a threaded member to move a nut in a cavity in the bolt that pulls the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force directly on the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force pulling on the sled to move the sled and nut so the nut pulls the bolt against the spring bias to an open condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11629530
    Abstract: The invention provides a lock body having a keyway and a throughbore parallel to the keyway with the throughbore having two portions separated by a shoulder. A first cable passes through the throughbore, the first cable having a knob at one end and a chevron at a second end. A second cable depends from and is attached to the lock body. The cable body also has a bolt that is biased partially into the first portion of the throughbore. The keyway has a plug that is rotatable with the proper key to retract the bolt from the throughbore. The chevron can pass by the bolt in an axial first direction by urging the chevron and allowing the taper to move the bolt transversely against the bias, but not in a second axial direction. A base accommodates the lock body and cables and is captured by the second cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11577693
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remotely locking and unlocking vehicle accessory locks of vehicle accessories positioned on a vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle includes main doors with locks that are remotely lockable and unlockable using main door lock actuators. Vehicle includes a vehicle controller that receives a user signal from a user, first determines a main door actuation command based on the first signal, and first transmits, based on the main door actuation command, a first actuation command signal to the main door lock actuators. The system includes accessory lock actuator(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock(s), accessory lock controller(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock actuator(s), and a gateway controller operably coupled to the vehicle controller. Gateway controller second determines an accessory lock actuation command based on the first actuation command signal, and second transmits, based on the accessory lock actuation command, a gateway signal to the accessory lock controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Matthew Schroll, James C. Fournier
  • Publication number: 20220381073
    Abstract: The invention is a sliding latch with a bolt sliding in and out of a primary housing from a closed condition to an open condition on a sled that also slides in the housing. A spring biases the bolt to extend out of the housing to the closed condition. The bolt can be moved to an open condition by an electric motor mounted on the sled that rotates a threaded member to move a nut in a cavity in the bolt that pulls the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force directly on the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force pulling on the sled to move the sled and nut so the nut pulls the bolt against the spring bias to an open condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Publication number: 20220243500
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a lock with a radially extending cam that can be pivoted electrically or manually by a key. The lock resides in a housing for ease of manufacture and reduction of space, for use, as an example, as a replacement or retrofit for an existing manual cam lock. The cam extends transversely to a first axis and is manually rotatable by a key about the first axis. The cam is also rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis by an electrical signal to a motor or a linear actuator connected to a cam mechanism body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Publication number: 20220144213
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remotely locking and unlocking vehicle accessory locks of vehicle accessories positioned on a vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle includes main doors with locks that are remotely lockable and unlockable using main door lock actuators. Vehicle includes a vehicle controller that receives a user signal from a user, first determines a main door actuation command based on the first signal, and first transmits, based on the main door actuation command, a first actuation command signal to the main door lock actuators. The system includes accessory lock actuator(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock(s), accessory lock controller(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock actuator(s), and a gateway controller operably coupled to the vehicle controller. Gateway controller second determines an accessory lock actuation command based on the first actuation command signal, and second transmits, based on the accessory lock actuation command, a gateway signal to the accessory lock controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Matthew Schroll, James C. Fournier
  • Patent number: 11203324
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remotely locking and unlocking vehicle accessory locks of vehicle accessories positioned on a vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle includes main doors with locks that are remotely lockable and unlockable using main door lock actuators. Vehicle includes a vehicle controller that receives a user signal from a user, first determines a main door actuation command based on the first signal, and first transmits, based on the main door actuation command, a first actuation command signal to the main door lock actuators. The system includes accessory lock actuator(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock(s), accessory lock controller(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock actuator(s), and a gateway controller operably coupled to the vehicle controller. Gateway controller second determines an accessory lock actuation command based on the first actuation command signal, and second transmits, based on the accessory lock actuation command, a gateway signal to the accessory lock controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Matthew Schroll, James C. Fournier
  • Publication number: 20210131145
    Abstract: The invention provides a lock body having a keyway and a throughbore parallel to the keyway with the throughbore having two portions separated by a shoulder. A first cable passes through the throughbore, the first cable having a knob at one end and a chevron at a second end. A second cable depends from and is attached to the lock body. The cable body also has a bolt that is biased partially into the first portion of the throughbore. The keyway has a plug that is rotatable with the proper key to retract the bolt from the throughbore. The chevron can pass by the bolt in an axial first direction by urging the chevron and allowing the taper to move the bolt transversely against the bias, but not in a second axial direction. A base accommodates the lock body and cables and is captured by the second cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Publication number: 20210131148
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a lock body comprising a base portion and a moveable portion with each having first and second sides. One of the base portion second side and the moveable portion first side has an extension and the other having a receiver to allow the moveable portion to move translationally with respect to the base portion. A slot is transverse to the extension and cut into one of the face of the second side of the base portion or the first side of the moveable portion. In the open state the portions are separated and in the locked state the faces are substantially adjacent to capture a cylindrical object in the slot. In another embodiment, the lock body is cylindrical with a pair of transverse apertures. A plug inside the lock body moves translationally to capture an object between the apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Publication number: 20200391665
    Abstract: An improved modular vehicle accessory clamp for is disclosed. The clamp provides for gross and fine adjustment between the jaws to allow for differences in the width of vehicle roof rack cross bars. The clamp has a first body with a depending jaw and an extension portion and a second body portion also with a depending jaw and a receiving portion that receives the extension of the first body and allows for adjustment of the distance between the jaws. The clamp can be locked to the cross bar. Upper grooves in the clamp allow for easy attachment to vehicle accessories such as rooftop carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Publication number: 20200198578
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remotely locking and unlocking vehicle accessory locks of vehicle accessories positioned on a vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle includes main doors with locks that are remotely lockable and unlockable using main door lock actuators. Vehicle includes a vehicle controller that receives a user signal from a user, first determines a main door actuation command based on the first signal, and first transmits, based on the main door actuation command, a first actuation command signal to the main door lock actuators. The system includes accessory lock actuator(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock(s), accessory lock controller(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock actuator(s), and a gateway controller operably coupled to the vehicle controller. Gateway controller second determines an accessory lock actuation command based on the first actuation command signal, and second transmits, based on the accessory lock actuation command, a gateway signal to the accessory lock controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Matthew Schroll, James C. Fournier