Using A Powered Device (e.g., Motor) Patents (Class 70/275)
  • Publication number: 20100139342
    Abstract: An electronically controlled lock with a single throw acting as a passage lock and also as a deadbolt lock is provided by the invention. The lock is equipped with an electronic activation device on its exterior housing and a door lever on its internal housing. A user unlocks the door from outside by touching an electronic key against the electronic activation device. After the door is unlocked, the throw acts as a passage lock. The door can be locked internally by moving the door lever from a horizontal position upwardly to a vertical position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: John Lie-Nielsen, Tibor Szenti
  • Publication number: 20100139341
    Abstract: A lock device comprises an interlocking means comprising two axially movable parts (61, 62) interconnecting a cylinder core (20) and an extension (40, 50) so that free-turning operation is provided in one mode of operation and the extension rotates with the cylinder core in another operational mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: ASSA ABLOY AB
    Inventor: Daniel Andersson
  • Patent number: 7728711
    Abstract: A remotely or locally actuable refrigerator door lock has a body portion that is attached to the cabinet and a door portion that is attached to an edge of the door. A latch in the body portion engages a strike plate in the door portion and can be lifted out of engagement to open the refrigerator. The door lock assembly may be connected to a touch-screen device or via a USB or ethernet connection to a remote host computer. The host computer keeps an audit trail of the times and personnel accessing each refrigerator, and a temperature audit trail. The system may be used in hospital for controlling access to pharmaceuticals or may be used in a weight loss program. Temperature and humidity sensors are positioned within the refrigerator cabinet. The door lock may have battery power for portable or mobile applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: S&S X-Ray Products, Inc
    Inventor: Norman A. Shoenfeld
  • Patent number: 7726294
    Abstract: A motorized oven latch includes a base plate. A latch member is slidably connected to the base plate by a first mounting stud or first and second mounting studs connected to the latch member and located in a contoured slot defined in the base plate. The latch member includes an inner end and an outer end, and the outer end includes a hook adapted to engage an oven door. A motor is drivingly coupled to the latch member, and the motor is selectively operative to move the latch member forward and rearward relative to said base plate between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the latch member moves on a non-linear path relative to the base plate in response to movement of the first mounting stud or both the first and second mounting studs in the contoured slot when the motor moves the latch member forward to the unlocked position or rearward to the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Mansfield Assemblies Co.
    Inventors: James J. Collene, Nicholas R. SirLouis
  • Publication number: 20100077810
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a locking device, a special actuator assembler and holder of an object in the state of rest besides being source of movement once integral with an object through an actuator having different shapes and lengths, wound up onto an appropriate and interchangeable reel fitted onto an engine driven shaft or stored. The locking function is switched on automatically when a force is applied. The function of servomotor to thrust and draw back is carried out through an actuator formed by two identical flexible and coiling sections whilst they slide separated inside a sheath; coming out of this and forced to assemble opposite and staggered they become stiff to hold and move. The held object is controlled by optic or electric signals transmitted by the actuators to the sensors for the measurement of events and break-into. The device has three clutched and reset locking and unlocking systems, one electrical and two manual.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventor: Daniele De Franceschi
  • Publication number: 20100064744
    Abstract: A high security lock includes a lock bolt movable between extended and retracted positions, a bolt retraction gear coupled to the lock bolt, and a manually-driven gear train. When a controller verifies that user-input information is correct for unlocking the lock, the bolt retraction gear and manually-driven gear train are operatively coupled such that the gear train can drive the lock bolt from the extended position to the retracted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Lock II, L.L.C.
    Inventors: J. Clayton Miller, Donald P. Cooke, JR., Michael P. Harvey
  • Publication number: 20100018263
    Abstract: The “Restrainer” is geared towards rapid and safe control gaining, restraining and removal of certain individuals in various situations. The “Restrainer” gives a critical advantage by creating a higher physical leverage and supplys a firm safe and comfortable grip. The “Restrainer” acts as a restraining device, neutralizing device, removal device and arresting device, all according to mission characteristics and with a high reliability and minimum harm to the user and restrained individual.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventor: Ido Ben Yehuda
  • Publication number: 20090277231
    Abstract: A door lock system for locking and unlocking a door, which ensures a normal operation of a driving motor even if interference occurs in a locker while locking and unlocking operations are performed, by delivering a rotation force of the driving motor to the locker through a torsion spring. The door lock system includes: a driving motor which rotates clockwise and counter-clockwise with a predetermined quantity of rotation in response to a door locking signal and a door unlocking signal, respectively; a locker which locks and unlocks a door while rotating by receiving a driving force of the driving motor; and a rotating gear group which has an upper rotating gear that is disposed between the driving motor and the locker and delivers a rotation force, a lower rotating gear, and a torsion spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventor: Gab Sik Kim
  • Publication number: 20090218832
    Abstract: A door strike comprising: a body; a retaining means for retaining a latch bolt, the retaining means being movable with respect to the body between a latch bolt retaining position and a latch bolt releasing position; a locking means for releasably locking the retaining means in the latch bolt retaining position; and detecting means for detecting removal of the body from a door frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: Shanghhai One Top Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Trevor Mackle
  • Publication number: 20090211316
    Abstract: A time limited restraint device. After a predetermined time, a cutter of the time limited restraint device cuts a restraint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Frank Butler, William G. Rusher, Philip J. Ufkes
  • Publication number: 20090173118
    Abstract: A seal for a switchgear enclosure is described. The switchgear enclosure includes a case having an opening defined by a face frame the face frame having an inner frame surface along a face frame hinge side and a door for covering the opening. The door includes a door inner surface and a door hinge side pivotally attached to the face frame along the face frame hinge side. The seal includes a sealing member disposed along the door hinge side of the door adjacent the door inner surface and configured for movement substantially perpendicular to the door hinge side between a disengaged position and an engaged position. The sealing member comprises a flange for overlapping at least a portion of an inner surface of the face frame along the face frame hinge side when in the engaged position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: SIEMENS POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Schulz, Bernd Schmidt, Martin Eiselt
  • Publication number: 20090095037
    Abstract: A key alignment system for safety interlock switches uses alignment holes, and alignment pins to compensate for misalignment between a body assembly and a key assembly. The misalignment is often due to normal wear and tear or outright abuse of a gate or other movable member that should be safely interlocked. The key is fixed to a floating plate connected to a mounting plate by a suspension. The alignment pins and holes on or in a fixed alignment assembly and the floating plate can move the floating plate into a position such that the key enters the key hole. Some embodiments incorporate the fixed alignment assembly into the body assembly. The normal function of a keyed safety interlock wherein the key can be caught and held or released is preserved and enhanced by compensating for misalignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Gary W. Eisenhower, JR., Jeffrey S. Hall, Mark A. Mantua
  • Publication number: 20080314099
    Abstract: An optical transceiver includes a housing formed to be inserted into or extracted from a cage in a host device, a movable lock member for preventing the housing from being extracted from the cage, where the cage includes a lock hole for preventing the housing from being extracted from the cage when the movable lock member is placed into the lock hole, and an integration parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
    Inventor: Juhyun YU
  • Publication number: 20080256998
    Abstract: A system and apparatus for protecting equipment sensitive to electro-static discharge is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) key entry system for providing access to a restricted area that includes a locking element, a wireless element, and a controller element to manage operations of the locking element and the wireless element. The controller element can wirelessly detect an ESD protector in a vicinity to the ESD key entry system and enable the locking element to provide access to the restricted area. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: AT&T KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventors: DOLORES J. MALLIAN, BRUCE BARNES, WAYNE R. HEINMILLER, CHARLES STAHULAK
  • Publication number: 20080229792
    Abstract: A lock mechanism for sealing a goods compartment has a housing (10) supporting a shackle (62) movable between open and closed positions to permit hoops on the ends of an elongate sealing member (44) to be connected thereto and then held thereby. The shackle (62) is retained in its closed position by a spying loaded push-button (32) and also by an auxiliary lock (64) including an electric actuator (71) controlled by a control unit (15). The housing (10) has a display device (17,18,19) to indicate the lacking condition and sealing of the mechanism and also has a proximity card reader adapted to read information from a presented smartcard, operation of the auxiliary lock (64) being controlled by presentation of an appropriate smartcard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Alan James Maple, Ian Martin Lennard
  • Publication number: 20080141742
    Abstract: A locking arrangement (10) comprising a lockable handle assembly (31) having an independent locking mechanism (30), which mechanism cooperates with an engagement means (61) operable by an actuator (60), said actuator itself being operable by a vehicle's central locking system (not shown), wherein when the engagement means (61) is place in lockable contact with the locking mechanism (30) of the handle assembly (31) by the actuator (60), the locking arrangement (10) is placed in a locked condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: BURGUNDY TRIAL PTY LTD.
    Inventor: David Martin Stuckey
  • Patent number: 7316141
    Abstract: A mechanism for an electro-mechanical lock. The mechanism comprises a shackle or strike moveable in a bore. A cam is rotatable between a first cam position in which movement of the shackle or strike in the bore is prevented and a second cam position in which movement of the shackle or strike in the bore is not prevented. A blocking pin is moveable between a first pin position in which rotation of the cam is prevented and a second position in which rotation of the cam is not prevented. A solenoid has a plunger having a stable extended position in which movement of the blocking pin is prevented and a stable retracted position in which movement of the blocking pin is not prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Inventor: Ilan Goldman
  • Patent number: 7149419
    Abstract: A position control device having first and second movable members. A first detector outputs a position signal when the first movable member is looked in a first predetermined position in a first region. A second detector outputs a first signal when the second movable member is located in either tbe first region or a second region where it is released, and a second signal when the second movable member is located in a third region. A controller determines the region in which the second movable member is located based on the detector outputs and when the determined region is the first region, an actuator moves the second movable member to a second predetermined position in the first region, and when the determined region is the second or third region, the actuator moves the second movable member to the second predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Akada
  • Patent number: 7097212
    Abstract: A mechanism for selectively locking and unlocking a vehicle door latch, comprising a rheological fluid in operable connection with an output and an input, the fluid acting so as to in a first state prevent actuation of the output upon actuation of the input and in a second state permit such actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems (UK) Ltd.
    Inventors: Robin Willats, John Emson, Sidney Fisher, Gurbinder Kalsi, Nigel Spurr, Jean Didier, Alan Dixon, Stephen Drysdale
  • Patent number: 7030510
    Abstract: A power-supply apparatus is disclosed, which comprises an input terminal, a signal-detecting circuit which receives a drive power from a battery and which detects a signal input to the input terminal, a constant-current-source circuit which receives a drive power from the battery, which is activated by the signal detected by the signal-detecting circuit and which self-holds an operation state, a main power-supply circuit which receives a drive power from the battery and which operates to output a constant voltage, upon receiving a current from the constant-current-source circuit, and a reset circuit which turns off the constant-current-source circuit upon receiving a reset signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yoshihito Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7004517
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a latching device for securing two panels together such as those of storage structures in which an enclosure is secured by means of a door or panel which will remain in a closed position until released. The present latching system is usually used in connection with automobile glove boxes or other compartments which are to be secured for storage of items therein. The latching device has a housing, actuation means and a pawl in communication with a movable retention means. The latching device can be electrically or manually operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Southco, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabrice Vitry, Ana Pinto, Ivica Sekulovic
  • Patent number: 7000956
    Abstract: A latch assembly includes a latch bolt, a retaining member and an actuator. The latch bolt is moveable between a closed position at which it is capable of retaining a striker and an open position at which the striker is released. The retaining member is moveable between a retained position at which it retains the latch bolt in at least its closed position and released position at which the latch bolt can move between its opened and closed positions. The actuator is capable of moving the retaining means from its engaged position to its released position, in which, under normal operating conditions of the latch, the actuator is the sole means of releasing the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Systems (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Sidney Edward Fisher
  • Patent number: 6918276
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a control device for a lock mechanism, in particular a lock mechanism comprising a housing; a hollow hand knob to be pressed on which is mounted on the housing such that it can rotate and which has a far end with teeth inside this housing; an electric motor situated in the hollow hand knob, applied on the housing in a fixed manner and situated with its drive shaft in this housing; a mesh element mounted in the housing in a rotatable manner and provided with teeth for meshing with a key part of the lock mechanism and a gear wheel which can be axially moved by the hand knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Inventor: Remi Emiel Van Parys
  • Patent number: 6851291
    Abstract: A motorized locking mechanism for locking and unlocking a device having a hub rotatable by a handle about a hub axis. A reversible motor turns a threaded spring screw to move a locking spring and vertically drive a connecting arm between locked and unlocked positions. A locking slide is mounted on the connecting arm and pivots parallel to the hub axis. The parallel pivoting motion of the locking slide protects the locking mechanism against damage. If the locking slide is temporarily prevented from moving into or out of locking engagement with the hub, the motor may still turn and the locking spring subsequently moves the locking slide in the desired direction without the necessity of reactivating the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sargent Manufacturing
    Inventor: Paul Nunez
  • Patent number: 6845641
    Abstract: A remote-controlled door lock includes a housing provided inside with a lock base, a deadbolt, a battery base, a circuit board and an actuating device. The deadbolt is fixed with a stopper on the center portion. The locking button of a remote controller is pressed to send out a locking signal to the circuit board to start the motor of the actuating device to rotate. Synchronously, the rotating shaft of the motor actuates a rotary member to rotate together with its notch, which rotates to reach the stopper of the deadbolt and holds the stopper immovable therein, rendering the deadbolt unable to be moved inward. Thus even if the lock rods of the lock base are pried unlocked, the door lock is still impossible to be unlocked before the actuating device is driven by a remote controller to release the deadbolt, having best effect of anti-theft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Inventor: Hui-Hua Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6810702
    Abstract: A lock for irrotationally locking a motor-vehicle steering column enclosed by a tubular housing, the lock including a lock element displaceable to-and-fro between a locked and a released position and further a drive motor driving the locking element. For greater compactness, to offer enhanced security against theft, and to leave unhampered the telescoping of the steering pillar composed of steering column and tubular housing, further to reduce the danger of knee injury in case of accident, the locking element is mounted in the vicinity of the steering-wheel side end of the steering column inside the tubular housing, and the drive motor is mounted next to the foot-space side end of the steering column, and the drive motor cooperates with the locking element through a connecting element arrange inside the tubular housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignees: Audi AG, Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co., KG, Krupp Presta AG Press-und Stanzwerk
    Inventors: Carsten Fuchs, Friedrich Pieper, Patrik Jaillant, Günther Wagner
  • Patent number: 6684671
    Abstract: Vending machines are provided having a door and a cabinet having an interior region for storing and distributing objects, such as canned or bottled beverages. Several vending machines locks are provided for locking the door to the cabinet to prevent unauthorized access to the interior region of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Best Lock Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Beylotte, Ralph P. Palmer, John W. McIntire
  • Patent number: 6682017
    Abstract: An aircraft with a detachable cabin (1) that serves to rescue its passengers as a result of the aircraft's sudden fall either due to its malfunction or fire. The cabin escapes either smoothly or by means of fast ejection and descends slowly to the Earth with the aid of a parachute (13, 14); during a crash on the ground or in the sea external airbags (38a-38f) with which it is equipped and which are located in its lower part are inflated thus absorbing the loads that are developed during the crash. In addition a conventional aircraft (70) of the type being already in use is also described and in which the parachute equipment (71) has already been applied; however, the proposed equipment of the airbag boxes (72a-72c) is adapted to it for the absorption of the energy produced due to its crash on Earth in case of its sudden fall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Inventor: Pavlos Giannakopoulos
  • Patent number: 6619704
    Abstract: This assembly relates to an emergent unlatching mechanism for the fire door latch which includes a guide tube and a connecting tube so assembled and attached to the interior of the fire door latch without any necessary modification to the existing designed structure of the fire door. With no fire door key available, the fireman can use the ejection of water from the fire hydrant to open the fire door and enter the fire area for fire fighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Inventor: Kun-Lin Lee
  • Patent number: 6619085
    Abstract: A remote-controlled lock includes a shell, an engage base, a fix base, a motor, a circuit board, an actuating member, a passive member and a spring. The circuit board receives a locking signal from a remote controller and starts the motor to rotate clockwise together with the actuating member, which pushes the passive member to move outward and has its projections engaged with the projections of the passive member, which compresses the spring to force its deadbolt extend outward and inserted in the insert groove of the engage base to finish locking of the lock. The circuit board receives an unlocking signal and starts the motor to rotate reversely together with the actuating member, letting the passive member moved inward by the recovering resilience of the spring and the deadbolt disengaged from the insert groove of the engage base to finish unlocking of the lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Inventor: Hui-Hua Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6435573
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotating catch lock, wherein a closing member (10) interacts with a catch (20), which can be rotated between a closing position accommodating the closing member (10) and an open position which releases said member. The catch (20) is force-loaded (22) in an open position and is held by a spring-loaded (33) rotating latch (30) in the close position. Said latch (30) is moved by a motor (50) between the locking position retaining the catch (20) and a stand-by release position in which the spring-loaded latch (30) is propped up by the catch (20) as long as it remains in an open position. In order to use small compact motors (50), the invention provides that the stored energy (61) exerted by an energy storage mechanism (60) is transmitted to the latch (30) via a storage lever (40). Normally, the latch (30) is shifted into its stand-by position by the storage lever (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Piotr Szablewski
  • Publication number: 20020108412
    Abstract: The invention relates to a locking device with a detent element (11) axially displaceable by means of an electromechanical drive (4) from an unlocking position into a locking position, and vice versa, in which drive part (8) rotatable by means of the electromechanical drive (4) and an axially guided driver (10) connected to the detent element (11), which driver is connected to the drive part (8) via a threaded drive (9), and in which the locking device (1; 1′) comprises a securing element (24) which is prestressed by a spring (23) and which, to secure the detent element (11) in the unlocking position, engages by means of the spring (23) into a lateral recess or under a projection (25) of the driver (10) or of the detent element (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: VALEO SICHERHEITSSYSTEME GmbH
    Inventor: Harald Starken
  • Patent number: 6406072
    Abstract: An electrically operated drive device includes a wheel gear rotatably mounted on a spindle of a turning lever of a door lock. The wheel gear is driven by a motor, and has a cam member disposed thereon. A crank member has a crankshaft mounted on and rotatable with the spindle, and a crank pin. A shifting mechanism is disposed between the wheel gear and the crank member, and includes front and rear major walls that cooperate respectively with the crank member and the cam member to permit right and left displacement of the shifting member to thereby bring a deadbolt to one of retracted and extended positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Tong-Lung Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Po-Yang Chen
  • Patent number: 6397646
    Abstract: A door lock able to be unlocked by a key or a remote controller, has a body and a bolt provided inside the body. The bolt has a recess defined therein, and a tooth formed at a bottom side of a first end thereof. Two upper sheets and two lower sheets are respectively provided in an upper portion and a lower portion of the recess. Four links are pivotally connected end to end by four pivot pins to form a rhombic structure and respectively provided between the upper sheets and between the lower sheets. Two torsion springs are provided between the sheets and respectively mounted on two transversal pivot pins and pushing against two longitudinal pivot pins. An upper cam is mounted at an upper side of the bolt. A lower cam is mounted at a lower side of the bolt. The upper cam and the lower cam each have two tongues for pushing the upper sheets and the lower sheets inwards, and pushing the bolt to transversally move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Inventor: Shing-Hwa Doong
  • Patent number: 6377005
    Abstract: A drive device, in particular a locking device, having an actuating drive for driving a moving element as well as a position detection device for detecting the position of the moving element, in which case the invention provides that the position detection device has a magnet element which is fitted to the moving element, as well as a Hall element which is arranged in the vicinity of the magnet element, in which case the Hall element is integrated in an electronic module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Albert Zintler, Wolfgang Mücke, Reinhard Stalter
  • Patent number: 6360573
    Abstract: A mechanism for locking and unlocking an electronic safe lock barrel which is provided with a retaining long key and is fastened with a rotary mechanism located on the outside of the safe door. The lock barrel has a portion which is located in the inside of the safe door and is provided with a position confining slide sleeve. The position confining slide sleeve is fastened at the rear end with a motor having a rotary shaft which is engaged with a threaded sleeve capable of displacing back and forth. The threaded sleeve is provided with a retaining slot for retaining the retaining long key of the lock barrel so as to prevent the lock barrel from being turned by the rotary mechanism. The motor is operated by the circuit to enable the threaded sleeve to retain or release the retaining long key of the lock barrel, thereby controlling the locking and the unlocking mechanisms of the electronic lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Summit Automation Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Chen Ming-Chih
  • Patent number: 6339944
    Abstract: A locking mechanism includes a housing assembly and a pin assembly movable relative to each other between open and closed positions. The housing assembly includes a housing, a flapper plate pivotably mounted in the housing, and a cylinder lock mounted in the housing. The housing has closed interior and exterior faces, closed top and bottom faces, an open side face facing the pin assembly, and a closed side face opposite the open side face. The flapper plate is pivotably mounted on a horizontal axis between the interior and exterior faces of the housing, and has a length whereby it can be pivoted upwards to bring its free edge toward the closed side face without contacting the closed side face. The lock is mounted in the exterior face of the housing, and includes a keyway for receiving a key on the exterior of the housing and a finger in the interior of the housing, the finger being rotatable with rotation of the key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Victor Stanley, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald P. Skalka
  • Patent number: 6334636
    Abstract: A remotely controllable lock includes a turn knob rotatably mounted to a main housing. The turn knob includes an axle rod with a non-circular hole through which a spindle of the lock extends. A power element is mounted in the main housing for driving a relatively larger gear of a power device. The relatively larger gear and a relatively smaller gear are integrally formed on a common shaft that has two ends to which two slide blocks are pivotally mounted, respectively. The slide blocks are mounted in a receiving hole in the main housing and a receiving hole in a fixing plate. The slide blocks are biased by elastic elements. One of the slide blocks includes a stub that extends beyond the associated receiving hole to come in contact with a sensor. The sensor sends out a signal to stop the power element. The relatively smaller gear meshes with a control gear of a control device. The control gear is rotatably mounted around the axle rod of the turn knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chao-Ming Huang, Chih-Cheng Huang, Jo-Chiao Wang
  • Patent number: 6302455
    Abstract: An electric safeguard door lock includes a lock base having an elongated plate containing an opening, two side plates each attached to the elongated plate and each containing an arcuate slot, a lock bolt pivotally mounted on a first pivot axle and having a first end detachably extending through the opening and a second end containing a slide slot, a push rod slidably received in the slide slot and having two ends each slidably received in the arcuate slot, at least one pawl member pivotally mounted on a second pivot axle and having a first end formed with a first arm containing a notch detachably receiving the push rod, and a second end formed with a second arm containing an abutting recess, a wheel including a worm gear mounted thereon, an actuating member secured on the wheel to rotate therewith and including two drive stubs each detachably abutting the abutting recess, a speed reduction motor mounted in the assembly space, and a worm mounted on the speed reduction motor and meshing with the worm gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Inventor: Chao-Lin Huang
  • Patent number: 6089058
    Abstract: A method is provided for retrofitting an existing dead-bolt assembly with an electrically operated actuator (12, 112, 212, 312, 800). The electrically operated actuator automatically operates the dead-bolt assembly while preserving manual operation of the lock. The actuator assembly has rotating means for rotation of the drive bar (18), which in turn extends or retracts the bolt (14) of the lock. The rotating means may be a lever (28,128, 238, 328, 438, 818) attached to the drive bar (18) that is pivotable about the axis of rotation of the drive bar (18). The actuator assembly has driving means that forces the rotating means to rotate. The driving means is responsive to an electrical signal, which, for example, may be initiated from a remote-controlled transmitter (502, 602). The driving means may include a motor (20, 120, 220) for rotating a rod (22, 122, 222, 322) that in turn operates an assembly that rotates or drives the rotating means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Access Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Elpern, David G. Elpern, Allen C. Ward, Walid Habib, Paul Evans, Scott Padiak, David Corbett Brown, Robb Allan Peebles
  • Patent number: 6065316
    Abstract: A door lock system for a vehicle of which a striker, a first switch and a manual switching mechanism are mounted to the vehicle door and a first latch, a first motor, a second latch, a second motor, a second switch and a key cylinder are mounted to the vehicle body. When the key cylinder mounted to the vehicle body is switched to an unlock side, the second switch rotates the second motor, but the second latch remains engaged with the first latch. When after that the first switch is turned on by the manual switching mechanism on the door side, the first motor rotates and the first latch releases the striker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironobu Sato, Kazunori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6050116
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for securing trailer doors against tampering. In one exemplary embodiment, a locking device is mounted on the inside of a trailer door. The device includes a locking bolt which is selectively operated by a pneumatic valve in response to a signal selectively generated by an operator. In the example, the locking device is normally in a locked position and the locking bolt is effective to secure the trailer doors to the frame of the trailer. An operator selectively causes the generation of an "unlock" signal through the use of a wireless control device. The unlock signal, in turn, operates upon an electro-pneumatic valve device to effect an application of locally available high air pressure to a locking bolt actuator assembly. The air pressure is sufficiently high to effect the movement of a relatively heavy locking bolt out of a locking position, at which time the trailer doors may be opened for access to the trailer load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Load Defender Incorporated
    Inventor: Clayton K. Cole
  • Patent number: 5896765
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a motorized steering lock including a bolt which locks the steering column by engaging in a recess in the steering shaft in the column. The bolt is actuated by an internally threaded slider which is carried on an externally threaded drive rod, and which cooperates with abutment surfaces formed on the bolt so as to displace the latter between its locking and unlocking positions. Besides its threaded portion, and in extension of the latter, the drive rod has a portion of reduced diameter such that, when the drive rod is rotated, the slider can slide axially along the portion of the drive rod having the reduced diameter, to a position in which its internal thread is out of mesh with the external thread of the drive rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Valeo Securite Habitacle
    Inventors: Jean Peyre, Olivier Demouy, Arnaud Humbert, Pascal Alliot
  • Patent number: 5813257
    Abstract: An electrically controllable locking device includes a lock stud having at least one groove formed thereon. A motor assembly having a rotatable shaft extending therefrom is provided with a cam member mounted on the motor assembly shaft. The cam member includes a cam surface with a slot formed therealong. A latch member has a first portion which is biased toward the lock stud and engages the lock stud groove when the locking device is in a locked arrangement. The latch member also has a second portion which is biased toward the cam member and is positioned to contact at least a portion of the cam surface during rotation of the cam member. In one embodiment, the lock stud is a lock barrel of a T-handle lock assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Coin Acceptors, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger O. Claghorn, Joseph L. Levasseur
  • Patent number: 5799514
    Abstract: A handcuff includes a pair of arcuate cuff bow arranged to encircle a human wrist. A locking mechanism on one of the cuff bows releasably engages the other bow to secure the bows around a wrist. A fluid actuated cylinder coupled to the locking mechanism releases the locking mechanism when pressurized fluid, such as air, is applied. The fluid actuated cylinder avoids the use of keys, resulting in a more enclosed structure that is more difficult to pick than prior key-based mechanisms. Use of the fluid actuated cylinder further improves security by making ordinary handcuff keys, which are frequently possessed by or available to prisoners, ineffective to open the handcuffs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: American Handcuff Co.
    Inventors: Thomas H. Tobin, Jr., Norbert J. Kot
  • Patent number: 5722272
    Abstract: A power operable door latch and lock mechanism for a vehicle having a central locking system includes a power actuator assembly including an actuating lever drivingly connected to blocking means of the mechanism, a main drive motor for selective powered movement of the lever between locked and unlocked positions, a manual locking lever for operative connection to a non-key controlled manually operable element, and a linkage serving to interconnect the manual lever and actuating lever for manual locking and unlocking independently of the drive motor. The linkage includes a sliding length connected at one end to the actuating lever and having a first guide slot accommodating a connecting pin of the linkage. A rocker arm of the manual locking lever has a second guide slot co-acting with the connecting pin with lost motion for selective transmission of movement of the manual lever to the linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Rockwell Light Vehicle Systems (Uk) Limited
    Inventors: Mark Bridgeman, Jack Golar
  • Patent number: 5715715
    Abstract: A lock assembly comprising a casing, a lever rotatably attached to the casing, the lever having a spindle attached thereto, a motor secured to the casing, the motor having a shaft, a substantially cylindrical member attached to the motor shaft and having a helically extending groove, and an interfering member threadedly and non-rotatably engaged with the helically extending groove of the cylindrical member. The interfering member moves between a locked position and an unlocked position. The interfering member moves into the locked position to prevent rotation of the lever when the motor shaft rotates in one direction. The interfering member moves into the unlocked position to allow rotation of the lever when the motor shaft rotates in an opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Sargent Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Paul Nunez
  • Patent number: 5694798
    Abstract: A motorized lock actuator adapted to replace a mechanical lock actuator in preexisting and installed lock assemblies to convert them to electronic operation includes an electrically insulated motor housing and at least one electrically insulated bushing on the motor shaft to prevent electrostatic discharge and EMI/RFI interference from damaging the electronic lock controller. An alignment spring is used to improve operation in misaligned lock assemblies, and a key cam of self lubricating and electrically insulating plastic provides reliable low friction operation for a sliding locking slide assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Sargent Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Paul Nunez, David Sorensen, Ronald S. Slusarski, Arnon Alexander, Mohammed A. Haq
  • Patent number: 5659279
    Abstract: A device and method are provided for magnetizing a control magnet housed in a cylinder of an ignition lock. The cylinder is placed in a cylinder receipt member and orientated therein so that the magnet is aligned in a predetermined position. The control magnet is then saturated with a first saturating magnetic charge. The control magnet is then calibrated to a predetermined magnetic level by one or more calibrating magnetic charges, opposite in polarity to the saturating magnetic charge. The control magnet may then be checked for predetermined magnetic characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Strattec Security Corp.
    Inventors: David C. Janssen, Eric J. Neusen
  • Patent number: 5656899
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a door lock device having a superlock mechanism comprising a state detecting member, a brush fixed thereto, first to third terminals opposing the brush, and a power supply circuit for supplying power to a motor which drives the lock device, the state detecting member moving among three positions corresponding to unlocked, locked, and superlocked states, the circuit supplying the power via the terminals and the brush on performing the shift from the unlocked or superlocked state to the locked state, and the terminals and the brush stopping the power supply to complete the shift, and the stop of the power supply being detected on the basis of the current flow through the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuya Kuroda