Patents Examined by Alyson M. Merlino
  • Patent number: 11613917
    Abstract: A tailgate opening/closing device has a simplified tailgate opening/closing structure, reduced manufacturing cost, reduced weight, and improved quality. The device includes a release gear configured to be rotated forwards and backwards by a rotational force from a motor, a cinching gear engaged with the release gear, a linkage mechanism configured to receive force from the cinching gear to rotate toward a claw, the claw being caught by the linkage mechanism to rotate together therewith so as to be engaged with a striker, and a pawl unit configured to be caught by the claw in the state in which the claw is engaged with the striker so as to restrict rotation of the claw and configured to allow rotation of the claw in a release operation direction only when the release gear rotates in the release operation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yong Hyuck Im, Sang Min Jeong
  • Patent number: 11598125
    Abstract: A latch arrangement for fastening a panel of a door or a window to a frame element is provided. The latch arrangement includes a locking element mounted on the frame element and displaceable between a locked position in which the locking element can be engaged with the panel locking thereby the panel to the frame element, and an unlocked position in which the locking element is disengaged from the panel unlocking thereby the panel from the frame element. An actuating mechanism, optionally including a manually operable handle, is mounted on the panel and configured to selectively engage the locking element and to displace the locking element to the unlocked position. Where a stop latch provides deadlock functionality, the panel-mounted actuating mechanism preferably sequentially releases the stop latch and then displaces the locking element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: DAN RAZ LTD.
    Inventor: Amir Raz
  • Patent number: 11598123
    Abstract: A center slide assembly for a multi-point exit device. Upper and lower spool assemblies may be displaced from first positions to second positions along an inner region of a center slide. The displacement of the spool assemblies may displace upper and lower pull cables so as to retract latch mechanisms from extended positions to retracted positions. A first latching pin may be displaced, along with the displacement of the upper spool assembly, along an abutment surface of a tilting link so as to pivotally displace the tilting link from an unlocked position to a locked position. Displacement of the lower spool assembly may displace a second latching pin to a position wherein the second latching pin may be received and retained within a jog of the tilting link when the tilting link is in the locked position, which may thereby retain the associated latch mechanism in the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventors: Sushanth Anand Rao Kondi, Mohammed Maksood Ali, Kemparaju Putaswamy, Michael D. Coleman, Matthew S. Graham
  • Patent number: 11585131
    Abstract: A vehicle lock which eliminates the need for lubrication and which includes a bracket, a first base attached to the bracket, a second base attached to the bracket, aligned first and second apertures in the first and second bases for slidably receiving a. locking pin, a replaceable first locking pin wear protector lockably insertable in and selectively removable from the first base to prevent contact between the locking pin and the inner edge of the first base which defines the first aperture, and a replaceable second locking pin wear protector lockably insertable in and selectively removable from the second base to prevent contact between the locking pin and the inner edge of the second base which defines the second aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Michael K. Burke, Walter J. Peach
  • Patent number: 11585123
    Abstract: An over-travel mechanism configured to couple an input shaft and an output shaft in an exit device assembly. The input is connected to an actuator that linearly displaces the input shaft, and the output shaft is connected to a locking member of the exit device. The over-travel mechanism includes a link coupled to the output shaft, and a preloaded elastic member transmits force between the input shaft and the link. Movement of the input shaft from a first input shaft position to a second input shaft position causes the elastic member to urge the link from a first link position toward a second link position. Movement of the input shaft from the second input shaft position to a third input shaft position causes the elastic member to elastic member to elastically deform without moving the link from the second link position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventors: Paul R. Arlinghaus, Jack R. Lehner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11578508
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a Door-locking device (1) for a household appliance, said household appliance being of the type comprising a door (5), said door-locking device (1) comprising an actuator (2), a blocking member (4), driven by said actuator (2), said blocking member (4) being capable of assuming a rest position and an engagement position, in which, when said door (5) is closed, said blocking member (4) engages with said door (5) holding it closed, and a switch (7), capable of assuming a first state, in which it enables the power supply to said household appliance, and a second state, in which it disables the power supply of said household appliance, characterized in that it comprises an activating assembly (3), coupled with said blocking member (4), and in that it comprises a detecting member (6) for detecting the position said door (5), movable of a relative motion with respect to said blocking member (4) of the door (5), so as to assume with respect to said blocking member (4) a first positio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: BITRON S.P.A.
    Inventor: Fabrizio Promutico
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11572714
    Abstract: A handle device for vehicle configured to operate a door lock device via a cable device, the handle device includes an operation member connected to the cable device; and a handle case housing the operation member. The handle case includes a cable fixing base in which the cable device is arranged, a cap part configured to fix the cable device to the cable fixing base, and a hinge portion provided between the cable fixing base and the cap part, and rotating the cap part from an open position at which the cap part is open with respect to the cable fixing base to a fixing position at which the cap part faces the cable fixing base and clamps the cable device between the cap part and the cable fixing base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ALPHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Lan Kin
  • Patent number: 11555330
    Abstract: A privacy lock assembly and method of operation are provided. The lock assembly has a push button offset from the central axis of the lock assembly for locking and unlocking the assembly. The lock assembly includes compression springs to maintain integrated handles in predetermined orientations when the handles are not subject to a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Chong, Lynthia Li, Thomas P. Morse, Eric Xin, James Lin
  • Patent number: 11555338
    Abstract: A power unit for a powered cinching mechanism with a favorable level of operational noise is provided. A door latch apparatus includes latch unit and power unit. Latch unit has latch that engages striker, ratchet that engages latch and first cinching lever that displaces latch from a half-latched position to a full-latched position. Latch unit is attached to an end portion of a vehicle door. Power unit includes motor, cable drum, deceleration mechanism and closed-type housing that houses them. Operational noise at 300 mm right above the housing of power unit is 42.2 to 40.9 dB at a supply voltage to the motor of 9V, 47.5 to 43.9 dB at a supply voltage of 12V, and 49.7 to 46.5 dB at a supply voltage of 16 V. Deceleration mechanism includes a worm gear and a helical gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUI KINZOKU ACT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoharu Nagaoka, Hiroaki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11536056
    Abstract: A locking device for a motor vehicle comprising an actuator, a lock with a locking mechanism, comprising a rotary latch and at least one pawl, the actuator and the lock can be interconnected by a Bowden cable and the Bowden cable has provision for actively blocking a force transmitted by the Bowden cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventor: Carsten Fuchs
  • Patent number: 11536061
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door lock, particularly a motor vehicle bonnet lock, includes a ratchet mechanism which substantially consists of a rotary latch and a pawl. The ratchet mechanism interacts with a lock retainer pin on a vehicle bonnet. A retention element is additionally provided which holds the pawl in a retention position, raised from the rotary latch, during unlocking of the bonnet. The lock retainer pin continues to engage in the rotary latch when in said retention position. During a first opening process which proceeds from the retention position, the lock retainer pin transfers the retention element into a release position that releases the pawl. During a subsequent bonnet closing process, the pawl can thus engage in the rotary latch, which can be pivoted without exertion of force by the lock retainer pin at least into the hold position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Christian Sturm, Holger Schiffer, Michael Scholz, Bernhard Drost
  • Patent number: 11525372
    Abstract: A diaphragm latch may comprise a housing, a diaphragm disposed in the housing, a pin coupled to the diaphragm, an opening in the housing, and a pin aperture disposed in the first side, wherein the pin extends from the pin aperture. The diaphragm may be configured to move in response to a pressure being communicated through the opening, and the pin may be configured to at least one of extend or retract from the pin aperture in response to the diaphragm moving. The diaphragm latch may passively couple an inner fixed structure (IFS) to an intermediate case (IMC) during an overpressure event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Sean Pretty
  • Patent number: 11525279
    Abstract: Handle device for operating doors, windows and the like. The handle device comprises a first element (3, 103), which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, a second element (8, 108), and a coupling device (10, 110) which is arranged to selectively allow and prevent relative rotation about the axis of rotation between the first and the second element. The coupling device comprises a first coupling member (11, 111) which is connected to or forming an integral part of the first element. A second coupling member (12) is connected to or forming an integral part of the second element (112). At least one engaging member (13, 13, 113, 114) is movable between an engagement position in which it simultaneously engages the first and the second coupling members to thereby prevent relative rotation between the first and second element and a release position in which it is disengaged from at least one of the first and second coupling members to thereby allow relative rotation between the first and second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY OPENING SOLUTIONS SWEDEN AB
    Inventor: Rikard Wennberg
  • Patent number: 11525282
    Abstract: An insertion pin includes a pin member on which a circuit board, an inspection antenna, and an inspection chip are mounted. The circuit board includes a main circuit, a main chip, and an inspection circuit set in an open-circuit condition with respect to the inspection antenna and the inspection chip. A lock base includes a main antenna matching the main chip. When the lock base and the pin member are combined and locked together, the main chip is electrically connected with the main antenna to emit a first signal for monitoring with an identification device, and the inspection circuit is electrically connectable with the inspection chip and the inspection antenna to emit a second signal to allow a mobile phone to carry out quality control to determine if the first signal is in normal operation. Cutting off the insertion pin terminates both the first and second signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Inventor: Chih-Chuan Chen
  • Patent number: 11519203
    Abstract: The invention relates to an actuation device for a flap mounted moveably on a component between a closed position and an opened position, in particular for a flap mounted moveably on a housing of an automobile, comprising: a first actuation part and a second actuation part, wherein the first actuation part is to be fastened on the flap and is moved together with the flap when the flap is moved between the closed position and the opened position, and wherein the second actuation part is to be fastened on the component, locking means with a locking reception provided on the first or second actuation part and a locking element provided on the other of first or second actuation part, wherein the locking element engages in the locking reception upon a movement of the first actuation part with the flap from its opened position into its closed position, whereby the locking element holds the first actuation part against a spring pretension in a locking position on the second actuation part, and a remote unlocking dev
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Christian Beck
  • Patent number: 11512504
    Abstract: A closure latch assembly for a decklid configured to provide a power release operation and a power cinch operation. The power cinch operation is a dual-stage cinch operation having a first non-driven cinching stage and a second driven cinching stage. The first cinching stage utilizes the weight of the decklid to drive the decklid from a pop-up position to a cinched position. The second cinching stage utilizes a cinch mechanism to drive the decklid from its cinched position into a fully-closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA BÖCO GMBH
    Inventors: Vladmir Lebsak, Jörg Thomas Klein, Henrik Johann
  • Patent number: 11512509
    Abstract: A closure latch assembly having a latch mechanism is provided. The latch mechanism includes a ratchet and a pawl assembly pivotally supported for movement between a ratchet holding position whereat the pawl assembly is positioned to hold the ratchet in its striker capture position and a ratchet releasing position whereat the pawl assembly is located to permit movement of the ratchet to its striker release position. The pawl assembly has a carrier and a pawl configured for rotation relative to one another about a pawl pin and a roller carried by the carrier. The roller is disposed between the pawl and the ratchet for selective rolling movement therebetween. The roller is disposed into abutment with a closing surface of the ratchet while the pawl assembly is in the ratchet holding position and is spaced from closing surface while the pawl assembly is in the ratchet releasing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventors: Roman Cetnar, Franco Giovanni Ottino, Kris Tomaszewski
  • Patent number: 11505971
    Abstract: A vehicle latch mechanism includes a latch body having a striker receiving zone including a first surface and an opposing second surface. A first guide member extends along and is spaced from the first surface. The first guide member includes a first end, a second, cantilevered end, and an intermediate portion. A second guide member extends along and is spaced from the second surface. The second guide member includes a first end portion, a second cantilevered end portion, and an intermediate section. The second end and the second cantilevered end extend into the striker receiving zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: INTEVA PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Sandeep Kuriyavar, Jose Madrid, Arun Murthy, Eli Retamoza, Martin Gustavo Reyes
  • Patent number: 11505972
    Abstract: A vehicle hood lock device includes a base including a groove for entry of a striker, a latch that pivots between a restraining position and a release position, a locking lever engaging the latch, a torsion spring causing the latch to pivot in a direction toward the release position, and a sub-plate fixed to the base by a latch pin supporting the latch and a locking pin supporting the locking lever. The torsion spring includes a cylindrical portion. The sub-plate integrally includes a basal portion, a circumferential wall portion rising up from the basal portion in a pivot axis direction of the latch, facing the cylindrical portion in a radial direction thereof and restricting movement of the torsion spring in the radial direction, and a brim portion protruding outward in the radial direction from the circumferential wall portion and restricting movement of the torsion spring in the pivot axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Johnan Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Naoki Ide, Harumitsu Nakamura, Koji Sasaki