Patents Examined by Alyson M. Merlino
  • Patent number: 10612277
    Abstract: A vehicle door opening device that enables a door, in a lock state, to open comprises an operating unit. The operating unit comprises a first outside lever that is pivotally mounted, via a first shaft, and rotates with an outside handle; a second outside lever that is pivotally mounted, via a second shaft that differs from the first shaft, releasing action of the second outside lever is made by a release electric power source, the second outside lever is connected to the first outside lever so that the releasing action is not transmitted to the first outside lever; and a release lever that is pivotally mounted, via the second shaft, and carries out releasing action caused by the releasing action of the second outside lever so that the releasing action of the releasing lever can be transmitted to door latch units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation
    Inventor: Kohei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10612276
    Abstract: A vehicle door latch device includes: an interlocking unit assembly including an interlocking mechanism; and an operating unit assembly including an operating mechanism. The interlocking unit assembly includes a latch configured to be rotatable to a latched position from an open position via a half closed door position by interlocking with the striker. The operating unit assembly includes: a casing, in which the interlocking unit assembly is fitted, and in which the operating mechanism is installed; and a switch plate, on which a half closed door detection switch and an electric wiring connected to the half closed door detection switch are installed, and which is integrally installed in the casing, the half closed door detection switch having a switch pin configured to abut against the latch. A plane of rotation of the latch and a plate surface of the switch plate intersect each other orthogonally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Nozawa, Tomoharu Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 10604971
    Abstract: A door handle system for a vehicle door has a door handle and at least one flap for reversibly closing a grip recess set back to the rear of the door handle. An actuating device pivots the one or more flaps between a closed position that covers the handle recess and an open position that exposes the handle recess. A distance sensor is disposed on the flap. A control and evaluation unit uses a first measurement signal that is output by the distance sensor in the closed position, to deduce that a vehicle user is approaching so as to activate the actuation device to move the one or each flap into the open position. A second measurement signal that is output by the distance sensor in the open position indicates that the door handle is grasped by the vehicle user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Hallstadt
    Inventors: Florian Pohl, Christian Herrmann
  • Patent number: 10597913
    Abstract: A control unit 20, including a circuit board and a switch unit, is arranged in a housing space in a door handle. The switch unit has a switch component, which is fastened to the circuit board, a hard switch case, which covers the switch component, a soft pushbutton, which operates the switch component, and a hard cover member, which is fastened to the switch case. The pushbutton has a pushing part in the shape of a cap, a flange, which extends from the bottom end of the pushing part, and an operation projection, which is inserted into an insertion opening in a roof. The switch case and the pushbutton are united by the cover member, and the flange is brought into close contact with the roof all the way therearound, by the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO PARTS INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahisa Kitahara
  • Patent number: 10597227
    Abstract: The invention provides a covered dustbin or covered container. In particular, the invention relates to a lock assembly for dustbins and covered containers. A lower half of the lock is mounted to the inside wall of the dustbin and an underlid half is mounted to the underside of a lid that is hinged to a location adjacent the upper rim of the dustbin. A pair of interlocking engagement members is provided to releasably secure the lid to the dustbin. The lower half and the underlid half each include one interlocking engagement member, such as a hook and a strike. A rocker, when actuated, urges the interlocking engagement members into a disengaged position, for example to disengage the hook from the strike. A user can use a handle provided on the lid to press down the rocker to disengage the lock and lift the lid in a one-hand operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Franzen Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Manfred Ernst Matuschek, Tobias Ackermann
  • Patent number: 10590587
    Abstract: A latch system provides a latch striker including a flexible arm that can navigate a hook on the latch striker through an aperture in a corresponding latch mechanism. The aperture provides a tortuous passageway through which a hook on the latch striker must pass to activate an internal switch allowing operation of the appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Finney, Randy S. McDonald
  • Patent number: 10590683
    Abstract: A vehicle hood latch and method of unlatching a vehicle hood is provided. The vehicle hood latch includes a housing; a ratchet pivotally mounted on the housing; a pawl pivotally mounted on the housing and biased into engagement with the ratchet; a pin fixed for conjoint movement with the pawl; a double pull lever operably mounted to the housing and having an abutment surface configured for operable engagement with the pin, and a primary safety catch lever operably mounted to the housing. The primary safety catch lever is configured to pivot from a locked first position to an unlocked second position. The primary safety catch lever moves from the first locked position to the second unlocked position in response to translational movement of the double pull lever caused by engagement of the pin with the abutment surface of the double pull lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventor: Francesco Cumbo
  • Patent number: 10577838
    Abstract: A closure panel latch assembly can include an overslam bumper mechanism comprising a biasing element as a spring formed from a metallic material positioned relative to a slot of the latch assembly. The biasing element resists entry of a striker into the slot beyond a selected position in order to inhibit contact of the striker with a bottom end of the slot. Also provided is a closure panel latch assembly configured with the biasing element as a resilient element positioned relative to the slot of the latch assembly; The biasing element is coupled to the striker engagement member, such that the striker engagement member is positioned to engage the striker and resist travel of the striker towards the bottom end, wherein the biasing element controls the resistance to movement of the striker engagement member by the striker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Inventors: John Robert Scott Mitchell, Ioan Dorin Ilea, James Joseph Ferri
  • Patent number: 10570645
    Abstract: An inline motorized lock drive is mountable within a lock housing to drive a sliding locking element between a locked and unlocked position. The lock drive includes a reversible motor having a shaft with an augur thereon to drive a lock spring, which drives the locking element. The sliding motion of the locking element is axially aligned with the motor axis to substantially reduce friction. The lock drive is preferably modular and emulates a solenoid lock drive with a control circuit. The control circuit is connected to drive the motor is switchable to default to a locked position or an unlocked position and emulate a “fail safe” or a “fail secure” type solenoid lock drive. The control circuit operates on 12 or 24 volts to replace solenoid locks of either voltage and stores power when power is applied, then uses the stored power to return the lock drive to the selected default state when power is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Sargent Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: David D. Ellis, Scott B. Lowder
  • Patent number: 10563435
    Abstract: A low release effort eccentric double ratchet, double pawl vehicle latch includes a ratchet, a primary pawl, an auxiliary ratchet and a secondary pawl. A drive mechanism including a gear cam wheel sequences movement of the secondary pawl to open and reset the latch. Upon reset, the drive mechanism actuates the auxiliary ratchet back to a closed state in a soft manner without using a hard stop; instead the latch has a cushioning spring that is used to softly stop the gear train during the reset absorbing motor energy and thus eliminating impact noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Taurasi, Francesco Cumbo
  • Patent number: 10563433
    Abstract: A handle for doors of motor vehicles includes an outer portion that can be grasped by a user, and an inwardly-extending plunger or hook that operably interconnects the handle to the door latch via a bell crank (that is part of the handle base or chassis depending on the type of handle architecture used). The plunger is made of a ductile material such as metal, and includes a crumple zone that causes the plunger to deform axially and/or bend sidewardly in the event an axial and/or a bending impact load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Rajesh K. Patel
  • Patent number: 10557292
    Abstract: A door closer device for a vehicle includes a latch, a drive force transmission mechanism and a cancellation mechanism cancelling a closing operation of the drive force transmission mechanism. The drive force transmission mechanism includes a drive force transmission portion rotatable between a transmission position where the latch is configured to receive a drive force of an actuator and a non-transmission position where the latch is configured not to receive the drive force of the actuator. The cancellation mechanism includes a first operation portion and a second operation portion, the first operation portion engaged with the drive force transmission portion to be rotated irrespective of the second operation portion, the second operation portion engaged with the drive force transmission portion to be rotated irrespective of the first operation portion, the first and second operation portions rotating the drive force transmission portion from the transmission position to the non-transmission position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio Machida, Satoshi Shibayama
  • Patent number: 10550602
    Abstract: A locking device is disclosed having (a) a tubular housing having a frontal end and a distal end; (b) a latch movable between a first position protruding from the frontal end of the housing and a second position wherein the latch is retracted in the housing; and (c) an electrically driven drive device for moving the latch between the first and second positions. The locking device further includes a deactivation mechanism provided in the housing and allowing movement of the drive device or at least part thereof from an active position wherein the drive device is enabled to move the latch between the first and second position and an inactive position wherein the latch is retracted in the housing irrespective of its movement by the electrical drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: 9DESIGN.BE BVBA
    Inventor: Roel Boutelegier
  • Patent number: 10533355
    Abstract: An improved surface bolt having a one-piece bolt and, in some embodiments, a one piece channel base in which the bolt is slidably mountable. In some embodiments, the channel base has first and second opposing edges with sidewalls along the edges, and each sidewall has a lip overhanging the base to define a groove or slot. The bolt has first and second opposing edges with ridges that slidably mount within the grooves. The bolt can include a handle extending from a first bolt member surface and a bumper extending from an opposed second bolt member surface and constraining sliding movement of the bolt between fastener heads or other stops extending from the channel base. Some embodiments of the bolt and channel base are made of a lightweight material such as plastic for example; and the bolt and channel base can include scoring, allowing their size to be altered at the score lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: DRDesigns, LLC
    Inventor: Darryl R. Dworkin
  • Patent number: 10526819
    Abstract: The invention relates to a door lock or flap lock comprising a locking mechanism that has a rotary latch and a pawl for locking the rotary latch. Said type of lock is also described in DE 103 20 457 A 1. The aim of the invention is to provide a lock with a position securing system with low technical complexity. Said aim is achieved by a lock with a locking mechanism comprising a rotary latch and a pawl for locking the rotary latch. The lock comprises a position securing system for a locking or anti-theft device. A spring is used for securing the position. Said spring is embodied as a dual-acting clamping spring. A tilting mechanism tilts a slot thus securing the position of the slot if excessively accelerated. As a result, an undesired movement of the slot is inhibited and the position thereof is thus improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Bernardo Erices, Nicolas Cavalie, Madhu S. Basavarajappa
  • Patent number: 10526816
    Abstract: In a door lock, a locking mechanism includes an outer wheel, an inner wheel disposed inside the outer wheel and operable to rotate relative to the outer wheel, a clutch member disposed in the inner wheel and normally biased to radially extend from the inner wheel into the outer wheel to interengage the inner and outer wheels, and an arm plate sleeved around the inner wheel. When the inner wheel rotates in a first direction, the arm plate is driven by the inner wheel to actuate the deadbolt. When the inner and outer wheels are interengaged, the inner wheel drives the outer wheel by rotating in a second direction. When the inner wheel disengages from the outer wheel, rotation of the inner wheel in the first or second direction is idle relative to the outer wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: TONG LUNG METAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ming-Shyang Chiou, Yu Lin
  • Patent number: 10501961
    Abstract: The present invention provides a flush pull handle affixable to a door. The handle includes a mounting brace disposed within a door, a mounting assembly including a top portion, bottom portion, first side portion and a second side portion, the mounting assembly affixable to the door via at least one fastener. The mounting assembly includes at least one mounting flange. The handle further includes a pull assembly including an assembly interior portion having a first interior side and a second interior side, the first interior side having at least one flange mount opening. The pull assembly includes an assembly face having a handle flush with the pull assembly extruding across at least a portion of the assembly interior portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: NATIONAL SECURITY AND DOOR CORP.
    Inventors: Mark Allen Longest, Scott Childress
  • Patent number: 10501968
    Abstract: A door holding device and system is disclosed that holds a door in a partially open configuration. The door holding device includes a first arm assembly that attaches to a door frame, a second arm assembly that attaches to a door, a movable clamping mechanism that clamps the first arm assembly to the door frame, and a pivot device that allows the first arm assembly and the second arm assembly pivot with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Michael Maher, Christopher J. Caito
  • Patent number: 10497289
    Abstract: An electronic security bolt seal for locking a hasp includes an electronic module that has a circuit board disposed at an interior cavity of a housing. The housing includes apertures aligned with each other, such that a bolt is configured to be inserted through the apertures and through the interior cavity to engage the circuit board and complete an electronics circuit. When the bolt is inserted through the apertures of the housing, a locking device engages a tip region of the bolt that protrudes from the housing to secure the electronic module to the bolt. Responsive to a determination of breaking the electronics circuit, the circuit board is operable to generate a seal tamper signal. The locking element can be unlocked by a user to disengage the locking device from the bolt to permit the bolt to be removed from the electronic module and disengaged from the hasp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: E.J. BROOKS COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Debrody, Donald Ruth, George Lundberg, Richard Dreisbach
  • Patent number: 10494839
    Abstract: A door latch apparatus that is mounted on a vehicle door and that achieves at low cost a structure that is for ensuring operational reliability of an open lever. The door latch apparatus includes a cap formed by resin material and including a cylindrical shape, the cap being arranged in an inserted manner at an attachment shaft extended in a form of a shaft in a predetermined direction, an elastic spring member that elastically biases a pawl from a non restriction position towards a restriction position, and a coming-off prevention mechanism that, by making part of the elastic spring member to engage with the cap, prevents the cap from coming off from the attachment shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sadayuki Makino, Satoshi Shibayama, Yuki Ishiguro