Patents Examined by James E. Ignaczewski
  • Patent number: 11802425
    Abstract: An electric door latch apparatus includes a catching part for catching a striker, a door locking and unlocking part for applying a torque to the catching part through a main motor, an electric emergency door unlocking part configured to enable the door to be released from the vehicle body through a sub-motor, an inside emergency operation lever connected to an inside handle installed in the door, rotatable by an operational force of the inside handle, and configured to apply a torque to the catching part, an outside emergency operation lever connected to an outside handle installed in the door, rotatable by an operational force of the outside handle, and configured to apply a torque to the catching part, and a manual emergency door unlocking part connected to the inside emergency operation lever and configured to apply a torque to the catching part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jinwoo Nam, Jungho Han, Kyoung Taek Kwak, Jungmin Eom
  • Patent number: 11732513
    Abstract: An electric door latch apparatus includes a catching part for catching a striker, a door locking and unlocking part for applying a torque to the catching part through a main motor, an electric emergency door unlocking part configured to enable the door to be released from the vehicle body through a sub-motor, an inside emergency operation lever connected to an inside handle installed in the door, rotatable by an operational force of the inside handle, and configured to apply a torque to the catching part, an outside emergency operation lever connected to an outside handle installed in the door, rotatable by an operational force of the outside handle, and configured to apply a torque to the catching part, and a manual emergency door unlocking part connected to the inside emergency operation lever and configured to apply a torque to the catching part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jinwoo Nam, Jungho Han, Kyoung Taek Kwak, Jungmin Eom
  • Patent number: 11702863
    Abstract: A method for detecting a handed configuration of a door includes providing an electronic lock, which includes a latch assembly that includes a bolt movable between an extended position and a retracted position and a motor that is configured to drive the bolt between the extended position and the retracted position. The latch assembly includes a control circuit for controlling the motor to selectively move the bolt, at least one sensor in electrical communication with the control circuit, and at least one orientation indicator. The method includes detecting the presence of the at least one the orientation indicator and identifying a handed configuration based on the detection by the at least one sensor. The method includes driving, by the control circuit, the motor based on the identified handed configuration. The control circuit identifies the handed configuration without moving the bolt between the extended position and the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Chasen Beck
  • Patent number: 11686131
    Abstract: An actuating drive for motor vehicle applications, in particular for a motor vehicle lock comprising an actuating drive, for realizing different functional positions, includes an electromagnetic rotary actuator with a rotor and a stator, in particular a coil carrier, a drive lever, wherein the drive lever can be moved to different functional positions by the rotary actuator, and means for latching the drive lever in the functional position, wherein the drive lever interacts with a switching lever in such a way that, after a functional position of the drive lever is reached, a moment which stabilizes the functional position can be introduced into the drive lever by the switching lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Christian Sturm, Claus Töpfer
  • Patent number: 11661770
    Abstract: A door lock device pair includes right and left door lock devices; each of the door lock devices including: a housing; a coupler wall projecting from the housing; a flat portion formed on the housing; and a waterproof seal fixed to the flat portion and being wrapped around the coupler wall, the waterproof seal including: inner and outer peripheral surfaces; and an inclined surface that forms an acute angle with respect to the inner peripheral surface and an obtuse angle at another end of the inclined surface, the inner peripheral surface being in contact with the outer peripheral wall and being in contact with the inclined surface, and the waterproof seals in the door lock devices having the same shape, and the waterproof seals being wrapped around the respective outer peripheral walls in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUI KINZOKU ACT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke Matsuda, Takao Taga, Shuntaro Kimura, Akiya Okuda
  • Patent number: 11649661
    Abstract: A system to barricade a door from forced entry is disclosed. The system includes an anchor insertable by a user into a receptacle mounted into a floor on the inside on the door, and a lock affixable to the door. The anchor includes an upper portion designed to connect with the lock, and a lower portion that preferably fits within the receptacle. The lock includes a stop designed to contact the outside surface of the door, and a key plate on the inside of the door. When the anchor is vertically inserted into the receptacle, the upper portion of the anchor engages the key plate of the lock affixed to the door, which in conjunction with the stop prevents the door from swinging outwards. The anchor can be removed from the receptacle when the user doesn't desire to barricade the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Inventor: Gary Fischer
  • Patent number: 11624216
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock includes a locking mechanism with a rotary latch and at least one pawl, an actuating lever which can directly or indirectly unlock the locking mechanism, and at least one Bowden cable. The Bowden cable, in particular the Bowden pull cable, has a spherical-shaped end piece and the end piece can be connected to the actuating lever. The Bowden cable is housed in the motor vehicle lock so it can rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventor: Rolf Siemensmeyer
  • Patent number: 11618307
    Abstract: A latch assembly for a tonneau cover. The latch assembly includes a button and a slider. The slider is movably coupled to the button. Movement of the button in a first direction causes the slider to move in an unlatching direction. Movement of the button in a second direction causes the slider to move in a latching direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Inventor: Anthony E. Becker
  • Patent number: 11608662
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door lock which is equipped with a body-side motor vehicle door lock and a bonnet-side or door-side locking bolt bracket, or vice-versa. Furthermore, at least one opening/retracting drive for a locking mechanism and a handle for manual emergency opening of the locking mechanism are provided in the motor vehicle door lock. According to the invention a locking element, the position of which is checked with the aid of at least one sensor, is associated with the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Drost, Christian Sturm
  • Patent number: 11603682
    Abstract: A bi-directional door opening structure includes a front door configured to be rotatably opened with respect to a front hinge part positioned in a roof of a vehicle, a rear door configured to be rotatably opened with respect to a rear hinge part positioned in the roof of the vehicle, and a drive unit positioned in the roof at a point where the front door and the rear door are adjacent to each other, and configured to apply an opening force to the front door and the rear door, wherein the drive unit includes a spindle unit configured to open at least one of the front door and the rear door, which has been unlocked by a driving force applied from a driving part, and a differential gear configured to deliver the driving force between the spindle unit and the driving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Cornoration
    Inventor: Ki Hyun Cho
  • Patent number: 11603692
    Abstract: A locking structure can be used for a rectilinear center rail for opposite sliding doors. A rectilinear center rail mounted in a longitudinal direction on a sliding door, a center roller unit rollably connected to the center rail, and a swing bracket rotatably connected to the center roller unit and a vehicle body. The center roller unit includes a first rotating member and a second rotating member, a first catcher formed on the center rail to hinder a movement of the center roller unit, a second catcher formed on the swing bracket to assist a movement of the center roller unit, and a first lever configured to be locked by or unlocked from the first catcher and a second lever configured to be locked by or unlocked from the second catcher are connected to the second rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Hyung-In Yun
  • Patent number: 11603683
    Abstract: A lid opening and closing device for a vehicle includes a restriction member that is operable between a restriction position at which the restriction is applied and a restriction release position at which the restriction is released, an electric motor that drives the restriction member between the restriction position and the restriction release position in response to a door switching between a locked state and an unlocked state, a case that houses the restriction member and the electric motor, and an emergency operation member that can move the restriction member to the restriction release position when the electric motor malfunctions, wherein an operating force-acting direction conversion mechanism is provided between the emergency operation member and the restriction member, the operating force-acting direction conversion mechanism converting the operating force from the emergency operation member into a force that causes operation from the restriction position toward the restriction release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
    Inventors: Kohei Hirotani, Takashi Yamamoto, Naruhiko Maeda
  • Patent number: 11572717
    Abstract: An electric lock for a motor vehicle opening leaf includes a bolt, a pawl, a central opening lever, and an actuator with three abutment positions and capable of interacting with the central opening lever, the actuator including a driver. The driver includes a toothed driving wheel and a driven wheel. The driven wheel includes a second driving member, a motor intended for driving the actuator, a central transfer lever able to be moved by the driven wheel of the driver by the second driving member and the movement of which is capable of being transmitted to the central opening lever in order to move the pawl into its retracted angular position. One of the wheels of the driver includes a first circle-arc shaped oblong slot and the other wheel includes a first driving member extending through the first circle-arc shaped oblong slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: U-SHIN FRANCE
    Inventor: Johann Robert
  • Patent number: 11572715
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock, in particular for a vehicle rear door, having a lock cover and a locking mechanism consisting essentially of a rotary latch and at least one pawl, also comprising at least one coupling element, and at least one electric drive, wherein the coupling element can assume different positions, and the coupling element interacts with a drive element of the drive and a central locking mechanism, wherein the coupling element is connected to the drive element in order to take up its positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Holger Schiffer, Michael Scholz, Cyrille Roussel
  • Patent number: 11572716
    Abstract: A device and a method for opening and closing a motor vehicle door having a door lock. The device includes an electric opening actuator and an electric closing actuator, by means of which the door lock can be brought from a pre-locking position into a final-locking position. A control device controls the opening and closing actuators. The control device, in the event of a door opening request during operation of the closing actuator, first switches the closing actuator into a reversing mode, in which the door lock can be moved again in the opening direction and the opening actuator is triggered after a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventors: Jan Heyduck, Juergen Jooss, Tobias Konrad, Martin Lindmayer
  • Patent number: 11560738
    Abstract: A door lock assembly for a vehicle door includes a door panel, a stiffener bracket, a lock assembly, and a door pad. The door panel includes an inner door panel and an outer door panel. A stiffener bracket is connected to the inner door panel. A lock assembly is connected to the inner door panel. A door pad is connected to the stiffener bracket. The door pad is configured to interfere with the lock assembly to prevent the lock assembly from unlocking the vehicle door upon an object impacting the outer door panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Edgar Montes de Oca Contreras, Yosuke Nakai
  • Patent number: 11542730
    Abstract: A motor control system for a closure latch assembly is provided and includes a power release motor operatively coupled to a power release gear of the closure latch assembly. A plurality of relays are coupled between one of a first motor terminal and a second motor terminal and one of a voltage supply and an electrical ground to provide one of a first motor current flow to drive the power release motor in a first direction and a second motor current flow to drive the power release motor in a second direction. An electronic control unit is coupled to the plurality of relays and configured to command the plurality of relays to provide the first motor current flow in one of a power release mode and a release mode and the second motor current flow in one of a reset mode and an unlock mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES (KUNSHAN) CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Hua Yong
  • Patent number: 11536461
    Abstract: A latch module includes a latch including a hook for engaging with a pin, a spring that applies a force to move the latch in a first direction; and a motor to pivot the latch. The hook is opened at a front end toward the first direction that opens to an engaging surface provided in the hook for engaging with the pin and the engaging surface includes a disengaging inclined surface that is disposed at a front end portion of the hook and a secure lock surface that is disposed behind the disengaging inclined surface. The disengaging inclined surface has an inclined surface inclined in the first direction and the secure lock surface has an inclined surface inclined in a second direction opposite the first direction. In a first basic position of the latch, the disengaging inclined surface of the hook is positioned to engage with the pin. In a second basic position of the latch, the engaging surface of the hook is positioned to release the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jeongkil Kim, Myeong Jun Shin, Jangmo Shin, Sangki Lee, Seongho Jeong
  • Patent number: 11536059
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock, including a detent mechanism with a catch and a pawl. The motor vehicle lock may include a drivetrain arrangement with a drive element that may move in a predefined drive direction. During a cinching sequence, the drive element moves in the predefined drive direction, so that the drivetrain arrangement engages and drives the catch in a closing direction to a primary closed position. During a release sequence, the drive element may move in the predefined drive direction, so that the drivetrain arrangement engages and drives the pawl in a release direction to a release state. During the release sequence, the drive element moves in the predefined drive direction, so that the drivetrain arrangement moves to a clearance state, such that the pawl is in a release state and the catch may pivot to an open position drivetrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Wuppertal
    Inventor: David Rosales
  • Patent number: 11536057
    Abstract: A locking device for a motor vehicle includes an actuating lever, a lock and at least one Bowden cable, which is arranged between the actuating lever and the lock, wherein the lock can be actuated by means of the actuating lever and with the help of the Bowden cable and a functional unit, which is arranged on the Bowden cable and has an electric drive, and wherein the lock can be actuated by means of the functional unit at least in an assisting manner or an actuation can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Claus Töpfer, Winfried Schlabs, Tim Sonnenschein, Inga Heinzen