Patents Examined by Kristina Fulton
  • Patent number: 9638349
    Abstract: A self-lubricating flexible carbon composite seal includes an annular body formed from a flexible carbon composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Lei Zhao, Zhiyue Xu
  • Patent number: 9631405
    Abstract: A securing mechanism for a door, especially the door of a device, comprising a first closure element; an arresting structure disposed on the first closure element; a second closure element configured for latching with the arresting structure, wherein for unlatching purposes, the second closure element is rotatable relative to the first closure element; and a lever support that is movable relative to the second closure element such that it is transferable between a release position, in which it cancels a latching of the second closure element with the arresting structure, and a latching position in which the latching of the second closure element with the arresting structure is maintained. The lever support is also movable relative to the first closure element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: RAHRBACH GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Könkler, Rinaldo Pietrasch
  • Patent number: 9631406
    Abstract: A magnetic gate latch comprises magnetic materials and a latching mechanism attracted into a keeper when the gate latch is closed by a first magnetic force and retained in a unlatched position by a second magnetic force. For example, the latching mechanism comprises a pin without a spring or other biasing mechanism biasing the spring in a direction opposite of a magnet in the keeper assembly. In one example, the pin comprises a magnet on an end of the pin opposite from the keeper assembly, which is attracted toward a ferromagnetic material when the pin is retracted into the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Weldon Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Chartier, Christopher Paradies
  • Patent number: 9631507
    Abstract: A sealing band arrangement for a gas turbine including first and second adjoining rotor disks separated by a gap wherein the first rotor disk includes an aperture. The sealing band arrangement includes at least one seal strip segment located within the gap, wherein the seal strip segment includes a raised portion having a first mating surface. The sealing arrangement further includes a locking pin having a planar section for receiving the first raised surface. The locking pin also includes a pin section having a second mating surface that abuts against the first mating surface to thereby lock the locking pin and the seal strip segment together. Further, the pin section is located within the aperture to stop circumferential movement of the seal strip segment relative to first and second disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Manish S. Gurao
  • Patent number: 9627875
    Abstract: The embodiments herein provide a device for sealing an interface having an opening for a wire to pass through the interface. A pair of sealing blocks may be used where one block contains a protrusion and the opposing block contains a recess. The protrusion and recess preferably have an apex with a round having approximately the same dimension as the radius of the wire. A pair of posts may be positioned on opposing sides of the opening. One sealing block may contain an aperture for accepting one of the posts while the second sealing block may contain an aperture for accepting the opposing post. The posts may be threaded so that they can accept a threaded fastener. Exemplary embodiments may utilize mounting plates which may contain a flange such that squeezing the opposing flanges together can cause inward forces on the sealing blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Manufacturing Resources International, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin O'Connor, Mike Brown
  • Patent number: 9624699
    Abstract: The invention regards a locking device for the closing door of a washing and drying machine, constituted of a body of containment that houses a locking wheel for the door latch, subject to the action of elastic means, a sliding bolt capable of preventing the rotation of said wheel and a time-delay mechanism fitted with a locking pawl for said sliding bolt. The wheel is fitted with a cavity that presents a surface tilted with respect to the plane of rotation, so as to resolve the force it exerts on the bolt, when a pulling is exerted on the door while the device is in a closed and locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: ELETTROTECNICA ROLD S.R.L.
    Inventors: Onofrio Rocchitelli, Stefano Rocchitelli
  • Patent number: 9625037
    Abstract: A seal useful in sealing slide out rooms used in recreational vehicles. The seal may be used singularly or in pairs to straddle a wall through which the opening is located. A bulb is attached to the base in a cantilevered manner over the base. The bulb has an outer arcuate portion that is integrally joined to opposing sidewall portions. The sidewall portions extend into an inner wall that defines an enclosed space within the bulb portion. The bulb portion may also have a protrusion that can touch the base. A wiper extends from the base substantially co-linearly to the base and opposite the offsetting member. A locating leg extending from the base is movable between a first position and a second position. The first position has the locating leg perpendicular to the base and the second position places the locating leg parallel to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: JAEGAR-UNITEK SEALING SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Raymond Young, Marc Maloney, Roger Brown, Makoto Sato
  • Patent number: 9624701
    Abstract: A multi-point lock having an easy to install modular drive mechanism for shootbolts located at the top and bottom edges of a door in which the multi-point locking system is installed that requires only relatively simple door preparation. The shootbolt operating mechanism is installed into a narrow groove cut into a lateral edge of a door which may be cut using relatively simple tools in relatively quick fashion. The shootbolt actuating mechanisms are flat driverails that are made of flat barstock that fit slidably entirely within the narrow groove defined in the lateral edge of the door above and below the mortise pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HOPPE Holding AG
    Inventors: Matt Taylor, Scott Trogner, Dan Mattrisch
  • Patent number: 9617762
    Abstract: A number of variations may include a product including a retainer for holding a hood in a partially open position and for releasing the hood to permit full opening movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Joseph P. Fannon, Craig D. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 9617768
    Abstract: A belt for electromagnetic sucker includes a first substantially U-shaped section, a second substantially U-shaped section, an electromagnetic sucker coupled to at least one of the first and second substantially U-shaped sections, at least one of the first and second substantially U-shaped sections being structured and arranged to be secure to a support, and a connector structured and arranged to secure the first and second substantially U-shaped sections to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: DIGIT
    Inventor: Jacob Benhammou
  • Patent number: 9617754
    Abstract: The description relates to a snap fastening for mounting fittings such as socket wrench latches, swivel lever latches, hinge parts, handles, fixing brackets for door stops or flap supports in openings in a thin wall, comprising a head part which is to be arranged on one, outer side of the thin wall and which overlaps the outer rim of the opening, and a body part which proceeds from the head part and projects through the opening in the mounted position, and holding elements which project from the body part and are flexible in direction of its outer surface against spring force, the free end of these holding elements being provided with an inclined surface for supporting the body part without play on the rim or edge of the opening of the other, inner side of the thin wall, wherein the body part and holding element and the spring generating the spring force are separate parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventor: Dieter Ramsauer
  • Patent number: 9617766
    Abstract: Latch assembly including a latch arm, having first and second length edges and first and second width edges. The latch arm includes a latch pawl, a pivot connector, and a stabilizing member, positioned in a plane. The latch pawl connected to the first width edge and providing spring force resisting deflection non-parallel to the plane. The pivot connector and stabilizing member formed within an area of the latch arm. The stabilizing member extending distally relative to the second width edge to the pivot connector, and providing spring force resisting deflection parallel to the plane. The component and latch assembly including a component having first and second faces being adjacent and perpendicular. The latch arm rotatably mounted on the second face between latched and unlatched positions. Assembly including an embossment positioned to deflect the latch pawl during latching so the latch arm sits raised upon the embossment in the latched position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric A. Eckberg, Jessica R. Eidem, James D. Gerken, Rebeccah J. Vossberg, Daniel A. Wright
  • Patent number: 9618124
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a mechanical seal assembly, comprising: a rotating seal ring (2) and a stationary seal ring (3), which define a sealing gap (4) thereinbetween, a shaft bush (6), on which the rotating seal ring (2) is arranged, a carrier ring (5), which is arranged on the shaft bush (6) and at least partly covers the rotating seal ring (2) on the outer circumference thereof, a first O-ring (8) and a second O-ring (9), which are arranged between the rotating seal ring (2) and the carrier ring (5) and define an interspace (15) on the outer circumference of the rotating seal ring (2) between the carrier ring (5) and the rotating seal ring (2), and at least one connecting opening (11), which connects the interspace (15) to an outer circumferential surface of the carrier ring (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: EagleBurgmann Germany GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Joseph Portenlanger, Michael Dorig
  • Patent number: 9617763
    Abstract: A lock is provided especially for a door (2) or flap of a motor vehicle. Said lock has a lock housing (3) and a locking mechanism having a rotary latch (4) and a pawl, wherein the rotary latch (4) is arranged pivotably about an axis (22) and interacts with a locking bow (9), which is assigned to the bodywork (8), during the opening and closing of the door (2). At least one spring plate (15) which is oriented substantially parallel to the rotary latch (4) and surrounds the locking bow (9) in the locking position of the lock is arranged in the lock inlet region of the lock housing (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Ludger Graute, Omer Inan, Ulrich Weichsel
  • Patent number: 9617764
    Abstract: An outside handle of a vehicle that releases a door latch, including a slot that includes a rotatable flap that sits flush against an outer panel of the vehicle in a closed position. The rotation of the flap provides an opening to an inside of the handle in an open position. The handle includes a rotating lever behind the outer panel, and a lock rod attached to the rotating lever. Downward rotation of the lever moves the rod downward, and the downward motion of the rod then triggers the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Stephanie Vasi, Eric Archambeau, Mike Howlett
  • Patent number: 9611543
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sliding element, such as a piston ring, having a coating on at least one running surface, which comprises, from the inside out, an adhesive layer (10), a metal-containing, preferably tungsten-containing, DLC layer (12), and a metal-free DLC layer (14), and is characterized in that the ratio of the thickness of the metal-free DLC layer to the thickness of the metal-containing DLC layer ranges from 0.7 to 1.5 and/or to the overall thickness of the coating ranges from 0.4 to 0.6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Burscheid GmbH
    Inventors: Marcus Kennedy, Michael Zinnabold
  • Patent number: 9611672
    Abstract: An exemplary lock includes an outer spindle, a center spindle, and a lock control assembly selectively coupling the outer and center spindles. In one embodiment, the lock control assembly includes a cam coupled to the center spindle, a locking bar slidingly coupled to the outer spindle, a cam follower positioned between the locking bar and the cam, and a biasing element urging the locking bar into engagement with the cam follower. Engagement between the cam and the cam follower may be configured to move the cam follower longitudinally in response to relative rotation between the cam and the cam follower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventor: Nathanael Silas Murphy
  • Patent number: 9605450
    Abstract: A vehicle door includes a door structure and a movable door handle that is connected to a latch mechanism by a cable. A rotatably biased stop member is connected to the cable. The vehicle door further includes a housing having a channel that receives portion of the stop member. The channel includes first and second linear portions and a transverse stop portion that is engaged by the follower to prevent further lengthwise movement of the lock member and cable if a speed of the cable exceeds an allowable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Livianu Dorin Puscas, Kosta Papanikolaou, Bhupendra A. Patel, David Manuel Rogers
  • Patent number: 9605455
    Abstract: A self-contained combination latch and cam lock adapter module affixes to the rear of any lock (keyed or non-keyed) that has a requisite mating feature. The module is alignable in any of four positions (up, down, left, and right) on the back of the lock for latching in any installed position. The module allows a user to slam closed an associated door or drawer without having to rotate the lock into a locked position. The module retrofits in the field by removing and replacing an existing fixed cam. In one embodiment, a mating part is rotationally spring-loaded so that when the key or knob is turned and then released, the module automatically returns to its locked position, ready to be shut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: CompX International Inc.
    Inventors: John Y. Kamin, Robert E. Dalton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9605449
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a lock for a door arrangement, wherein a catch and a pawl, which is assigned to the catch, are provided. The catch can be brought into an open position and into a closed position. The catch may be brought into holding engagement with a lock striker. The pawl may be brought into an engagement position or deflected into a release position. A lock mechanism and a crash mechanism with a crash element are provided. The crash mechanism may be brought from a normal condition into a crash condition. A switchable coupling is provided between the pawl actuation arrangement and the pawl. The crash element is acting on the switchable coupling or is part of the switchable coupling in such a way that bringing the crash mechanism into the crash condition opens the switchable coupling and lets the actuation of the pawl actuation arrangement run free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: David Rosales, Michael Wittelsbuerger