Patents Examined by Kristina R Fulton
  • Patent number: 11365565
    Abstract: A motor-driven door latch for a vehicle includes a catch part which is caught on a striker mounted on the vehicle to lock a vehicle door to a vehicle body or is released from the striker so that the door can be opened from the vehicle body. A door locking and releasing part includes a main motor and applies torque to the catch part through the main motor to allow the catch part to be locked to or released from the striker. A collision response part applies torque to the catch part through the door locking and releasing part in order to keep the door in the collision in the locked state and allow the door on the side opposite to the collision to be opened in the event of a collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Cornoration
    Inventors: Jinwoo Nam, Kyoung Taek Kwak, Jungho Han
  • Patent number: 11365570
    Abstract: A vehicle door handle assembly with a sensor device for detecting an actuation is provided. A handle of the handle assembly has a section which can be gripped from behind and an outer wall that delimits an interior in which an electronic sensor device is arranged and fixed. The handle section is formed with a reduced outer wall thickness in an actuation region and has a deformability that is increased with respect to the remaining sections of the handle. The outer wall thickness is reduced solely on the outer wall face oriented towards the interior. The handle outer wall inner face oriented towards the interior is coated with a metal layer at least in the actuation region. The electronic sensor device comprises at least one inductive distance sensor which lies opposite the metal layer in the interior of the handle to detect a deformation of the opposing outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Beck, Serdal Bitirim, Dirk Mueller, Martin Witte
  • Patent number: 11365569
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus has a first housing superimposed on a second housing that includes a base wall, a first concave wall projecting from the base wall, an engaging part formed in or on the first concave wall, and an opening that provides a path from the outside into an inner housing chamber. A transmission cable includes an inner cable slidably housed in an outer cable. A portion of the inner cable is exposed from a first end of the outer cable, passes through the opening, and is coupled to a rotatable element disposed in the inner housing chamber via a linkage. A casing cap that surrounds an end of the outer cable has a contact part that contacts the first concave wall in a second direction and an engaged part that engages with the engaging part in the second direction when the contact part contacts the first concave wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 11365568
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus (1) includes latch and actuating housings (9, 7) that are fixed between outer and inner panels (3, 4) of a vehicle door (2). A connector fitting section (80C) is exposed through an open window (4H) in the inner panel (4) toward a vehicle interior side of the inner panel (4). A movable member (50) includes a second end (52) that projects out of the actuating housing (7), passes through an opening (80H) in the actuating housing (7) and also passes through the open window (4H) toward the vehicle interior side, where it is coupled to a link member (C3). The connector fitting section (80C) and the opening (80H) are covered by a single umbrella-shaped blocking member (89) that contacts the actuating housing (7) and the inner panel (4) around at least an upper side of the peripheral edge of the open window (4H).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 11359420
    Abstract: A door latch for a motor vehicle compartment includes a latch pawl having a locked position and an unlocked position, the locked position preventing access to the compartment, the unlocked position providing access to the compartment, and an actuator that rotates about a first pivot point. The actuator selectively engages with the latch pawl to move the latch pawl from the locked position to the unlocked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Gurnek Singh, Scott J. Fast
  • Patent number: 11359413
    Abstract: A dual action latch, having a latch handle, an elongate bolt, a cam, a latch housing, and a biasing device, for installation on one side of door. The latch handle includes a lifting portion and a lever arm. The latch housing has a lever arm aperture through which the lever arm of the latch handle passes and a bolt guide for slidably receiving the elongate bolt. The latch handle is movably attached to the latch housing. With the latch handle moved, the lever arm withdraws the elongate bolt into the latch housing. Independently, when the cam is rotated by a separate handle on the other side the door, the cam plate likewise withdraws the elongate bolt into the latch housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: S.P.E.P. ACQUISITION CORP.
    Inventor: Tam Le
  • Patent number: 11359411
    Abstract: A surface-mountable electric strike having a keeper arranged to pivot about a first shaft extending in a longitudinal direction; a lock lever for locking the keeper in a door-locking position, the lock lever being arranged to pivot about a second shaft extending in a direction that is transverse to the longitudinal direction and parallel to the backside of the strike; and an actuation mechanism for actuating the lock lever, the actuation mechanism comprising an electromagnet that is situated next to the lock lever in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the backside of the strike thereby enabling the electromagnet to act directly upon the lock lever providing a simple construction. Moreover, the orientation of the second shaft enables arranging the lock lever, and the electromagnet, above and/or underneath the keeper, thereby reducing the total depth of the strike.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: LOCINOX
    Inventor: Joseph Talpe
  • Patent number: 11359417
    Abstract: An electronic trigger rotary latch includes a trigger cutout, a controller in electrical communication with a plug receiver. Springs are engaged to the latch and trigger pawls. A gear motor having an actuator engages a surface of the trigger pawl. A handle includes a striker bolt and an electrical plug. In an unlatched configuration the striker bolt is separated from the latch pawl, an electrical circuit is open, the latch pawl spring has reduced compression, the trigger pawl spring has increased compression, and the trigger tip is engaged to a latch tab. The actuator has moved the lower leg in the trigger cutout. In the latched configuration, the striker bolt is held by the latch pawl, an electrical circuit is closed, the trigger tip is engaged to the latch shoulder, and the trigger leg has been moved in the trigger cutout in an opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Allegis Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffery Almodovar, Tye S. Sonney, Larry Witiak
  • Patent number: 11359418
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock has a pawl and a catch that may be moved into an open position, a preliminary latching position and a main latching position. In one latching position, that catch is or may be brought into holding engagement with a lock striker. During a cinching routine, the catch is moved into its main latching position by a cinching drive. An overload clutch with two clutch elements is provided in the drive train between the cinching drive and the catch. The clutch elements are in engagement with each other for the transmission of cinching forces. The engagement is load dependent in a beginning section of the cinching routine, such that the engagement, and thereby the overload clutch, is disconnected in reaction to exceeding a predefined limit load in the drive train. The engagement is load independent in the remaining, subsequent section of the cinching routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: David Rosales
  • Patent number: 11359403
    Abstract: A manually operated locking bolt (1) having a cylindrical, sleeve-shaped bolt guide (3) and a bolt (2), which is mounted to be axially displaced in the bolt guide (3), and which has a locking end (15) and an actuating end (31), wherein the bolt (2) is mounted to be axially displaced between a first axial end position or a second axial end position within the bolt guide (3) and can be locked, wherein at least one sensor (27) is fastened to the bolt guide (3), which sensor detects the two axial end positions of the bolt (2) as a measured variable and generates therefrom a further processable electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: OTTO GANTER GMBH & CO. KG NORMTEILEFABRIK
    Inventor: Thilo Hofmann
  • Patent number: 11352814
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a locking device (10), comprising a threaded rod (12) and a tapping tube (14), which are movable relative to each other. An outer surface of the tube includes a first anti-rotation form. The device further comprises: a locking sleeve (16) positioned around the rod and comprising a second anti-rotation form (60, 62) capable of being assembled to the first anti-rotation form; and an elastic element (18) connected to the locking sleeve. In a locked position, the first (38, 40) and second (60, 62) anti-rotation forms are assembled; and in a release position, said anti-rotation forms are axially spaced apart, whereby the tube is free to rotate relative to the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: LISI AEROSPACE
    Inventors: Yannick Astier, Bastien Bellavia, Boris Hummel
  • Patent number: 11352819
    Abstract: A door lock device including: a latch; a ratchet; an output shaft configured to rotate by a motor; an output lever configured to move the latch from a half latch position to a full latch position when the output shaft is rotated in a normal direction, and to release an engagement of the ratchet to the latch when the output shaft is rotated in a reverse direction; a first metal bracket including a first shaft support hole configured to rotatably support the output shaft; and a second metal bracket including a second shaft support hole configured to rotatably support the output shaft at a location different from that of the first shaft support hole, wherein the first metal bracket and the second metal bracket are fixed to each other by two or more screw holes of the first metal bracket and two or more holes of the second metal bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUI KINZOKU ACT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Yokota, Naoto Fujiwara, Makoto Kondo
  • Patent number: 11346137
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to be able to constantly open a locking mechanism of an electrically actuated lock of a motor vehicle with sufficiently large force, without having to provide an excessively large electric motor and/or an excessively large gearing transmission ratio for this purpose. In order to solve the problem, a lock for a motor vehicle comprises a locking mechanism (3) and an actuator device for opening the locking mechanism (3). The actuation device comprises a rotatable actuator (1) which can be rotated by a motorised drive (15), in particular by an electric drive. A rotating of the actuator (1) brings about an unlocking, i.e. an opening, of the locking mechanism (3). The locking mechanism (3) can be opened independently of the direction of rotation of the actuator (1). Opening of the locking mechanism (3) is therefore not dependent upon a defined direction of rotation. The force with which the locking mechanism (3) is opened depends on the direction of rotation of the actuator (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventor: Holger Schiffer
  • Patent number: 11339586
    Abstract: Lock device (1) which incorporates a closure assembly (2) that can move between an open position and a closed position, a locking device to lock said closure assembly (2) in the closed position, a first actuator (3, 31) and a second actuator (4, 41), both the first actuator (3, 31) and the second actuator (4, 41) having a locked position, in which a locking or retention action is applied, and an unlocked position, both the first and the second actuators having respective control devices which allow orders to be given to change the position of each respective actuator, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are arranged in such a way that unlocking the locking device requires that both control devices place their respective actuator in the unlocked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: MONTAJES ELECTRONICOS DORCAS, S.L
    Inventors: Pablo Ibañez Roig, Juan Gonzalez Sisternas
  • Patent number: 11332003
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a fuel or charging port door assembly of a motor vehicle. In particular, this disclosure relates to a fuel or charging port door assembly configured to permit a door to open when an override force is applied using an assist tool, for example. An example vehicle includes a door configured to move relative to a body of the vehicle between open and closed positions. The door is a fuel door or a charging port door. The vehicle also includes a lock assembly including a base and a tip. The base is configured to hold the tip during normal operating conditions, and the base and tip are configured to separate upon application of an override force to the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Brian Glickman, Scott Shaw, Aaron Halonen, Peter Joseph Bejin, Darshan Arun Nayak
  • Patent number: 11332960
    Abstract: In one aspect the present invention provides a door strike which prevents the opening of an associated door when the door strike has been heated to an elevated temperature of at least about 1000° F., preferably when the door strike is at higher temperatures such as are present during a fire in a building structure. The door strike includes a thermally responsive element which retards the normal operation of the door strike when it is at an elevated temperature. A further aspect of the invention is a method for controlling the undesired spread of a fire or smoke between adjacent spaces separated by the door wherein a fire or smoke condition exists in at least one of these spaces, via the provision of a door strike having a thermally responsive element which retards the normal operation of the door strike when it is at an elevated temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: TRINE ACCESS TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Fred H. Schildwachter, Ferdinand E. Orbeta
  • Patent number: 11326374
    Abstract: An operating arrangement for at least one motor vehicle latch, in particular a flap operating arrangement for two motor vehicle flap latches placed at a distance from one another and provided with a drive train. Furthermore, a lever arrangement interacting with the drive train is provided. Moreover, there is provided at least one transmission attached to the lever arrangement to act upon the at least one motor vehicle latch. The lever arrangement has an operating lever to act upon the transmission and a locking lever that blocks the operating lever at least when in a “locked” position, wherein the drive train works upon the locking lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Stelian Borlodan, Mandya Rajagopal
  • Patent number: 11326372
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door lock comprises a ratchet-type mechanism having a pawl and a rotary latch. The motor vehicle door lock is also provided with a release lever for the ratchet-type mechanism and at least one actuation lever and a blocking element. The blocking element brings about a mechanical connection during normal operation and a mechanical separation, when operating in the event of an accident, between the actuation lever and the release lever. According to the invention, the blocking element is configured as a coupling lever mounted on the actuation lever, which pivots independently from the actuation lever applied with spring force when operating in the event of an accident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventor: Madhu S. Basavarajappa
  • Patent number: 11319732
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for pre-fluxing motors of vehicle door e-latches. An example vehicle includes a door including a handle that includes a switch. The handle also includes an e-latch that includes a latch and a motor for the latch. Responsive to detecting grasping of the handle via the switch, the e-latch is to pre-flux the motor and transmit an authentication request. The example vehicle also includes a body control module to cause the motor to unlock the door via the latch responsive to authenticating a fob upon receiving the authentication request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Jeffeory Berels, Christopher Matthew Radjewski, Laura Viviana Hazebrouck
  • Patent number: 11319736
    Abstract: A swing bar door guard includes a door latch having a latch base configured to be connected to a door jamb, a latch bar configured to be connected to the latch base, and first and second bumpers configured to extend through openings in the latch bar. The first and second bumpers each include a jamb bumper portion for contacting the door jamb when in a blocking position and a door bumper portion for contacting the door in the blocking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: QUIET LOCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Scott Thomas