Patents Examined by Lloyd A. Gall
  • Lockable bicycle handlebar hardware
    Patent number: 10870457
    Abstract: A lockable bicycle handlebar hardware for easily securing a bicycle includes a bottom lock plate having a lower stem aperture and a lower lock aperture extending therethrough. The bottom lock plate has a recession around the lower stem aperture forming a bearing shelf. A bearing is coupled to the bottom lock plate and is selectively engageable with the bearing shelf. A top lock plate has an upper stem aperture and an upper lock aperture extending therethrough. A locking nut has a threaded aperture and a faceted perimeter. The lower stem aperture and the upper stem aperture are configured to receive a stem of a bicycle handlebar, the threaded aperture of the locking nut is configured to selectively engage with a threaded portion of the stem, and the lower lock aperture and the upper lock aperture are configured to receive a padlock when aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventor: Edward Di Napoli
  • Deadbolt securing assembly
    Patent number: 10865587
    Abstract: A deadbolt securing assembly includes a restraint that has a rounded portion being positionable around a stem of a doorknob on a door. The restraint has a rhombus portion that is spaced from the rounded portion. The rhombus portion is positionable around a deadbolt knob on the door when the rounded portion is positioned around the stem of the doorknob. Thus, the restraint inhibits the deadbolt knob from being rotated when the restraint is positioned between the doorknob and the deadbolt knob. In this way the restraint inhibits the door from being unlocked with a key. A doorknob pad is coupled to the rounded portion of the restraint to frictionally engage the stem of the doorknob. A deadbolt pad is coupled to the rhombus portion of the restraint to frictionally engage the deadbolt knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventors: Joseph Russell, Valerie Russell
  • Door assembly for storage and dispensing unit
    Patent number: 10858878
    Abstract: A door assembly system including a door assembly frame and a plurality of doors, each door being movably coupled to the door assembly frame. The system further includes an electrically activatable component coupled to the door assembly frame and operatively coupled to at least one door to selectively lock or unlock the at least one door. The door assembly frame is configured to be removably attached to a storage device frame having a plurality of compartments such that each door covers one of the compartments. The electrically activatable component is configured to be operatively connected to a controller coupled to the storage device frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: APEX INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Kent V. Savage, Benjamin V. Savage
  • Lock boxes and methods for storing locks
    Patent number: 10858876
    Abstract: Lock boxes and methods of removably storing locks that have key holes and are operable with keys are provided. The lock boxes include a container body having an exterior and an interior cavity defined by walls of the container body with a window for viewing the interior cavity from the exterior, and structure within the interior cavity configured for arranging locks removably placed within the interior cavity so that the locks are arranged in an array and so that the key holes of the locks or any keys inserted therein are simultaneously visible through the window and so that all of the locks within the interior cavity can be audited through the window to confirm that the keys thereof are within the locks without accessing the interior cavity of the container body. Keys removed from locks that have been removed from the interior cavity can be similarly audited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventors: Jon Neil Ensign, Raymond Arthur Vincel
  • Lockset with powered retraction
    Patent number: 10858862
    Abstract: An exemplary lockset includes a first bolt, a second bolt, and a drive assembly operable to retract the first bolt and the second bolt. The drive assembly includes a first gear train including a first input gear and a first output gear operably connected with the first bolt, a second gear train including a second input gear and a second output gear operably connected with the second bolt, a third input gear, and an electromechanical driver operable to rotate the third input gear in an unlocking direction. The third input gear is engaged with the first input gear and the second input gear such that rotation of the third input gear in the unlocking direction causes rotation of the first and second output gears, thereby retracting the first and second bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventors: Justin D. Seacat, Matthew Brandes, Avi Gordon, Matthew Heacock, Brendan Szuwalski
  • Self-locking lock for merchandise security
    Patent number: 10858863
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to merchandise security devices, systems, and methods for protecting an item of merchandise from theft. For example, a merchandise security device may include a lock configured to be secured to a merchandise fixture and a strike plate configured to be secured to the merchandise fixture. The lock includes an actuator configured to extend into operable engagement with the strike plate in a locked state and to retract out of operable engagement with the strike plate in an unlocked state. In addition, the actuator includes a curved portion at its free end and a straight portion extending from the curved portion, and the strike plate is configured to receive the entire curved portion in the locked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: InVue Security Products Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Johnston, Jeffrey A. Grant, Gary A. Taylor, David N. Berglund, Karen Bellum Bomber
  • Hydraulic system bleed device and system thereof
    Patent number: 10857990
    Abstract: A hydraulic system bleed system for a vehicle, including a hydraulic system bleed device, including a pneumatic air cylinder containing air in an interior portion thereof, a ram rod disposed at least partially within the pneumatic air cylinder, such that the pneumatic air cylinder and the ram rod are disposed between a steering wheel and a brake pedal of the vehicle, and a recoil spring disposed within the interior portion of the pneumatic air cylinder to provide a springing reciprocating movement for the ram rod, and a mobile device to provide a signal to the hydraulic system bleed device to initiate the reciprocating movement such that the brake pedal is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: Robert Whitt
  • Motor-driven lock with roller
    Patent number: 10858864
    Abstract: An exemplary locking mechanism includes a plunger, a lock control member adjacent the plunger, a roller captured between the plunger and the lock control member, a driver operably connected with the lock control member, and a control assembly operable to control the driver to move the lock control member between a locking position and an unlocking position. The locking mechanism has a locking state in which the lock control member is in the locking position, and interference between the roller and the lock control member prevents movement of the plunger in a retracting direction. The locking mechanism has an unlocking state in which the plunger is in the unlocking position such that the roller is operable to move into a pocket formed in the lock control member, thereby enabling movement of the plunger in the retracting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventor: Dan Pfunder
  • Security devices including a retained lock, shroud, and plug
    Patent number: 10851927
    Abstract: Security devices including a lock, shroud, and plug are described. In embodiments the security devices include a shroud that includes a shroud sidewall having an inward facing surface and an outward facing surface. The security devices further include a lock that includes a barrel, wherein the lock is integral with or coupled to the shroud to define a shroud cavity between an outward facing surface of the barrel and the inward facing surface of the shroud sidewall. The plug includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a plug sidewall receivable within the shroud cavity. The plug sidewall includes an inward facing surface defining a plug cavity configured to receive the barrel of the lock therein. Such security devices may be advanced from an assembly state to an unlocked state, and may then be reversibly moved between the unlocked state and the locked state. Security device kits are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: DEWALCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: John Edward Stachowiak, Aditya Kumar Palthi, Norman Binz DeWalch, Tyler Dean Todd, II
  • Portable device
    Patent number: 10843660
    Abstract: A portable device executes wireless communication with an in-vehicle device in a vehicle to thereby permit the in-vehicle device to perform control relating to locking or unlocking of a door in the vehicle. The portable device includes a circuit board on which a function for executing control is mounted, a housing, and a side cover. The housing is achieved by combining an upper case and a lower case configured to separate in an up and down direction that is a direction orthogonal to the circuit board. The side cover is attached to a side surface on an outside of the housing to bring the upper case and the lower case into close contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiaki Saito
  • Retractable cable locking device
    Patent number: 10844638
    Abstract: A retractable cable locking device, which includes a housing having a top and a bottom, a non-rotatable axle extending between the top and the bottom, a plurality of rotatable assemblies disposed within the housing where each rotatable assembly comprises a rotatable planar member and where each rotatable assembly can be separately rotated around the non-rotatable axle, a plurality of locking cables each having a first end which is attached to a different one of the plurality of planar members, a plurality of locking pins where each locking pin is disposed on a different distal end of a different locking cable, and a plurality of lock mechanisms wherein each lock mechanism will accept and fixture any one of the plurality of locking pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventor: John Harris Sud
  • Security anchor
    Patent number: 10829961
    Abstract: A security anchor comprises a first (or base) plate and a second (or clamping) plate that is adapted to fit over and engage the first plate. In use, fasteners pass through one or more holes defined through a central portion of the first plate to secure the first plate to a fixed object, such as a wall or floor. The second plate fit overs and engages the first plate, with a tab of the second plate received in a slot defined by a first upstanding wall portion of the first plate One or more holes defined in an upstanding wall portion of the second plate are in registry with one or more holes defined through a second upstanding wall portion of the first plate, such that a locking device can be passed through a selected pair of registered holes and connected to an item that is to be secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Inventor: Frank M. Lauyans
  • Handle assembly with lock, particularly for a glass leaf
    Patent number: 10829958
    Abstract: Described is a handle assembly (10) with lock (100), particularly for a glass leaf (200), which comprises a first fastening member (11), having a first abutment face (12) designed to make contact with a first face (201) of a leaf (200), a second fastening member (13) and a connecting mechanism (15) for mutually connecting the fastening members (11, 13). The first fastening member (11) comprises: a casing (17) equipped with an operating opening (18); a housing (19) for a cylinder (101) of the lock (100) and equipped with a locking device (21) for blocking the cylinder (101); a closing element (22) movable with respect to the housing (19) between an open position and a closed position in contrast with an elastic device (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: PBA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Masiero Francesca
  • Electronic locking apparatus and method
    Patent number: 10822835
    Abstract: An electronic locking mechanism has a body portion with movable retaining members that are controlled utilizing an electrically controlled actuator. The actuator operates the retaining member to move radially outwardly of the body portion circumference in a locked position and allows the retaining member to move radially inwardly of the circumference in an unlocked position. An electronic key can be utilized to operate the electronic locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: DeWalch Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Norman Binz Dewalch, Aditya Kumar Palthi, Tyler Dean Todd, II
  • Security apparatus including a remote actuator assembly
    Patent number: 10815699
    Abstract: A security apparatus for a portable electronic device includes a force-transmission member having a length, a first end, and a second end. The apparatus further includes a lock head coupled to the first end of the force-transmission member. The lock head is movable by the force-transmission member between a locked position, in which the lock head is secured to the portable electronic device, and an unlocked position, in which the lock head is unsecured from the portable electronic device. An actuator assembly spaced a distance from the lock head includes a body, a movable member coupled to the second end of the force-transmission member, and a lock mechanism supported by the body. The lock mechanism is actuatable from a first position to a second position to move the movable member relative to the body such that the lock head moves from the unlocked position to the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: ACCO BRANDS CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Kao, John Hung, Bruce Fitz-Earle, Mike Otsuka, William De Meulenaere
  • Latch apparatus
    Patent number: 10815697
    Abstract: A latch (202) includes a catch jaw (210) which is operative to releasably engage a post. A release pawl (212) is operative to hold the catch jaw in a latched jaw position, and upon movement of the release pawl, enables the catch jaw to move to an unlatched jaw position. In an unlocked condition of the latch, movement of a handle (206) is operative to enable the latch to change from the latched to unlatched condition. The latch includes a keylock (240) and an electrical actuator (308). Each of the keylock and the electrical actuator are operative to independently change the condition of the latch between locked and unlocked conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: THE EASTERN COMPANY
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Scott Arthurs
  • Lockdown cylinder locks
    Patent number: 10808421
    Abstract: An exemplary lock cylinder includes a shell, a plug positioned in the shell, and a locking assembly. The locking assembly is configured to prevent rotation of the plug when no key is inserted, and to permit rotation of the plug upon insertion of any of a plurality of keys having different bitting profiles. The locking assembly may further be configured to prevent key extraction when the plug is in a rotated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventors: Jason Curtis Clifford, Scott Douglas Welsby, Brian Andrew Rappl, Brian Edward Walls, Peter Malenkovic, Kenton Hayes Barker
  • Hoop lock with anti-rotation features
    Patent number: 10808428
    Abstract: A hoop lock including a shackle and a crossbar, with the shackle having a pair of legs extending from a body portion, and each of the legs having a foot including a tip with a non-circular cross-section. The cross-bar includes a housing having a pair of foot-receiving openings and a pair of tip-receiving openings substantially aligned with foot-receiving openings. The tip-receiving openings are configured to matingly engage the tips such that the tips are rotationally coupled to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventors: Daniel H. Kindstrand, Hassan Charan Kumar, Manjunatha Ramakrishna, David B. Miller
  • Lock for electronic devices
    Patent number: 10808431
    Abstract: A lock for electronic devices may include a main body, a lock barrel, a pushing member, and two engaging pieces. The main body has a cover and a cylinder which are connected together at a front portion and a rear portion of the main body. The cover comprises a through hole at a central portion thereof, and two pivot bases are respectively formed at two lateral sides of the through hole in the cover. The lock barrel comprising a lock pin is installed in the cylinder of the main body, and the lock pin is configured to protrude from a rear end of the cylinder when the lock of present invention is at an unlocked position. The pushing member is installed in a front portion of the cylinder, and a rear end of the pushing member is coupled with the lock pin so as to have synchronous movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Inventor: Jason Su
  • Channel gasket and plug for electromechanical lock
    Patent number: 10808420
    Abstract: An electronic lock housing for the inside surface of a door with an opening therethrough has an interior portion for receiving electronic components for a door lock, a back portion with channels, a bracket, a plug, and a front portion. The back portion is meant for securing onto the door surface and has an opening meant for alignment with the door opening. The channels in the back portion permit air from the outside of the door to flow through the door opening and housing back opening to the inside of the door without passing through the housing interior. The bracket secures the back portion to the door and receives the plug to create an air-tight seal within the housing interior. The housing front portion is secured over the assembled back portion, bracket, and plug once they are installed to the door surface, fully encasing the electronic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Yale Security Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Morstatt, Wai P. Wong, Craig Babcock, Mark Caterino