Patents Examined by Suzanne Dino Barrett
  • Patent number: 7370496
    Abstract: A multi-use portable lock system is provided. The system enables a user to secure valuable personal particles placed on top of the desk, like a keyboard, phone, answering machine, notebook and the like, without prior preparations and without damaging the desk. The system also enables the user to lock the doors of closets, kitchen cabinets, washer and dryer machines and the like. The system can be secured by a lock and key, and also includes foldable capabilities for storage and traveling purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Inventor: Moti Shai
  • Patent number: 7370503
    Abstract: The safety key has a shank which is provided with a plurality of control surfaces for properly positioning tumblers and has a front end and a rear end. At a front end, the rotor of the associated locking cylinder has at least one further control surface, which interacts with a further control surface arranged at the rear end of the shank. The safety key is backward compatible and is relatively difficult to copy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Inventor: Ernest Keller
  • Patent number: 7370500
    Abstract: A vehicle interior trim panel comprising a mounting opening with opposing walls for slidably engaging a component into fixed relationship with the mounting opening wherein molded features in the walls of the mounting opening engage the component to align and fixedly retain the component in the mounting opening. In addition, a locking system for preventing theft is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Collins & Aikman Products Co.
    Inventor: Kelvin L. Kapteyn
  • Patent number: 7370499
    Abstract: A dual-mode lock with a combination identification function has a combination mechanism and a cylinder mechanism. The combination mechanism has multiple wheel assemblies. Each wheel assembly has an identification notch formed at a specific position corresponding to a combination number of the wheel assembly. The cylinder mechanism has an actuating shaft that is unlocked and rotated by an operating key. Additionally, the actuating shaft moves an access panel that has multiple aligning holes to align the aligning holes respectively with the identification notches. Consequently, a user can easily identify the combination of the dual-mode lock by insertion of a simple detecting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: ABA UFO International Corp.
    Inventor: Miko Lee
  • Patent number: 7370498
    Abstract: A dual-mode padlock can be unlatched by dialing a combination assembly or an associated key. The dual-mode padlock has a latching element movably mounted inside to engage with or disengage from a latch. When the dual-mode padlock is locked, the user can directly push the latch into a mounting groove to engage with the latching element and make the dual-mode padlock locked, without use of the associated key or dialing of the combination assembly. This makes it timesaving and convenient to lock the dual-mode padlock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Jin Tay Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tony Miao
  • Patent number: 7367207
    Abstract: A figure wheel locking device includes a housing, a key locking mechanism, a pushing assembly, a plurality of figure-detecting members, and a figure locking mechanism. The key locking mechanism is sleeved in the housing. The pushing assembly is movably located in the housing. Each of the figure-detecting members has a first rotating member. The figure locking mechanism has a plurality of figure wheels, and each of the figure wheels has a second rotating member. The direction of the first rotating member is defined as a first rotating axis. The direction of the second rotating member is defined as a second rotating axis. The second rotating axis and the first rotating axis are interlaced to each other. The second rotating member drives the first rotating member. Thereby, the compound locking device having a key locking mechanism and a figure locking mechanism prevents the figure wheels from becoming axially disposed in serial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Inventor: Ping-Jan Yang
  • Patent number: 7363782
    Abstract: A padlock for luggage that can be operated by setting a combination or by inserting and turning a key is provided with an indicator that normally displays a first state when the lock being used in a normal way as a combination operated padlock, but which displays a second state if the padlock has been opened by utilizing a key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Michael O. Misner, Jian-Bing Lu
  • Patent number: 7363789
    Abstract: An enclosure suitable for housing computer/network equipment for which controlled access is desirable. The enclosure has at least one, preferably two, enclosure doors secured by respective lock assemblies selected from a group consisting of a lock cylinder assembly, an electronic lock assembly, a quarter-turn latch assembly, a compression latch assembly, a folding T latch assembly, a lift and turn compression latch assembly, a pawl/cam action latch assembly, a multi-point latch assembly and a bolt assembly for securing to a rotary latch. Each lock assembly a securing mechanism, a lock actuating mechanism and a standard mounting plate so that the respective securing assemblies may be easily exchanged within a standardized opening in the respective enclosure doors. The respective lock actuating mechanisms are constructed and arranged to actuate the respective securing mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: StockBridge Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Randy L. Squier
  • Patent number: 7363787
    Abstract: A steering lock system with a control knob for a vehicle, comprises: a cylinder rotatably carried in a stationary housing; a rotor relatively rotatably inserted into the cylinder and having a key hole into which a mechanical key can be inserted; and a control knob mounted on the rotor. In the steering lock system, the control knob comprises: a knob body fixed to the rotor and having a key guide hole for guiding the insertion of the mechanical key into the key hole; and a knob cap detachably mounted to the knob body to cover the entire knob body in such a manner that its outer surface forms a design face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
    Inventors: Jin Yukihara, Mikihiko Kawase, Kazunaga Kasai
  • Patent number: 7363785
    Abstract: A device for locking the steering shaft of a motor vehicle against rotation by means of a locking bolt cooperating with locking recesses of the steering shaft. A control member that can be rotated back and forth displaces the locking bolt back and forth radially relative to the axis of rotation of the control member between a locking position and a release position. The locking bolt has a laterally protruding pin that engages a spiral groove of the control member on the front face of the control member adjacent to the locking bolt and that winds about the axis of rotation of the control member. The locking bolt has a pin which is is spring-loaded and movable in the direction towards the control member. The control member can be rotated as far as into the position corresponding to the locking position of the locking bolt even if no locking recess of the steering shaft is located in front of the locking bolt to receive same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: HUF Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Limburg, Horst Zillmann
  • Patent number: 7363786
    Abstract: A locking assembly for a truck bed closure includes an internal frame mounting a slider having a vertical portion with a dog-receiving aperture, a disk rotation flange, a manual actuation flange and a motor-actuator flange, and a horizontal portion with a pair of keyhole apertures for receiving the mounting studs. a hollow lock cylinder bushing secured to the mounting plate internally and rotatably receives a shaft and a lock tumbler. Rotation of the shaft by turning an exterior handle unlatches the truck bed closure. The interior end of the tumbler mounts a locking dog. Pivoting of the lock tumbler rotates the locking dog to shift the slider between the locked and unlocked positions. A lock disk fixed to the shaft engages the slider in the locked position, preventing unlatching. An electric actuator can be connected to the slider, enabling shifting of the slider from a wired or wireless remote switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Inventors: David Jay TerHaar, David Lee TerHaar
  • Patent number: 7360380
    Abstract: A lock box that includes a body for storing keys, a lid, and a latching mechanism. The lid is arranged for selectively covering the opening. The body and the lid include securing apertures that are cooperatively positioned when the lid covers the opening. The body and lid also include cutouts that are aligned when the lid covers the opening. The latching mechanism is slideably coupled to the lid and includes a cantilever spring and a tab. The tab passes through the cutouts in the body and lid when the lid covers the opening and the latching mechanism is in a latched position. The cantilever spring is partially located in an aperture in the lid. The position of the cantilever spring is determined by whether the latching mechanism is latched or unlatched. The lock box when secured can require the cooperation of multiple users to open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Master Lock Company LLC
    Inventor: Mark Van Handel
  • Patent number: 7353675
    Abstract: A lock barrel and a driving part for the same comprises a plurality of key channels for the insertion o the driving part (key) and a plurality of transverse gateways for housing movable parts, which will bulge into the key channels for making the channels effectively small and therefore shielding them from illegally intruded tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Inventors: Sheng-Ho Chao, Chang-Tung Huang
  • Patent number: 7353672
    Abstract: A lock assembly includes a plurality of lock devices and a locking chain. Each lock device includes: a lock housing unit including upper and lower lock housings respectively formed with a rod hole and a jaw hole; a jaw actuating unit including a jaw actuator operable to move between locking and unlocking positions, and an urging member for urging the jaw actuator to the locking position, the jaw actuator having a ring portion and an operating rod extending through the rod hole; and a jaw unit including two locking jaws each having a hooking section that extends out of the jaw hole and an opposite force bearing section, and two biasing members for biasing the force bearing sections toward each other. The locking chain is extended removably through the positioning rings and the ring portion of each of the lock devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: MIZ Engineering Ltd.
    Inventor: Francisco Lu
  • Patent number: 7350384
    Abstract: A door device equipped with a lock, which prevents forgetting to lock a door and the like, without an electrical warning device. The door device includes a lock allowing a rotating shaft to rotate between an opened position and a closed position by inserting and rotating a key and the key to be extracted only at the closed position, a cam rotating between the opened position and the closed position in linkage with the rotating shaft, and an oscillating strip oscillating between a first position and a second position, thereby contacting a door projection and moving to the first position when the door is closed while moving to the second position when the door is opened. An oscillating projection and a cam projection do not contact when the oscillating strip is in the first position, while they contact when the strip is in the second position. Thus, the cam rotation is suppressed and the lock rotation is restricted in the opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazumi Teratani
  • Patent number: 7347070
    Abstract: A locking access box cover includes an access box cover having a key aperture and a locking mechanism coupled to the access box cover. The locking mechanism includes a base plate, a guide plate coupled to the base plate and a rotating mechanism operatively coupled between the base plate and the guide plate. The rotating mechanism may be rotatable between a locked and an unlocked position and include a key hole corresponding to the key aperture of the cover. The locking mechanism may also include a lock rod operatively coupled to the rotating mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a lock bracket having an aperture for receiving the lock rod therethrough, wherein the rotation of the rotating mechanism produces translational movement of the at least one lock rod with respect to the base plate. The locking access box cover may also comprise a cap removably securable over the key aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Inventor: David Spector
  • Patent number: 7347071
    Abstract: To provide a key cylinder device equipped with a handle lock mechanism which can maintain a handle lock mechanism of a key cylinder unit with a shutter to provide an improved assembleability of the key cylinder device. The bolts for fixing a shutter housing are attached from the back surface of the top plate of an inverted angular U-shaped bracket. Thus, even when a gap is generated between the shutter housing and a vehicle body cover, the bolts are not exposed and hence cannot be easily loosened. In addition, by mounting the key cylinder device in the vehicle body cover and then mounting the vehicle body cover thereon, assembleability can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Nakai, Susumu Michisaka
  • Patent number: 7347068
    Abstract: An anti-theft tag that uses single or dual detacher arms. A first detacher arm moves a locking arm aside such that a release arm can rotate to separate the arms of a C-clip that secures the pin on the securing member. Either the first detacher arm, or an alternative second detacher arm then presses the release arm to rotate it. When the release arm is rotated, a wedge on the release arm exerts pressure against the arms of the C-clip to force them apart which causes the securing member pin to be released. The securing member pin cannot be released by the anti-theft tag unless the detacher arms are inserted in sequence. An alternative anti-theft tag provides spring loaded door button at the entrance to the detacher arm chamber. The door button guides an unauthorized tag pick away from the entrance to the detacher arm chamber and routes it toward a dead-end. The detacher arm will press a spring loaded door button to an open position and allow access of the detacher arm into the detacher arm chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Inventor: Stuart Seidel
  • Patent number: 7340929
    Abstract: A lock apparatus able to be installed in a structure comprising an outer sleeve having a plurality of outer rows extending transversely therethrough and radially therearound and a first bore extending though substantially a center thereof. An inner sleeve having a second bore extending through substantially a center thereof and is releasably connected within the first bore. The inner sleeve includes a plurality of inner rows extending therethrough wherein each respective inner row is aligned with a respective one of the plurality of outer rows. A plurality of user selectable pin sets is positioned within the plurality of outer and inner rows. A lock core for receiving a key therein is releasably connected within the second bore and includes a core pin set wherein a respective one of the plurality of user selectable pin sets is aligned with the core pin set creating an active pin formulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventor: Efthemois Christopoulos
  • Patent number: RE40193
    Abstract: A device allowing engagement of a conventional keyed deadbolt lock tumbler assembly without use of a key is provided. The device is assembled around the tumbler assembly and is fitted into a standard:door lock cut-out. The device includes a rotatable ring extending substantially around the periphery of the device. At rest the rotatable ring is biased in an original starting position. Upon overcoming the bias, the rotatable ring is moved to a second engaging position. Upon release of the rotatable ring the ring is biased back to the original position, while at the same time the deadbolt remains engaged. The biasing back of the device prevents the lock from binding or jamming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Safety By Design LLC
    Inventor: Robert D. Boehlow