Patents by Inventor Duane L. Crandall

Duane L. Crandall has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Ball and socket rollers load latch mechanism
    Patent number: 6923592
    Abstract: A location control mechanism includes a striker having a preferably spherically shaped lock ball and a pair of mutually adjacent socket rollers, each socket roller having a complementing preferably hemispherically shaped semi-socket which collectively provide a single preferably spherically shaped lock socket when the rollers are appropriately rotated relative to each other. The striker is connected to a first component and the socket rollers are rotatably mounted to a second component, wherein the first and second components are positionally located relative to each other by action of the lock ball being trapped in the lock socket formed when the socket rollers have been appropriately rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Duane L. Crandall
  • Ball and socket rollers load latch mechanism
    Publication number: 20040161293
    Abstract: A location control mechanism includes a striker having a preferably spherically shaped lock ball and a pair of mutually adjacent socket rollers, each socket roller having a complementing preferably hemispherically shaped semi-socket which collectively provide a single preferably spherically shaped lock socket when the rollers are appropriately rotated relative to each other. The striker is connected to a first component and the socket rollers are rotatably mounted to a second component, wherein the first and second components are positionally located relative to each other by action of the lock ball being trapped in the lock socket formed when the socket rollers have been appropriately rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventor: Duane L. Crandall