Patents by Inventor Frederic Burkat

Frederic Burkat 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).

  • Publication number: 20220056738
    Abstract: A vehicle latch assembly. The vehicle latch assembly including: an electronic latch; and a separate door control unit fixedly secured to an exterior housing of the electronic latch, wherein electronics for controlling operation of the electronic latch are located in the separate door control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Pascal Philippe, Jean-Marc Belmond, Jean-Bernard Didier, Philippe Ottolini, Fredéric Burkat, Daniel Lopez, Christian Holdenried, Oliver Huppenbauer
  • Publication number: 20070245780
    Abstract: An assembly includes a lock and a door module, the module separating a dry zone and a wet zone. The door module includes an interface for attachment of the lock, the attachment interface being the only passage for the lock from one zone to the other zone. A door can include the assembly. The assembly of the lock to the door module is simplified, and in particular, a configuration of the door module is simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventors: Francois-Paul Meurou, Stephane Hemond, Stephanie Brien, Frederic Burkat
  • Patent number: 7224259
    Abstract: A system for unlocking a key cylinderless automobile vehicle door includes a portable object having an identifier and a circuit for interrogating the object. The circuit powers the object and interrogates the object when it is outside the vehicle. The interrogating circuit supplies a signal authorizing unlocking of the door as a function of the identifier. A standby power supply, which is separate from the main power supply of the vehicle, also powers the circuit and the object. As a result, the vehicle door does not require a key cylinder while still ensuring unlocking even if the main power supply of the vehicle fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems - France
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Belmond, Frederic Burkat, Sylvain Chonavel, Yi Hwa Chu, Pascal De Vries
  • Publication number: 20060273088
    Abstract: A handle includes movable flaps. The movement of one of the flaps in one direction moves another of the flaps in another direction. The distance between the flaps is constant along the flaps. A door can include the handle. Movement of the flaps in a manner similar to that of a pair of scissors can be prevented, preventing any risk of pinching when actuating the flaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Inventors: Frederic Burkat, Chris Rhodes
  • Patent number: 7051479
    Abstract: A vehicle door is assembled by immobilizing a cable drum with a wedge and then coupling the wedged drum to a drive member. A cable is wound onto the drum either before or after the positioning of the wedge. The A drive member is then coupled to the wedged drum. After coupling, the drive member is fixed to the vehicle door. The window guide structure can also be inserted between the inner panel and an outer panel of the vehicle door. The wedge can be removed from the window guide structure, or alternately, the wedge can be fixed to the window guide structure. Alternately, the method further includes the steps of placing the cable in deflection pulleys before the steps of positioning the wedge and winding the cable. The drive member is pivotally mounted to the inner panel about an axis offset relative to the rotational axis of the drum, and the cable is tensioned by pivoting the drive member about the offset axis. The drive member is then fixed to the inner panel of the vehicle door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems - France
    Inventors: Sylvain Chonavel, Jean-Marc Belmont, Pascal De Vries, Yi-Hwa Chu, Frederic Burkat
  • Publication number: 20060103145
    Abstract: A latch includes an external opening lever and an internal opening lever. The latch is designed to occupy three states of locking and/or unlocking of the levers. The latch includes a locking arm mobile between three positions corresponding to the three states of the latch, a mobile part moveable by actuation of a motor in a first direction and a second direction and a stop moveable between a first position and a second position. The stop is mounted on the mobile part, and the stop and the mobile part drive the locking arm. The latch is able to pass through the three states by moving the mobile part in its two directions and by moving the mobile stop between its two positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Inventors: Philippe Ottolini, Frederic Burkat, Jean-Marc Belmond
  • Publication number: 20060006671
    Abstract: An electro-mechanical latch mechanism of a lock includes a latch claw that can move to close and release the latch mechanism and a pawl adapted to keep the latch claw in a closed position. Cooperating means have a point of action that can be operated on by a release lever, as well as a point of action that can be operated on by an electric motor. The pawl is linked to the latch claw by a unidirectional linkage that can be coupled-in and coupled-out electrically. Starting out from this core design, a whole range of locks can be built up by a suitable choice of release levers and electric motors and by suitable programming of the electric motor for coupling in and coupling out the unidirectional linkage between the pawl and the latch claw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Noel, Jean-Marc Belmond, Frederic Burkat, Eric Colin, Veronique Mejean, Vincent Poirot, Richard Grandjean
  • Publication number: 20050173942
    Abstract: A control system for vehicle doors and windows in a vehicle door includes a first openable member, such as a vehicle door, a second openable member, such as a window in the door, and a logic unit that commands the second openable member to open in the event the first openable member fails to open. The logic unit preferably commands a window regulator to actuate if the door fails to open. The vehicle door can be fitted with the system. A method includes the step of commanding the second openable member to open with the logic unit in the event the first openable member fails to open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Benoit Bazin, Frederic Burkat, Alain Desplebains, Dominique Attanasio, Jean-Pierre Noel, Catherine Masson, Stephanie Brien, Jean-Marc Belmond, Emmanuel Huber
  • Publication number: 20050151635
    Abstract: An opening control for a vehicle door or the like includes a handle movable in two directions, a first sensor operated by moving the handle in one direction, and a second sensor operated by moving the handle in the other direction. The sensors output a door opening signal to release a lock and open the vehicle door when the handle is moved in either of the two directions. The opening control can be operated in one direction, for example, by pulling the handle with a hand but also can be operated in a further direction, for example, by pushing against the handle with the body if the user's hands are not free. This avoids the need for the user to have a hand free when opening the vehicle door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Frederic Burkat, Jean-Marc Belmond, Emmanuel Huber
  • Patent number: 6883856
    Abstract: A vehicle door has a stop that can move between an urging position, in which it maintains a constant distance between a lower part of the door and the vehicle body when the door is closed, and a retracted position in which the stop does not maintain this constant distance between the lower part of the door and the vehicle body when the door is closed. The stop improves contact between the vehicle window surround and the vehicle body while the vehicle is moving, and can be retracted to make it easier to close the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems - France
    Inventors: Frederic Burkat, Jean Marc Belmond, Michel Mounie
  • Patent number: 6883839
    Abstract: An automobile vehicle lock is released under normal operating conditions by an electric motor. Under degraded conditions, a mechanical release of the lock is enabled. This allows the motor providing electrical release of the lock to be simply dimensioned for release under normal operating conditions with no requirement to over-dimension the motor to ensure the lock will open under degraded operating conditions. Because release of the lock is mechanical under degraded operating conditions, enablement of the mechanical release is provided by a low-power standby motor. This allows a compact and inexpensive standby power source to be employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Light Vehicle Systems - France
    Inventors: Jean Marc Belmond, Frédéric Burkat, Sylvain Chonavel, Yi Hwa Chu, Pascal DeVries
  • Publication number: 20040152358
    Abstract: An electrical architecture for vehicle doors includes a lock subassembly, a control module and a door controller, where the lock subassembly and the control module are connected to the door controller by a single harness. The architecture reduces the mass and bulk of the electrical wires inside the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Emmanuel Huber, Frederic Burkat, Jean-Marc Belmond
  • Publication number: 20040090122
    Abstract: A vehicle door controller connected to various door components and to a bus is programmed to reassign at least one vehicle occupant-operable regulator to actuate a latch mechanism motor if a fault is detected in the bus. The regulator and door controller may be used to perform security locking even when the bus is unable to carry signals to the latch mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Emmanuel Huber, Jean Marc Belmond, Frederic Burkat
  • Publication number: 20040070230
    Abstract: A vehicle door has a stop that can move between an urging position, in which it maintains a constant distance between a lower part of the door and the vehicle body when the door is closed, and a retracted position in which the stop does not maintain this constant distance between the lower part of the door and the vehicle body when the door is closed. The stop improves contact between the vehicle window surround and the vehicle body while the vehicle is moving, and can be retracted to make it easier to close the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Frederic Burkat, Jean Marc Belmond, Michel Mounie
  • Publication number: 20040010975
    Abstract: A vehicle door is assembled by immobilizing a cable drum with a wedge and then coupling the wedged drum to a drive member. A cable is wound onto the drum either before or after the positioning of the wedge. A drive member is then coupled to the wedged drum. After coupling, the drive member is fixed to the vehicle door. The window guide structure can also be inserted between the inner panel and an outer panel of the vehicle door. The wedge can be removed from the window guide structure, or alternately, the wedge can be fixed to the window guide structure. Alternately, the method further includes the steps of placing the cable in deflection pulleys before the steps of positioning the wedge and winding the cable. The drive member is pivotally mounted to the inner panel about an axis offset relative to the rotational axis of the drum, and the cable is tensioned by pivoting the drive member about the offset axis. The drive member is then fixed to the inner panel of the vehicle door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Sylvain Chonavel, Jean-Marc Belmont, Pascal De Vries, Yi-Hwa Chu, Frederic Burkat
  • Publication number: 20030178859
    Abstract: An automobile vehicle lock is released under normal operating conditions by an electric motor. Under degraded conditions, a mechanical release of the lock is enabled. This allows the motor providing electrical release of the lock to be simply dimensioned for release under normal operating conditions with no requirement to over-dimension the motor to ensure the lock will open under degraded operating conditions. Because release of the lock is mechanical under degraded operating conditions, enablement of the mechanical release is provided by a low-power standby motor. This allows a compact and inexpensive standby power source to be employed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Jean Marc Belmond, Frederic Burkat, Sylvain Chonavel, Yi Hwa Chu, Pascal DeVries
  • Publication number: 20030164616
    Abstract: An automobile vehicle lock is released under normal operating conditions by an electric motor. Under degraded conditions, a mechanical release of the lock is enabled. This allows the motor providing electrical release of the lock to be simply dimensioned for release under normal operating conditions with no requirement to over-dimension the motor to ensure the lock will open under degraded operating conditions. Because release of the lock is mechanical under degraded operating conditions, enablement of the mechanical release is provided by a low-power standby motor. This allows a compact and inexpensive standby power source to be employed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Jean Marc Belmond, Frederic Burkat, Sylvain Chonavel, Yi Hwa Chu, Pascal DeVries
  • Publication number: 20030155779
    Abstract: A system for unlocking a key cylinderless automobile vehicle door includes a portable object having an identifier and a circuit for interrogating the object. The circuit powers the object and interrogates the object when it is outside the vehicle. The interrogating circuit supplies a signal authorizing unlocking of the door as a function of the identifier. A standby power supply, which is separate from the main power supply of the vehicle, also powers the circuit and the object. As a result, the vehicle door does not require a key cylinder while still ensuring unlocking even if the main power supply of the vehicle fails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Belmond, Frederic Burkat, Sylvain Chonavel, Yi Hwa Chu, Pascal De Vries