Patents by Inventor Joël Girard

Joël Girard 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).

  • Patent number: 6286878
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock comprising: a forked latch (2) intended to interact with a striker; a pawl (4) which normally locks the latch in the closed position and which can adopt an “escapement” position in which it no longer acts on the said latch (2); a latch-release mechanism comprising an operating member (9) which, on the one hand, can adopt either an active position in which it acts, during its actuating movement, on the pawl (4) to place it in the “escapement” position, or an inhibited position in which, during its actuating movement, it has no effect on the pawl (4) and, on the other hand, may experience an actuating movement in response to actuation of the door handle by the user; and an electric device which responds at least to an unlock signal by moving the operating member (9) from its inhibited position until it reaches its active position, characterized in that the lock further comprises a camming mechanism (15) which, when the unlock sig
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Securite Habitacle
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Hochart, Joël Girard
  • Patent number: 6142540
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door lock is provided. An inside connecting device is connected at one end to an inside door opening element and at another end to an inside opening lever. The inside opening lever pivots about a first pin via the inside connecting device and the inside door opening element, whereby the inside opening lever engages a pawl which in turn engages a striker. An inside pivoting arm cooperates with the inside opening lever. The inside pivoting arm pivots about pin whereby it moves the inside opening lever between a locked and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the inside opening lever is not affected by the inside connecting device and in the unlocked position, the inside connecting device may act on the inside opening lever. Corresponding parts are also provided for an outside door opening element. The latch, pawl, levers and pivoting arms are all arranged parallel to the same face of a housing whereby their pins are perpendicular to the same face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Fermetures
    Inventors: Joel Girard, Jean-Philippe Hochart, Jean-Michel Roncin
  • Patent number: 6123384
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle tailgate of the type in which the tailgate carries a series of accessories, characterized in that a least some of the accessories are pre-mounted on a mounting plate which is attached to the tailgate on the inside of an external cladding panel of the tailgate and which carries a local managing circuit for connecting the accessories to electric circuits of the vehicle for supplying power to, controlling and monitoring the accessories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignees: Valeo Systemes d'Essuyage, Valeo Systemes De Fermeture
    Inventors: Jean Pierre Eustache, Eric Detais, Alexandre Goullieux, Joel Girard
  • Patent number: 5907964
    Abstract: A cylinder-type lock for a motor vehicle door, having a lock housing and a plug lever, intend for control by the plug and able to move along a wall of the housing. An orifice is provided in the wall of the housing and another orifice is provided in the plug lever; the two orifices face one another when the lever is in an appropriate position for mounting. A wedge interacts with the two orifices in order to immobilize the lever with respect to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignees: Valeo Systemes de Fermetures, AB Volvo Personvagnar
    Inventors: Joel Girard, Janik Delaure, Jonas Adolfsson
  • Patent number: 4927196
    Abstract: The lock (S), intended in particular for an automobile door, includes a rotary bolt (1) intended for cooperation with a keeper (2), and includes motive means arranged to assist at least the closure, as well as manual control means enabling the assurance of the opening and closure of the assisting motive means; it includes a transmission device (T) of the freewheel type (17), mounted in a recess (18) of the bolt (1) and arranged to communicate to the bolt a rotational movement originating in the assist means for the direction that corresponds to the closure of the lock (S); anti-lock means are arranged to be actuated by the manual control means, with a view to preventing the normal action of locking the freewheel (17), and uncoupling the bolt from the assist means in the event of failure of these means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Vachette
    Inventors: Joel Girard, Christian Wattebled
  • Patent number: 4889371
    Abstract: A closing valve for interlocking a movable element and a fixed element so that both elements can be disengaged. One of the elements has a latch, while the other element has a striker which is capable of operating with the latch in order to ensure interlocking of the two elements. Either the latch or the striker is associated with a motor system for controlling the interlocking and/or the disengagement of the two elements when the clasp has been manually engaged with the latch. At an approach stage, the element which is associated with the motor can be disconnected by way of a disengaging mechanism which is triggered when the resistance for closing becomes greater than a preset level. At a final stage, the disengaging mechanism is inhibited. This invention can be used, for example, for electrically closing an automobile trunk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: Vachette
    Inventors: Joel Girard, Christian Wattebled