Patents by Inventor Mark T. McKiernan

Mark T. McKiernan 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).

  • Anti-theft pass-through pawl for an access door
    Patent number: 11814883
    Abstract: A door for an entryway includes an exterior-facing surface, an inner structure, and a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism is connected to the inner structure and configured to be fastened or released for controlling access to the entryway. The door also includes a key-cylinder accessible from the exterior-facing surface and configured to selectively lock and unlock the latch mechanism. The door additionally includes a pawl configured to be rotated by the key-cylinder about a pivot axis, connected to the latch mechanism, and defining a pass-through aperture distal from the pivot axis. The door also includes a shield defining a shield attachment aperture and connected to the inner structure. The door further includes a security fastener to fix the shield relative to the key-cylinder at the shield attachment aperture and extending through the pass-through aperture without impeding the pawl's rotation or contacting the pawl as the pawl operates the latch mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric S. Nielsen, Steve J. Briggs, Robert D. Granny, Phillip C. Storck, III, Gavin J. Brownlie, Jr., Mark T. McKiernan, Jeffrey Kenneth Hansen, Yong Sang Cho, Gunghun Jang, Suat Kaya
  • ANTI-THEFT PASS-THROUGH PAWL FOR AN ACCESS DOOR
    Publication number: 20220298836
    Abstract: A door for an entryway includes an exterior-facing surface, an inner structure, and a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism is connected to the inner structure and configured to be fastened or released for controlling access to the entryway. The door also includes a key-cylinder accessible from the exterior-facing surface and configured to selectively lock and unlock the latch mechanism. The door additionally includes a pawl configured to be rotated by the key-cylinder about a pivot axis, connected to the latch mechanism, and defining a pass-through aperture distal from the pivot axis. The door also includes a shield defining a shield attachment aperture and connected to the inner structure. The door further includes a security fastener to fix the shield relative to the key-cylinder at the shield attachment aperture and extending through the pass-through aperture without impeding the pawl's rotation or contacting the pawl as the pawl operates the latch mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Eric S. Nielsen, Steve J. Briggs, Robert D. Granny, Phillip C. Storck, III, Gavin J. Brownlie, Jr., Mark T. McKiernan, Jeffrey Kenneth Hansen, Yong Sang Cho, Gunghun Jang, Suat Kaya