Patents by Inventor Raymond E. Zeller

Raymond E. Zeller 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).

  • Latch assembly for a vehicle door
    Patent number: 8056944
    Abstract: An improved latch assembly (14) is provided for securing a vehicle door (12) in a closed position. Specifically, in one embodiment, the improved latch assembly (14) is intended to secure a first door fastener (16) to an opposing second door fastener (18) when the vehicle door (12) is subjected to a substantial acceleration. In this embodiment, the improved latch assembly (14) includes a release lever (26) coupled to the first door fastener (16). This release lever (26) is intended to selectively disengage the first door fastener (16) from the opposing second door fastener (18) thereby releasing the vehicle door (12) from its closed position. The Improved latch assembly (14) further includes an inertia-actuated detent lever (38) that is intended to block a predetermined path of the release lever (26) and prevent the release lever (26) from unlatching the vehicle door (12) from its closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventors: Krystof P. Jankowski, Igor Pereverzev, Robert E. Tait, Raymond E. Zeller, Venkatesh Krishnan, David Vern Cieglo, James Joseph Loschiavo, Carsten C. Buettner
  • Emergency-locking latch assembly for a vehicle door
    Publication number: 20030234544
    Abstract: An emergency-locking latch assembly (14) is provided for securing a vehicle door (12) in a closed position. Specifically, in one embodiment, the emergency-locking latch assembly (14) is intended to secure a first door fastener (16) to an opposing second door fastener (18) when the vehicle door (12) is subjected to a substantial acceleration. In this embodiment, the emergency-locking latch assembly (14) includes a release lever (26) coupled to the first door fastener (16). This release lever (26) is intended to selectively disengage the first door fastener (16) from the opposing second door fastener (18) thereby releasing the vehicle door (12) from its closed position. The emergency-locking latch assembly (14) further includes an inertia-actuated detent lever (38) that is intended to block a predetermined path of the release lever (26) and prevent the release lever (26) from unlatching the vehicle door (12) from its closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Applicants: Ford Motor Company, Intier Automotive
    Inventors: Krystof P. Jankowski, Igor Pereverzev, Robert E. Tait, Raymond E. Zeller, Venkatesh Krishnan, David Vern Cieglo, James Joseph Loschiavo, Carsten C. Buettner