Patents by Inventor Robert S. Pettengill

Robert S. Pettengill 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: 11371269
    Abstract: An activation device for at least two spatially separated motor vehicle closure units, for example for a tailgate latch on the one hand and a fuel filler door latch on the other hand. The activation device possesses a linear drive with a linear actuator. Dependent on its activation direction, the linear drive impinges either the first motor vehicle closure unit or the other second motor vehicle closure unit. According to the invention, dependent on its actuating direction, the linear actuator impinges at least a pivotable activation lever to interact with either the first motor vehicle closure unit or the other second motor vehicle closure unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventor: Robert S. Pettengill
  • Patent number: 11280118
    Abstract: A vehicle lock for a door or a flap of a motor vehicle, the vehicle lock including a locking mechanism with a catch and a pawl for latching the catch as well as a gear mechanism with a spindle for moving a nut and for transferring a motion and/or force to the locking mechanism by the nut movement for locking or unlocking the vehicle lock, and a clip for holding the spindle in an axial position. A simple and easy to produce vehicle lock with reduced number of parts, in particular without thrust plates, can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Scott Davis, Robert S. Pettengill
  • Patent number: 11268305
    Abstract: A latching system for a door or flap of a motor vehicle includes a triggering lever and an operating lever to rotate the triggering lever, the triggering lever having two connections for simultaneous triggering of two separate latching devices for a door or flap, and further includes a coupling lever rotatably attached to the triggering lever to couple the operating lever with the triggering lever. Highly reliable bolting can be attained with simultaneously low manufacturing costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Robert J. Hunt, Robert S. Pettengill, David Keehn, Keon Seok Bang
  • Patent number: 11167670
    Abstract: A closing device for use in motor vehicles, in particular a backrest latch for locking and unlocking backrests in motor vehicles. The closing device is also provided with a multi-pawl locking mechanism substantially consisting of a catch, a comfort pawl that interacts with the catch and a blocking pawl that secures the comfort pawl. The catch includes an L-shaped insertion slot for a closing pin for forming at least a first closed position and a second closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Robert J. Hunt, Robert S. Pettengill
  • Patent number: 11131124
    Abstract: An opening device for a motor vehicle latch with a trigger which can be moved from a starting position into an opening position for pivoting of a triggering lever from a starting position into an opening position and which is connected with an inertia component by a deflectable knee lever, with a blockade lever, which can be moved by deflection of the knee lever from a starting position into a blocking position, whereby the movement of the triggering lever into the opening position is prevented when the blockade lever is in its blocking position, whereby the knee lever is deflected by excessive acceleration of the trigger and the blockade lever is thus moved into its blocking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Robert J. Hunt, Robert S. Pettengill, Thorsten Nottebaum
  • Patent number: 11131127
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door latch which is equipped with a locking bolt and a locking mechanism interacting with the locking bolt, including a catch and a pawl. The motor vehicle door latch possesses a stop lever pivotably located on the control lever, which interacts with a protrusion on the catch beyond a main ratchet position and a pre-ratchet position, whereby the protrusion corresponds to a third ratchet position with an increased distance of the locking bolt in respect of the main ratchet and pre-ratchet position compared to a catch axis. The stop lever impinges a triggering lever lifting the pawl from the catch in order to open the locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Robert J. Hunt, Robert S. Pettengill
  • Patent number: 11110840
    Abstract: A latching device for motor vehicle applications, in particular to a multi-position backrest latch for locking and unlocking seat backrests in motor vehicles. The basic structure of the device has a locking mechanism substantially consisting of a catch and pawls, and also has a locking pin that interacts with the locking mechanism, and a cam element, which acts upon the locking pin in the direction of an open position. According to the invention, the cam element acts on a blocking element which engages over the locking pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Robert J. Hunt, Robert S. Pettengill
  • Patent number: 11078694
    Abstract: The object of the invention is a motor vehicle door lock that is equipped with a lock housing (4), also with a lock cylinder nut (3) supported in the lock housing (4), and at least one locking element (9) that can be acted upon by the lock cylinder nut (3) via a positioning element (8). According to the invention, the lock cylinder nut (3) has a connected eccentric element (6). Said eccentric element (6) engages in an eccentric mounting (7) of positioning element (8) in order to displace it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventor: Robert S. Pettengill
  • Patent number: 10865589
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door latch is equipped with a locking mechanism including a catch and a pawl, a release element for the locking mechanism, and a memory element that effects an unimpeded opening movement of the catch from a closed to an open position and maintains the release element in an ineffective position in respect of the locking mechanism during the opening movement of the catch. The memory element includes at least two components with a control lever and a blocking lever interacting with the release element located thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Robert S. Pettengill, Robert J. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20200332568
    Abstract: An opening device for a motor vehicle latch with a trigger which can be moved from a starting position into an opening position for pivoting of a triggering lever from a starting position into an opening position and which is connected with an inertia component by a deflectable knee lever, with a blockade lever, which can be moved by deflection of the knee lever from a starting position into a blocking position, whereby the movement of the triggering lever into the opening position is prevented when the blockade lever is in its blocking position, whereby the knee lever is deflected by excessive acceleration of the trigger and the blockade lever is thus moved into its blocking position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Robert J. Hunt, Robert S. Pettengill, Thorsten Nottebaum
  • Patent number: 10738509
    Abstract: A latching system for a motor vehicle is formed of compact construction, that can manage with a small number of components and, enable bolting and/or opening the motor vehicle conveniently and quickly. The motor vehicle latching system is provided with an actuator and a drive for driving the actuator with a first acceleration and a second acceleration, whereby the actuator adjusts the latching system dependent on acceleration. If the drive accelerates the actuator sufficiently slow, the actuator moves the latching system into a first position. If the drive accelerates the actuator sufficiently quick, the actuator moves the latching system into a second position different from the first position. It is therefore adjusted by the drive dependent on the acceleration. Adjustment takes place quickly and especially conveniently without requiring an excessively large number of components. In particular, bolting and/or opening occurs in a motorized manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventor: Robert S. Pettengill
  • Publication number: 20200248489
    Abstract: An activation device for at least two spatially separated motor vehicle closure units, for example for a tailgate latch on the one hand and a fuel filler door latch on the other hand. The activation device possesses a linear drive with a linear actuator. Dependent on its activation direction, the linear drive impinges either the first motor vehicle closure unit or the other second motor vehicle closure unit. According to the invention, dependent on its actuating direction, the linear actuator impinges at least a pivotable activation lever to interact with either the first motor vehicle closure unit or the other second motor vehicle closure unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventor: Robert S. Pettengill
  • Patent number: 10662683
    Abstract: A motor vehicle latch includes a retaining device which retains the pawl in its starting position with particular reliability during an opening process. The motor vehicle latch includes a locking mechanism encompassing a catch and a pawl for ratcheting of the catch. A retaining device is present which retains the pawl in its non-ratcheting starting position during opening. The retaining device encompasses a spring with an elastically rotated leg and a spring lever mounted thereon which can retain the pawl in its starting position during opening due to the elastic torsion. The pawl is retained in its starting position during opening with the aid of the spring lever and consequently with the aid of a torsional moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Robert S. Pettengill, Ruben Reyna
  • Publication number: 20190352945
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a latching system for a door or flap of a motor vehicle, comprising a triggering lever 2 and an operating lever 1 to rotate the triggering lever 2, the triggering lever 2 having two connections 11 for simultaneous triggering of two separate latching devices for a door or flap, further comprising a coupling lever 3 rotatably attached to the triggering lever 2 to couple the operating lever 1 with the triggering lever 2. Highly reliable bolting can be attained with simultaneously low manufacturing costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Robert J. Hunt, Robert S. Pettengill, David Keehn, Keon Seok Bang
  • Publication number: 20190040661
    Abstract: The task of the invention is to create a motor vehicle latch with a retaining device which retains the pawl in its starting position with particular reliability during an opening process. The task of the invention is solved by a motor vehicle latch with a locking mechanism encompassing a catch and a pawl for ratcheting of the catch. A retaining device is present which retains the pawl in its non-ratcheting starting position during opening. The retaining device encompasses a spring with an elastically rotated leg and a spring lever mounted thereon which can retain the pawl in its starting position during opening due to the elastic torsion. The pawl is retained in its starting position during opening with the aid of the spring lever and consequently with the aid of a torsional moment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Robert S. Pettengill, Ruben Reyna
  • Publication number: 20190024418
    Abstract: A task of the invention is to provide a convenient latching system for a motor vehicle of compact construction, that can manage with a small number of components. In particular, it should enable to bolt and/or open the motor vehicle conveniently and quickly. To solve the task, a motor vehicle latching system is provided with an actuator and a drive for driving the actuator with a first acceleration and a second acceleration, whereby the actuator adjusts the latching system dependent on acceleration. If the drive accelerates the actuator sufficiently slow, the actuator moves the latching system into a first position. If the drive accelerates the actuator sufficiently quick, the actuator moves the latching system into a second position different from the first position. It is therefore adjusted by the drive dependent on the acceleration. Adjustment takes place quickly and especially conveniently without requiring an excessively large number of components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventor: Robert S. Pettengill
  • Publication number: 20180171678
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door latch is equipped with a locking mechanism including a catch and a pawl, a release element for the locking mechanism, and a memory element that effects an unimpeded opening movement of the catch from a closed to an open position and maintains the release element in an ineffective position in respect of the locking mechanism during the opening movement of the catch. The memory element includes at least two components with a control lever and a blocking lever interacting with the release element located thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Robert S. Pettengill, Robert J. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20180171682
    Abstract: A vehicle lock for a door or a flap of a motor vehicle, the vehicle lock including a locking mechanism with a catch and a pawl for latching the catch as well as a gear mechanism with a spindle for moving a nut and for transferring a motion and/or force to the locking mechanism by the nut movement for locking or unlocking the vehicle lock, and a clip for holding the spindle in an axial position. A simple and easy to produce vehicle lock with reduced number of parts, in particular without thrust plates, can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Scott Davis, Robert S. Pettengill
  • Publication number: 20180171680
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door latch which is equipped with a locking bolt and a locking mechanism interacting with the locking bolt, including a catch and a pawl. The motor vehicle door latch possesses a stop lever pivotably located on the control lever, which interacts with a protrusion on the catch beyond a main ratchet position and a pre-ratchet position, whereby the protrusion corresponds to a third ratchet position with an increased distance of the locking bolt in respect of the main ratchet and pre-ratchet position compared to a catch axis. The stop lever impinges a triggering lever lifting the pawl from the catch in order to open the locking mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Robert J. Hunt, Robert S. Pettengill
  • Patent number: 9920555
    Abstract: A lock with a locking mechanism includes a rotary catch and a pawl for engaging the rotary catch, and a releasing lever for opening or releasing the locking mechanism. The lock may include a blocking lever capable of blocking the pawl if the latter is located in its catching position. If the releasing lever is actuated, the pawl or the blocking lever is thereby moved out of its blocking position if the releasing lever is not excessively accelerated. If excessively large accelerations of the releasing lever occur, as can be caused by a crash, then an arresting device of the lock prevents the releasing lever from being able to move the pawl or the blocking lever out of its blocking or latching position, respectively. The lock is therefore incapable of opening if the releasing lever is accelerated in the event of a crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Robert L. Brickner, Robert S. Pettengill