Patents by Inventor Steven F. Wilkes

Steven F. Wilkes 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: 5046377
    Abstract: Power actuator unit for servo-drive of motor vehicle body closures e.g. centrally controlled door latches and locks, window winders etc and including a power transmitting drive train wherein the latter includes a female bearing surface, e.g. the bore (34) of a boss (30) of a gear wheel or pinion (31) which is a running fit on a complementary male bearing surface e.g. a metal shaft (32). One surface e.g. of the shaft is at constant radius from the axis of relative revolution of the surfaces e.g. is cylindrical; and the other surfaces e.g. the bore (34) is formed to have a plurality of facets or other sections e.g. by being square in diametral cross section to provide line or point contact with the one surface at sufficient angularly spaced locations to ensure true running but the facets or sections not being otherwise in contact with the one surface e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: Rockwell Automotive Body Systems Ltd
    Inventors: Steven F. Wilkes, John F. Dean
  • Patent number: 5037145
    Abstract: Motorized actuator for vehicle door locks e.g. as part of a central locking system has a powered drive input element (20), a drive output element (24) movement of which locks and unlocks the lock, and a clutch element (34) operating to transmit drive to the output element but having a disengaged condition permitting independent (e.g. manual) actuation of the lock. A camming formation (28) of the input element has a formation (34) of the clutch element coacting therewith and the clutch element has another camming formation (36) engaging another coacting formation (38) of the output element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: Rockwell Automotive Body Components (UK) Ltd.
    Inventor: Steven F. Wilkes
  • Patent number: 5029915
    Abstract: Power actuated dead-locking unit for a centrally controlled vehicle door locking system has a lock actuating formation (20) which is shifted between locked and unlocked positions by a motor driven rotary operating cam (16), the latter holding the actuating formation in a dead-locked condition at a first position and allowing free movement of the formation between locked and unlocked conditions at a second position to which it is resiliently urged. A motor driven dead-locking catch (28) is movable between an engaged position at which it coacts with a formation (26) of the operating cam with the latter at its first position for dead-locking without having to keep the motor driving the operating cam continuously energized, and a disengaged position leaving the operating cam free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Rockwell Automotive Body Systems (UK) Ltd.
    Inventor: Steven F. Wilkes