The Eastern Company

Ideal Industries, Inc.

Matthew D Schroll

Alan Emad Zantout

James C Fournier

Michael O Misner

Benjamin David Swedberg

Thomas Heinrich

Dennis M Breen, Iv

A locking compression latch that can be changed from a locked state to an unlocked state either mechanically by turning an appropriate key in a key plug or electrically by an electric signal. Once in an unlocked condition, the compression latch can be opened by rotating a latch lever that disengages a protrusion on the latch lever from a striker mounted on the base of the compression latch. The compression latch can be changed from a locked to an unlocked condition by the electrical signal while the key plug is in the locked position.

Electro-mechanically locking compression latch

The disclosure provides a lock with a radially extending cam that can be pivoted electrically or manually by a key. The lock resides in a housing for ease of manufacture and reduction of space, for use, as an example, as a replacement or retrofit for an existing manual cam lock. The cam extends transversely to a first axis and is manually rotatable by a key about the first axis. The cam is also rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis by an electrical signal to a motor or a linear actuator connected to a cam mechanism body.

Electrical cam lock with manual override

Electrical cam lock with mechanical override

In one embodiment, the invention provides a lock body comprising a base portion and a moveable portion with each having first and second sides. One of the base portion second side and the moveable portion first side has an extension and the other having a receiver to allow the moveable portion to move translationally with respect to the base portion. A slot is transverse to the extension and cut into one of the face of the second side of the base portion or the first side of the moveable portion. In the open state the portions are separated and in the locked state the faces are substantially adjacent to capture a cylindrical object in the slot. In another embodiment, the lock body is cylindrical with a pair of transverse apertures. A plug inside the lock body moves translationally to capture an object between the apertures.

Lock with sliding lock body portions

An improved modular vehicle accessory clamp for is disclosed. The clamp provides for gross and fine adjustment between the jaws to allow for differences in the width of vehicle roof rack cross bars. The clamp has a first body with a depending jaw and an extension portion and a second body portion also with a depending jaw and a receiving portion that receives the extension of the first body and allows for adjustment of the distance between the jaws. The clamp can be locked to the cross bar. Upper grooves in the clamp allow for easy attachment to vehicle accessories such as rooftop carriers.

Vehicle roof rack accessory clamp

The invention provides a lock body having a keyway and a throughbore parallel to the keyway with the throughbore having two portions separated by a shoulder. A first cable passes through the throughbore, the first cable having a knob at one end and a chevron at a second end. A second cable depends from and is attached to the lock body. The cable body also has a bolt that is biased partially into the first portion of the throughbore. The keyway has a plug that is rotatable with the proper key to retract the bolt from the throughbore. The chevron can pass by the bolt in an axial first direction by urging the chevron and allowing the taper to move the bolt transversely against the bias, but not in a second axial direction. A base accommodates the lock body and cables and is captured by the second cable.

Pull through cable lock

The invention is a sliding latch with a bolt sliding in and out of a primary housing from a closed condition to an open condition on a sled that also slides in the housing. A spring biases the bolt to extend out of the housing to the closed condition. The bolt can be moved to an open condition by an electric motor mounted on the sled that rotates a threaded member to move a nut in a cavity in the bolt that pulls the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force directly on the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force pulling on the sled to move the sled and nut so the nut pulls the bolt against the spring bias to an open condition.

Sliding latch

Systems and methods for remotely locking and unlocking vehicle accessory locks of vehicle accessories positioned on a vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle includes main doors with locks that are remotely lockable and unlockable using main door lock actuators. Vehicle includes a vehicle controller that receives a user signal from a user, first determines a main door actuation command based on the first signal, and first transmits, based on the main door actuation command, a first actuation command signal to the main door lock actuators. The system includes accessory lock actuator(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock(s), accessory lock controller(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock actuator(s), and a gateway controller operably coupled to the vehicle controller. Gateway controller second determines an accessory lock actuation command based on the first actuation command signal, and second transmits, based on the accessory lock actuation command, a gateway signal to the accessory lock controller.

Systems and methods for remotely locking and unlocking vehicle accessory locks

A lock includes: a plug housing rotatable about a central axis to unlatch a closure when the lock is in an unlocked state, wherein the plug housing defines a plug passage therein along the central axis and an intersecting pin slot through a side wall thereof; a plug rotatable within the plug passage to transition the lock between unlocked and locked states, wherein an inner portion thereof defines a helical groove that extends into the intersection of the plug passage and pin slot; and a stop linearly movable parallel to the central axis between inward and outward positions to place the lock in unlocked and locked states, respectively, wherein a stop pin of the stop extends through the pin slot and into the helical groove to interact therewith such that turning the plug causes the stop to linearly move between the inward and outward positions.

Electromechanical lock

Spring-projected latch bolt assemblies each having a retractable latch bolt component are used to upgrade commercially available lock operating mechanisms so that closures carrying the upgraded lock operating mechanisms can lock automatically when the closures reach their fully closed positions. To permit unobstructed closing of each closure, a normally extended component of each associated spring-projected latch bolt assembly retracts during a final segment of the closing of an associated closure, and snaps back to its fully extended position as the associated closure comes to rest in its fully closed position.

Retractable latch bolt assemblies for upgrading locks

Set of components for upgrading a lock

An assembly includes a light source holding component sized and arranged to securely receive a source of light. The light source holding component may include a displaceable protective device that functions to generally protect against an accidental touching of electrical terminals of the light source holding component. An accessory mounting feature may also be provided to the light source holding component, The accessory mounting feature is adapted to cooperate with an accessory to provide a seal against a surface to which the light source holding component is attached. The light source holding component may have wire ports that are formed within an overall general outer diameter of the light source holding component. By way of example, the wire ports may include wire contacts having wires pre-attached thereto or the wire ports may include electrical connectors of the push-in type for receiving and thereupon holding wires inserted therein.

Device for holding a source of light

A simple kit of parts is provided that can be used to replace a few easily removed elements of a lockable push button actuator of a mechanical locking mechanism to convert the push button actuator to a lockable actuator for controlling a switch that can serve as a component of an electrical locking system. Other aspects of the invention relate to a method of making the mechanical to electrical conversion, and to a lockable actuator for operating an electrical switch connected to the actuator.

Growing community of inventors

Glendale Heights, IL, United States of America

Matthew D Schroll