The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 14, 1982
Filed:
Sep. 04, 1979
Hermann W Kurth, Sindelfingen, DE;
Rolf Krugener, Sindelfingen, DE;
Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft, Stuttgart, DE;
Abstract
A lock for vehicle closures or flaps, especially doors, trunk lids and fuel tank caps or lids, wherein the cylinder of the lock includes a drain opening in the lower part thereof which communicates with the interior of the cylinder and through which moisture, especially water, can be drained from the interior of the lock. A drain line formed as a moisture absorbing wick provided with an electric heating element powered by the vehicle electric system is connected to the drain opening with the line being guided from the cylinder through an element, such as a door handle, containing the cylinder, to the interior of the closure. A water deflecting shield overlies the portion of the drain line within the closure. The drain line terminates in a vertically disposed drain section from which moisture drained from the cylinder can evaporate or drip off. The drain line may be operatively associated with a vacuum source on the vehicle to assist in drawing off moisture from the cylinder. Energization of the heating element ensures sufficient evaporation of moisture from the drain line even under highly unfavorable weather conditions.