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:
Aug. 08, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 05, 1997
Thomas Joseph Kowalewski, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Matthew John Karl, Clarkston, MI (US);
Thomas Grzanka, Lexington, MI (US);
Robert Milne, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Eric Michael Fischer, Davisburg, MI (US);
Vasanth Suratkal, Troy, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A trunk lid has an externally operated key lock cylinder that operates a latch mechanism inside the trunk by a cable assembly. The key lock cylinder is connected to the cable assembly by a universal actuator assembly including a housing having a ferrule for attachment to a sheath of the cable assembly. The universal actuator assembly further includes an attachment sleeve that is attached to the key lock cylinder in a predetermined angular orientation. The attachment sleeve has one end disposed in the chamber of the housing, with the one end having a plurality of radial teeth that engage radial lugs in the housing to index the sleeve with respect to the housing in a selected angular orientation to reduce the length of the cable assembly that is required. A rotor rotatably disposed in the housing has a central drive aperture for being driven by the key lock cylinder and an eccentric connector aperture for driving the cable assembly. A plurality of eccentric connector apertures may be provided to increase versatility.