Celebrity Inventors
Glam girl Heddy Lamar may have used her good looks to good effect on the silver screen, but she put her smarts to better use as an inventor. During World War II, she co-patented a frequency-switching system for torpedo guidance that was considered years ahead of its time.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8104803 | Rotary pawl latch and rocker switch A latching system for securing two members together includes a housing, a pawl that is pivotally attached to the housing, a locking member, an actuating mechanism, and a rocker switch. The pawl is movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8104142 | Drop-in damped hinge module A damped hinge module is disclosed and includes a first member, a second member and a torsion spring. The second member is rotationally movable relative to the first member between a first position and a second position. The second member being received at least in ... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8016329 | Latch A latch is disclosed that can releasably secure a door or panel in a closed position. The latch includes a rotary pawl, a pawl catch, an actuating member, a pivotally movable handle, and a gear train for moving the pawl to provide compression in response to the move... | 09/13/2011 |
| D644648 | Tilt-swivel mounting arm | 09/06/2011 |
| 7931313 | Magnetic latch mechanism A latch with dual rotary magnets is particularly suited for releasably securing dual doors of a compartment in the closed position. Each rotary magnet holds in a closed position a magnetic insert attached to a respective door by magnetic attraction to secure both do... | 04/26/2011 |
| D630488 | Paddle actuator | 01/11/2011 |
| 7861563 | Dual locking system and latch incorporating therefor A dual locking system having a manual lock and an electrical lock, and a shuttle connected to both the manual lock and the electrical lock. The shuttle is moveable by either the manual lock or electrical lock between an engaged position in which a hook on the shuttl... | 01/04/2011 |
| D628042 | Lever actuator | 11/30/2010 |
| D628041 | Multi-point paddle actuator | 11/30/2010 |
| 7823937 | Rotary pawl glove box latch A slam to close, glove box latch includes a housing, a paddle structure connected to rotate on the housing, a rotary pawl mounted to rotate in the housing, and a lock plate carried by the paddle structure to selectively engage the rotary pawl to inhibit its movement... | 11/02/2010 |
| 7798540 | Load-floor latch A latch having a housing, handle, actuators, pawl and rotary pawl torsion spring and two actuator torsion springs. The rotary pawl torsion spring biases the pawl toward the unlatched or opened position. The handle is pivotally attached to the housing and has two pad... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7780204 | Electromechanical push to close latch An electromechanical push to close latch has a pawl positioned for linear movement in a housing, with the pawl being biased to the outward extended position. An electric motor operates a cam to change the position of the pawl thereby retracting it into the housing. ... | 08/24/2010 |
| 7766397 | Electromechanical rotary pawl latch The present invention is directed to improvements in latch design. The illustrated embodiment of the present invention is a rotary pawl latch with the capability to provide a compressive force between the first member and the second member. ... | 08/03/2010 |
| 7748937 | Composite matrix fastener apparatus, system and method A fastener system for connecting a first member to a second member is described. The fastener system includes a flexible shell having therein a flexible reinforcement member in the form of a frame. The shell and frame can be placed through holes in the two members a... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7748245 | Rotary pawl latch A latch assembly for releasably securing a first member in a closed position relative to a second member is disclosed. The latch assembly includes a frame, a rotary pawl, a locking member, a handle, and a lock plug. The frame is adapted for attachment to the first m... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7731250 | Electromechanical push to close latch An electromechanical push to close latch has a pawl positioned for linear movement in a housing, with the pawl being biased to the outward extended position. An electric motor operates a cam to change the position of the pawl thereby retracting it into the housing. ... | 06/08/2010 |
| 7726707 | Rotary pawl latch A latch assembly for releasably securing a striker in a rotary pawl latch. The latch assembly includes a housing, a rotary pawl, and an actuator. The housing can have one sidewall having a notch for receiving the striker. A trigger can be pivotally attached to the h... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7712801 | Rotary pawl latch A rotary pawl latch has a lock bar that engages with the pawl when the pawl is latched and that moves toward the center of the pawl to release the pawl for unlatching. This lock bar never completely becomes disengaged from the envelope of the pawl. There are cutouts... | 05/11/2010 |
| 7707690 | Bi-directionally operating hinge assembly A device has a closed position and at least first and second open positions. The device includes a base. A hinge assembly is engaged with the base. The hinge assembly has first and second axes. A hinged portion is engaged with the hinge assembly. The hinged portion ... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7698785 | Articulating hinge An articulated hinge is provided which is capable of supporting a panel member and permitting the panel member to be moved away from an opening and at the same time permit the panel member to be rotated approximately 90 degrees. The hinge has a scissor arm mechanism... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7695031 | Slam latch with pop-up knob A latch has a pop-up knob that provides a handle for pulling on a door when the knob is extended. The door can be closed with the knob either up or down. With the knob up, the latch pawl can be disengaged from a keeper attached to the door frame by pulling the door ... | 04/13/2010 |
| 7682704 | Microporous metal parts A metal injection-molding feedstock is heated and plasticized. Supercritical carbon dioxide is injected into the feedstock to form micropores when the pressure is reduced and a parts mold is filled. The micropores are retained when the green parts are debindered and... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7681424 | Swing handle latch A latch has a pawl, a handle connected to the pawl, a manual lock for preventing movement of the handle between a closed position and an open position, an electrical lock for preventing movement of the handle between the closed position and the open position, and a ... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7654589 | Rotary action draw latch A latching system including a latch assembly, a cup, and a keeper plate. The latch assembly includes a base, a lever, and a catch. The lever is pivotally connected to the base and the catch is pivotally connected to the lever. The base is pivotally attached to the c... | 02/02/2010 |
| D605024 | T-handle actuator | 12/01/2009 |
| D600999 | T-handle | 09/29/2009 |
| D596920 | Marine slam latch | 07/28/2009 |
| D596919 | Latch housing | 07/28/2009 |
| 7523969 | Door entry latch A latch has a latch bolt mounted on a rack and a top gear which engages the rack. The top gear can be driven by an idle gear which is disengageable from a drop gear which in turn is engaged with a lockable drive gear upon rotation of a cam disc. Initial rotation of ... | 04/28/2009 |
| 7497487 | Snap-in latch housing assembly A latch housing assembly has a latch housing and a retainer, wherein the housing includes a wall, and wherein a receiving aperture opens through the wall. The retainer includes a wall from which an insert protrudes. The insert, when disposed within the receiving ape... | 03/03/2009 |
| D582250 | Latch | 12/09/2008 |
| 7455335 | Electromechanical push to close latch An electromechanical push to close latch has a pawl positioned for linear movement in a housing, with the pawl being biased to the outward extended position. An electric motor operates a cam to change the position of the pawl thereby retracting it into the housing. ... | 11/25/2008 |
| 7441812 | Linear compression latch A linear compression latch includes a lever handle linked to a pawl. As the latch is opened, the pawl is initially constrained to move vertically within a carriage. After an intermediate position is achieved, the pawl is constrained to move horizontally within the c... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7441427 | Binary coded key and tamper resistant latch A latch has a bushing which has at least one bushing projection or means for preventing insertion of an unauthorized tool to rotate a latch actuator of the latch. Only a key having an outer key recess which can mate with bushing projection on the bushing permits ins... | 10/28/2008 |
| D579317 | Camming latch | 10/28/2008 |
| 7399009 | Load floor latch A load floor latch for securing a first closure member to a second closure member panel such that when the first and second closure members are fastened, the latch is opened by actuating the handle and the pawl is retracted into the latch. A biasing device such as a... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7397674 | Compact PCI ejector latch A latch for a Compact PCI board, which incorporates inject and eject and engage and disengage functions, has a low profile shape, whereof a fold-down handle operates through a total arc of 90 degrees. Enhanced electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is provided, by more... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7360802 | Compression latch mechanism A compression latch with a folding handle for selectively holding a door closed, includes. The latch includes a housing with a cup portion for receiving the handle in the folded down position such that the projection of the latch handle above the exterior surface of... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7344345 | Captive shoulder nut having spring tie-down A captive shoulder nut for a electronic module heat sink has a threaded nut portion and a tubular portion extending therefrom. A ramped section in the exterior wall of the tubular portion leads to a retaining groove adjacent the bottom face of the nut portion. A com... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7342796 | Captive shoulder nut assembly A captive shoulder nut assembly, to hold a heat sink onto a PC board, has a nut member with a threaded portion and a tubular portion extending therefrom. The nut member mates with an upstanding threaded stud. A biasing compression spring rides over the nut with an e... | 03/11/2008 |
