Method of releasing a locked door on an automotive vehicle when the key is unavailable

• US 6,591,473 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steck Manufacturing Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steck Manufacturing Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Child, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIMENEZ, MARC QUEMUEL
• Application Number:
  US09/455,064
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 704/65, 81/159, 294/261, 298/04
• US Class Current: 29/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/20 Skeleton keys; Devices for picking locks; Other devices for similar purposes ; Means to open locks not otherwise provided for, e.g. lock pullers forcing doors open A62B3/005
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49815 Disassembling

Abstract

A method of releasing the door lock of an automotive vehicle is disclosed, using as a prying tool a wedge of dense plastic material and an elongated rod-like probe with a short tip, at the end of the probe to be inserted, extending generally perpendicular to the length of the probe, and a handle at the other end of the probe to facilitate manipulation of the probe. By inserting the prying tool into the gap between a door and its door frame on the vehicle body, at a location opposite the door hinges, and using the tool to pry out a portion of the perimeter of the door sufficiently to achieve access to a resilient weatherstrip between the door and door frame, to release pressure locally on the weatherstrip sufficiently, it s possible to insert the probe past the weatherstrip, at the locality where pressure is released on the weatherstrip, into the interior of the vehicle without damaging the weatherstrip or the door or the door frame. The tip of the probe is then caused to manipulate an unlocking mechanism interior of the vehicle.

Claims

1. The method of gaining access to the interior of a locked automotive vehicle having a door with an inner surface and an outer surface, the door being supported by a hinge mechanism to move into and out of a door frame in the vehicle, the door having a shaped perimeter adapted to interact with a door seal weatherstrip in the door frame engaging the door perimeter when the door is closed, the door also including a window frame surrounding a window pane and a latch including a lock mechanism and a separate locking mechanism actuator on the interior surface of the door below the window frame for operating the lock mechanism in a situation wherein the window pane is closed and the door is latched and locked in the door frame, and the key to the locking mechanism is unavailable;

comprising the steps of using a prying tool to move a portion of the door perimeter away from the door seal and an elongated probe to extend through the resulting space between the door perimeter and the seal to actuate a separate locking mechanism actuator interior of the vehicle by

a) inserting the prying tool into the gap between the door perimeter and the door frame at a location along the door frame and opposite the door hinge mechanism,

b) using the prying tool to flex outward a portion of the door perimeter sufficiently to achieve access to the seal between the portion of the door and door frame and to relax the pressure against the seal weatherstrip at such location,

c) inserting the probe into the vehicle interior at the location where pressure is released on the seal weatherstrip, and

d) using the tip of the probe to manipulate a separate locking mechanism actuator interior of the vehicle so as to unlock the locking mechanism.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein

e) the prying tool is a wedge of dense plastic material,

f) the probe is an elongated rod-like member including a short tip at one end of such member and extending generally perpendicular to the length of the probe, and

g) a handle at the other end of the probe to facilitate manipulation of the probe and its tip when inserted into the vehicle interior.