Patents Represented by Attorney Richard Speer
  • Patent number: 6803759
    Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic passive position sensor, comprising a substrate (1) with a resistance network (2) which is arranged on this substrate (19) and is assigned a contact spring structure (8), which can be deflected under the action of a permanent magnet (11), with electrical connection between the resistance network (2) and the contact spring structure (8) being established by contact which is dependent on the position of the permanent magnet (11), the contact spring structure (8) and the resistance structure (2) being enclosed in a sealed housing (1, 12) and the permanent magnet (11) being movable outside the sealed housing (1, 12) and having flux concentration, structure associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl Eck, Zlatko Penzar
  • Patent number: 6736282
    Abstract: In the case of a device for reducing sloshing of fuel in a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, a slosh-inhibiting element is of movable design for its movement from an installation position, in which it can be fitted through an installation opening of the fuel tank, into an operational position, in which it is latched to the wall of the fuel tank. The slosh-inhibiting element can therefore be fitted in a simple manner. The fuel tank is of particularly simple construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Christian Krogull
  • Patent number: 6716000
    Abstract: A fuel delivery unit (2) for delivering fuel from a tank (1) in which a support (6) connects a flange (4) to a surge chamber (5) through a pivot bearing (12). The pivot bearing (12) makes it possible to introduce the delivery unit (2) in an elongated state into the fuel tank (1) through a particularly small opening. Within the fuel tank (1) the surge chamber (5) is locked in its designated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens AG
    Inventors: John Appleton, Simon Browning
  • Patent number: 6691888
    Abstract: In a fuel tank (1) for a motor vehicle, a cap (4) which closes off an installation opening (3) has a metal insert (11). The metal insert (11) has a pressure-exerting surface (13) which faces toward an edge (9) which laterally delimits the installation opening (3). This construction prevents settling of the material, which in the long term leads to leaks from the fuel tank (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rainer Moser, Bing Sun
  • Patent number: 6654024
    Abstract: In a method for displaying primary and secondary information in a motor vehicle by reproducing symbols on a display, the symbols are shown with different brightnesses according to their importance. Their brightness is changed as the importance of the information changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Andreas Völkel
  • Patent number: 6648096
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting the absolute position of a steering column in which a magnetic sensing mechanism associated with the steering mechanism is utilized with a predetermined transmission ratio to obtain an exact steering wheel angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Philipp Berg, Wolfgang Porth
  • Patent number: 6593732
    Abstract: A position sensor module in which a position sensor delivers a signal output to an electronic evaluation unit for further processing, wherein the sensor module and evaluation unit are mounted on and electrically connected by a shaped sheet metal part to eliminate the need for tuning adjustments between the position sensor and the electronic evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jörg Dammköhler, Eckhart Kern, Martin Degen, Wolfgang Porth
  • Patent number: 6581578
    Abstract: The fuel delivery and ventilation system according to the invention has a surge chamber in which the fuel pump is arranged, and a compensating container into which at least one ventilation line opens, the compensating container and the surge chamber being joined into a structural unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Frank Reiter
  • Patent number: 6580043
    Abstract: A contact element (1) for an electrical device has an electrically conductive coating (11) deposited on a switching mat (7), whereby electrostatic discharge transmitted to a key (2) will be deflected by the electrically conductive coating (11) into the casing (3) of the electrical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Joachim Spratte
  • Patent number: 6571778
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for testing the leak-tightness of a fuel tank in a vehicle, in which the internal pressure inside the fuel tank is detected, the internal pressure detected is evaluated by weighting this with a value obtained for a change in the speed of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens AG
    Inventors: Thomas Herm, Frank Kutzner
  • Patent number: 6552903
    Abstract: In an electronic module having an electronic component which is arranged within an electromagnetic shielding, a thermally conductive element which is connected in a thermally conductive fashion to a shield frame of the shield rests simultaneously on the component. As a result, the heat from the component penetrates the shield, with the result that the latter is capable of carrying out the function of a thermal exchange surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Joachim Sprattle, Jörg Reinhardt, Thomas Pfifferling
  • Patent number: 6548930
    Abstract: An electric motor for a fuel pump wherein fuel flows through the pump, includes spring elements provided for holding magnetic shells in the stator have a face which points toward a rotor and is flush with the magnetic shells. Turbulence in the flow of the fuel within the electric motor are thereby kept particularly low. The pressure loss during the flow through the electric motor thus becomes lower. The pump according to the invention consequently has high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Peter Marx, Bernd Jäger, Hans-Dieter Wilhelm, Michael Bämpfer
  • Patent number: 6543283
    Abstract: A sensor for determining the level and temperature of a liquid, in particular in a motor vehicle, has an elongate housing (1), in which all the components required for temperature measurement and level measurement are accommodated. This housing (1) consists of two half shells (2, 3) which rest one on the other and of which one half shell (3) has all the components required for level measurement and the wiring and resistance wire (21) necessary for this purpose and the other half shell (2) has all the components required for temperature measurement and the wiring necessary for this purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Joachim Acht, Ralf Schimmel, Manfred Rother, Rudolf Stiller
  • Patent number: 6508121
    Abstract: A filling level sensor (2) for a fuel container (1) of a motor vehicle has two lever arms (4, 5). One of the lever arms (4) supports a float (10), while the other lever arm (5) is prestressed against the bottom of the fuel container (1). A detecting device (6) for detecting the filling level in the fuel container (1) determines the difference between the positions of the lever arms (4, 5). The detection of the filling level in the fuel container (1) is hereby rendered very accurate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Karl Eck
  • Patent number: 6505854
    Abstract: An inflatable vehicle safety system having a source of inflating gas and an inflatable bag in which a flat, woven hose connects the gas source to the inflatable bag using minimal connecting hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Inventors: Robert W. Sands, John G. Higgins, Kevin J. Keeslar
  • Patent number: 6505890
    Abstract: A passive restraint system in an aircraft utilizing a seat structure of the aircraft to store a source of pressurized gas or solid fuel necessary to expand the passive restraint is disclosed. The seat structure of the aircraft comprises multiple hollow tubes, and these hollow tubes can be utilized to either store pressurized gas or solid fuel directly, or to house a vessel that stores pressurized gas or solid fuel. Thus, no additional aircraft seat space is required to house a pressurized gas vessel. By using the existing seat structure to house the source of pressurized gas or solid fuel, significant space and weight savings can be realized, both of which are important factors in aircraft seat design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Am-Safe, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Riley, Willard F. Hagan
  • Patent number: 6491503
    Abstract: A delivery device having a retaining mechanism for pre-tensioning a valve against a feed pump that is installed in an area removed from the sealing structure that provides surfaces used to seal the connection between the valve and the feed pump. The retaining mechanism has a locking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Heinrich Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 6488476
    Abstract: In a fuel feed unit (3) for a motor vehicle, a suction jet pump (6) provided for filling a baffle (2) of a fuel tank (1) is manufactured in one piece with a holding part (4) for a fuel pump (5). The holding part (4) is of pot-shaped design for receiving the fuel pump (5) and carries a fuel filter (7) on a vertical wall (8). Fuel thereby passes to the suction jet pump (6) immediately after the fuel pump (5) has been started up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Karl Eck
  • Patent number: 6478613
    Abstract: Connectors for fuel pumps in motor vehicles have fuel flowing around them. Apart from the connections for the electrical supply lines, such connectors make contact with further electrical components. Corrosive components in fuels attack the connecting points of the connector to the electrical components, so that this can lead to failure of the fuel pump. The new connector is intended to have connecting points which are no longer attacked by the fuel. By extrusion coating parts of the connector with plastic, the connecting points are effectively protected against attack by fuel. Recesses in the plastic extrusion coating allow fuel to still flow around parts of the connector for cooling, while the regions of the connector which are at risk are separated from the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann Vdo A.G.
    Inventors: Jürgen Zoell, Ralf Muehlhausen
  • Patent number: 6442807
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a buckle assembly for use in a restraint system for protecting a vehicle passenger during a crash event. The buckle assembly includes a connector, an airbag buckle and a means for ensuring that the connector may only be inserted into an airbag buckle and that the connector may only be inserted into an airbag buckle in a single orientation. The connector includes a mechanical stop with an offset edge. This offset edge must engage within a clearing slot located within the airbag buckle in order for the connector to latch into the airbag buckle. Latching of the connecting element with other non-airbag buckles or with the air bag buckle when the connector is not in the proper orientation is thus prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Am-Safe, Inc.
    Inventor: Rick Alexander Adkisson