Patents by Inventor Bernd Reifenberg

Bernd Reifenberg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11570913
    Abstract: The invention concerns a door handle (10) for a vehicle (1), in particular an external door handle (10) for a movable part (2) of the vehicle (1), comprising: a cavity (11) which is at least partially formed by a housing (12) of the door handle (10), and an electronic unit (20), which is received in the cavity (11), wherein the electronic unit (20) comprises a carrier unit (21), in particular an electric circuit board, such as a printed circuit board or a printed circuit, an electric connector unit (30) which comprises at least one electrically conductive connector element (31), in particular comprising at least one contact pin, wherein the at least one connector element (31) is fixed, in particular soldered, welded or glued, to the carrier unit (21) in a material-locking manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventor: Bernd Reifenberg
  • Patent number: 11486167
    Abstract: A central locking device for door locks of a motor vehicle includes a control device and, connected thereto, locking couplings in the door locks. An accident detection device is provided for determining an accident situation of the motor vehicle and for transmitting an accident signal to the control device. Upon receiving the accident situation signal, the control device is set up to switch the locking couplings to the locked status for a defined period of time and then to switch them to the unlocked status. This prevents disturbances that may occur in the region of the door handle during an acute accident phase, since the door handles are not functional during the defined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Heyduck, Jurgen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer, Bernd Reifenberg, Michael Rhein
  • Patent number: 11441340
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a handle which is to be actuated by an operator, a lever element which supports the handle on a handle housing, and a motor-driven actuating element. The handle is designed to be movable out of an actuation position into a servo-opening position by being actuated by an operator. A detection means is formed on the handle housing in order to detect a movement of the handle out of the actuation position into the servo-opening position so as to produce a movement of the motor-driven actuating element out of the handle extended position into a door opening position. Upon being moved out of the handle extended position into the door opening position, the motor-driven actuating element moves a vehicle door opening lever out of a ready position into an unlocked position, in which the vehicle door can be opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg, Jan Heyduck, Jürgen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer
  • Patent number: 11391073
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a handle mounted on a housing and arranged flush with the outer contour of the vehicle door in a non-use position and designed to be movable by a user into an actuation position in order to be actuated, a lever element, a first lever end of which is rotatably attached to a lever rotational axis mounted on the housing and a second lever end of which is connected to a first longitudinal end of the handle, and a motor-driven actuating element which rotates the lever element about the lever rotational axis and thereby moves the handle out of the non-use position into the actuation position. A lever mechanism is mounted on the housing in a rotatable manner about a rotational axis. A second longitudinal end of the handle is movably secured to the housing via the lever mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg, Jan Heyduck, Jürgen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer
  • Patent number: 11359416
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door having an external handle unit includes a support part and a handle which has on a circumference of the support part a plurality of compensating elements and on an interior side of the door shell a fixing plate having a plurality of fixing points. The compensating elements are embodied to permit, by means of a fixing screw that is to be screwed in, both a compensating movement in the Y direction, and, due to a floating mounting, a compensation in the X and Z directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: HUF HUELSBECK & FUERST GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Jan Heyduck, Jurgen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer, Bernd Reifenberg, Michael Rhein
  • Publication number: 20210404227
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a handle which is to be actuated by an operator, a lever element which supports the handle on a handle housing, and a motor-driven actuating element. The handle is designed to be movable out of an actuation position into a servo-opening position by being actuated by an operator. A detection means is formed on the handle housing in order to detect a movement of the handle out of the actuation position into the servo-opening position so as to produce a movement of the motor-driven actuating element out of the handle extended position into a door opening position. Upon being moved out of the handle extended position into the door opening position, the motor-driven actuating element moves a vehicle door opening lever out of a ready position into an unlocked position, in which the vehicle door can be opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg, Jan Heyduck, Jürgen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer
  • Publication number: 20210363792
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a handle mounted on a housing and arranged flush with the outer contour of the vehicle door in a non-use position and designed to be movable by a user into an actuation position in order to be actuated, a lever element, a first lever end of which is rotatably attached to a lever rotational axis mounted on the housing and a second lever end of which is connected to a first longitudinal end of the handle, and a motor-driven actuating element which rotates the lever element about the lever rotational axis and thereby moves the handle out of the non-use position into the actuation position. A lever mechanism is mounted on the housing in a rotatable manner about a rotational axis. A second longitudinal end of the handle is movably secured to the housing via the lever mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg, Jan Heyduck, Jürgen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer
  • Publication number: 20210363793
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a handle mounted on a handle housing, a lever element, and a lever mechanism which is rotatably mounted on the handle housing. A longitudinal end of the handle is movably secured to the handle housing via the lever mechanism, and the lever element is coupled to the lever mechanism to transmit a movement such that when the handle is moved out of the non-use position into the actuation position the lever element rotates simultaneously about a lever rotational axis and a rotational axis. The lever element extends a longitudinal end of the handle out of the outer contour when rotation about the lever rotational axis begins, and the lever mechanism extends the other longitudinal end of the handle out of the outer contour when rotation about the rotational axis begins after a dead center of the handle lever is exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg, Jan Heyduck, Jürgen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer
  • Publication number: 20210363794
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a handle which is mounted on a handle housing, a lever element, a motor-driven actuating element which rotates the lever element during normal operation of the door handle assembly and moves the handle out of the non-use position into an actuated position, and a lever mechanism. During an emergency operation, in the event of a malfunction of the actuating element, the handle is movable into an emergency handling position in which a first longitudinal end of the handle is moved towards the handle housing and a second longitudinal end of the handle is moved away from the handle housing. The lever mechanism includes a holding element which allows a movement of the first longitudinal end of the handle relative to a second end of the lever element and a movement of the second longitudinal end of the handle away from the handle housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: Huf Huelsbeck & Fuerst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg, Jan Heyduck, Juergen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer
  • Publication number: 20210332620
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a handle which is mounted on a handle housing and which, in a non-use position, is arranged to extend flush with an outer contour of the vehicle door and is designed to be movable into an actuating position and a vehicle opening lever mounted on the handle housing and movable between a standby position and an unlocking position opening the vehicle door. The handle is movable from the actuating position into an emergency actuating position for manually opening the vehicle door. The handle is decoupled from the vehicle door opening lever when it is in its non-use position and in its actuating position. During movement from the actuating position into the emergency actuating position, the handle is coupled to the vehicle door opening lever and moves the lever into the unlocking position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: Huf Huelsbeck & Fuerst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg, Jan Heyduck, Juergen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer
  • Publication number: 20210195768
    Abstract: The invention concerns a door handle (10) for a vehicle (1), in particular an external door handle (10) for a movable part (2) of the vehicle (1), comprising: a cavity (11) which is at least partially formed by a housing (12) of the door handle (10), and an electronic unit (20), which is received in the cavity (11), wherein the electronic unit (20) comprises a carrier unit (21), in particular an electric circuit board, such as a printed circuit board or a printed circuit, an electric connector unit (30) which comprises at least one electrically conductive connector element (31), in particular comprising at least one contact pin, wherein the at least one connector element (31) is fixed, in particular soldered, welded or glued, to the carrier unit (21) in a material-locking manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventor: Bernd Reifenberg
  • Publication number: 20210172219
    Abstract: A door handle assembly of a vehicle door includes a handle support, a handle which is designed to be movable into a non-use position and an actuation position, a first lifting mechanism and a second lifting mechanism, each of which is coupled to the handle. The handle protrudes relative to the outer contour of the vehicle door in the actuation position. The first lifting mechanism has a first pivot axis which is arranged on the handle support. The second lifting mechanism has a second joint axis which is coupled to the first lifting mechanism so as to transmit a movement. The first lifting mechanism and the second lifting mechanism are coupled together in the form of a multi-joint kinematic system so as to transmit a movement. The first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end of the handle are designed to move out of the outer contour simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Applicant: Huf Huelsbeck & Fuerst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Bresser, Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg
  • Publication number: 20210076514
    Abstract: A vehicle door handle with a handle housing, wherein the handle housing is formed of at least two shell elements. At least one circuit board with electronic components is accommodated in the handle housing and coupled to an electrical connector, which is arranged outside the housing so as to make contact with the circuit board. The electrical connector has a plurality of contacts, which are connected to the circuit board via electrical cables. The circuit board is situated on a support in the handle housing and the support is formed integrally with the electrical connector as an injection-molded part. The electrical cables are overmolded as metallic conductors in the support and at least some of the metallic conductors protrude out of the injection-molded part in the region of the electrical connector and the circuit board for the purpose of making contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Bernd Reifenberg, Hubert Bextermöller, Dominik Behmenburg, Michael Rhein
  • Patent number: 10926692
    Abstract: The invention relates to a handle device (1) for a movable part (100), in particular a motor vehicle door (100), of a motor vehicle, which is designed with a carrier element (10), a holder (11) being formed on the carrier element (10), which receptacle can be arranged at an opening (101) in the movable part (100), wherein a door handle (20), in particular a level door handle, for actuating the movable part (100) is movably mounted on the carrier element (10), and wherein the door handle (20) is designed such that a front gap (S) can be set between the opening (101) in the movable part (100) and the door handle (20). For this purpose, it is provided in accordance with the invention that a light conductor (30) is arranged on the carrier element (10) in order to indirectly illuminate the door handle (20) through the gap (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg
  • Publication number: 20200354996
    Abstract: A door handle assembly of a vehicle door includes a handle support, a handle which runs flush with the outer contour of the vehicle door in a non-use position and which is movable into an actuation position, a first lifting mechanism and a second lifting mechanism, each of which is coupled to the handle so as to transmit a movement. The handle protrudes relative to the outer contour of the vehicle door in the actuation position. The first lifting mechanism has a first pivot axis arranged on the handle support and a first joint axis. The second lifting mechanism has a second joint axis and a second pivot axis which is arranged on the support and is coupled to the first lifting mechanism via a coupling rod so as to transmit a movement. The first pivot axis or second pivot axis is driven by a motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: Huf Huelsbeck & Fuerst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Bresser, Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg
  • Publication number: 20200308883
    Abstract: A door handle assembly of a vehicle door includes a handle support, a handle which is mounted on the handle support and runs flush with the outer contour of the vehicle door in a non-use position and is movable into an actuation position, a first lifting mechanism and a second lifting mechanism. Each lifting mechanism is coupled to the handle so as to transmit a movement. The handle is protruded relative to the outer contour of the vehicle door in the actuation position in comparison to the non-use position and can be actuated by the user in order to open the vehicle door. The first lifting mechanism has a first pivot axis which is arranged on the handle support. The first lifting mechanism and the second lifting mechanism form a scissor kinematic system and are coupled together so as to transmit a movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: Huf Huelsbeck & Fuerst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Bresser, Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg
  • Publication number: 20190368239
    Abstract: The invention concerns a handle device (1) for a movable part (100), in particular a door, of a motor vehicle, comprising a handle device (10) for actuating the movable part (100) and a support element (20), on which the handle device (10) is movably mounted between a rest position (I) and an operating position (II), wherein in the rest position (I) the handle device (10) can be arranged with an outer surface (10a) flush with an outer surface (100a) of the movable part (100), wherein, in the operating position (II), the handle device (10) can be moved out of an opening (101) in the outside (100a) of the movable part (100), wherein, in the operating position (II), the handle device (10) can be actuated in order to open the movable part (100), and wherein the support element (20) has a first bearing position (21) and a second bearing position (22) for the handle device (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Rhein, Bernd Reifenberg
  • Publication number: 20190232861
    Abstract: The invention relates to a handle device (1) for a movable part (100), in particular a motor vehicle door (100), of a motor vehicle, which is designed with a carrier element (10), a holder (11) being formed on the carrier element (10), which receptacle can be arranged at an opening (101) in the movable part (100), wherein a door handle (20), in particular a level door handle, for actuating the movable part (100) is movably mounted on the carrier element (10), and wherein the door handle (20) is designed such that a front gap (S) can be set between the opening (101) in the movable part (100) and the door handle (20). For this purpose, it is provided in accordance with the invention that a light conductor (30) is arranged on the carrier element (10) in order to indirectly illuminate the door handle (20) through the gap (S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael RHEIN, Bernd REIFENBERG
  • Publication number: 20190078357
    Abstract: A central locking device for door locks of a motor vehicle includes a control device and, connected thereto, locking couplings in the door locks. An accident detection device is provided for determining an accident situation of the motor vehicle and for transmitting an accident signal to the control device. Upon receiving the accident situation signal, the control device is set up to switch the locking couplings to the locked status for a defined period of time and then to switch them to the unlocked status. This prevents disturbances that may occur in the region of the door handle during an acute accident phase, since the door handles are not functional during the defined period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: Huf Huelsbeck & Fuerst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Heyduck, Jurgen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer, Bernd Reifenberg, Michael Rhein
  • Publication number: 20190078358
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door having an external handle unit includes a support part and a handle which has on a circumference of the support part a plurality of compensating elements and on an interior side of the door shell a fixing plate having a plurality of fixing points. The compensating elements are embodied to permit, by means of a fixing screw that is to be screwed in, both a compensating movement in the Y direction, and, due to a floating mounting, a compensation in the X and Z directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: Huf Huelsbeck & Fuerst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Heyduck, Jurgen Jooss, Martin Lindmayer, Bernd Reifenberg, Michael Rhein