Patents by Inventor Earl R. Sobeck

Earl R. Sobeck 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: 6074078
    Abstract: A lamp assembly having fluid dispensing capabilities comprising a housing, a lens having a fluid nozzle retaining sleeve and a fluid nozzle assembly. The lamp assembly is subassembled by snap-fitting these components together, installing a lamp unit to the housing and a seal to the lens. Installation of the lamp assembly into the vehicle is accomplished by connecting the lamp unit to a wire harness, coupling the fluid nozzle assembly to a fluid supply line and securing the lamp assembly in an aperture in the vehicle with a pair of fasteners. The lamp assembly is particularly useful when incorporated into a rearward facing surface of a vehicle as the lamp serves as a center high mount stop lamp and the nozzle assembly is used to dispense a cleaning fluid onto a rear windshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Georgeff, Earl R. Sobeck, Albert J. Sherrington, Waine T. Brock, Todd H. Wludyka
  • Patent number: 6030101
    Abstract: A vehicle fascia assembly includes a main body portion adapted to be interconnected to a frame of a motor vehicle and a horizontally elongated lamp having an inboard end and an outboard end. The lamp, which in one embodiment is a sidemarker lamp, is normally retained in an operative position within an opening in the main body portion of the fascia assembly and is permitted to move relative to the main body portion during an impact to accommodate elastic deformation of the main body portion. In the preferred embodiment, an inboard end of the lamp is interconnected to the main body portion of the fascia assembly through a resiliently deflectable mounting member. The mounting member is preferably constructed of spring steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Earl R. Sobeck, Gerald C. Dermidoff, Robert E. Senger, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5519588
    Abstract: A tail light assembly for an automotive vehicle has a housing provided with a back panel and a translucent cover secured to and cooperating with the back panel in defining a tail light chamber. A row of light bulbs is mounted in the chamber in spaced apart relation. A reflector is secured to the back panel behind the light bulbs. The reflector is of the Fresnel-type having annular reflector segments encircling each bulb and shaped to reflect the rays of light from the bulbs along substantially parallel paths. The reflector is in the form of a substantially flat plate having an edge along the row of light bulbs which is substantially straight or only slightly curved and visually perceptible through the translucent cover when the light bulbs are illuminated. Electrical circuitry for the light bulbs is disposed within the housing sandwiched between the back panel of the housing and the reflector plate. Preferably, the circuitry is disposed in a recess in the back panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Earl R. Sobeck, Robert B. Georgeff