Patents by Inventor Frank Zehnder

Frank Zehnder 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: 9638180
    Abstract: An axial piston machine of swash plate design includes cylinder bores with respective longitudinal axes that are arranged at an acute angle with the rotational axis and that approach the rotational axis radially in the direction of their control plate-side ends. For each cylinder bore, a point of action of a resulting hydrostatic relieving force, which acts on the cylinder barrel, of the hydrostatic sliding bearing is spaced apart radially with regard to the rotational axis of the cylinder barrel further than a point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder bore with the cylinder barrel-side bearing face of the hydrostatic sliding bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Manuel Sell, Frank Zehnder, David Breuer
  • Patent number: 9561710
    Abstract: Articulation device between arms of a rod assembly of a folding roof for a passenger vehicle, which roof may be adjusted between a closed position which spans a passenger compartment and an open position in which the roof may be stored in a rear space of the vehicle. The arms held in position by a rivet device which includes a blind rivet and a rivet shaft which extends through the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA Car Top Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Sczuka, Michael Wohlfahrth, Frank Zehnder
  • Patent number: 9315092
    Abstract: An articulated device includes a rivet assembly for connecting first and second linkage assembly support arms together at common ends thereof. The rivet assembly includes a blind rivet having a rivet sleeve and a mandrel shaft with a mandrel head. The rivet sleeve and the mandrel shaft extend through first and second bearing holes in the common ends with the mandrel head being on the first arm adjacent to the first bearing hole. The rivet sleeve has a rivet sleeve head on the second arm adjacent to the second bearing hole. The rivet assembly includes a bearing sleeve extending between the rivet sleeve and the bearing holes. The bearing sleeve has a collar-type stop and a shoulder-type shaft stop with the collar-type stop lying against the first arm and the shoulder-type shaft stop lying against the mandrel head. The bearing sleeve has a ring-shaped stop adjacent the rivet sleeve head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Magna Car Top Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Zehnder, Markus Sczuka, Michael Wohlfarth
  • Publication number: 20150330439
    Abstract: An articulated device includes a rivet assembly for connecting first and second linkage assembly support arms together at common ends thereof. The rivet assembly includes a blind rivet having a rivet sleeve and a mandrel shaft with a mandrel head. The rivet sleeve and the mandrel shaft extend through first and second bearing holes in the common ends with the mandrel head being on the first arm adjacent to the first bearing hole. The rivet sleeve has a rivet sleeve head on the second arm adjacent to the second bearing hole. The rivet assembly includes a bearing sleeve extending between the rivet sleeve and the bearing holes. The bearing sleeve has a collar-type stop and a shoulder-type shaft stop with the collar-type stop lying against the first arm and the shoulder-type shaft stop lying against the mandrel head. The bearing sleeve has a ring-shaped stop adjacent the rivet sleeve head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Frank Zehnder, Markus Sczuka, Michael Wohlfarth
  • Patent number: 9120368
    Abstract: An articulated device includes a rivet assembly for connecting first and second linkage assembly support arms together at common ends thereof such that the arms are movable relative to one another. The rivet assembly includes a rivet having first and second rivet heads and a rivet shaft. The rivet shaft extends through first and second bearing holes in the common ends of the arms with the first rivet head being on the first arm and the second rivet head being on the second arm. The rivet assembly has a bearing sleeve extending between the rivet shaft and the bearing holes. The bearing sleeve has a collar-type stop and a shoulder-type stop adjacent the first rivet head with the collar-type stop lying against the first arm and the shoulder-type stop lying against the first rivet head. The bearing sleeve has a ring-shaped stop lying against the second rivet head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Magna Car Top Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Zehnder, Markus Sczuka, Michael Wohlfarth
  • Publication number: 20140334948
    Abstract: An axial piston machine of swash plate design includes cylinder bores with respective longitudinal axes that are arranged at an acute angle with the rotational axis and that approach the rotational axis radially in the direction of their control plate-side ends. For each cylinder bore, a point of action of a resulting hydrostatic relieving force, which acts on the cylinder barrel, of the hydrostatic sliding bearing is spaced apart radially with regard to the rotational axis of the cylinder barrel further than a point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder bore with the cylinder barrel-side bearing face of the hydrostatic sliding bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Manuel Sell, Frank Zehnder, David Breuer
  • Publication number: 20130257091
    Abstract: Articulation device between arms of a rod assembly of a folding roof for a passenger vehicle, which roof may be adjusted between a closed position which spans a passenger compartment and an open position in which the roof may be stored in a rear space of the vehicle. The arms held in position by a rivet device which includes a blind rivet and a rivet shaft which extends through the arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: MAGNA Car Top Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Markus SCZUKA, Michael WOHLFAHRTH, Frank ZEHNDER
  • Publication number: 20110002730
    Abstract: An articulated device includes a rivet assembly for connecting first and second linkage assembly support arms together at common ends thereof such that the arms are movable relative to one another. The rivet assembly includes a rivet having first and second rivet heads and a rivet shaft. The rivet shaft extends through first and second bearing holes in the common ends of the arms with the first rivet head being on the first arm and the second rivet head being on the second arm. The rivet assembly has a bearing sleeve extending between the rivet shaft and the bearing holes. The bearing sleeve has a collar-type stop and a shoulder-type stop adjacent the first rivet head with the collar-type stop lying against the first arm and the shoulder-type stop lying against the first rivet head. The bearing sleeve has a ring-shaped stop lying against the second rivet head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: MAGNA CAR TOP SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Zehnder, Markus Sczuka, Michael Wohlfarth
  • Patent number: 7798555
    Abstract: A roof assembly includes a roof having a roof frame with front, center, and rear sections, and a lever assembly. The lever assembly includes three levers which are respectively linked to three swivel axes on the rear section such that the roof is movable between a closed position and an opened position. The first lever connects the rear section at the first axis to a support such that the rear section is movable about the first axis; the second lever connects the rear section at the second axis to the center section such that the center section is movable about the second axis; and the third lever connects the rear section at the third axis to the front section such that the front section is movable about the third axis. The levers are adjacently situated in a transverse direction with the second lever being between the first and third levers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Magna Car Top Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Zehnder, Jan Just
  • Publication number: 20090146464
    Abstract: A roof assembly includes a roof having a roof frame with front, center, and rear sections, and a lever assembly. The lever assembly includes three levers which are respectively linked to three swivel axes on the rear section such that the roof is movable between a closed position and an opened position. The first lever connects the rear section at the first axis to a support such that the rear section is movable about the first axis; the second lever connects the rear section at the second axis to the center section such that the center section is movable about the second axis; and the third lever connects the rear section at the third axis to the front section such that the front section is movable about the third axis. The levers are adjacently situated in a transverse direction with the second lever being between the first and third levers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: MAGNA CAR TOP SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Zehnder, Jan Just
  • Publication number: 20070063533
    Abstract: A motor vehicle folding top assembly includes a folding top movable between a closed position in which the folding top is extended along a longitudinal axis and a stored position in which the folding top is compressed. An arched roof bow is connected to the folding top and runs transversely to the longitudinal axis. An adjusting device is connected to the first roof bow and is pivotably connected to the folding top such that upon actuation, while the folding top moves between the closed and stored positions, the adjusting device pivots to move the roof bow and thereby change the degree or direction of arching of the roof bow such that the arching degree in the stored position is less than the arching degree in the closed position or the direction of arching in the stored position is different than the direction of arching in the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: MAGNA CAR TOP SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Zehnder, Thomas Halbweiss