Patents by Inventor Thomas Heck

Thomas Heck 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: 6142272
    Abstract: The invention relates to hydrodynamic torque converter (1) comprising a turbine wheel (3) arranged inside of a housing (2), a torque converter lockup clutch (10), an axially mounted piston (6), a torsional vibration damper (20) and a hub (5). The turbine wheel (3) and the piston (6) are rotationally fixed to the input component (21) of said damper (20). The input component (21) is connected to the hub (5) by means of a connection (52) provided with circumferential backlash. The output component (22) of the damper (20) is connected to the hub (5) without circumferential backlash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Luk Getriebe-Systeme GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Meisner, Stephan Maienschein, Uwe Wagner, Frank Uhlmann, Wendy Boman, Thomas Heck
  • Patent number: 6112869
    Abstract: The invention relates to improvements in dampers which can be utilized in the power trains of motor vehicles to absorb torsional vibrations of the rotary output shaft of the engine and/or torsional vibrations of the rotary input element of a change-speed transmission normally receiving torque by way of a torque converter. One of the dampers is installed externally of the housing of the torque converter and, if used, another damper can be installed in the power flow between the piston of a lockup clutch in the housing of the torque converter and a turbine of the torque converter. The external damper can include an energy storing component and a friction generating component which latter is or can be sealed from the energy storing component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: LuK Getriebe-Systeme GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Krause, Thomas Heck, Stephan Maienschein, Marc Meisner
  • Patent number: 5709601
    Abstract: A dashboard assembly (10) comprising a first housing portion (12) for positioning adjacent a windscreen of a motor vehicle; a second housing portion (14) secured to the first portion; and an air blower system (16) mounted between the first and second portions, the air blower system having a blower inlet (32) and blower outlets (30, 31); one or more air outlets (20) formed in the first portion; one or more open-sided channels (42) integrally formed in the first portion or the second portion for directing air from the blower outlet to the air outlet or outlets, the open side of the channel or channels being closed on securing the first portion to the second portion; and an air inlet duct (45) for directing air to the blower inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Delphi Automotive Systems Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Heck
  • Patent number: 5353660
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a locking mechanism consisting of a guide lever arm (1) and a sliding lever arm (5), in which one end of each of the lever arm pivots about a bearing (10, 11) at a certain distance from the other lever arm, in which the other end of the sliding lever arm (5).is slidingly coupled with a slot (4) in the other end of the guide lever arm (1) by a pin (7) connected with the sliding lever arm (5), and in which the lever arms can be swiveled into two end positions. A force (2) exerted on the guide lever arm (1) in one of the end positions for the purpose of swiveling the guide lever arm (1) into the other end position is compensated in a selflocking way in the slot (4) by a recess in the area of the other end of the guide lever arm (1), and this locking effect can be removed only by a force (6) exerted on the sliding lever arm (5) in the direction of the other end position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Heck