Patents Represented by Law Firm Mayer, Brown and Platt
  • Patent number: 6467369
    Abstract: A gas pedal for a motor vehicle has a pedal arm which is mounted pivotably in a holding part and has a restoring device, which slides along the rear side of the pedal arm, and a damping element for damping the movement of the pedal arm. A setpoint generator generates, from the relative movement of the pedal arm with respect to the restoring device, electric signals which can be varied as a function of position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Thomas Mann, Herbert Severien
  • Patent number: 6408168
    Abstract: A receiver comprising analog signal processing means, intermodulation interference detection means and an automatic gain control circuit for controlling the gain of said analog signal processing means, in which an output of the analog signal processing means is coupled through frequency selective means for channel selection and an amplitude detector to a first terminal of the intermodulation interference detection means. A signal generator is used to generate a gain modulation signal being coupled to a gain control input of said analog signal processing means as well as to a second terminal of the intermodulation interference detection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Josephus A. M. Franciscus Sessink
  • Patent number: 6400144
    Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic position sensor in the case of which at least two stator elements are arranged in a magnetic field and a magnetic field probe is located in the measuring air gap between the stator elements, a means tracking a moving object being arranged parallel to the plane defined by the stator elements. A magnetic position sensor which can be produced simply and cost-effectively has a stator element and a magnetic field probe which are arranged on a common supporting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Thomas Hannewald, Wolfgang Sauerschell, Andreas Wehner, Peter Wiese
  • Patent number: 6363732
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for implementing an additional heating system for a motor vehicle, having a heating/air-conditioning unit of a motor vehicle, which has a compressor that is driven by an electric motor and is arranged in a compression-type refrigerating circuit. In order to achieve additional heating of the motor vehicle in a simple manner while nevertheless obtaining the possibility of heating the motor vehicle rapidly and reliably, the electric motor (17) and/or at least the power components (30) of engine electronics (29) controlling the electric motor (17) are arranged in such a way that the waste heat of the electric motor (17) and/or the power components (30) is dissipated by a refrigerant or a heating agent of the heating/air-conditioning unit (1), which releases the heat absorbed to the interior of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Klaus-Jürgen Bluhm
  • Patent number: 6354776
    Abstract: In a drive spindle an electric motor has an output shaft which defines a spindle able to receive an associated tool and associated with an attachment device movable between a position in which it locks the tool on the spindle and a release position; the operative conditions both of the spindle and of the attachment device being detectable by means of a single monitoring optical sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: H.S.D. S.r.l.
    Inventor: Giancarlo Selci
  • Patent number: 6354172
    Abstract: A mechanical timer to control multiple steps of a process comprising a first cam having a shaft, and a second cam having a shaft, wherein the shaft on the first cam extends into the shaft of the second cam. The rotational relationship between the first and second cams determines the length of time for at least one process step. First and second user adjustable elements are attached to the first and second cams. These user adjustable elements do not require any disassembly of the mechanical timer by the user or require any tools. A plurality of switches engage the cams to control various process steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Aquion Partners Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Peter Piacenza, Amy Cotton, Stephen Gaynes, John H. Kargenian
  • Patent number: 6355072
    Abstract: A cleaning system that utilizes an organic cleaning solvent and pressurized fluid solvent is disclosed. The system has no conventional evaporative hot air drying cycle. Instead, the system utilizes the solubility of the organic solvent in pressurized fluid solvent as well as the physical properties of pressurized fluid solvent. After an organic solvent cleaning cycle, the solvent is extracted from the textiles at high speed in a rotating drum in the same way conventional solvents are extracted from textiles in conventional evaporative hot air dry cleaning machines. Instead of proceeding to a conventional drying cycle, the extracted textiles are then immersed in pressurized fluid solvent to extract the residual organic solvent from the textiles. This is possible because the organic solvent is soluble in pressurized fluid solvent. After the textiles are immersed in pressurized fluid solvent, pressurized fluid solvent is pumped from the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: R.R. Street & Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy L. Racette, Gene R. Damaso, James E. Schulte
  • Patent number: 6356087
    Abstract: An arrangement for determining relative atmospheric humidity and temperature by means of a capacitive atmospheric humidity sensor and associated sensor evaluation electronics. The capacitive atmospheric humidity sensor has a polymer layer as a dielectric and two electrically conductive electrodes. For the temporary heating up of the capacitive atmospheric humidity sensor, one of the electrically conductive electrodes is designed as a laminar heating resistor with at least two power terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 6354156
    Abstract: A torque sensor has a first signal generator whose output signal changes as a function of a torque, a second signal generator whose output signal changes in the opposite direction as a function of the torque, and a circuit which has a difference-forming unit and a summing device. The output signal of each signal generator passes through an amplifier whose gain is controlled and identical for both output signals and the amplified output signals are present on the difference-forming unit and on the summing device the output of the summing device being connected to a controller which controls the gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Porth, Lother Gier
  • Patent number: 6349824
    Abstract: A watertight equipment cover for protecting equipment comprising first and second housing portions with sealing mechanisms attached thereto. The sealing mechanisms of the first and second housing portions are sealably engageable with each other to provide a watertight seal therebetween. Further, the first and second housings are designed to conform substantially to the contours of the protected equipment. The watertight equipment cover may also include a rotatable mechanism or blister for engaging and rotating a rotatable structure on the protected equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Asahi Research Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 6347640
    Abstract: According to the invention, in the case of a multifunctional valve for a vehicle container, comprising a first opening which can be closed by means of a first closing body as a function of the filling level of the container and is intended for ventilating the tank as it is being filled, a second opening which can be closed by means of a second closing body and is intended for ventilating the tank during operation, the two closing bodies automatically going into their closing position if the vehicle takes up an excess sloping position or undergoes a roll-over action, the two closing bodies (13, 18) can be brought into the closing position by a respectively assigned first or second float body (11, 17) which are of lower density than the medium in the container, and in the event of a roll-over action, a mechanical device (ball 19) acts upon the two float bodies (11, 17) to counter their buoyancy and keep the closing bodies (13, 18) in the closing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann Vdo AG
    Inventor: Knut Meyer
  • Patent number: 6349260
    Abstract: A method for calibration of a path length variable being used for navigating a terrestrial vehicle. The path length variable is measured by determining the number of revolutions of a wheel. For calibration of this value, two speed values are ascertained. A first speed value is determined using the number of revolutions of the wheel and a second speed value is determined using at least one external position sensor. One of the speed values is classified in a plurality of classes, and a calibration value in a class is ascertained using the speed values from this class.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesman VDO AG
    Inventor: Cornelis Dick de Jong
  • Patent number: 6346250
    Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods that are useful for treating colic in mammals (e.g. human infants).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: LEV Laboratories Ltd.
    Inventor: Sergei Shushunov
  • Patent number: 6344512
    Abstract: A heel stock portion of an oil seal may be made of latex elastomer based compounds instead of volatile organic compounds. One embodiment of a latex elastomer based compound may comprise approximately 5-35% aramid fiber, approximately 10-20% metal oxide, approximately 10-60% carbon filler, approximately 1-5% curative, approximately 20-50% latex flouroelastomer, and approximately 10-50% mineral filler by weight based on the weight of the heel stock part of an oil seal. Another embodiment of a latex elastomer based compound may comprise approximately 10-40% aramid fiber, approximately 2-10% mineral fiber, approximately 2-10% carbon filler, approximately 20-40% mineral filler, approximately 2-10% metal oxide, approximately 5-20% glass fiber, approximately 1-5% curative accelerator, approximately 1-5% curative, approximately 1-5% anti-oxidant, approximately 10-40% latex nitrile elastomer, and approximately 1-5% polyester fiber by weight based on the weight of the heel stock part of an oil seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: J. M. Clipper, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Suggs, Steven Kristopher Kolb, Robert Gary Humphries
  • Patent number: 6341496
    Abstract: It is proposed to design a compression-type refrigeration system of a motor-vehicle air-conditioning unit having a supercritical process, with a compressor (6), driven by an electric motor (5) with motor-control device (12), a gas cooler (27), an expansion member (8) and an evaporator (9) and also connecting elements for a circulation of a refrigerant, in such a way that the heat loss of the motor and/or of the motor-control device is essentially dissipated to the refrigerant. In particular, the refrigerant may flow around the motor and/or the motor-control device. This results in especially efficient cooling of the components, as a result of which their heat loss is reduced at the same time. Furthermore, in order to achieve a high efficiency of the entire unit, provision is made for the superheating of the refrigerant at the inlet of the compressor to be kept at a virtually constant level by a controlled expansion member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Detlef Kettner, Hans-Martin Knaus, Siegfried Reuter
  • Patent number: 6340093
    Abstract: A fuel tank (1) possesses, for the introduction of fuel, a filler pipe (5) which is led through an orifice (6) of the fuel tank (1) with all-round clearance. The orifice (6) is sealingly closed by means of a sleeve (4) bearing against the fuel tank (1) and against the filler pipe (5). The orifice (6) can thereby be made relatively large, so that it can be additionally used also as a service or assembly orifice after the sleeve (4) has been removed. The number of orifices necessary on the fuel tank (1) can be reduced as a result, so that both the maximum filling quantity and the permeation tightness can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Thomas Zapp
  • Patent number: D453156
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Jean-Luc Le Thellec
  • Patent number: D454616
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: L. R. Nelson Corporation
    Inventor: David L. Hunt
  • Patent number: D454930
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Brunswick Corp.
    Inventor: Michael G. Novak
  • Patent number: D458721
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Sweports Limited
    Inventor: George G. Clarke