Patents Assigned to Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
  • Patent number: 11097616
    Abstract: The operating device for a vehicle component, in particular a human machine interface (HMI) for vehicles, is provided with a housing, comprising a front wall having a front face in particular with a display surface and a rear face facing away from the front face, and an operating element unit which is positioned and/or can be positioned on and/or in front of the front wall of the housing for manually triggering operating functions and/or for manually adjusting parameters of operating functions for a vehicle component. The operating element unit comprises at least one operating element, a display element and/or a display device, an evaluating and control unit assigned to the at least one operating element and to the display element or the display device, and an energy supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Klaus-Martin Masthoff, Tobias Schwab, Matthias Stallein
  • Publication number: 20210178898
    Abstract: The invention relates to a display device (210) which is provided with a display (212) and a backlighting unit (218) arranged behind the display (212). The backlighting unit (218) comprises a light guide plate (222) which has an upper light guide plate element (222a) and a lower light guide plate element (222b). Backlight (230) of light sources (220) is fed laterally into the upper light guide plate element (222a), which is emitted from the light emission side (228) of the light guide plate (222) after deflection and scattering within the light guide plate element (222a). Sensor radiation is fed into the lower light guide plate element (222b) by means of proximity sensor system transmitter elements (236), wherein said sensor radiation is likewise emitted from the light emission side (228) of the light guide plate (222) after reflection and scattering. Both light guide plate elements (222a, 222b) are optimized for the wavelengths of the radiation which is fed into the latter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried FUST, Tuomas SIEKKINEN, Tobias SCHWAB, RĂ¼diger SCHMIDT, Alberto SANCHEZ CASTILLO
  • Patent number: 11016571
    Abstract: The operator control unit (10) for a device is provided with an operator control element (14) which has a touch-sensitive operator control surface (16). The operator control element (14) is, for the purpose of being automatically returned to its inoperative position after being deflected out of said inoperative position, elastically mounted in said inoperative position. The mechanical excitation of the operator control element (14) out of its inoperative position for the purpose of tactile feedback in response to operation of the operator control element (14) is performed by means of an actuator (24). A sensor (26) identifies the movement of the operator control element (14) and/or an acceleration and/or force acting on the operator control element (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventor: Ralph Trapp
  • Patent number: 11001147
    Abstract: The operating unit comprises an actuator, which mechanically excites an operating element. The actuator comprises a support strip made of a resilient material. Piezo elements, which are connected to the support strip in a shear-resistant manner, are located on both outer surfaces of the support strip. As a result of the alternate arrangement of the piezo elements, the support strip assumes an undulating form when moving out of its inactivated state. One side of the support strip is mechanically connected to the operating element and the other side is mechanically connected to a counterbalance. The support strip itself is mechanically fixed in the housing. In its inactivated state, the operating element and the counterbalance are at a different distance from one another than in the undulating activated state, wherein they move in opposite directions and thus lead to a compensation of dynamic forces acting on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Kirsch, Harri Pankratz, Dirk Nagel
  • Patent number: 10960763
    Abstract: The invention relates to a display and operating device (10) for at least one vehicle component, in particular a radio, a CD and/or DVD player or similar audio and/or video player, a navigation device, an infotainment device, a heating, ventilating or aid condition control unit, or a human-machine interface, which is provided with a mechanical control element (18) for setting an operational parameter of at least one first vehicle component and a touch screen (12) for outputting information, and control keys (14) and/or other operational parameters for the first vehicle component and/or at least one second vehicle component. The touch screen (12) comprises a recess (16) and the mechanical operating element (18) is arranged in the recess (16) of the touch screen (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventor: Frank Vogt
  • Patent number: 10866644
    Abstract: The operating unit (10) for a vehicle component is provided with a housing (14) having a frame (16) and a display (62) having a transparent cover pane (18) with an edge (22). A plurality of actuators (24) for introducing flexural waves into the cover pane (18) is arranged along the edge (22) of the cover pane (18). A contact surface (34) is assigned to each actuator (24) on the cover pane (18), by means of which contact surface the actuator (24) acts on the cover pane (18) in order to introduce flexural waves into the cover pane (18). The flexural waves introduced into the cover pane (18) by the actuators (24) are superposed in the cover pane (18) and give the cover pane (18) a tactilely sensible, locally resolved surface structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Kirsch, Tobias Schwab, Jan Henning Kessler, Sascha Langener
  • Patent number: 10864821
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (10) which has an operating element (12), such as a display for example, and is designed to be secured in a device, in particular in a vehicle dashboard. The operating element (12) is elastically mounted on the housing (10). An actuator (16) is additionally provided for mechanically exciting the operating element (12) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected. Finally, the operating unit also has a vibration compensating mass (20) which can be mechanically excited by the actuator or by one actuator (16) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected and/or which is mounted on the housing (10) and can be moved in order to substantially compensate for forces acting on the housing (10) when the operating element (12) is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Harri Pankratz, Bastian Bandlow, Alexander Beschnitt, Frank Vogt
  • Patent number: 10754451
    Abstract: The operating device for a vehicle comprises a capacitively operating touch panel having an upper face with a touch sensitive surface, and an operating unit having a movable operating element which can be grasped manually and has an electrically conductive surface and a plate shaped holding element, provided with an upper face and a lower face facing away from the upper face, on which the operating element is movably arranged and which for its part is arranged on the touch-sensitive surface of the upper face of the touch panel. The operating element comprises at least one wiper, electrically connected to the electrically conductive surface of the operating element, sliding along a sensing path of the upper face of the holding element when the operating element is moved. The holding element comprises alternately successively arranged first sections and second sections along the sensing path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Christoph Fischer, Tobias Schwab
  • Patent number: 10732716
    Abstract: The operating unit for a device, particularly for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing that has an operating panel and is provided for attachment in an apparatus, particularly a vehicle dashboard or vehicle center console, the operating panel being elastically mounted on the housing. Further, an actuator for mechanically exciting the operating panel when use of the operating panel is detected is provided. Finally, the operating unit also has a vibration compensation mass that is mechanically excitable by the or by an actuator when use of the operating panel is detected and is elastically mounted in and/or on the housing and is movable to essentially compensate for a motion of the housing when the actuator mechanically exciting the operating panel is activated. The operating unit has a backlit display that has a display unit and a backlight unit separate therefrom. The backlight unit serves as a vibration compensation mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Tobias Schwab, Harri Pankratz
  • Patent number: 10635177
    Abstract: An infotainment system having an operating element for a vehicle is disclosed. The operating element is mounted in a spring-elastic manner with springs on and/or in a housing along a vertical axis of movement. One or more sensors for detecting an actuating movement of the operating element can also be included. The operating unit can further have an actuator arranged in and/or on the housing for feedback movement of the operator control element. Torques acting at a center of mass of the operating element as a result of the return spring elements can cancel one another out, with the result that during the feedback movement of the operating element along the axis of effective movement of the drive element of the actuator said operating element does not additionally rotate or tilt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Beschnitt, Harri Pankratz
  • Patent number: 10558276
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle is provided with a housing with a front face and an operating element arranged on the front face of the housing and having a center of gravity and an operating surface. Said operating element is mounted on and/or in the housing in a spring-elastic manner along a vertical axis of movement extending essentially orthogonally to the operating surface and along a lateral movement axis extending essentially transversely with respect thereto. At least one sensor for detecting an actuation movement of the operating element in the direction of the vertical movement axis is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Harri Pankratz, Alexander Beschnitt
  • Patent number: 10514764
    Abstract: An operating unit for a vehicle, e.g., an infotainment system for controlling diverse vehicle components, can include a housing and an operating element mounted in a spring-elastic manner on and/or in the housing along a vertical axis of movement extending substantially orthogonally to the operating surface and along a lateral axis of movement extending substantially transversely to the vertical axis of movement. The operating unit can also include at least one sensor for detecting an actuating movement of the operating element in the direction of the vertical axis of movement and an actuator arranged in and/or on the housing for the feedback movement of the operating element at least also in the lateral axis of movement during a detected actuating movement of the operating element, and a spring frame for the spring-elastic mounting of the operating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Vogt, Alexander Beschnitt, Markus Karliczek, Udo Treuguth
  • Patent number: 10503260
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle is provided with a housing with a front face and an operating element which is arranged on the front face of the housing and has an operating surface. The operating element is mounted in a spring-elastic manner. Furthermore, at least one sensor is provided for detecting an actuation movement of the operating element. The operating unit additionally has at least one actuator for the feedback movement of the operating element in the case of an actuation movement of the operating element detected by the sensor as well as an analysis and control unit which is connected to the at least one sensor and to the actuator. The actuator is designed as an armature-type electromagnet with a first stator which has a first excitation coil, and an armature as a drive element. Furthermore, the armature is provided with a measuring coil to which a measuring voltage is applied when the magnetic flux generated by the first excitation coil flows through the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Harri Pankratz, Bastian Bandlow, Matthias Stallein, Lars Heeper
  • Patent number: 10464422
    Abstract: The invention relates to a display and operating device (10) for at least one vehicle component, in particular a radio, a CD and/or DVD player or similar audio and/or video player, a navigation device, an infotainment device, a heating, ventilating or aid condition control unit, or a human-machine interface, which is provided with a mechanical control element (18) for setting an operational parameter of at least one first vehicle component and a touch screen (12) for outputting information, and control keys (14) and/or other operational parameters for the first vehicle component and/or at least one second vehicle component. The touch screen (12) comprises a recess (16) and the mechanical operating element (18) is arranged in the recess (16) of the touch screen (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventor: Frank Vogt
  • Publication number: 20190302891
    Abstract: An infotainment system having an operating element for a vehicle is disclosed. The operating element is mounted in a spring-elastic manner with springs on and/or in a housing along a vertical axis of movement. One or more sensors for detecting an actuating movement of the operating element can also be included. The operating unit can further have an actuator arranged in and/or on the housing for feedback movement of the operator control element. Torques acting at a center of mass of the operating element as a result of the return spring elements can cancel one another out, with the result that during the feedback movement of the operating element along the axis of effective movement of the drive element of the actuator said operating element does not additionally rotate or tilt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander BESCHNITT, Harri PANKRATZ
  • Patent number: 10418992
    Abstract: An operating unit for an electrical apparatus is provided with a housing, an operating strip and a support element arranged in the housing. The operating strip is mounted on the support element about a tilt axis extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the operating strip. The support element is tiltable parallel to the longitudinal direction of the operating strip. The support element is elastically prestressed, into a pivot position, which is detected by a pivot position sensor. Two tilt detection sensors detect a tilting of the operating strip about the tilt axis when it is actuated. The operating unit is provided with a controller for receiving signals and determining the operating field on which a finger is applied with an actuating force required for adopting the pivot position of the support element and triggering the function associated with the determined operating field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Beschnitt, Michael Steinkamp
  • Patent number: 10343521
    Abstract: The indicator apparatus (30) for a vehicle component, in particular for a human-human interface for the indicator and, where necessary, for entering operating parameters for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (12) comprising a front side (14) and a display unit (10), which is arranged on the front side (14) of the housing (12) and/or forms the front side (14) of the housing (12), for displaying operating parameters of a vehicle component and possibly symbols fields for entering commands and operating parameters for a vehicle component. The indicator apparatus (30) is furthermore provided with a deformable delay element (32), arranged in the housing (12) behind the display unit (10), for delaying acceleration movements that act on the display unit (10) in the direction of the interior of the housing (12) as a result of an object striking the display unit (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Beschnitt
  • Patent number: 10302331
    Abstract: A heating device is provided with plates stacked one on top of another. At least one first fluid channel is formed in a fluid-tight manner between a first plate package with a first and a second plate. An electrical heating element is arranged between a first plate of the first plate package and an additional plate. The electrical heating element is accommodated between the two plates in a sealed manner and is electrically insulated, wherein an inlet-side and an outlet side fluid connection of the first fluid channel is arranged on the second plate of the first plate package. The electrical heating element has a connection device for electrical contacting, which is connected to the electrical heating element and protrudes through a window in the second plate of the first plate package, wherein the fluid connections and the window are arranged adjacent to opposing lateral edges of the second plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignees: MAHLE International GmbH, Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Kohl, Karl-Gerd Krumbach, Karl Lochmahr, Wolfgang Seewald, Olivier Schunck, Dirk Nagel, Lars Heeper, Matthias Stallein, Michael Steinkamp, Karsten Marquas, Volker Dicke
  • Patent number: 10229795
    Abstract: The operating unit (10) for an electrical appliance, in particular a vehicle component such as a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning system, is provided with an operating element (16) which can be pressed down in a direction of actuation (28), and a support element (24) which is mechanically coupled to the operating element (16) and on which the operating element (16) is elastically supported so as to be movable in the direction of actuation (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Fust, Michael Steinkamp
  • Publication number: 20180253157
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle is provided with a housing with a front face and an operating element arranged on the front face of the housing and having a center of gravity and an operating surface. Said operating element is mounted on and/or in the housing in a spring-elastic manner along a vertical axis of movement extending essentially orthogonally to the operating surface and along a lateral movement axis extending essentially transversely with respect thereto. At least one sensor for detecting an actuation movement of the operating element in the direction of the vertical movement axis is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GmbH
    Inventors: Harri PANKRATZ, Alexander BESCHNITT