Patents Assigned to Bernhard Mittelhauser
  • Patent number: 6106049
    Abstract: A tank cover for a tank socket of a vehicle fuel tank has a plate-shaped molded plastic flap and a molded plastic pivot arm having a curved portion with a first leg and a second leg. A connection for connecting the first leg and the flap body to one another is provided wherein the connection has at least one connecting element connected to either the first leg or the flap body. The connection is selected from a positive-locking connection, a frictional connection, a material connection, a positive-locking, frictional connection, and combinations thereof. The second leg includes a hinge component with which the second leg is connected to the vehicle such that the flap body is pivotable about a first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: John Cole, Otto Dorries
  • Patent number: 6089644
    Abstract: A lid for closing off the tank connector of a motor vehicle is provided. An annular, elastic seal is disposed in a groove in an outer periphery of the lid. The seal serves for sealing the gap between the rim of the lid and the outer surface of the vehicle. At least part of the cross-sectional portion of the seal that faces the groove comprises an elastomeric material that is considerably harder than the actual sealing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Bernhard Mittelhauser, Uwe Thiesen
  • Patent number: 6039450
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror for a motor vehicle has a housing with a mirror pane pivotably connected therein. A first and a second and cable pull have first ends connected to the mirror pane. The first and second cable pulls act on the mirror pane in a same direction to pivot the mirror pane about a first axis and act on the mirror pane opposite directions to pivot the mirror pane about a second axis extending perpendicularly to the first axis. The first and second cable pulls have second ends. A transverse member is provided, and the second ends of the cable pulls are connected to opposite ends of the transverse member. A ball joint is connected to the housing. An actuating lever is connected to the ball joint and is accessible from the interior of the vehicle for actuating the ball joint. An arm is connected to the transverse member and the ball joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventor: Jan Schubert
  • Patent number: 5949596
    Abstract: An exterior rear view mirror for a motor vehicle has a housing with a pivotable mirror pane. A first and a second cable pull having first ends are connected to the mirror pane. The cable pulls act on the mirror pane in a same direction to pivot the mirror pane about a first mirror axis and act on the mirror pane in opposite directions to pivot the mirror pane about a second mirror axis extending perpendicular to the first axis. The cable pulls have second ends connected to opposite ends of a transverse member. A ball joint is connected to the housing. An actuating lever is connected to the ball joint and is accessible from the interior of the vehicle for actuating the ball joint. An arm connects the transverse member to the ball joint and extends at an angle to the actuating lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventor: Jan Schubert
  • Patent number: 5944218
    Abstract: A tank cover for a tank socket of a vehicle fuel tank has a flap and a pivot arm with a curved portion having a first and a second leg. The first leg is connected to the flap. The second leg includes a hinge component with which the second leg is connected to the vehicle such that the flap is pivotal about a first end. A support surface is positioned adjacent to the curved portion remote from the flap. When the flap is to be mounted, the curved portion rests on the support surface and is pivoted while being supported on the support surface for mounting the hinge component. The support surface, after mounting of the tank cover, is spaced at a preset distance from the curved portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventor: Thomas Jenssen
  • Patent number: 5851000
    Abstract: An external rear view mirror for motor vehicles is provided, and includes a housing that conforms to a streamlined shape of the vehicle. The housing serves to accommodate an adjustable mirror body. The forward end of the housing, as viewed in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle, merges with a part of the vehicle. To avoid breaks and steps in the vicinity of this end, the forward end of the mirror housing is adjustable, especially with respect to its height, when the mirror has already been mounted on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Bernhard Mittelhauser, Dietmar Leder, Jan Schubert
  • Patent number: 5760977
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror for a motor vehicle has a base for connecting the rearview to the vehicle. A pivot axle is positioned in the base so as to extend vertically or at an acute angle to the vertical. A housing is connected to the base so as to be pivotable about the pivot axle for allowing a forced folding of the rearview mirror in a folding direction from a rest position into a folded position. The housing has an opening for receiving an adjustable mirror pane. A lever with a first and a second end is connected with the first end to the pivot axle. The lever extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle or at an acute angle to this direction. The housing has a housing section facing the base. The lever penetrates the housing section and extends into the interior of the housing. A spring rests at the second end of the lever for forcing the housing against the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Dietmar Leder, Jan Schubert
  • Patent number: 5737972
    Abstract: A rearview mirror for motor vehicles has a housing and a mirror assembly pivotably supported in the housing. A first Bowden cable arrangement and a second Bowden cable arrangement are connected to the mirror assembly for pivoting the mirror asembly. The first and second Bowden cable arrangements are actuatable so as to act alternatively in a same direction and in opposite directions on the mirror assembly. The first and second Bowden cable arrangements each have a sleeve and a cable enclosed by the sleeve. The cable is pressure-resistant and pull-resistant and is guided without play in the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Thomas Jenssen, Jan Schubert, Norbert Kurschner, Dietmar Leder
  • Patent number: 5099362
    Abstract: An external rearview mirror for a motor vehicle is provided. The mirror can be pivoted by a swivel arm counter to the direction of travel. To improve the pivot movement and provide a smooth transition to a stationary part of the mirror, the swivel arm is guided in the vicinity of that end thereof that is proximate to the pivot location, via a guide rod or a curved guide, so that during pivoting, the mirror housing also moves away in the vicinity of that edge thereof that is proximate to the pivot location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Bernhard Mittelhauser, Jan Schubert
  • Patent number: 5086357
    Abstract: An external mirror for a motor vehicle is provided. The mirror includes parts that are pivotable to a limited extent between two end positions. An electric motor serves to pivot these parts, with a slip coupling being interposed between the electric motor and the pivotable parts. To be able to automatically establish a synchronization between the pivotable parts and the electric motor, supply of power to the motor is effected via contact strips having an effective length that is greater than the pivot path of the pivotable parts such that even in the end positions of these parts, power can still be supplied to the electric motor. A loop that is associated with the contact strips is connected to the electric motor in such a way as to move therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Bernhard Mittelhauser, Jan Schubert
  • Patent number: 5059014
    Abstract: An external rearview mirror for a motor vehicle is provided. The mirror housing, in which is disposed a mirror pane, is secured on a mounting in such a way as to be pivotable about a vertical axis into a park position. In a region remote from the pivot axis, the mirror housing is guided by curved guide means that includes teeth with which is associated at least one gear wheel in such a way that rotation of the gear wheel effects a pivoting of the mirror housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Bernhard Mittelhauser, Jan Schubert
  • Patent number: 4872636
    Abstract: An exterior mirror for a vehicle, including a support or base mounted on the vehicle, and a housing that accommodates a mirror body and is mounted on the support or base in such a way that it is pivotable to the front and to the rear relative to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle. The housing is pivotable against a spring force in such a way that after a pivoting movement the housing returns to a normal position. A slide member is mounted to the housing and in the normal position of the latter rests against the base of an approximately V-shaped channel in the mirror base or support under spring force. During pivoting of the housing in one direction, the slide member, against the spring force, moves along one of the side surfaces of the channel, while during pivoting of the housing in the opposite direction, the slide member moves along the other side surface of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Bernhard Mittelhauser, Bernd Winkler
  • Patent number: 4836490
    Abstract: An exterior mirror for a vehicle, including a base mounted on the vehicle, and a housing, for a mirror body, mounted on the base in such a way as to be pivotable to the front and to the rear relative to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle. A lever arm is mounted on the base in such a way as to be pivotable in the direction of pivot of the housing. One end of a swivel arm is directed toward the base and is hingedly connected with the lever arm. One end of a tension spring is connected to that end of the swivel arm that is remote from the base. A second end of the tension spring is connected to the base in the vicinity of where the lever arm is mounted on the base. The housing is connected to the swivel arm, in the vicinity of that end of the latter remote from the base, in such a way that the housing is pivotable about either its front or rear edge against the force of the tension spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Bernhard Mittelhauser, Bernd Winkler
  • Patent number: 4768871
    Abstract: An adjustable rear view mirror, the mirror element of which is supported by a ball-and-socket-like joint, and can be adjusted by two elements that can be actuated by pressure medium. In order to use single-acting adjustment elements, a reset spring is associated with the two elements. This reset spring is disposed on an imaginary line that bisects the angle defined by the two adjustment elements and the ball-and-socket-like joint. This reset spring is expediently a compression spring that is disposed across from the two adjustment elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
    Inventors: Bernhard Mittelhauser, Norbert Kurschner