Patents Assigned to Mannesmann VDO
  • Operating mechanism for a folding top of a convertible
    Patent number: 6273492
    Abstract: An operating mechanism for a folding top (1) of a convertible has an electric motor (10) with a rotational speed that can be regulated for driving a hydraulic gear mechanism (11). A control unit (7) for actuating the electric motor (10) has a memory (18) for rotational speeds intended according to the positions of the folding top (1). As a result, the rotational speeds are stored as software that is easy to change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Schröder, Jochen Baumert
  • Worm gear unit
    Patent number: 6272942
    Abstract: A worm gear unit having at least one worm shaft displaceable in the axial direction, means with which the worm shaft can be secured once in the axial direction in order to set the play being provided according to the invention, the means being permanently secured after the play has been set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Otmar Ganser
  • Magnetic position sensor
    Patent number: 6275025
    Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic position sensor in which at least two stator elements are arranged in a magnetic field, a magnetic field probe being located in the air gap between the stator elements, a means that follows the movement of an object being arranged parallel to the plane spanned by the stator elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Peter Wiese
  • Dirt-free handle for the opening of trunk lids of motor vehicles
    Publication number: 20010011467
    Abstract: A closing device for a the door, trunk lid or the like, which has a lock mechanism (1) with an actuating drive (4) for the driving of at least one structural part of the lock mechanism (1), in which it is provided, in accordance with the invention, that the actuating drive (4) furthermore drives an opening aid (8) of the door, the trunk lid or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Applicant: MANNESMANN VDO AG
    Inventors: Erhard Franz, Richard Jurr
  • Pressure-regulating arrangement
    Patent number: 6269835
    Abstract: In a pressure-regulating arrangement between a pump and a load, in particular between a fuel pump and an internal combustion engine, in which, if the flow from the pump exceeds a predetermined pressure, a cutoff quantity is branched off and fed back into a storage container, according to the invention the pressure regulator (9), together with the cutoff line (14), is combined with a filter (2) in one structural unit. All three connections (feed (4), flow (7) and cutoff connection (15)) are preferably arranged on the same side of a common housing (1). In a particularly advantageous embodiment, all three connections are arranged coaxially with one another, so that if an appropriate connecting piece is used, installation faults can be ruled out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Christian Kochsmeier
  • Filling pipe
    Patent number: 6269851
    Abstract: In the case of a filling pipe for a fuel tank a branching element is arranged in a section of the filling pipe. The flow of the inflowing fuel preferably runs along an outer wall of the filling pipe, so that a subflow is in each case conducted directly to the antisurge tower through a lower cross-sectional area. Larger volume flows, which completely fill the cross section, pass for the most part directly into the fuel tank. By this means, a sufficient basic supply of the antisurge tower is ensured irrespective of the volume flow produced during filling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Knut Meyer, Peter Andreas Löw
  • Method for producing an electric resistor and a mechano-electric transducer
    Patent number: 6269534
    Abstract: A method for producing an electric resistor, in particular a resistance strain gauge, in which an insulating layer and a resistive layer are sequentially applied to a carrier element. The insulating layer or the resistive layer is applied to a backing sheet, the side of the backing sheet carrying the insulating or resistive layer being covered with a flexible film layer whose adhesion to the insulating layer or resistive layer is stronger than the adhesion of the backing sheet to the insulating layer or resistive layer. The film layer with the insulating or resistive layer is peeled off of the adhesive backing sheet and applied to a carrier element, which is heated to burn off the film layer and sinter on the insulating or resistive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Erich Mattmann, Klaus Weber
  • Power-assisted closing device
    Publication number: 20010010427
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power-assisted closing device (1) for doors, flaps, folding tops or roofs of vehicles, in particular passengers cars, having a pivotably mounted rotary latch (2) which interacts with a fastening peg, a detent pawl (7) which releasably locks the rotary latch (2), and an actuating drive which acts via a disk cam (13) on the rotary latch (2) and the detent pawl (7) to effect an unlocking or locking procedure, wherein a pivotable stop element (17) is arranged on the rotary latch (2) and a pivotable stop element (20) is arranged on the detent pawl (7), the stop element (17, 20) interacting with the disk cam (13) in the unlocking or locking procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Publication date: August 2, 2001
    Applicant: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Martin Roos
  • Fuel delivery unit
    Patent number: 6267103
    Abstract: A fuel delivery unit for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The fuel delivery unit has a fuel pump (5) which is clamped in between a retaining part (1) and an elastically configured pump-retaining means (6) which is clipped on the retaining part (1). The retaining part (1) is open toward one side, so that the fuel pump (5) can be fitted once the delivery unit has been preassembled. It is thus possible to replace the fuel pump (5) in the case of a defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Norbert Ludwig, Klaus-Jurgen Lienig
  • Level sensor
    Patent number: 6267007
    Abstract: A filling level sensor has a carrier part (1) having a lever wire (3) which is attached to a bracket (2) and is axially guided by a bar-shaped apron (11). The bracket (2) has webs (9, 10) which protrude radially with respect to its pivotable and axially nondisplaceable bearing and over which flange elements (7, 8) of the carrier part (1) engage. As a result, the bracket (2) is at a constant distance from the carrier part (1) and is additionally of particularly simple design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Klaus-Peter Günther
  • Method for determining the temperature inside a motor vehicle in a reliable manner
    Patent number: 6263685
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reliably determining the temperature of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, in particular for controlling an air-conditioning system in the motor vehicle in which a sensor which detects the temperature of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle is ventilated by a fan motor. In a method for determining the temperature of the passenger compartment, in which the noise nuisance from the fan motor is eliminated, another motor vehicle device which generates a noise is operated simultaneously with the fan motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Henry Strobel
  • Tank system
    Patent number: 6263916
    Abstract: In a tank system, in particular a fuel tank system, which comprises a tank (1) with at least one filling level transmitter (7, 8) and also a display (11) for indicating the filling level of the tank (1), a measurable and indicatable reserve volume (3V) which is arranged in the tank and is always refuelable as a priority via an inflow pipe (2) and the content of which is available as a fuel reserve when a minimum filling level is reached in the main tank (1), a switching means (7, 12) for activating, by means of a control unit (10), an indicator (17, 18) signaling operation on fuel reserve (=extraction of fuel from the reserve), and a splash pot (3), together with fuel pump (5), arranged in the main tank (1), according to the invention the measurable and indicatable reserve volume (3V) is the content of the splash pot (3) itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Bernd Rumpf
  • Electronic device
    Patent number: 6265840
    Abstract: An electronic device for a motor vehicle, having an electronics unit designed for switching high currents in a two-part housing, a capacitor unit being arranged in the housing to suppress the interference signals produced by said high currents. In an electronic device which is easy to manufacture and in which the heat produced by the electronic circuits has no further effect on the operation of the electronic circuit, the capacitor unit, which is designed to have a large surface area, is thermally connected to a first housing part (1), and the electronics unit (8, 9) is thermally connected to a second housing part (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Hans-Werner Wiezorek, Barbara Wolf
  • Driving circuit for light-emitting diodes
    Patent number: 6265832
    Abstract: In a driving circuit for a plurality of light-emitting diodes, in which the current (ILED) through each of the light-emitting diodes can be set by a respective current source, and in which a plurality of current sources are combined in an integrated circuit, a plurality of current sources have a common series resistor for reducing the power loss in the individual current sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Maisel, Klaus Beckschwarte
  • Fuel supply system
    Patent number: 6260542
    Abstract: In a fuel supply system with a main tank (1), with a splash pot (4), with a pump (7) fed from the splash pot and with connecting lines (5, 18) for the pump, according to the invention the latter is arranged in the main tank (1) outside the splash pot (4) and is connected to the latter via at least one suction line (5) integrally formed fixedly onto an inner wall (3) of the main tank. It is particularly advantageous if that portion of the forward-run line (18) which is to be connected to the pump is also integrally formed fixedly onto the inner wall, because the pump can then be fluidically connected very simply and quickly by being plugged on. As a further option, the electric connection (24-27) of the pump can also be made in one operation with the fluidic contacting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Christian Kochsmeier, Peter Andreas Löw
  • Windsheild washer valve
    Patent number: 6260771
    Abstract: A valve device, in particular a window and lens cleaning device in motor vehicles, comprising a housing (1) with a duct (2) and at least one nozzle (3), and also a tubular connecting piece (4) for feeding a pressurized fluid, in particular a cleaning liquid, into the duct and to the nozzle. The connecting piece (4) is provided at its nozzle-side end with a nonreturn valve which blocks a return flow from the nozzle to the connecting piece wherein, the connecting piece (4) is open at its nozzle-side end. The nonreturn valve comprise an elastic shaped part (8) with a mouth which is normally closed and can be opened by the pressure of the cleaning liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Uwe Martin
  • Load shifting device
    Patent number: 6259184
    Abstract: Load adjusting device having an actuating device, in particular an electric motor, which, in a throttle valve housing (18) having an electrical connection, adjusts a throttle valve of an internal combustion engine, wherein, a mounting plate (1) having electrically conductive regions is inserted in the throttle valve housing (18), and the electrical connection is connected at least to the actuating device via the electrically conductive regions of the mounting plate (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Günther Bender
  • Car radio cover
    Patent number: D445782
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Jean-Luc Le Thellec
  • Car radio cover
    Patent number: D445783
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Christian Bouchard
  • Car radio cover
    Patent number: D445784
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventor: Jean-Luc Le Thellec