Patents Assigned to Mercedes-Benz AG
  • Patent number: 5839757
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protection device for combination vehicles for separating a passenger compartment having seats from a cargo space situated behind it, which, for this purpose, has a safety net which spans a free area above the seating backrest to the vehicle roof and is mounted by way of an upper and a lower transverse tube in the vehicle. For meeting standards concerning the strength of the protection device and for the universal usability in combination vehicles, the upper transverse tube is the upper frame part of an approximately trapezoidal frame whose lower frame part, which is in parallel thereto, viewed in the driving direction, rests behind the safety net loosely against it. In the area of the lower frame part, the frame is held by means of fastening elements on the roof frame at a distance from the vehicle roof which is smaller than the frame height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Eberhard Hennig von Lange, Georgios Tsilchorozidis
  • Patent number: 5840144
    Abstract: A process for covering an object such as a steering wheel with a natural covering, preferably fine wood veneer, wherein the veneer is cut into strips, softened and molded. The thus molded veneer strip is first glued to one side of the object and then the ends are trimmed. Thereafter, a molded veneer strip is glued to the opposite side of the object, and the ends are trimmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Rolf Schumacher, Andreas Kellermann
  • Patent number: 5839778
    Abstract: A locking arrangement for the releasable fastening of a vehicle roof on an immovable vehicle body which part has at least one hook lock whose locking hook is displaceable between its unlocked and its locked position in the longitudinal direction. A transverse displacement of the hook end takes place during the longitudinal displacement of the locking hook causing the hook end to move between its hooked and unhooked position. Devices are provided which control the transverse displacement of the hook end which have interacting positioning devices arranged on the vehicle roof and on the vehicle body part. The transverse displacement of the hook end is controlled by a slidable guiding of the locking hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Kurt Schaible, Eckart Schuler, Bernhard Schenk, Ralf Mertin, Gunter Ellenbeck, Holger Seel
  • Patent number: 5836416
    Abstract: Setting-element arrangement controls the longitudinal speed and/or the steering angle of a motor vehicle. More specifically, a user-actuable setting element which, during forward motion, when actuated in a respectively first actuation direction, brings about a change of the parameter controlled thereby in a first change direction and, when actuated out of the position of rest into a respectively second actuation direction which is opposite the first, brings about a change of this parameter in a second change direction opposite to the first. In such a setting-element arrangement, the assignment of the two change directions of the longitudinal speed and/or of the steering angle to the respectively first or second actuation direction of the setting element is inverted, during reverse motion, in relation to that during forward motion. The driver's intuitive association of a setting-element actuation corresponding to the desired dynamic vehicle reaction is thus maintained, even during reverse motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Manfred Muller, Werner Reichelt, Peter Frank, Johannes Clauss
  • Patent number: 5838251
    Abstract: A method and a device with which data can be programmed into a vehicle component are provided. It is proposed to keep available at a central office the data which it encodes upon request with a code that is specific to the vehicle component and transmits it to the requesting location, and decoding is performed only in the vehicle component itself. In this way, a high level of protection against unauthorized attempts to acquire data during transmission of this data to be programmed into the component is ensured. Suitable devices for working the method include direct connectability of the individual vehicle component to a programming device at the requesting location for direct programming, or alternatively, intermediate connection of an intermediate storage component. In this way, for example, mobility-limiting key programming can be achieved that is highly protected against manipulation. The method and device are usable in vehicles with an anti-theft protection system and for vehicle rental systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Horst Brinkmeyer, Guenter Schwegler, Brigitte Althen, Bertolt Krueger, Konrad Klein, Thomas Krehbiehl, Guenther Metsch
  • Patent number: 5836660
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for determining a threshold value for triggering an automatic brake application wherein a braking pressure greater than that corresponding to the position of the brake pedal is developed when the actuating speed of the brake pedal exceeds a triggering threshold value determined from a preset threshold value and a vehicle-specific correction factor. According to the invention, a standard curve is stored representing the relationship between the vehicle deceleration and the pedal travel, said standard curve having a pedal travel value sP0 for a vehicle deceleration aFZG0=0 m/s.sup.2. During a brake application, pairs of values for pedal travel and vehicle deceleration are determined several times, with a pedal travel value sPi0 being determined for a vehicle deceleration of 0 M/s.sup.2 corresponding to each value pair, based on a curve that is the same as the standard curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Franz Brugger, Bernd Knoff, Wolfgang Kiesewetter, Albrecht Eckl, Manfred Steiner
  • Patent number: 5833314
    Abstract: An integrated child seat for use with a motor vehicle seat has a forward seat area of the movable seat surface part with at least the width of a commercially available impact body. A rearward seat area has a significantly smaller width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Rolf Mitschelen, Werner Hauser, Dietmar Zwolfer
  • Patent number: 5829937
    Abstract: The invention includes a single-piece clip for securing an article(s) to a panel having a hole formed therein. The clip includes a tape bar having a slot formed in the bar and at least one portion of the bar for securing to the article such as a wire harness by taping or other suitable means. The clip also includes a stem extending through the slot and having an insertion head at one end for inserting through the hole in a panel and engaging the rear face of the panel. A first set of wings extend outwardly from the stem at a location below the insertion head and above a top surface of the tape bar. A second set of wings extend outwardly from the stem at one end of the stem and below a bottom face of the tape bar. Both sets of wings have a breadth sufficient to prevent the wings from being pulled or pushed through the slot formed in the tape bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignees: General Motors Corporation, Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: John Raymond Morello, James Thomas Stocz, Daniel Howard Huff, Michael John Reitz, Doru Matei, Rolf Grubingo
  • Patent number: 5831514
    Abstract: A control arrangement for an auxiliary heater in motor vehicles is provided which consists of a preselection clock, a control unit and a control apparatus which are all arranged inside the vehicle, in which case the auxiliary heater can be time-programmed by way of the preselection clock. A time generator is used which generates a time signal representing the actual time and whose time signal is supplied to the preselection clock as well as to a time display arranged in the vehicle, and in the case of which the time programming is carried out via a portable transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hilpert, Manfred Stotz
  • Patent number: 5831154
    Abstract: A process for determining the quantity of a liquid situated in a largely closed system of a motor vehicle is provided. The filling level of the liquid in the system fluctuates as a function of the driving condition. In the case of a known process of this type for determining the engine oil quantity, the oil quantity determination takes place by filling level measurements while the vehicle is standing and the engine is switched off. The present process determines driving-condition-indicating quantities in the driving operation, determines therefrom the momentary driving condition, and, at least during selected driving conditions in the driving operation, continuously sense the filling level, as well as determines therefrom the momentary filling quantity via a given dependence of the liquid quantity on the driving condition and on the filling level. This permits, for example, a monitoring of the engine oil quantity in the continuous driving operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Thomas Guertler, Markus Hartmann, Klaus Land, Alfred Weinschenk
  • Patent number: 5832194
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus, process for its duplication, and arrangement for data transfer between two similarly constructed electronic apparatus is described in which the electronic apparatus has a microprocessor or microcontroller, a non-volatile memory, and an interface. The microprocessor or microcontroller, the non-volatile memory and other measures of the apparatus allow a data content of a certain memory component of a certain other apparatus to be simply transferred into the non-volatile memory. The apparatus thus has the ability to bequeath its data characteristics, or to duplicate itself. Further, a process is described for carrying out such a duplication. Assuming a second inventive electronic apparatus is built, a particular advantageous arrangement can be created in which a data record can be completely transferred from the memory of the first apparatus into the memory of the second apparatus. This data transfer is even beneficially possible when the second apparatus is partially defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignees: Hella KG Hueck & Co., Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Fritz Braun, Joachim Finsterbusch, Nikolaus Decius
  • Patent number: 5829814
    Abstract: For the vertical alignment of a hinged covering flap, in particular of a glove-compartment cover, it is proposed to insert the hinge leaf on the cover side, accompanied by the spring-loaded engagement of teeth which protrude and engage into a row of teeth, into a channel fixedly disposed with respect to the vehicle body, and to secure the resulting alignment position with the use of a locking clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Harry Niessner, Santiago Duenas, Helmut Wagner
  • Patent number: 5830580
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a painted sheet metal part, such as a car body, with a polyacid layer between the coat of paint and the surface of the sheet metal part and to a method for applying such a coating on the part before painting. Initially, the part is cleaned and de-greased, and subsequently the polyacid layer is deposited and stabilized. In order to be able to apply this layer without losing wet adhesion qualities of the coat of paint and the anti-corrosive effect of coating layer, while presenting fewer ecological disadvantages or harmful consequences, polyacids, which comprise homopolymers or copolymers of carboxylic acids containing double bonds or of functional esters of carboxylic esters, or copolymers of carboxylic acids with vinyl compounds, are used pursuant to the present invention as the protective bonding layer. The polyacids used are further combined with polymers having a glass transition temperature above 100.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes Benz AG
    Inventors: Ute Flammer, Fritz Mezger, Anja Keller, Werner Funke
  • Patent number: 5829309
    Abstract: A motor vehicle automatic gear-change device in a change-speed gearbox is connected to a manual selector lever which is arranged in the region of the driver's seat. A mechanical interlock, which can be actuated by an electromagnet, can be caused to act on the selector lever to prevent changing into the reverse gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Bernd Wagner, Christoph Wefers
  • Patent number: 5826945
    Abstract: A bench seat system for small motor vehicles, such as small vans, includes at least one seat with a seat upper frame to receive seat cushions and a backrest and with seat feet connected with the seat upper frame for anchoring to the body floor of the motor vehicle. To achieve a modular system from which bench seats with different widths and numbers of seats can be assembled in an economical fashion, the upper frame of the seat is assembled from a plurality of L-shaped pillars spaced apart from one another at seat intervals. The pillars are rigidly connected with one another by a plurality of cross tubes. Each seat is then delimited laterally by two pillars. One seat foot is associated with each seat, being fastened in the area between two pillars on two cross tubes, projecting at right angles from the latter, which cross tubes connect the horizontal legs of the L-shaped pillars with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Helmut Siebler, Georgios Tsilchorozidis, Dieter Mankiewicz, Ulrich-Jurgen Mampe, Norbert Kubert, Wolfgang Kroner, Gerd Ponath
  • Patent number: 5827957
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and an apparatus for monitoring vehicle tires, in which a desired range for the operating condition of a tire, (represented by at least one tire operating condition variable) is predetermined. Instantaneous values of the at least one tire operating condition variable are recorded continuously and compared with the desired range in order to establish whether the instantaneous tire operating condition lies within or outside the desired range specified. The frequency with which, and/or the proportion of the overall operation during which the operating phases in which the instantaneous tire operating condition lies outside the desired range is determined throughout the entire operation of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventor: Horst Wehinger
  • Patent number: 5823514
    Abstract: In a vibration dampening support arrangement for supporting a component on a support structure such that it is removable only in a predetermined direction of removal, a projection extends from the support structure at an angle .alpha. of 12.degree. to 60.degree. with respect to the direction of removal and an elastic element is disposed on the projection in form-locking engagement with the component in the predetermined direction of removal but is unreleasably held in any other direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Thomas Howe, Berndt Schutz
  • Patent number: D400273
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Jens Manske, Volker Leutz
  • Patent number: D401205
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventor: Corrado Fischer
  • Patent number: D401545
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Bruno Sacco, Peter Pfeiffer, Romuald Juraschek