Patents Assigned to Preh GmbH
  • Patent number: 8681014
    Abstract: The invention relates to a display device (1, 20) in a motor vehicle, consisting of a display (3, 25), a transilluminatable screen (4, 21) disposed behind the display (3, 25), a lighting means (6, 23) and a reflector (7, 24), wherein the lighting means (6, 23) is attached in the display device (1, 20) between the screen (4, 21) and the reflector (7, 24) and the light (L) of the lighting means (6, 23) can be parallelized and directed towards and through the screen (4, 21) onto the display (3, 25) by means of the reflector (7, 26), so that symbols that can be changed by means of the screen (4, 21) can be shown on the display (3, 24), and wherein the reflector (7, 24) is a facetted reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: PREH GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Jeitner
  • Patent number: 8651735
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement for determining an inside temperature in a motor vehicle having a climate control device and at least a panel is at least a part of a control part of the climate control device, where the sensor arrangement includes a housing with at least a front wall and a rear wall, the housing is filled with a heat-insulating material, a first temperature sensor attached to a rear of the front wall and a second temperature sensor attached to an inner side of the rear wall, said inner side facing a rear of the front wall, and where the front wall is a part of the panel of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Regensburger, Georg Bauer, Andreas Kramlich, Michael Reiser, Claudia Guck
  • Patent number: 8610010
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary control element comprising a control element body and a rotary button (1) mounted so as to be rotatable about at least one axis of rotation (9), wherein the control element body and the rotary button (1) cooperate such that a first associated switching function is provided by rotating the rotary button (1). The rotary control element according to the invention is characterized by the rotary button (1) being mounted so as to be displaceable relative to the control element body in at least one direction which is substantially perpendicular relative to the axis of rotation (9), with at least one additional switching function being provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Karch, Stefan Schuberth
  • Publication number: 20130327758
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating or controlling device and associated method for a motor vehicle for carrying out an operator-specific switching and/or regulating function, including: at least one operating or control element for carrying out several switching and/or regulating functions; at least one seat heater; means for generating and feeding a specific current signal into the seat heater in order to induce a specific voltage signal in the operator by means of the seat heater; detection means in order to detect the specific voltage signal upon contact with the operating element by the operator; evaluation means in order to assign a specific one of the several switching and/or regulating functions to the operating element or control element upon detection of the specific voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventor: Norbert Bauer
  • Patent number: 8573092
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rotating actuator with a variable latching profile, the rotating actuator having a housing, a rotary knob and a rotary shaft connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the rotary knob, and also at least two latching contours connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the rotary shaft, one support per latching contour, on which support at least one latching element is arranged, the latching element engaging in the latching contour assigned to the support, and which support is mounted rotatably about the rotary shaft, and at least one locking device per support, by means of which the support can be locked relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Kramlich
  • Patent number: 8562196
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cap (1) for a display and/or control element. Said cap (1) comprises a cap member (3) for covering a light source (7) and optionally also actuating a switch of an associated control element. A luminous area or projection area is embodied in the cap member (3) in such a way that a symbol represented on or through the luminous area or projection area becomes visible on an operator's side of the display and/or control element by irradiating the symbol by means of a light source (7). The luminous area or projection area encompasses a light-permeable metal coating (2) which is preferably applied using a PVD process. The cap is characterized in that the metal coating (2) has a three-dimensional contour (2a, 2b) for representing the symbol. The invention further relates to an associated production method, a display or control element comprising said cap, and a use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Lust, Martin Jeitner, Wolfgang Kuechler, Dieter Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20130271245
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating element (10) for a regulating and/or switching functionality having at least two switching or regulating stages, comprising: an actuating part (4) which can be actuated manually and thereby moved out of a rest position; at least three permanent magnets (1, 2, 3), comprising: a first movable permanent magnet (1), which is driven synchronously in its range of movement by the actuating part (4); a second movable permanent magnet (2), which, in a first partial range of the range of movement of the first permanent magnet (1), is synchronously entrained by it through magnetic force, and whose further movement is inhibited in at least one second partial range of the range of movement of the first permanent magnet (1) by at least one stop (5a); a third permanent magnet (3), which is stationary relative to the actuating part (4), for generating a magnetic return force on the at least first permanent magnet (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Gessner, Thilo Schultheis, Arthur Klossek
  • Publication number: 20120315402
    Abstract: A control element is provided, in particular for a motor vehicle, including a material through which light can be passed and whish is provided with at least one opaque coating provided with symbols, and having a transparent enamel layer on the coating, wherein nanoparticles are introduced into the enamel layer and the coating and the enamel layer are removed by means of a laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias LUST, Horst WILHELM, Michael HALLER, Martin STAHL
  • Patent number: 8284003
    Abstract: A control element for a motor vehicle including a control button, a bearing location for the control button located in a housing of the control element, an extension firmly connected with the control button, a first permanent magnet attached to the extension, and a second permanent magnet attached in the housing, where the permanent magnets form a permanent magnet pair, and unlike poles of the magnets face each other at a distance in a mid-position of the control button, wherein a magnetically conductive material is attached at least in some areas and circumferentially to the permanent magnet pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Artur Klossek, Thilo Schultheis
  • Publication number: 20120178315
    Abstract: The invention relates to a punched grid with a blade receiving contact including at least two symmetrical contact springs forming a blade receiving contact and extending from a base area, the contact springs being spaced from each other so that a gap is formed and the contact springs have at their free ends a curved portion narrowing the gap, wherein an embossed contour is formed into at least one curved portion of a contact spring, the invention further relating to a method for producing a blade receiving contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Bernhard Knüttel, Annegret Suckfüll, Verena Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20120145523
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cap (1) for a display and/or control element. Said cap (1) comprises a cap member (3) for covering a light source (7) and optionally also actuating a switch of an associated control element. A luminous area or projection area is embodied in the cap member (3) in such a way that a symbol represented on or through the luminous area or projection area becomes visible on an operator's side of the display and/or control element by irradiating the symbol by means of a light source (7). The luminous area or projection area encompasses a light-permeable metal coating (2) which is preferably applied using a PVD process. The cap is characterized in that the metal coating (2) has a three-dimensional contour (2a, 2b) for representing the symbol. The invention further relates to an associated production method, a display or control element comprising said cap, and a use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Lust, Martin Jeitner, Wolfgang Kuechler, Dieter Schroeder
  • Patent number: 8153915
    Abstract: A control element including at least four switches for electrical/electronic functions having a precise guidance for operation, where mount arms are disposed in a cross shape on their underside on a tip disposed in a housing, and on their top side in a spherical shell, and a pin is attached to the housing in each corner formed by the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: PREH GmbH
    Inventor: Gerold Eckert
  • Patent number: 8138866
    Abstract: A rotary actuator with a magnetically produced tactile sense is provided, in particular for a motor vehicle. The rotary actuator includes two plane-parallel permanent magnets, with the first magnet being arranged in a fixed position in a housing of the rotary actuator, and in which case the second magnet can be rotated with respect to the first magnet by a handle of the rotary actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Kramlich, Dieter Weth
  • Patent number: 8081156
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a control element, particularly for automotive electronics, having programmable haptics. Moments of force or a variation of the friction moments are formed on a control element by dynamically adapting the operative currents of electromagnetic arrays in dependence of the adjustment path. The force/path behavior (tactile feedback) of the control element can be modified at will during use so that the actuation forces for different operative functions can be varied. The tactile feedback of the moments of force on the control element takes by way of a locking piece, which, for example, can be comprised of at least one locking disc and a spring, which can be rendered active or inactive via an electromagnetic array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Anton Ruettiger
  • Publication number: 20110266123
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control element cap. Such control element caps are used, for example, for switches and/or keys in motor vehicles. In the known control element caps, the representation of a symbol is relatively diffuse and thus not always recognizable with a sufficient degree of reliability. Therefore, a control element cap is to be provided in which the sharpness, and thus the clearness of the symbol is improved; this is accomplished by a transparent carrier plate being disposed between a foil and a display, luminous or projection surface. The invention further relates to a manufacturing process associated therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventor: Martin Jeitner
  • Publication number: 20110128991
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement for determining an inside temperature in a motor vehicle having a climate control device and at least a panel is at least a part of a control part of the climate control device, where the sensor arrangement includes a housing with at least a front wall and a rear wall, the housing is filled with a heat-insulating material, a first temperature sensor attached to a rear of the front wall and a second temperature sensor attached to an inner side of the rear wall, said inner side facing a rear of the front wall, and where the front wall is a part of the panel of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Johann Regensburger, Georg Bauer, Andreas Kramlich, Michael Reiser, Claudia Guck
  • Publication number: 20110120249
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary control element comprising a control element body and a rotary button (1) mounted so as to be rotatable about at least one axis of rotation (9), wherein the control element body and the rotary button (1) cooperate such that a first associated switching function is provided by rotating the rotary button (1). The rotary control element according to the invention is characterized by the rotary button (1) being mounted so as to be displaceable relative to the control element body in at least one direction which is substantially perpendicular relative to the axis of rotation (9), with at least one additional switching function being provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Karch, Stefan Schuberth
  • Patent number: 7944335
    Abstract: An operating element is provided, in particular a joystick, with tilt haptics for a motor vehicle, having a tiltably supported lever with one primary lever arm and at least one secondary lever arm, as well as at least one pair of permanent magnets, wherein one magnet of a permanent magnet pair is located on a secondary lever arm and one magnet is located in a fixed position in the operating element in such a manner that unlike poles of the magnets are located opposite and a distance apart from one another when the operating element is in its center position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Arthur Klossek, Andreas Kramlich, Peter Rajec
  • Patent number: 7928334
    Abstract: A rotary actuator is provided for a motor vehicle, having a control knob, a housing, an actuating shaft that is rotationally fixed to the control knob, and electromagnetic means that act on the control knob so as to permit a detent or locking of the rotation of the control knob, wherein a coil is arranged in the housing in a rotationally fixed manner, and a disk-shaped flux guide is attached to the actuating shaft so as to be rotationally fixed and movable along the actuating shaft, and the flux guide can be pressed against the coil and/or the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Kramlich
  • Patent number: 7864063
    Abstract: An especially simple and economical moisture sensor with temperature compensation is provided. To this end, in addition to a measuring capacitor, a second capacitor is arranged on a window of a motor vehicle, wherein the second capacitor is not affected by the moisture and/or water droplets. For analysis, a differential measurement of the capacitances of the measuring capacitor and of the second capacitor is carried out, from which is determined a degree of wetting of the window not influenced by the window temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Maik Rienecker