Patents Assigned to Preh GmbH
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20100315221
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for measuring wear-induced displacement of a brake lining with respect to an associated brake caliper, comprising a gear mechanism for converting the wear-induced displacement into a rotary movement, having a sensor for detecting the rotary movement, wherein a contact-free coupling is provided for transmitting the rotary movement to the sensor. The apparatus is designed in such a way that the sensor generates an analogue or pulse-width-modulated detection signal for determining the wear-induced displacement of the brake lining, wherein the detection signal corresponds to the respective displacement caused by the rotary movement. The invention also related to a corresponding method for measuring the wear-induced displacement of a brake lining with respect to an associated brake caliper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Michael Schmitt, Martin Blaufuss, Bernhard Knuettel
  • Patent number: 7852071
    Abstract: A control element is provided for a motor vehicle, particularly a rotary actuator, having at least one pivoted control knob, an extension formed on the control knob, and an electrical device to detect the rotary movement of the control knob, whereby the electrical device works together with the extension of the control knob, and whereby the electrical device is formed of at feast two oppositely polarized magnets connected torsion-proof to the extension and by at least two sensors held stationary in the control element and detecting the magnetic field lines of the magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Zegula
  • Patent number: 7841768
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement is provided for determining an interior temperature in a motor vehicle, which sensor arrangement is at least one part of an air-conditioning operating part, comprising a closed housing having at least one front wall and one rear wall, wherein the front wall is manufactured from a material which ensures satisfactory thermal transfer and the housing and is filled with a thermally insulating means, further comprising a first temperature sensor which is fastened to a rear side of the front wall and a second temperature sensor which interacts with the first temperature sensor at least in relation to an evaluation of the interior temperature, wherein the at least second temperature sensor is fastened on an inner side of the rear wall which faces the rear side of the front wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: PREH GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Regensburger, Georg Bauer, Andreas Kramlich, Michael Reiser, Wolfgang Kuechler
  • Publication number: 20100288071
    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, wherein 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: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Artur Klossek, Thilo Schultheis
  • Patent number: 7817001
    Abstract: In actuating devices such as, e.g., multifunctional actuators, it is necessary in many cases to block at least one specific direction of movement. A simple and reliably operating device is proposed for this purpose, which uses an electromagnet to bring a ball from a rest position into a blocking position. In the blocking position, the ball mechanically blocks the relative movement between two parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Kramlich
  • Publication number: 20100255692
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical connection system (1) comprising a housing (12), into which electrical and/or mechanical components may be integrated, at least one printed circuit board (30) that can be positioned on the housing (12), having at least one printed circuit board connection (34, 36) and at least one contact element (18, 20) that is held on the housing (12) in a stationary manner, said contact element having a contacting section (22, 24) on the free end thereof for electrically contacting the printed circuit board connection (34, 36), wherein the contact element (18, 20) is configured in a bendable manner at least in regions such that the contacting section (22, 24) can be bent from an assembly position, in which said contacting section is not in contact with the printed circuit board connection (34, 36), into a contacting position, in which said contacting section is electric contact with the printed circuit board connection (34, 36).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Melitta Bott, Bernhard Knüttel
  • Patent number: 7808374
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for measuring wear-induced displacement of a brake lining with respect to an associated brake caliper, comprising a gear mechanism for converting the wear-induced displacement into a rotary movement, having a sensor for detecting the rotary movement, wherein a contact-free coupling is provided for transmitting the rotary movement to the sensor. The apparatus is designed in such a way that the sensor generates an analogue or pulse-width-modulated detection signal for determining the wear-induced displacement of the brake lining, wherein the detection signal corresponds to the respective displacement caused by the rotary movement. The invention also related to a corresponding method for measuring the wear-induced displacement of a brake lining with respect to an associated brake caliper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: PREH GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Michael Schmitt, Martin Blaufuss, Bernhard Knuettel
  • Publication number: 20100218639
    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: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventor: Andreas Kramlich
  • Patent number: 7781686
    Abstract: An operating element is provided that has a control knob, which is mounted in a housing, a console, or the like, and can move in a swiveling manner between a home position and multiple switching or contact positions. In order to design the operating element in a simple way, a central momentary switch that establishes the switch actuation point of the operating element and has a haptic function is associated with the control knob, and the momentary switch is actuated each time the control knob is swiveled out of its home position by a predefined angle toward a switching or contact position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Kramlich
  • Publication number: 20100171632
    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: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventor: Martin JEITNER
  • Patent number: 7741938
    Abstract: A control element is provided having programmable haptics, in particular a programmable central catch, for a motor vehicle, having a control knob which can be accommodated such that it can rotate, the control knob being connected in a force-fitting or interlocking manner to a toothed ring or having an integral design, and it being possible for the toothed ring (to be rotated by means of the control knob, and at least one latching element which can move towards the toothed ring and/or away from the toothed ring by means of an electromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: PREH GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Kramlich
  • Publication number: 20100147095
    Abstract: A control element for a motor vehicle, includes a control button retained in the control element so as to be at least rotatable and pressable, where a switching and/or regulating function is assigned to every movement, where the control element can additionally be shifted and where the shifting movement takes place in a plane horizontal relative to the control button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Gerold Eckert, Thilo Kirchner