Patents by Inventor Alexander Beschnitt

Alexander Beschnitt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230269889
    Abstract: The extendable and retractable display device is provided with a flexible display foil which is stiffened by a flexible display foil carrier. The display foil and the display foil carrier can be moved into a housing and back out of this housing by being bent. This is implemented by means of at least one actuator, the lower end of which is supported in the housing and the upper end of which is connected to the upper end of the display foil carrier. The housing comprises a guiding means for deflecting the display foil and the display foil carrier when retracting and extending the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Alexander BESCHNITT, Björn LANDGRÄBER
  • Patent number: 11458843
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (10) which has an operating element (12), such as a display for example, and is designed to be secured in a device, in particular in a vehicle dashboard. The operating element (12) is elastically mounted on the housing (10). An actuator (16) is additionally provided for mechanically exciting the operating element (12) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected. Finally, the operating unit also has a vibration compensating mass (20) which can be mechanically excited by the actuator or by one actuator (16) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected and/or which is mounted on the housing (10) and can be moved in order to substantially compensate for forces acting on the housing (10) when the operating element (12) is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventors: Harri Pankratz, Bastian Bandlow, Alexander Beschnitt, Frank Vogt
  • Publication number: 20210053442
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (10) which has an operating element (12), such as a display for example, and is designed to be secured in a device, in particular in a vehicle dashboard. The operating element (12) is elastically mounted on the housing (10). An actuator (16) is additionally provided for mechanically exciting the operating element (12) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected. Finally, the operating unit also has a vibration compensating mass (20) which can be mechanically excited by the actuator or by one actuator (16) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected and/or which is mounted on the housing (10) and can be moved in order to substantially compensate for forces acting on the housing (10) when the operating element (12) is moved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Harri PANKRATZ, Bastian BANDLOW, Alexander BESCHNITT, Frank VOGT
  • Patent number: 10864821
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (10) which has an operating element (12), such as a display for example, and is designed to be secured in a device, in particular in a vehicle dashboard. The operating element (12) is elastically mounted on the housing (10). An actuator (16) is additionally provided for mechanically exciting the operating element (12) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected. Finally, the operating unit also has a vibration compensating mass (20) which can be mechanically excited by the actuator or by one actuator (16) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected and/or which is mounted on the housing (10) and can be moved in order to substantially compensate for forces acting on the housing (10) when the operating element (12) is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Harri Pankratz, Bastian Bandlow, Alexander Beschnitt, Frank Vogt
  • Patent number: 10635177
    Abstract: An infotainment system having an operating element for a vehicle is disclosed. The operating element is mounted in a spring-elastic manner with springs on and/or in a housing along a vertical axis of movement. One or more sensors for detecting an actuating movement of the operating element can also be included. The operating unit can further have an actuator arranged in and/or on the housing for feedback movement of the operator control element. Torques acting at a center of mass of the operating element as a result of the return spring elements can cancel one another out, with the result that during the feedback movement of the operating element along the axis of effective movement of the drive element of the actuator said operating element does not additionally rotate or tilt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Beschnitt, Harri Pankratz
  • Patent number: 10558276
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle is provided with a housing with a front face and an operating element arranged on the front face of the housing and having a center of gravity and an operating surface. Said operating element is mounted on and/or in the housing in a spring-elastic manner along a vertical axis of movement extending essentially orthogonally to the operating surface and along a lateral movement axis extending essentially transversely with respect thereto. At least one sensor for detecting an actuation movement of the operating element in the direction of the vertical movement axis is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Harri Pankratz, Alexander Beschnitt
  • Patent number: 10514764
    Abstract: An operating unit for a vehicle, e.g., an infotainment system for controlling diverse vehicle components, can include a housing and an operating element mounted in a spring-elastic manner on and/or in the housing along a vertical axis of movement extending substantially orthogonally to the operating surface and along a lateral axis of movement extending substantially transversely to the vertical axis of movement. The operating unit can also include at least one sensor for detecting an actuating movement of the operating element in the direction of the vertical axis of movement and an actuator arranged in and/or on the housing for the feedback movement of the operating element at least also in the lateral axis of movement during a detected actuating movement of the operating element, and a spring frame for the spring-elastic mounting of the operating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Vogt, Alexander Beschnitt, Markus Karliczek, Udo Treuguth
  • Publication number: 20190302891
    Abstract: An infotainment system having an operating element for a vehicle is disclosed. The operating element is mounted in a spring-elastic manner with springs on and/or in a housing along a vertical axis of movement. One or more sensors for detecting an actuating movement of the operating element can also be included. The operating unit can further have an actuator arranged in and/or on the housing for feedback movement of the operator control element. Torques acting at a center of mass of the operating element as a result of the return spring elements can cancel one another out, with the result that during the feedback movement of the operating element along the axis of effective movement of the drive element of the actuator said operating element does not additionally rotate or tilt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander BESCHNITT, Harri PANKRATZ
  • Patent number: 10418992
    Abstract: An operating unit for an electrical apparatus is provided with a housing, an operating strip and a support element arranged in the housing. The operating strip is mounted on the support element about a tilt axis extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the operating strip. The support element is tiltable parallel to the longitudinal direction of the operating strip. The support element is elastically prestressed, into a pivot position, which is detected by a pivot position sensor. Two tilt detection sensors detect a tilting of the operating strip about the tilt axis when it is actuated. The operating unit is provided with a controller for receiving signals and determining the operating field on which a finger is applied with an actuating force required for adopting the pivot position of the support element and triggering the function associated with the determined operating field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Beschnitt, Michael Steinkamp
  • Patent number: 10343521
    Abstract: The indicator apparatus (30) for a vehicle component, in particular for a human-human interface for the indicator and, where necessary, for entering operating parameters for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (12) comprising a front side (14) and a display unit (10), which is arranged on the front side (14) of the housing (12) and/or forms the front side (14) of the housing (12), for displaying operating parameters of a vehicle component and possibly symbols fields for entering commands and operating parameters for a vehicle component. The indicator apparatus (30) is furthermore provided with a deformable delay element (32), arranged in the housing (12) behind the display unit (10), for delaying acceleration movements that act on the display unit (10) in the direction of the interior of the housing (12) as a result of an object striking the display unit (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Beschnitt
  • Publication number: 20190084423
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (10) which has an operating element (12), such as a display for example, and is designed to be secured in a device, in particular in a vehicle dashboard. The operating element (12) is elastically mounted on the housing (10). An actuator (16) is additionally provided for mechanically exciting the operating element (12) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected. Finally, the operating unit also has a vibration compensating mass (20) which can be mechanically excited by the actuator or by one actuator (16) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected and/or which is mounted on the housing (10) and can be moved in order to substantially compensate for forces acting on the housing (10) when the operating element (12) is moved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Harri Pankratz, Bastian Bandlow, Alexander Beschnitt, Frank Vogt
  • Publication number: 20190033973
    Abstract: An operating unit for a vehicle, e.g., an infotainment system for controlling diverse vehicle components, can include a housing and an operating element mounted in a spring-elastic manner on and/or in the housing along a vertical axis of movement extending substantially orthogonally to the operating surface and along a lateral axis of movement extending substantially transversely to the vertical axis of movement. The operating unit can also include at least one sensor for detecting an actuating movement of the operating element in the direction of the vertical axis of movement and an actuator arranged in and/or on the housing for the feedback movement of the operating element at least also in the lateral axis of movement during a detected actuating movement of the operating element, and a spring frame for the spring-elastic mounting of the operating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Frank VOGT, Alexander BESCHNITT, Markus KARLICZEK, Udo TREUGUTH
  • Publication number: 20180326849
    Abstract: The indicator apparatus (30) for a vehicle component, in particular for a human-human interface for the indicator and, where necessary, for entering operating parameters for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (12) comprising a front side (14) and a display unit (10), which is arranged on the front side (14) of the housing (12) and/or forms the front side (14) of the housing (12), for displaying operating parameters of a vehicle component and possibly symbols fields for entering commands and operating parameters for a vehicle component. The indicator apparatus (30) is furthermore provided with a deformable delay element (32), arranged in the housing (12) behind the display unit (10), for delaying acceleration movements that act on the display unit (10) in the direction of the interior of the housing (12) as a result of an object striking the display unit (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventor: Alexander Beschnitt
  • Publication number: 20180253157
    Abstract: The operating unit for a vehicle is provided with a housing with a front face and an operating element arranged on the front face of the housing and having a center of gravity and an operating surface. Said operating element is mounted on and/or in the housing in a spring-elastic manner along a vertical axis of movement extending essentially orthogonally to the operating surface and along a lateral movement axis extending essentially transversely with respect thereto. At least one sensor for detecting an actuation movement of the operating element in the direction of the vertical movement axis is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GmbH
    Inventors: Harri PANKRATZ, Alexander BESCHNITT
  • Patent number: 9979391
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating unit (10) for an electrical apparatus, in particular a vehicle component such as, for example, a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning installation, which is provided with a housing (12) having a front wall (14), with an operating strip (18) that projects beyond the front wall (14), which has an elongated operating surface (20) with a plurality of adjacently arranged operating fields (22, 24, 26, 28, 30), and with a support element (32) for the operating strip (18), which is arranged in the housing (12). The operating strip (18) is connected to the support element (32) by means of connecting webs (48) which protrude in the respective areas between the operating panels (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) of the operating strip (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Beschnitt, Winfried Fust, Michael Steinkamp, Frank Vogt
  • Publication number: 20180034463
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating unit (10) for an electrical apparatus, in particular for a vehicle component such as, for example, a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning installation, which is provided with a housing (12), an operating strip (18) and a support element (32) for the operating strip (18), which is arranged in the housing (12). The operating strip (18) is mounted on the support element (32) about a tilt axis that extends transversely to the longitudinal extension of the operating strip (18). The support element (32) is tiltable in at least one pivoting direction and about a pivot axis (34) that extends parallel to the longitudinal extension of the operating strip (18) from a rest position, in which the support element (32) is elastically prestressed, into a pivot position, which is detected by a pivot position sensor (42, 44).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Alexander Beschnitt, Michael Steinkamp
  • Publication number: 20170155387
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating unit (10) for an electrical apparatus, in particular a vehicle component such as, for example, a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning installation, which is provided with a housing (12) having a front wall (14), with an operating strip (18) that projects beyond the front wall (14), which has an elongated operating surface (20) with a plurality of adjacently arranged operating fields (22, 24, 26, 28, 30), and with a support element (32) for the operating strip (18), which is arranged in the housing (12). The operating strip (18) is connected to the support element (32) by means of connecting webs (48) which protrude in the respective areas between the operating panels (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) of the operating strip (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Alexander Beschnitt, Winfried Fust, Michael Steinkamp, Frank Vogt