Patents by Inventor Bernd Arenz

Bernd Arenz 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: 20240003381
    Abstract: A fastening device for the articulated fastening of a first construction unit, e.g., a drive device which can be varied in length by motor, to a second construction unit, e.g., a motor vehicle. The fastening device comprises a ball pin with a bolt shaft defining a bolt axis. One end of the bolt shaft is configured for fastening to the second construction unit and the other end comprises a ball head mounted in a ball socket of a ball socket unit. An attachment unit attaches the ball socket unit to the first construction unit. The ball socket unit has two integral contact portions, which are diametrically opposed to one another with respect to the bolt axis and are in contact with the bolt shaft. The contact portions may each be provided with an indentation area, such that they are elastically deformable in a direction away from the bolt shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventors: Jonathan Keßler, Axel Knopp, Thorsten Müller, Bernd Arenz
  • Patent number: 10487898
    Abstract: A rotary drive device includes a housing element, a drive shaft and a driven shaft, both rotatably mounted in the housing element, a transmission device that transmits torque from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, and a braking device configured to counteract rotation of the drive shaft. The braking device includes a drive shaft input element, a braking element connected to the housing element for conjoint rotation, and a coupling element adjustable with respect to the input element. A braking force exerted by the braking device is greater when the coupling element is located in a first position than when located in a second position, and the coupling element assigned to the driven shaft so that adjustment from the first position to the second position is triggered by exceeding a threshold value of the difference in torque between the drive shaft and the driven shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Ritter, Bernd Arenz, Jörg Hillen, Oleg Batosky
  • Publication number: 20180045261
    Abstract: A rotary drive device includes a housing element, a drive shaft and a driven shaft, both rotatably mounted in the housing element, a transmission device that transmits torque from the drive shaft to the driven shaft, and a braking device configured to counteract rotation of the drive shaft. The braking device includes a drive shaft input element, a braking element connected to the housing element for conjoint rotation, and a coupling element adjustable with respect to the input element. A braking force exerted by the braking device is greater when the coupling element is located in a first position than when located in a second position, and the coupling element assigned to the driven shaft so that adjustment from the first position to the second position is triggered by exceeding a threshold value of the difference in torque between the drive shaft and the driven shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas Ritter, Bernd Arenz, Jörg Hillen, Oleg Batosky
  • Patent number: 9726728
    Abstract: A switching device has a current transformer for measuring in a potential-free manner a current to be switched by the switching device, a current sense amplifier, to which the unrectified measurement current of the current transfer is fed on the input side, and a controller, to which the output current of the current sense amplifier is fed on the input side and which is configured so as to digitalize the fed output current and to perform one or more performance-related measurements and to output the measurement results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: EATON ELECTRICAL IP GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Bernd Arenz, Wolfgang Schwarz, Marc Suchalla
  • Publication number: 20150301112
    Abstract: A switching device has a current transformer for measuring in a potential-free manner a current to be switched by the switching device, a current sense amplifier, to which the unrectified measurement current of the current transfer is fed on the input side, and a controller, to which the output current of the current sense amplifier is fed on the input side and which is configured so as to digitalize the fed output current and to perform one or more performance-related measurements and to output the measurement results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Bernd ARENZ, Wolfgang SCHWARZ, Marc SUCHALLA
  • Patent number: 8596153
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drive device for the automatic opening and closing of hinged lids, especially motor vehicle lids. The drive device includes a housing, a rotary drive installed in the housing, at least one spindle drive, which can be driven by the rotary drive and which comprises a threaded spindle and a spindle nut, a connecting device mounted on the spindle nut, and at least one actuating pull, comprising a cable and a sleeve, where one end of the cable is attached to the connecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Arenz
  • Patent number: 8393237
    Abstract: A driving device for a hatch in a motor vehicle includes a first fastening element which can be connected to a stationary structural component, a second fastening element which can be connected to a movable structural component, and a housing tube fixed to the second fastening element and extending toward the first fastening element. A spindle drive includes a threaded spindle and a nut fixed in a spindle tube connected to the first fastening element by a bolt, wherein the spindle can be driven in rotation to move the first fastening element axially relative to the housing tube. An elastomeric decoupling element between the spindle tube and the bolt decouples the spindle drive from the first fastening element in order to damp noise and vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Arenz, Andreas Ritter
  • Patent number: 7900531
    Abstract: In a drive device for opening and or closing the hatch of a motor vehicle, the drive including a spindle drive with a threaded spindle and a nut, with a clutch arranged between the rotary drive and the spindle drive, the clutch includes a shifting element, a clutch element, and a clutch disk non-rotatably connected to the threaded spindle. The shifting element is rotatably drivably connected to the rotary drive. The shifting element has an axially oriented helical first ramp and the clutch element has an axially oriented helical second ramp in opposed contact with said first ramp. Relative rotation of the shifting element and the clutch element causes relative axial displacement of the shifting element and the clutch element against a spring force. The clutch element has a clutch area movable into non-rotatable engagement with the clutch disk in response to the relative axial displacement of the shifting element and the clutch element such that the rotary drive for the spindle drive also operates the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Arenz, Oleg Batosky, Jörg Hillen
  • Patent number: 7798556
    Abstract: An opening device for a flap of a vehicle, in particular for a rear flap, pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis on the upper edge of an opening in the vehicle body from a closed position into an open position having a gas-filled spring coupled to the body by the free end of its piston rod at a distance from the pivot axis and coupled to the flap by its pressure tube at a distance from the pivot axis. The gas-filled spring in the exload direction applies a force to the flap in the opening direction. Furthermore, an actuator can act on the flap in the opening direction. The actuator is an energy accumulator which, applies a force to the flap during its opening stroke from the closed position until a relaxed position of the energy accumulator is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Arenz, Michael Kleinmann, Rainer Massmann, Rolf Mintgen, Andreas Ritter, Heiko Schilken
  • Publication number: 20090199482
    Abstract: A driving device for a hatch in a motor vehicle includes a first fastening element which can be connected to a stationary structural component, a second fastening element which can be connected to a movable structural component, and a housing tube fixed to the second fastening element and extending toward the first fastening element. A spindle drive includes a threaded spindle and a nut fixed in a spindle tube connected to the first fastening element by a bolt, wherein the spindle can be driven in rotation to move the first fastening element axially relative to the housing tube. An elastomeric decoupling element between the spindle tube and the bolt decouples the spindle drive from the first fastening element in order to damp noise and vibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Arenz, Andreas Ritter
  • Publication number: 20090113803
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drive device for the automatic opening and closing of hinged lids, especially motor vehicle lids. The drive device includes a housing, a rotary drive installed in the housing, at least one spindle drive, which can be driven by the rotary drive and which comprises a threaded spindle and a spindle nut, a connecting device mounted on the spindle nut, and at least one actuating pull, comprising a cable and a sleeve, where one end of the cable is attached to the connecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Arenz
  • Publication number: 20080271552
    Abstract: In a drive device for opening and or closing the hatch of a motor vehicle, the drive including a spindle drive with a threaded spindle and a nut, with a clutch arranged between the rotary drive and the spindle drive, the clutch includes a shifting element, a clutch element, and a clutch disk non-rotatably connected to the threaded spindle. The shifting element is rotatably drivably connected to the rotary drive. The shifting element has an axially oriented helical first ramp and the clutch element has an axially oriented helical second ramp in opposed contact with said first ramp. Relative rotation of the shifting element and the clutch element causes relative axial displacement of the shifting element and the clutch element against a spring force. The clutch element has a clutch area movable into non-rotatable engagement with the clutch disk in response to the relative axial displacement of the shifting element and the clutch element such that the rotary drive for the spindle drive also operates the clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Bernd Arenz, Oleg Batosky, Jorg Hillen
  • Patent number: 7177129
    Abstract: A circuit breaker includes current detectors, a microprocessor-controlled tripping device, and a bypass circuit that interacts with a watchdog circuit that monitors the proper functioning of the microprocessor. A switchable reference voltage is made available to the bypass circuit as a function of the momentary supply voltage. During short circuits, the bypass circuit, immediately upon being switched on, responds to very high limit current values, whereas after the switch-on phase, it already responds at moderately high limit current values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Moeller GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Arenz, Wolfgang Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20070007796
    Abstract: The invention relates to an opening device for a flap of a vehicle, in particular for a rear flap, which can be pivoted about a horizontal pivot axis on the upper edge of an opening in the vehicle body from a downwardly directed closed position into an upwardly directed open position. It has a gas-filled spring coupled to the body by the free end of its piston rod at a distance from the pivot axis and coupled to the flap by its pressure tube at a distance from the pivot axis. In this case, the gas-filled spring in the extension direction applies a force to the flap in the opening direction. Furthermore, there is an actuator by means of which a torque can act on the flap in the opening direction. The actuator is an energy accumulator which, from its tensioned position, applies a force to the flap during its opening stroke from the closed position until a relaxed position of the energy accumulator is reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Applicant: Stabilus GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Arenz, Michael Kleinmann, Rainer Massmann, Rolf Mintgen, Andreas Ritter, Heiko Schilken
  • Publication number: 20050162796
    Abstract: A circuit breaker includes current detectors, a microprocessor-controlled tripping device, and a bypass circuit that interacts with a watchdog circuit that monitors the proper functioning of the microprocessor. A switchable reference voltage is made available to the bypass circuit as a function of the momentary supply voltage. During short circuits, the bypass circuit, immediately upon being switched on, responds to very high limit current values, whereas after the switch-on phase, it already responds at moderately high limit current values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2003
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: Moeller GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Arenz, Wolfgaang Schwarz