Patents by Inventor Brad F. Patzer

Brad F. Patzer 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).

  • FRICTION CONTROL IN HINGE ASSEMBLY
    Publication number: 20130119698
    Abstract: A vehicle hinge assembly including a first hinge member mounted to a vehicle body or a vehicle closure panel and a second hinge member mounted to the other of the vehicle body or the vehicle closure panel. A first contact member is fixed to the first hinge member and a second contact member is fixed to the second hinge member. The first contact member and the second contact member have first and second surfaces, respectively, that frictionally engage each other. The first contact member and the second contact member are arranged between the first hinge member and the second hinge member such that relative motion of the vehicle closure panel between an open position and a closed position causes relative frictional motion between the first contact member and the second contact member to provide a resistance for controlling the movement of the vehicle closure member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: Ventra Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad F. PATZER, Michael D.J. SMITH, Mark BATTISTON, Murray DOBSON
  • Hinge with a viscous rotary damper
    Patent number: 8020918
    Abstract: An assembly to pivotally connect an external vehicle closure panel to a vehicle body includes a first hinge member that is constructed to be mounted to one of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body, a second hinge member that is constructed to be mounted to the other of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body, a shaft that is constructed to pivotally connect the first hinge member to the second hinge member, and a viscous rotary damper. The damper includes a cover, a rotor, and a viscous material. The shaft connects to the rotor such that rotation of the external vehicle closure panel between a closing position and an opening position causes relative motion between the rotor and the cover of the viscous damper to provide a resistance for controlling the velocity of the external vehicle closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ventra Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad F. Patzer, Michael D. J. Smith, Stanislav Magovski, David W. Shaw, Joaquin Hung
  • HINGE WITH A VISCOUS ROTARY DAMPER
    Publication number: 20100180399
    Abstract: An assembly to pivotally connect an external vehicle closure panel to a vehicle body includes a first hinge member that is constructed to be mounted to one of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body, a second hinge member that is constructed to be mounted to the other of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body, a shaft that is constructed to pivotally connect the first hinge member to the second hinge member, and a viscous rotary damper. The damper includes a cover, a rotor, and a viscous material. The shaft connects to the rotor such that rotation of the external vehicle closure panel between a closing position and an opening position causes relative motion between the rotor and the cover of the viscous damper to provide a resistance for controlling the velocity of the external vehicle closure member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: Ventra Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad F. PATZER, Michael D. J. SMITH, Stanislav MAGOVSKI, David W. SHAW, Joaquin HUNG
  • Hinge with a viscous rotary damper
    Patent number: 7673929
    Abstract: An assembly to pivotally connect an external vehicle closure panel to a vehicle body includes a first hinge member that is constructed to be mounted to one of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body, a second hinge member that is constructed to be mounted to the other of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body, a shaft that is constructed to pivotally connect the first hinge member to the second hinge member, and a viscous rotary damper. The damper includes a cover, a rotor, and a viscous material. The shaft connects to the rotor such that rotation of the external vehicle closure panel between a closing position and an opening position causes relative motion between the rotor and the cover of the viscous damper to provide a resistance for controlling the velocity of the external vehicle closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ventra Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad F. Patzer, Michael D. J. Smith, Stanislav Magovski, David W. Shaw, Joaquin Hung
  • HINGE WITH A VISCOUS ROTARY DAMPER
    Publication number: 20090096246
    Abstract: An assembly to pivotally connect an external vehicle closure panel to a vehicle body includes a first hinge member that is constructed to be mounted to one of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body, a second hinge member that is constructed to be mounted to the other of the external vehicle closure panel and the vehicle body, a shaft that is constructed to pivotally connect the first hinge member to the second hinge member, and a viscous rotary damper. The damper includes a cover, a rotor, and a viscous material. The shaft connects to the rotor such that rotation of the external vehicle closure panel between a closing position and an opening position causes relative motion between the rotor and the cover of the viscous damper to provide a resistance for controlling the velocity of the external vehicle closure member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: Ventra Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad F. Patzer, Michael D.J. Smith, Stanislav Magovski, David W. Shaw, Joaquin Hung