Patents by Inventor Christopher K. Reifsteck

Christopher K. Reifsteck 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).

  • Vehicle safety system
    Patent number: 6264337
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically adjusting the angle of a rotatable side view mirror of a vehicle having a trailer coupled thereto includes transducers attached to the vehicle for transmitting signals toward the trailer and for receiving signals reflected by the trailer. A control unit includes memory for storing dimensional information and a control circuit for generating a mirror control signal for controlling rotation of the rotatable side view mirror. The control circuit is operative to control at least one of the transducers to determine an angle between the vehicle and the trailer based on a time required for signals transmitted by the respective controlled at least one transducer to be reflected back to the respective at least one controlled transducer. The control circuit generates the mirror control signal based on the determined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Inventors: Charles T. Rannells, Jr., Leslie A. Bomar, Christopher K. Reifsteck, Alois A. Arnold
  • Vehicle safety system
    Patent number: 5980048
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically adjusting the angle of a rotatable side view mirror of a vehicle having a trailer coupled thereto includes transducers attached to the vehicle for transmitting signals toward the trailer and for receiving signals reflected by the trailer. A control unit includes memory for storing dimensional information and a control circuit for generating a mirror control signal for controlling rotation of the rotatable side view mirror. The control circuit is operative to control at least one of the transducers to determine an angle between the vehicle and the trailer based on a time required for signals transmitted by the respective controlled at least one transducer to be reflected back to the respective at least one controlled transducer. The control circuit generates the mirror control signal based on the determined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Rannells & Bomar, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles T. Rannells, Jr., Leslie A. Bomar, Christopher K. Reifsteck, Alois A. Arnold