Patents by Inventor Dirk Ringler

Dirk Ringler 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).

  • Patent number: 11965969
    Abstract: An optically and aerodynamically optimized and particularly wind-insensitive cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface of a sensor apparatus of a vehicle with a fluid cleaning agent. The surface is surrounded by an outer surface region with respect to which the surface is arranged so as to be substantially flush therewith or curved in a domed manner above it, and, in relation to the outer surface region, the nozzle is positioned in a recessed manner such that the spraying of the cleaning agent is realized below the outer surface region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Hahn, Dirk Ringler
  • Patent number: 11938906
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus, optimized for cleaning optical and optoelectronic sensor devices in motor vehicles, comprising a housing, and a reciprocating piston movable in a pressure-controlled manner in the housing and movable from a retracted position into a deployed position along an actuation axis is disclosed. The reciprocating piston has an inner channel to transport a cleaning fluid through the reciprocating piston to a spray nozzle. A miniaturized, easily and inexpensively producible cleaning apparatus which makes possible exact and precise orientation of the cleaning jet, quick operational readiness, reduced tendency for follow-up flow of the cleaning fluid, and improved adaptability to different installation positions, is also disclosed. In an embodiment at least the cleaning apparatus has at least one guide to prevent rotation of the reciprocating piston about the actuation axis during its entire stroke, the at least one guide means arranged at least regionally in the inner channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Ringler, Stefan Schäckel, Reiner Krauße, Ilja Prygunkov
  • Publication number: 20220024420
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus, optimized for cleaning optical and optoelectronic sensor devices in motor vehicles, comprising a housing, and a reciprocating piston movable in a pressure-controlled manner in the housing and movable from a retracted position into a deployed position along an actuation axis is disclosed. The reciprocating piston has an inner channel to transport a cleaning fluid through the reciprocating piston to a spray nozzle. A miniaturized, easily and inexpensively producible cleaning apparatus which makes possible exact and precise orientation of the cleaning jet, quick operational readiness, reduced tendency for follow-up flow of the cleaning fluid, and improved adaptability to different installation positions, is also disclosed. In an embodiment at least the cleaning apparatus has at least one guide to prevent rotation of the reciprocating piston about the actuation axis during its entire stroke, the at least one guide means arranged at least regionally in the inner channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Dirk Ringler, Stefan Schäckel, Reiner Krauße, Ilja Prygunkov
  • Publication number: 20210088668
    Abstract: An optically and aerodynamically optimized and particularly wind-insensitive cleaning apparatus for cleaning a surface of a sensor apparatus of a vehicle with a fluid cleaning agent. The surface is surrounded by an outer surface region with respect to which the surface is arranged so as to be substantially flush therewith or curved in a domed manner above it, and, in relation to the outer surface region, the nozzle is positioned in a recessed manner such that the spraying of the cleaning agent is realized below the outer surface region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Torsten Hahn, Dirk Ringler
  • Patent number: 10752219
    Abstract: Cleaning device for cleaning a transparent cover of a camera, in particular a lens of the camera, comprising at least one cleaning agent feed line and at least two cleaning agent spraying elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: CONTI TEMIC MICROELECTRONIC GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk Ringler, Torsten Hahn, Stefan Schäckel, Thomas Werner, Johannes Frölich, David Lässle
  • Publication number: 20200156597
    Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a transparent element of an optical or optoelectronic device with a fluid cleaning agent, includes a housing in which the device is arranged. The housing is equipped with an annular channel which can be filled with the cleaning agent via a cleaning agent inlet and encloses at least some areas of the transparent element, and at least one nozzle which is designed to deflect the cleaning agent onto the transparent element and is supplied from the annular channel. The cleaning device allows an increase of uptime and ensured functionality of the optical or optoelectronic device in all weather conditions and operating conditions or to maintain a high degree of uptime and ensured functionality at all times. At least one electrically conductive heating element is provided for heating the annular channel and/or the area of housing directly adjoining the annular channel or the cleaning agent inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Torsten Hahn, Dirk Ringler
  • Publication number: 20180201232
    Abstract: Cleaning device for cleaning a transparent cover of a camera, in particular a lens of the camera, comprising at least one cleaning agent feed line and at least two cleaning agent spraying elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicants: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk Ringler, Torsten Hahn, Stefan Schäckel, Thomas Werner, Johannes Frölich, David Lässle
  • Patent number: 9988020
    Abstract: A washer nozzle for a screen wash system of a motor vehicle has a pre-assembled structural unit of a jet insert and a check valve. This structural unit is pressed into a shaft of a housing. This makes the washer nozzle particularly easy to install.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Heiko Weitzel, Dirk Ringler, Michael Droessler
  • Patent number: 9611854
    Abstract: A washer fluid pump (2) for a windshield washer system (3) of a motor vehicle has ventilation ducts (25, 25?) which are arranged in a housing (17) parallel to the longitudinal axis. The ventilation ducts (25, 25?) open out behind bulkheads (21, 22) which are likewise arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis. The bulkheads (21, 22) bridge a constriction (20), which is arranged between an electric motor (15) and a pump stage (16), of the housing (17). In this way, the electric motor (15) is reliably protected against spray water. The washer fluid pump (2) can also be produced in a particularly cost-effective manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Patrick Opel, Dirk Ringler, Thomas Werner
  • Publication number: 20160318486
    Abstract: A washer nozzle for a screen wash system of a motor vehicle has a pre-assembled structural unit of a jet insert and a check valve. This structural unit is pressed into a shaft of a housing. This makes the washer nozzle particularly easy to install.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Heiko Weitzel, Dirk Ringler, Michael Droessler
  • Patent number: 8714949
    Abstract: In a washer fluid pump (2) for a window cleaning system (3) of a motor vehicle, a ventilation duct (21) of an electric motor (9) is guided in a labyrinth from a first plane (22) arranged in the electric motor (9) into the environment via a second plane (24) arranged in a collecting space (23). For this purpose, the ventilation duct (21) has two first sections (20) which lead vertically from the electric motor (9) into the collecting space (23), and two second sections (26) which open out vertically from the collecting space (23) into the environment. The first and the second sections (20, 26) are offset with respect to one another by 90°, so as to prevent an infiltration of spray water into the electric motor (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Opel, Dirk Ringler
  • Patent number: 8430108
    Abstract: In a device (1) for cleaning a window (2) or a lens of a motor vehicle, a wash nozzle (5) is of spherical design and is held in a ball socket (13) of a nozzle stem (4). The wash nozzle (5) produces a fan-type jet (6) and can be adjusted by an angle of inclination ? and a tilting angle ? in relation to the nozzle stem (4). The device can be freely adjusted to different designs of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Bettenhausen, Patrick Opel, Dirk Ringler, Heiko Weitzel
  • Publication number: 20100163079
    Abstract: In a device (1) for cleaning a window (2) or a lens of a motor vehicle, a wash nozzle (5) is of spherical design and is held in a ball socket (13) of a nozzle stem (4). The wash nozzle (5) produces a fan-type jet (6) and can be adjusted by an angle of inclination ? and a tilting angle ? in relation to the nozzle stem (4). The device can be freely adjusted to different designs of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Jens Bettenhausen, Patrick Opel, Dirk Ringler, Heiko Weitzel
  • Publication number: 20090114254
    Abstract: In a window cleaning system for a motor vehicle, having a dual pump (2) and having a valve (7) which is switched by the dual pump (2), a pressure surge which is generated during the switching of the valve (7) is conducted into the dual pump (2). For this purpose, valve seats (22, 23) are connected to inlets (25, 26) of the valve (7). Conducting the pressure surge into the dual pump (2) prevents that, during the switching of the valve (7), washer fluid passes onto a window (15, 16) which is not to be sprayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Manuel Jeppe, Winfried Munk, Patrick Opel, Dirk Ringler, Thomas Werner
  • Publication number: 20080260555
    Abstract: In a washer fluid pump (2) for a window cleaning system (3) of a motor vehicle, a ventilation duct (21) of an electric motor (9) is guided in a labyrinth from a first plane (22) arranged in the electric motor (9) into the environment via a second plane (24) arranged in a collecting space (23). For this purpose, the ventilation duct (21) has two first sections (20) which lead vertically from the electric motor (9) into the collecting space (23), and two second sections (26) which open out vertically from the collecting space (23) into the environment. The first and the second sections (20, 26) are offset with respect to one another by 90°, so as to prevent an infiltration of spray water into the electric motor (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Patrick Opel, Dirk Ringler
  • Publication number: 20080253908
    Abstract: A washer fluid pump (2) for a windshield washer system (3) of a motor vehicle has ventilation ducts (25, 25?) which are arranged in a housing (17) parallel to the longitudinal axis. The ventilation ducts (25, 25?) open out behind bulkheads (21, 22) which are likewise arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis. The bulkheads (21, 22) bridge a constriction (20), which is arranged between an electric motor (15) and a pump stage (16), of the housing (17). In this way, the electric motor (15) is reliably protected against spray water. The washer fluid pump (2) can also be produced in a particularly cost-effective manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Patrick Opel, Dirk Ringler, Thomas Werner