Patents by Inventor Elmar Fries

Elmar Fries 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: 20240391148
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an actuating apparatus (1) for a vehicle door handle arrangement, such as an inner door handle arrangement. The actuating apparatus (1) is manufactured in a multi-component injection molding method, such as a two-component injection molding method. The actuating apparatus (1) includes a carrier portion (4) made from a first plastic material and a decorative layer (5), in particular integrally connected to the carrier portion (4), made from a second plastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Inventor: Elmar FRIES
  • Patent number: 12146352
    Abstract: An interior door handle arrangement of a vehicle, includes a housing and an actuating section which is arranged on the housing, wherein the housing and/or the actuating section have/has a carrier section made from a first plastic and a visible section made from another, second material which is connected to the carrier section in an integrally joined manner. A method for producing such an interior door handle arrangement is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Zsolt Wilke, Elmar Fries, Anna Lisa Contini
  • Patent number: 12129692
    Abstract: An actuating member (14), in particular a handle element, an interior door handle arrangement of a vehicle, wherein the actuating member (14) includes a carrier substrate (20) preferably made of plastic and a decorative layer (21) covering the surface of the carrier substrate (20). The decorative layer (21) includes a visible area (22) that in particular in the intended installed state, and in particular in the non-actuated state of the actuating member (14) forms a visible side of the actuating member (14), at least one gate region (2) in particular formed in a gate lip or gate tab (4), and at least one edge region or arcuate region (25, 26) by which the gate region (2) is preferably continuously connected to the visible area (22) of the decorative layer (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Elmar Fries, Klaus Henninger
  • Patent number: 11993960
    Abstract: The invention relates to a door handle for a car, wherein the door handle has a handle section to be gripped manually and a pivoting bearing section, by way of which the door handle can be mounted on a car door such that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position which unlocks the car door, wherein a metal ball, in particular a steel ball, or a metal cylinder, in particular a steel cylinder, is fastened to the door handle, wherein, if a predefined transverse acceleration which acts on the door handle occurs, the metal ball or the metal cylinder counteracts, as a counterweight, an opening force which acts on the handle section on account of the transverse acceleration. Moreover, the invention relates to a corresponding method for producing a door handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Zsolt Wilke, Roland Och, Elmar Fries, Massimo Trisorio
  • Publication number: 20230235602
    Abstract: An actuating portion for a vehicle door handle assembly, in particular an inner door handle assembly, wherein the actuating portion includes a carrier portion formed by co-injection, having a core and an outer layer, and a decorative portion connected to the carrier portion, in particular integrally, wherein the actuating portion has been produced in a multi-component injection-molding method, in particular in a three-component injection-molding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Zsolt WILKE, Elmar FRIES, Steffen KOLB
  • Patent number: 11566455
    Abstract: A signal generator, in particular opening switch, for a vehicle door or flap, including an actuator, in particular an actuator which can be manually actuated and/or gripped by an operating person, furthermore including a plug housing (14) with a switch (22) which is received therein or arranged thereon and which has electrical contacts (20) which form part of a plug connection, and including an actuator housing (12) with the actuator (30), the actuator being mounted movably on the actuator housing (12) and acting on the switch (22), the actuator housing (12) and the plug housing (14) being positionally fixed relative to one another, wherein the electrical contacts (20) are electrically connected to the switch (22) by plugged-in conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Joachim Oberst, Stefan Zöller, Elmar Fries, Zsolt Wilke
  • Patent number: 11559930
    Abstract: An injection-molded component having a casing body of plastics material and a core which is made of a core material, in particular of a metal, which is at least partially received within the casing body and is at least partially insert-molded. The injection-molded component may in particular serve as a joint part of a joint. As a result of the preferably metallic core, the injection-molded component, despite comparatively small dimensioning, is capable of being comparatively highly stressed. By virtue of the casing body of plastics material, a minor actuation noise may be implemented for the joint, even without complex lubrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Elmar Fries, Stefan Zöller, Pramod Morale
  • Publication number: 20210372175
    Abstract: An actuating member (14), in particular a handle element, an interior door handle arrangement of a vehicle, wherein the actuating member (14) includes a carrier substrate (20) preferably made of plastic and a decorative layer (21) covering the surface of the carrier substrate (20). The decorative layer (21) includes a visible area (22) that in particular in the intended installed state, and in particular in the non-actuated state of the actuating member (14) forms a visible side of the actuating member (14), at least one gate region (2) in particular formed in a gate lip or gate tab (4), and at least one edge region or arcuate region (25, 26) by which the gate region (2) is preferably continuously connected to the visible area (22) of the decorative layer (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Elmar FRIES, Klaus HENNINGER
  • Publication number: 20210340793
    Abstract: A signal generator, in particular opening switch, for a vehicle door or flap, including an actuator, in particular an actuator which can be manually actuated and/or gripped by an operating person, furthermore including a plug housing (14) with a switch (22) which is received therein or arranged thereon and which has electrical contacts (20) which form part of a plug connection, and including an actuator housing (12) with the actuator (30), the actuator being mounted movably on the actuator housing (12) and acting on the switch (22), the actuator housing (12) and the plug housing (14) being positionally fixed relative to one another, wherein the electrical contacts (20) are electrically connected to the switch (22) by plugged-in conductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Joachim OBERST, Stefan ZÖLLER, Elmar FRIES, Zsolt WILKE
  • Publication number: 20210189771
    Abstract: The invention relates to a door handle for a car, wherein the door handle has a handle section to be gripped manually and a pivoting bearing section, by way of which the door handle can be mounted on a car door such that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position which unlocks the car door, wherein a metal ball, in particular a steel ball, or a metal cylinder, in particular a steel cylinder, is fastened to the door handle, wherein, if a predefined transverse acceleration which acts on the door handle occurs, the metal ball or the metal cylinder counteracts, as a counterweight, an opening force which acts on the handle section on account of the transverse acceleration. Moreover, the invention relates to a corresponding method for producing a door handle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Zsolt WILKE, Roland OCH, Elmar FRIES, Massimo TRISORIO
  • Publication number: 20190316390
    Abstract: An interior door handle arrangement of a vehicle, includes a housing and an actuating section which is arranged on the housing, wherein the housing and/or the actuating section have/has a carrier section made from a first plastic and a visible section made from another, second material which is connected to the carrier section in an integrally joined manner. A method for producing such an interior door handle arrangement is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Zsolt WILKE, Elmar FRIES, Anna Lisa CONTINI
  • Patent number: 10286841
    Abstract: A light guide (1) for a motor vehicle, wherein the light guide (1) has a light-guiding body (10) made of transparent plastics material, wherein the light-guiding body (10) has at least one light-entrance surface (11) and at least one light-exit surface (12) and wherein the light-guiding body (10) is covered in a region by means of a substantially light-opaque cover material (20), wherein the cover material (20) is applied onto the region by means of an injection molding method. The use of such a light guide (1) in a motor vehicle and a method for producing such a light guide (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Elmar Fries, Heiko Lüders
  • Publication number: 20190001539
    Abstract: An injection-molded component having a casing body of plastics material and a core which is made of a core material, in particular of a metal, which is at least partially received within the casing body and is at least partially insert-molded. The injection-molded component may in particular serve as a joint part of a joint. As a result of the preferably metallic core, the injection-molded component, despite comparatively small dimensioning, is capable of being comparatively highly stressed. By virtue of the casing body of plastics material, a minor actuation noise may be implemented for the joint, even without complex lubrication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Elmar Fries, Stefan Zöller, Pramod Morale
  • Patent number: 9944003
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a plastic part, especially a plastic part for an automobile, by an injection molding method comprising the steps: Using an injection molding device, plastic in a flowable state is injected into the mold cavity of an injection mold, gas under pressure is injected through a gas inlet opening in the injection mold into the mold cavity of the injection mold by means of a gas injection device so that a gas bubble forms within the still flowable plastic, the plastic is heated and kept flowable, at least in a region neighboring the gas inlet opening while the plastic is hardening in the mold cavity, wherein pressure is exerted on the plastic being kept flowable so that an opening in the plastic in the region of the gas inlet opening is sealed, and the plastic part is removed from the injection mold after reaching a sufficient dimensional stability. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Elmar Fries
  • Publication number: 20180065548
    Abstract: A light guide (1) for a motor vehicle, wherein the light guide (1) has a light-guiding body (10) made of transparent plastics material, wherein the light-guiding body (10) has at least one light-entrance surface (11) and at least one light-exit surface (12) and wherein the light-guiding body (10) is covered in a region by means of a substantially light-opaque cover material (20), wherein the cover material (20) is applied onto the region by means of an injection molding method. The use of such a light guide (1) in a motor vehicle and a method for producing such a light guide (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Elmar FRIES, Heiko Lüders
  • Publication number: 20170173827
    Abstract: A process for producing a plastic part for vehicles in an injection molding process, characterized by the following steps: a first plastic charge is injected in the plasticized state into the mold cavity of an injection mold, subsequently, a second plastic charge is injected together with a blowing agent into the mold cavity, the blowing agent leading to the expansion of the second plastic charge injected into the mold cavity, as a result of which the still fluid first plastic charge is pressed from the inside against the walls which delimit the mold cavity of the injection mold, wherein, after the first plastic charge has been injected, a coolant is conducted through the walls which delimit the mold cavity of the injection mold, as a result of which the walls which delimit the mold cavity of the injection mold are actively cooled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventor: Elmar FRIES
  • Publication number: 20170107744
    Abstract: The invention relates to a door handle for a car, wherein the door handle has a handle section to be gripped manually and a pivoting bearing section, by way of which the door handle can be mounted on a car door such that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position which unlocks the car door, wherein a metal ball, in particular a steel ball, or a metal cylinder, in particular a steel cylinder, is fastened to the door handle, wherein, if a predefined transverse acceleration which acts on the door handle occurs, the metal ball or the metal cylinder counteracts, as a counterweight, an opening force which acts on the handle section on account of the transverse acceleration. Moreover, the invention relates to a corresponding method for producing a door handle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Zsolt WILKE, Roland OCH, Elmar FRIES, Massimo TRISORIO
  • Patent number: 9403308
    Abstract: A molding tool for producing a component in a gas-assisted injection molding process includes a mold cavity, and an injection device with a pressurized gas source. The pressurized gas is fed into the plastic melt introduced into the mold cavity. The plastic melt is pressed against the inner walls of the mold cavity. The injection device has a piston with an injector head and moveably guided in a passage of a molding tool connected with the mold cavity. The injector head forms a part of the inner walls of the mold cavity in an idle position of the piston, and is pressed into the plastic melt as the piston moves to its operating position, so that the pressurized gas flows through the passage into the plastic melt in the mold cavity. The piston is moveable by the gas fed through the passage into the plastic melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Elmar Fries
  • Publication number: 20160016343
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a plastic part, especially a plastic part for an automobile, by an injection molding method comprising the steps: Using an injection molding device, plastic in a flowable state is injected into the mold cavity of an injection mold, gas under pressure is injected through a gas inlet opening in the injection mold into the mold cavity of the injection mold by means of a gas injection device so that a gas bubble forms within the still flowable plastic, the plastic is heated and kept flowable, at least in a region neighboring the gas inlet opening while the plastic is hardening in the mold cavity, wherein pressure is exerted on the plastic being kept flowable so that an opening in the plastic in the region of the gas inlet opening is sealed, and the plastic part is removed from the injection mold after reaching a sufficient dimensional stability. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventor: Elmar FRIES
  • Publication number: 20150328813
    Abstract: A molding tool for producing a component in a gas-assisted injection molding process includes a mold cavity, and an injection device with a pressurized gas source. The pressurized gas is fed into the plastic melt introduced into the mold cavity. The plastic melt is pressed against the inner walls of the mold cavity. The injection device has a piston with an injector head and moveably guided in a passage of a molding tool connected with the mold cavity. The injector head forms a part of the inner walls of the mold cavity in an idle position of the piston, and is pressed into the plastic melt as the piston moves to its operating position, so that the pressurized gas flows through the passage into the plastic melt in the mold cavity. The piston is moveable by the gas fed through the passage into the plastic melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventor: Elmar FRIES