Patents by Inventor Frank Bertz

Frank Bertz 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: 20250376886
    Abstract: A power-operated drive unit for a closure panel of a cargo bed of a motor vehicle has a storage box; a first power-operated drive unit mounted in the storage box; a furling mechanism mounted in the storage box; a linkage mechanism having a first portion configured for connection to the closure panel and a second portion connected to the furling mechanism; and a control system for controlling actuation of the first power-operated drive unit to cause movement of the linkage mechanism to move the closure panel between a retracted position stored within the furling mechanism in the storage box and a deployed position covering the cargo bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2025
    Publication date: December 11, 2025
    Inventors: Tobias KOBER, Mariusz GIERAK, Marcus PAPENDORF, Gernot BRUDER, Jens ANDERS, Metodi KOSTADINOV, Frank BERTZ
  • Patent number: 12428895
    Abstract: A closure system for a motor vehicle cargo bed includes a closure panel having a plurality of slats moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position, with each adjacent pair of the slats being pivotably connected to one another by a hinge unit for pivotal movement of the adjacent slats about a hinge axis. First and second guide track units are configured to be mounted to one side of the cargo bed to extend adjacent opposite side edge portions of the closure panel. A plurality of roller units, each having first and second rollers, are supported along the opposite side edge portions of the cover panel for rolling movement along the first and second guide track units, with each roller unit rolling about a roller axis that is coaxially aligned with one of the hinge axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2025
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventors: Tobias Kober, Mariusz Gierak, Marcus Papendorf, Gernot Bruder, Jens Anders, Metodi Kostadinov, Frank Bertz
  • Publication number: 20230053274
    Abstract: A closure system for a motor vehicle cargo bed includes a closure panel having a plurality of slats moveable between a deployed position and a retracted position, with each adjacent pair of the slats being pivotably connected to one another by a hinge unit for pivotal movement of the adjacent slats about a hinge axis. First and second guide track units are configured to be mounted to one side of the cargo bed to extend adjacent opposite side edge portions of the closure panel. A plurality of roller units, each having first and second rollers, are supported along the opposite side edge portions of the cover panel for rolling movement along the first and second guide track units, with each roller unit rolling about a roller axis that is coaxially aligned with one of the hinge axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Tobias KOBER, Mariusz GIERAK, Marcus PAPENDORF, Gernot BRUDER, Jens ANDERS, Metodi KOSTADINOV, Frank BERTZ
  • Patent number: 6811205
    Abstract: In a removable vehicle roof supported by way of an operating mechanism on a vehicle body for movement between a closed position, in which the vehicle roof covers an interior vehicle space and a storage position in which the roof is deposited in a vehicle storage compartment, a spring element is supported on the vehicle body and connected to the roof operating mechanism in such a way as to bias the operating mechanism in each of the two end positions of the roof in a direction toward the other end position so as to facilitate movement of the vehicle roof out of each end position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: CTS Fahrzeug-Dachsysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfram Salz, Gernot Bruder, Markus Papendorf, Andreas Hasselgruber, Matthias Rösler, Frank Bertz
  • Publication number: 20040094987
    Abstract: In a removable vehicle roof supported by way of an operating mechanism on a vehicle body for movement between a closed position, in which the vehicle roof covers an interior vehicle space and a storage position in which the roof is deposited in a vehicle storage compartment, a spring element is supported on the vehicle body and connected to the roof operating mechanism in such a way as to bias the operating mechanism in each of the two end positions of the roof in a direction toward the other end position so as to facilitate movement of the vehicle roof out of each end position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Wolfram Salz, Gernot Bruder, Markus Papendorf, Andreas Hasselgruber, Matthias Rosler, Frank Bertz