Patents by Inventor Frank Fruehauf

Frank Fruehauf 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: 8590934
    Abstract: A three-point automatic belt has an offering arm, which is rotatably mounted by means of a drive, for a seat in a vehicle. A rotatably mounted offering arm is designed as a belt strap part, which is stiffened in one plane, of a belt strap, and can be deflected by means of an electromotive drive. The deflectable, stiffened belt strap part can be deflected into a forward end position, in which the belt strap is offered to a vehicle occupant, into an intermediate or boarding position and into a rearward end position in which access to a storage compartment and/or a rear space and/or a rear seat is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Frank Fruehauf, Rolf Pemsel, Thomas Siegel
  • Publication number: 20110001310
    Abstract: A three-point automatic belt has an offering arm, which is rotatably mounted by means of a drive, for a seat in a vehicle. A rotatably mounted offering arm is designed as a belt strap part, which is stiffened in one plane, of a belt strap, and can be deflected by means of an electromotive drive. The deflectable, stiffened belt strap part can be deflected into a forward end position, in which the belt strap is offered to a vehicle occupant, into an intermediate or boarding position and into a rearward end position in which access to a storage compartment and/or a rear space and/or a rear seat is enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Frank Fruehauf, Rolf Pemsel, Thomas Siegel
  • Patent number: 7497897
    Abstract: An air supply device for the passenger cell of a motor vehicle includes a rotating element formed in an axial suction intake region of the air-conditioning blower and upstream of the air-conditioning blower. The rotating element covers the air inlet region such that all the sucked-in drops impinge onto the element. Arranged in front of the housing wall of the air supply device are drop interception elements which are fixed lamellae of low inclination or wedge structures with acute wedge angles. The drop interception elements are inclined so that the drops impinge at an acute angle. Active water and particle (pre)-separation is thereby ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf
  • Publication number: 20060236662
    Abstract: Disclosed is a deflection chamber (1) for eliminating water in a fresh air supply system of a motor vehicle, comprising an inlet port (2) located at the top in the mounted state, an outlet port (3) that is arranged essentially at a right angle therefrom, and a drainage bottom (4) which is placed below the inlet port in the mounted state and collects and drains away water. In order to prevent drops of water, which are separated from the air, from bursting and mist from forming in said deflection chamber (1), the steeply rising lamellae of the deflection chamber are disposed in such a way that the lamellae (5-9) are aligned at an acute angle from the direction of arrival (A) of the drops of water in the free craoss section between the inlet port (2) and the drainage bottom (4) while fully covering the drainage bottom (4) in the direction of arrival (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Applicant: DAIMLERCHRYSLER AG
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf
  • Publication number: 20060117724
    Abstract: An air supply device for the passenger cell of a motor vehicle includes a rotating element formed in an axial suction intake region of the air-conditioning blower and upstream of the air-conditioning blower. The rotating element covers the air inlet region such that all the sucked-in drops impinge onto the element. Arranged in front of the housing wall of the air supply device are drop interception elements which are fixed lamellae of low inclination or wedge structures with acute wedge angles. The drop interception elements are inclined so that the drops impinge at an acute angle. Active water and particle (pre)-separation is thereby ensured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Applicant: DaimlerChrysler
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf
  • Patent number: 6896047
    Abstract: A heating and/or air conditioning system for an interior of a vehicle has a central heating and/or cooling device and a decentralized air-conveying device which includes a plurality of air-conveying units arranged locally in the vehicle interior. In order to permit good regulation of the heating and/or air conditioning system and efficient air conditioning, respective air-conveying units of the decentralized air-conveying device are arranged in a plurality of subspaces of the vehicle interior for circulating air in the respective subspaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf, Juergen Maue, Juergen Wertenbach
  • Patent number: 6872135
    Abstract: A heating and/or air-conditioning system for vehicles, preferably passenger vehicles, has a central air-conditioning and/or air-conveying device for conditioning and/or conveying air. In order to achieve optimum air conditioning of the vehicle interior and sufficient freedom of the windows from misting with the most effective energy use possible, the air within the vehicle interior is fed so that, for example, outside air and circulating air are fed into the vehicle interior through dedicated air inlet openings and removed from the vehicle interior through dedicated air outlet openings. The air is guided on closed flow paths in order to achieve separation of circulating air and outside air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf, Florian Kauf, Juergen Maué , Juergen Wertenbach
  • Patent number: 6823685
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning device having at least one control element which supplies a prescribed value to the air-conditioning control unit, a state of flow being provided by an air speed and a degree of turbulence of the air, which can be influenced by the strength of the fan, distribution of air to the discharge nozzles, the discharge direction to the discharge nozzles and further actuators which have an effect on the state of flow, and a thermal state is provided by the temperature distribution and effect of radiation in the vehicle interior. Provision is made for the at least one control panel to be used to prescribed a state of flow desirable for the occupant and a thermal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Frank Frühauf, Dieter Heinle, Jürgen Maue, André Strobel
  • Patent number: 6805624
    Abstract: An air outlet nozzle of a heating and/or air-conditioning system of a vehicle is provided. It has a displacer which is connected to a nozzle mouth element mounted displaceably in the nozzle housing. In order, with as little structural space as possible and as little flow losses as possible, to be able to control the diffusivity of the air jet emerging from the air outlet nozzle, the flow resistance and the axial position of the displacer can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf
  • Patent number: 6767042
    Abstract: A convertible in which at least one vehicle seat is assigned a windbreak. In this case, the at least one windbreak is adapted in shape and position to occupants who are on the vehicle seats, an aerodynamic air-guiding device being provided at least in one part of the region bounding the windbreak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf, Alexander Moessner
  • Publication number: 20040033776
    Abstract: An air outlet nozzle of a heating and/or air-conditioning system of a vehicle is provided. It has a displacer which is connected to a nozzle mouth element mounted displaceably in the nozzle housing. In order, with as little structural space as possible and as little flow losses as possible, to be able to control the diffusivity of the air jet emerging from the air outlet nozzle, the flow resistance and the axial position of the displacer can be adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf
  • Publication number: 20030121640
    Abstract: A heating and/or air-conditioning system for the interior of a vehicle has an air-conveying device, a heat exchanger and an evaporator. At least one air-conveying assembly of the air-conveying device is designed as a disc fan so that the heating and/or air-conditioning system can have as compact a build as possible and so as to achieve high efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf, Juergen Wertenbach
  • Publication number: 20030124969
    Abstract: A heating and/or air-conditioning system for vehicles, preferably passenger vehicles, has a central air-conditioning and/or air-conveying device for conditioning and/or conveying air. In order to achieve optimum air conditioning of the vehicle interior and sufficient freedom of the windows from misting with the most effective energy use possible, the air within the vehicle interior is fed so that, for example, outside air and circulating air are fed into the vehicle interior through dedicated air inlet openings and removed from the vehicle interior through dedicated air outlet openings. The air is guided on closed flow paths in order to achieve separation of circulating air and outside air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf, Florian Kauf, Juergen Maue, Juergen Wertenbach
  • Publication number: 20030115887
    Abstract: A heating and/or air conditioning system for an interior of a vehicle has a central heating and/or cooling device and a decentralized air-conveying device which includes a plurality of air-conveying units arranged locally in the vehicle interior. In order to permit good regulation of the heating and/or air conditioning system and efficient air conditioning, respective air-conveying units of the decentralized air-conveying device are arranged in a plurality of subspaces of the vehicle interior for circulating air in the respective subspaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf, Juergen Maue, Juergen Wertenbach
  • Patent number: 6390256
    Abstract: A springing system for a vehicle has a hydraulic actuator and a storage element which holds hydraulic fluid. The system is constructed as a gas accumulator with a holding chamber for the hydraulic fluid and a separate gas chamber, and communicates with the actuator via a connecting line. In order to construct a hydropneumatic springing system for vehicles with a largely linear spring behavior up to complete relief of the load, a further storage element is connected to the actuator via a connecting line and is constructed as an elastomeric accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Frank Fruehauf, Ruediger Rutz
  • Publication number: 20020027372
    Abstract: A convertible in which at least one vehicle seat is assigned a windbreak. In this case, the at least one windbreak is adapted in shape and position to occupants who are on the vehicle seats, an aerodynamic air-guiding device being provided at least in one part of the region bounding the windbreak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Inventors: Joachim Currle, Frank Fruehauf, Alexander Moessner
  • Patent number: 6037731
    Abstract: A method is provided for adapting the side support, as a function of the driving situation and driving styles, of a person sitting in the seat of a vehicle, in which method a lateral acceleration acting on the seat is determined as reference variable for the adaptation. In order to allow greater allowance for the way in which the sitting person senses lateral acceleration, as well as a comfortable sitting sensation with the advantages of a necessary side support which is built up in curves at short notice, the specific instantaneous lateral acceleration is weighted with the instantaneous driving speed of the vehicle. A control variable for the degree of adaptation is derived therefrom. In addition, a supplementary control variable is determined which brings about support of the driver on both sides in the seat as a function of the driving style. A vehicle seat in which this method is applied is specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Frank Fruehauf, Helmut Gimmler, Klaus-Peter Kuhn, Werner Reichelt, Helge Schmidt-Spalding, Timo Schneider