Patents by Inventor Gunther Schwanitz

Gunther Schwanitz 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: 6572184
    Abstract: An operational control for a motor vehicle roof, and a motor vehicle roof, which can be opened by motor over different intermediate stages with at least one rotary switch, with operating positions located around the rotary switch signaling the respective opening stage. The motor vehicle roof comprising several successive roof components including a wind deflector louver, a cover and a rear window, actuated by separate drives via the rotary motion of the rotary switch for approaching predetermined opening stages of the motor vehicle roof. The rotary switch includes a pushbutton located under the transparent or translucent cover for manual control of the motorized blind only when the motor vehicle roof is completely closed and operable to open the motorized blind both before a raising of the wind deflector louver and before movement of at least one of the cover and the rear window in an opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Bauer, Günther Schwanitz
  • Patent number: 6517149
    Abstract: A motor vehicle roof with a roof opening formed in a fixed roof skin with two transparent successive displaceable covers for closing and at least partially clearing the roof opening, the two covers being raisable at a rear edge into a rear spoiler position. In order to increase the comfort of the passengers, an extendible sunshade unit is supported underneath each cover and can be moved with the respective cover, so that each cover can be at least partially covered by the extendible sunshade unit in the spoiler position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
    Inventors: Engelbert Hirschvogel, Bernhard Wingen, Günther Schwanitz
  • Publication number: 20020117877
    Abstract: An operational control for a motor vehicle roof, and a motor vehicle roof, which can be opened by motor over different intermediate stages with at least one rotary switch, with operating positions located around the rotary switch signaling the respective opening stage. The motor vehicle roof comprising several successive roof components including a wind deflector louver, a cover and a rear window, actuated by separate drives via the rotary motion of the rotary switch for approaching predetermined opening stages of the motor vehicle roof. The rotary switch includes a pushbutton located under the transparent or translucent cover for manual control of the motorized blind only when the motor vehicle roof is completely closed and operable to open the motorized blind both before a raising of the wind deflector louver and before movement of at least one of the cover and the rear window in an opening direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Bauer, Gunther Schwanitz
  • Publication number: 20020003357
    Abstract: A motor vehicle roof with a roof opening formed in a fixed roof skin with two transparent successive displaceable covers for closing and at least partially clearing the roof opening, the two covers being raisable at a rear edge into a rear spoiler position. In order to increase the comfort of the passengers, an extendible sunshade unit is supported underneath each cover and can be moved with the respective cover, so that each cover can be at least partially covered by the extendible sunshade unit in the spoiler position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Englebert Hirschvogel, Bernhard Wingen, Gunther Schwanitz
  • Patent number: 6309013
    Abstract: A motor vehicle roof with a cover (14) which has a closed position in which it closes a roof opening (12) in a fixed roof skin (10), and which can be raised for ventilation purposes, and with an adjustable headliner part (16, 116) which can be both moved from a closed position in which it blocks viewing of the cover from the motor vehicle interior (18) and an open position in which it exposes the roof opening or the cover. The headliner can also be raised with the cover to increase the ventilation function. A coupling mechanism is provided for coupling the headliner to the cover for entraining the headliner to rise with the cover but is disengageable for uncoupling of the headliner part from the cover for enabling longitudinal movement of the headliner relative to the cover into said at least one pushed-back position. Engagement and disengagement the coupling mechanism can be position dependent or can be manually actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignees: Webasto Vehicle System International GmbH, Audi AG
    Inventors: Thomas Staltmayer, Engelbert Hirschvogel, Günther Schwanitz, Martin Danzl, Robert Werner, Siegfried Betz, Erik Hilfrich
  • Patent number: 6189963
    Abstract: A guide crank for the cover of an openable motor vehicle roof comprises a crank body connected to the cover and including at least one slotted opening. The opening itself either forms a guideway or is used as the receiver of a guide body which has a guideway. At least one stiffening element is provided for bridging the opening at least in one partial area and joining the material areas of the crank body to one another on either side of the opening. The stiffening element makes the guide crank economical with high stiffness and with low material thickness and narrow crosspieces above and below the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Staltmayer, Roland Wittal, Günther Schwanitz
  • Patent number: 6135544
    Abstract: Motor vehicle roof with at least one roof opening (11) which can be selectively closed or at least partially exposed by means of an sliding cover (12) which can be displaced by a cover A drive (20), and with a wind deflector (14) which is located along the front edge (13) of the roof opening and which can be operated by a wind deflector actuating mechanism (23) depending on the movements of the sliding cover or the cover drive, between a working position with the roof (10) at least partially opened and a rest position with the roof closed. To suppress wind deflector whistling noises, the wind deflector actuating mechanism is coupled to the cover drive or the sliding cover itself such that, when the roof is opened, the wind deflector is raised into the working position on a delayed basis, after the sliding cover is first moved a predetermined distance (S) in the opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Kohlpaintner, Thomas Staltmayer, Engelbert Hirschvogel, Gunther Schwanitz