Patents by Inventor Jeffrey M. Ruprecht

Jeffrey M. Ruprecht 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).

  • Coupling device for mounting an airbag module to be oscillating on a vehicle steering wheel
    Patent number: 11718257
    Abstract: A coupling device (16) for mounting an airbag module (14) to be oscillating on a steering wheel structure (12) of a vehicle steering wheel (10) includes a mounting member (18) which includes, relative to a steering wheel axis, an axial bottom side (20) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the steering wheel structure (12) as well as an opposite axial top side (22) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the airbag module (14), a contact face (24) for a damping element (26) provided on the axial bottom side (20) for oscillating coupling of the mounting member (18) to the steering wheel structure (12), and comprising a locking element (28) disposed on the top side (22) of the mounting member (18) for locking with the prefabricated airbag module (14), wherein the locking element (28) is configured so that the airbag module (14) can be coupled to the mounting member (18) by a locking connection substantially in an axially fixed manner or in an axially
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignees: ZF Passive Safety Systems US Inc, ZF AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: AnnMarie McMillan, Jeffrey M. Ruprecht, James Steele, Dominik Schuetz
  • COUPLING DEVICE FOR MOUNTING AN AIRBAG MODULE TO BE OSCILLATING ON A VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL
    Publication number: 20230044002
    Abstract: A coupling device (16) for mounting an airbag module (14) to be oscillating on a steering wheel structure (12) of a vehicle steering wheel (10) includes a mounting member (18) which includes, relative to a steering wheel axis, an axial bottom side (20) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the steering wheel structure (12) as well as an opposite axial top side (22) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the airbag module (14), a contact face (24) for a damping element (26) provided on the axial bottom side (20) for oscillating coupling of the mounting member (18) to the steering wheel structure (12), and comprising a locking element (28) disposed on the top side (22) of the mounting member (18) for locking with the prefabricated airbag module (14), wherein the locking element (28) is configured so that the airbag module (14) can be coupled to the mounting member (18) by a locking connection substantially in an axially fixed manner or in an axially
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: AnnMarie McMillan, Jeffrey M. Ruprecht, James Steele, Dominik Schuetz
  • Coupling device for mounting an airbag module to be oscillating on a vehicle steering wheel
    Patent number: 11498506
    Abstract: A coupling device (16) for mounting an airbag module (14) to be oscillating on a steering wheel structure (12) of a vehicle steering wheel (10) includes a mounting member (18) which includes, relative to a steering wheel axis, an axial bottom side (20) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the steering wheel structure (12) as well as an opposite axial top side (22) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the airbag module (14), a contact face (24) for a damping element (26) provided on the axial bottom side (20) for oscillating coupling of the mounting member (18) to the steering wheel structure (12), and comprising a locking element (28) disposed on the top side (22) of the mounting member (18) for locking with the prefabricated airbag module (14), wherein the locking element (28) is configured so that the airbag module (14) can be coupled to the mounting member (18) by a locking connection substantially in an axially fixed manner or in an axially
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: TRW AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS GMBH, ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: AnnMarie McMillan, Jeffrey M. Ruprecht, James Steele, Dominik Schutz
  • COUPLING DEVICE FOR MOUNTING AN AIRBAG MODULE TO BE OSCILLATING ON A VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL
    Publication number: 20190217800
    Abstract: A coupling device (16) for mounting an airbag module (14) to be oscillating on a steering wheel structure (12) of a vehicle steering wheel (10) includes a mounting member (18) which includes, relative to a steering wheel axis, an axial bottom side (20) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the steering wheel structure (12) as well as an opposite axial top side (22) which in the assembled state of the vehicle steering wheel (10) faces the airbag module (14), a contact face (24) for a damping element (26) provided on the axial bottom side (20) for oscillating coupling of the mounting member (18) to the steering wheel structure (12), and comprising a locking element (28) disposed on the top side (22) of the mounting member (18) for locking with the prefabricated airbag module (14), wherein the locking element (28) is configured so that the airbag module (14) can be coupled to the mounting member (18) by a locking connection substantially in an axially fixed manner or in an axially
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: AnnMarie McMillan, Jeffrey M. Ruprecht, James Steele, Dominik Schutz