Patents by Inventor Johann Tomforde
Johann Tomforde 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).
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Patent number: 6070320Abstract: An assembly plant for the series assembly of vehicles has a main assembly line and associated assembly works for relatively complex vehicle parts to be supplied "just in time". Simpler assembly components and small and standard components are held in readiness in a central component store and supplied from there to the assembly line. Stores for large components are arranged near to the corresponding assembly point. The overall conveying section is divided into a plurality of mutually adjoining U-shaped conveying loops. Provided between each of the assembly shops and the central component store, on the one hand, and the main assembly line, on the other, there are in each case feeder systems.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1996Date of Patent: June 6, 2000Assignee: Micro Compact Car AGInventors: Johann Tomforde, Wilfried Gross, Juergen Riehl
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Patent number: 6000748Abstract: In a region between at least two mutually adjacent body parts, an assembly template is connected to the body support structure, which template has at least one adjustment edge against which the adjacent body parts can be aligned. The template is centered on centering pins of vehicle door hinges and the adjustment edge serves to position a fender part with respect to the door.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1997Date of Patent: December 14, 1999Assignee: MC Micro Compact Car AktiengesellschaftInventors: Johann Tomforde, Alexander Pothoven, Ralf Freischlager
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Patent number: 5688021Abstract: The invention relates to a body for a motor car, especially a small car, in which the load-bearing structure of the body is formed by what is referred to as a "space-frame" structure. In the floor region and in the side region behind the doors, surface elements are integrated in a sealing and permanent manner into the framework structure and are in part closed off by window panes inserted in a sealing manner or by a roof inserted in a sealing manner. At the front, the body is closed off by a nose module which can be bolted on in a sealing manner, can be preassembled ready for operation and can be closed off laterally and at the rear by a side door fitted in a sealing manner and a tailgate, respectively. The outward-facing flat sides of the sections of the framework structure which lie above the beltline are exposed and in this region the bars are in each case shaped to match the desired surface profile of the body and--apart from a paint finish--directly form the body exterior surface area.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1996Date of Patent: November 18, 1997Assignee: Micro Compact Car GmbHInventors: Johann Tomforde, Werner Nowak, Jens Manske, Walter Berlinger
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Patent number: 5649735Abstract: A passenger cell for a passenger car with a load bearing shell structure. The A-pillar and the adjoining lateral roof frame each have a two-part longitudinal profile. The two longitudinal profile parts are arranged at a distance from each other and an inner longitudinal profile part protruding into the interior as a roof gripping rail.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1994Date of Patent: July 22, 1997Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AGInventors: Johann Tomforde, Bernhard Joseph, Hubert Scheper, Ralph Staud, Stefan Mayr, Oliver Neuland, Axel Kleinschmidt, Christoph Severin
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Patent number: 5553909Abstract: A small two-seater car, which has a driver seat and a passenger seat disposed laterally adjacent one another and in facing relationship to an asymmetric dashboard. The passenger seat is arranged to be longitudinally offset to the rear with respect to the driver seat located beside it, by up to half the depth of a seat cushion. The dashboard arranged in front of the seats extends back with its side which is directed towards the seat in its passenger-side region to such an extent that the distance between the dashboard and the seat front edge is approximately the same for the driver seat and the passenger seat. In the region of a rear axle, outer frame side members extend, in a bent-off section, up to at least the level of a tire upper edge, such that at least the passenger seat is protected with respect to side impact forces.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 1995Date of Patent: September 10, 1996Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AGInventors: Bruno Sacco, Johann Tomforde, Anton Reichel, Gerhard Steinle, Berthold Klein, David Slaughter, Mike Ma
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Patent number: 5435618Abstract: A passenger compartment is disclosed with a transverse stiffener arranged in the region of the seats for passenger cars with restricted passenger compartments. A force-transmitting side member is arranged as a reinforcement element in each side door and a force-transmitting seat crossmember is supported between the two side members so that it can be displaced longitudinally, at least one seat being fastened to the seat crossmember.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 1994Date of Patent: July 25, 1995Assignee: Mercedes Benz AGInventors: Bruno Sacco, Johann Tomforde, Anton Reichel
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Patent number: 5305014Abstract: An arrangement of operating controls of vehicle components has functions to be adjusted for the switched-on vehicle components represented on a display. These functions are rendered visible by a viewing window. In the immediate spatial vicinity of these viewing windows, operating parts are mounted. The operating of these parts switches the function to be adjusted and is indicated through the associated viewing window.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 1993Date of Patent: April 19, 1994Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AGInventors: Jurgen Mutschler, Gerd Seidenfaden, Johann Tomforde, Wilhelm Seeger
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Patent number: 5265930Abstract: The invention relates to a lowerable vehicle roof having a dimensionally stable roof shell in a front end area of the roof, which shell extends over the entire width of the roof and, when the roof is closed, is detachably connected to a frame profile of a front windscreen frame, lying opposite its front end face. When the roof is open the roof shell is disposed in a substantially transverse plane of the vehicle located behind a seat area. The roof shell which is swivelled about a horizontal vehicle transverse axis protrudes upwards in relation to a center horizontal plane of the vehicle and has in the protruding longitudinal area a viewing opening located essentially in the center of the vehicle width when the roof is open.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1992Date of Patent: November 30, 1993Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AGInventors: Berthold Klein, Anton Reichel, Johann Tomforde, Bruno Sacco
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Patent number: 5207471Abstract: A vehicle VDU workstation is matched to specific safety requirements in a motor vehicle and essentially comprises, as physical elements of a working unit, a keyboard and a flat screen which can be folded onto the latter. A sliding guide allows those parts, on one hand, to be stowed in the glove compartment of the vehicle in a space-saving manner and, on the other hand, also placed in a use position on the folded-out glove compartment door. In the stowed position, the working unit is located behind the glove compartment door. Special mounting elements, some of which at least can be stowed in the glove compartment, allow the VDU workstation also to be used in other seats in the vehicle by being suspended behind backrests of vehicle seats from headrest supports and, to this extent, placed there in a use position. Vibrations of the working unit are weakened by damping elements.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 1992Date of Patent: May 4, 1993Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AGInventors: Jurgen Mutschler, Gerd Seidenfaden, Johann Tomforde
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Patent number: 5195798Abstract: A retractable roof for vehicles, in particular a hard roof for cabriolets, has roof pillars extending to the side of a rear window of the roof. The roof pillars, as seen from the vehicle side, enclose an obtuse angle with that longitudinal region of the roof which is situated in front of them. The pillars have a stowing position, when the roof is retracted, in a receiving space which is situated below the roof pillars when the roof is closed and into which the roof can be moved along its length, with the roof pillars in the lead, during retraction, after which they rest steeply erect in the receiving space. To ensure that the receiving space in the vehicle can be usefully reduced in size, the rear window forms the lower boundary of the roof over its width lying between the roof pillars when the roof is closed and can be moved out of its operating position into a stowing position which, with the roof retracted, is at a vertical distance from the lower ends of the roof pillars.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 1991Date of Patent: March 23, 1993Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AGInventors: Berthold Klein, Anton Reichel, Johann Tomforde, Bruno Sacco
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Patent number: 5009042Abstract: A modular display system is disclosed which exhibits wall elements having vertical interior profiles arranged in the lateral corner regions. The vertical profiles are connectable among themselves by horizontally oriented profiles, and the face side of which exhibits a covering. In order to render such a system particularlly versatile for demounting and use, it is provided according to the invention that the vertical profiles exhibit, in addition to a first contact surface oriented at right angles to the extension of the wall element for the horizontal profiles, a second contact surface oriented in the direction of extension of the wall element for accommodating connection of identical profiles oriented transversely to the latter. Exterior formally rigid covering parts are attachable to the profiles oriented in the direction of extension of the wall element. The vertical profiles exhibit outwards adjacently to the second contact surface a housing channel oriented in the direction of extension of the profile.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1989Date of Patent: April 23, 1991Assignee: Daimler-Benz AGInventors: Bruno Sacco, Johann Tomforde, Thomas Abb, Bruno Stenemann
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Patent number: 4968083Abstract: In a front wall column of a motor vehicle with a front wall column cover which, together with the windshield forms a water-collecting channel for draining flowing-off water in that it is arranged at a distance to the windshield and protrudes over the front wall column in the direction of the windshield, whereby the water-collecting channel is provided with an insert profile, the air resistance coefficient is reduced, the water drainage from the windshield is improved and an accident reduction is achieved in that the water-collecting channel includes a flow channel facing the front wall column cover and conducting away the water and a deflection profile facing the windshield and guiding the water flowing off laterally from the windshield into the flow channel, and in that the front wall column cover is supported at the insert profile.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1988Date of Patent: November 6, 1990Assignee: Daimler-Benz AktiengesellschaftInventor: Johann Tomforde
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Patent number: D312354Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 1987Date of Patent: November 27, 1990Assignee: Daimler-Benz AGInventors: Johann Tomforde, Knut Bormann
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Patent number: D385117Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1996Date of Patent: October 21, 1997Assignee: MC Micro Compact Car AGInventors: Johann Tomforde, Jens Manske, Olivier De Vries, Georg Asal
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Patent number: D388200Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 1997Date of Patent: December 23, 1997Assignee: MC Micro Compact Car AktingesellschaftInventors: Johann Tomforde, Jens Manske, Christoph Henrici
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Patent number: D388897Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 1997Date of Patent: January 6, 1998Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AGInventors: Johann Tomforde, Jens Manske, Volker Leutz, Martin Kahl
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Patent number: D389783Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 1997Date of Patent: January 27, 1998Assignee: MC Micro Compact Car AktiengesellschaftInventors: Johann Tomforde, Jens Manske, Volker Leutz, Martin Kahl
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Patent number: D390163Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 1996Date of Patent: February 3, 1998Assignee: MC Micro Compact Car AktiengesellschaftInventors: Johann Tomforde, Jens Manske, Georg Asal
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Patent number: D391410Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: MC Micro Compact Car AGInventors: Johann Tomforde, Jans Manske, Olivier de Vries
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Patent number: D392116Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 1997Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Assignee: MC Micro Compact CarInventors: Johann Tomforde, Jans Manske, Olivier de Vries