Patents by Inventor Klaus-Philipp Merz

Klaus-Philipp Merz 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: 5144111
    Abstract: An electric cigar lighter for installation in a dashboard of a motor vehicle, has an electrically conductive lighter plug containing an electrically conductive glow coil dish with a glow coil having one end electrically connected to the glow coil dish and another end connected to the lighter plug. A socket having a plug-in contact electrically connected to a negative-pole terminal establishes electrical connection with the lighter plug when the lighter plug is inserted therein. A switch associated with the lighter plug includes a fixed non-flexible contact element secured in the bottom of the socket in electrically insulated relationship thereto and electrically connected to a positive-pole terminal and the glow coil dish which is mounted at the end of the lighter plug and arranged for movement relative thereto into and out of electrical contact with the contact element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Schoeller & Co. Elektrotechnische Fabrik GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Alexander Von Gaisberg, Klaus-Philipp Merz
  • Patent number: 5093554
    Abstract: An electric cigar lighter which can be fitted and illuminated automatically is disclosed. A reduction in parts of the electric cigar lighter, with the product being easier to fit in a dashboard, is achieved when the holding cup is additionally designed as a socket for the igniter plug having an incandescent head. A bimetallic spring contact electrically connected to the positive potential contact part, which in the operating state contacts an ignition dish of the incandescent head, is disposed on the inside wall area of the cup bottom, and at least one spring contact of the negative potential contact extends through the cup bottom to electrically contact and electrically engage with a conductive edge bead of the igniter plug. This means that the holding cup according to the present invention is used in an advantageous manner not only for illumination purposes, but also as a socket for the igniter plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: Schoeller & Co., Elektrotecnische Fabrik GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Alexander von Gaisberg, Klaus-Philipp Merz
  • Patent number: 5030811
    Abstract: An electric cigar lighter has an illumination device in which only an annular zone around an electric cigar lighter is illuminated by means of a luminous ring. The electric cigar lighter makes it possible to illuminate not only a luminous ring surrounding the cigar lighter but also the centrally situated actuating button. It includes a first reflection surface, a light transmission web, light-passage openings, and a second reflection surface. Light rays emitted by a lamp and incident on the first reflection surface, the light rays being parallel to the central axis and within a sleeve wall, are not only directed into the luminous ring via the light transmission web but are also reflected radially into the inside of the illumination sleeve, through the light-passage openings, onto the second reflection surface and from there are thrown into a front zone of the actuating button. According to the invention, substantially homogeneous light distribution over the entire front zone of the cigar lighter is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Schoeller & Co., Elektrotechnische Fabrik GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Alexander von Gaisberg, Klaus-Philipp Merz