Patents by Inventor Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG

Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG 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).

  • Publication number: 20130162827
    Abstract: A camera arrangement includes a camera and a prism. The camera includes a camera sensor having an array of pixels. The prism is arranged between a window pane such as a vehicle windshield and the camera sensor. Optical properties of the camera sensor and the prism are matched to one another such that a maximum broadening of a light beam due to dispersion of the prism lies within one pixel of the camera sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: LEOPOLD KOSTAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: LEOPOLD KOSTAL GMBH & CO. KG
  • Publication number: 20130154532
    Abstract: A method for moving a movable element into a block position includes providing a supply voltage to an electric motor associated with the movable element for the motor to generate a motor current and drive the element with motor power dependent on the motor current in order to move the element along a path. Upon the element being moved into a block position of the path, the supply voltage provided to the motor is controlled such that the motor current generated by the motor is continuously reduced over a time period to zero. For instance, the supply voltage is pulse-width modulated at a decreasing pulse duty ratio over the time period such that the motor current generated by the motor is continuously reduced over the time period to zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: LEOPOLD KOSTAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: LEOPOLD KOSTAL GMBH & CO. KG
  • Publication number: 20130106200
    Abstract: A switch is formed by a branch including a measurement resistance and a selectable one of switching resistances having different nominal values such that a switch position depends on which switching resistance is selected. The measurement resistance is connected through the selected switching resistance to a supply voltage whereby a voltage drop dependent on the switch position is across the measurement resistance. A controller identifies the switch position by comparison of a measured value (UM1) of the voltage drop with target voltage drops corresponding to switch positions, calculates a voltage drop (Uges) across the branch based on nominal values of the measurement and selected switching resistances and the supply voltage, forms a difference value (UDiff) between a measured value (UVcc) of the supply voltage and the branch voltage drop (Uges), and qualifies the identified switch position as faulty when the difference value (UDiff) exceeds a difference threshold value (UDiff-S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: LEOPOLD KOSTAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: LEOPOLD KOSTAL GMBH & CO. KG
  • Publication number: 20130093415
    Abstract: An angle sensor for sensing angular position of a rotatable shaft includes a drive gear, a measuring gear, and a sensor housing. The drive gear is connected to the shaft. The measuring gear is driven by the drive gear. The angular position of the shaft can be determined from an angular position of the measuring gear. The sensor housing has a bearing for the drive gear. The drive gear and the measuring gear are rotationally mounted about respective axes of rotation in the sensor housing with the drive gear being inside the bearing. The drive gear is forcibly pressed into a radial position inside the bearing by at least one spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: LEOPOLD KOSTAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG
  • Publication number: 20130026023
    Abstract: A switch module system includes switch modules. Each switch module has a housing, a keypad with switch domes, and an actuator for the switch domes. The housing of each switch module includes a housing chassis and a housing cover. The switch modules are attached to a substrate with contact areas of the substrate being electrically connectable through the switch domes of the keypads of the switch modules. For each switch module a respective section of the substrate is inserted into the housing chassis of the switch module and the respective section of the substrate is attached by the housing cover of the switch module to the housing chassis of the switch module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: LEOPOLD KOSTAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG