Patents by Inventor Lothar Viertel

Lothar Viertel 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: 6474717
    Abstract: This publication describes a visor with a visor body that can be folded around the long axle leg of an L-shaped visor axle, that can be shifted parallel to said long axle leg and that is swingably positioned around a roughly vertically aligned short axle leg. Here, the short axle leg sits in a bearing block and the free terminal area of the long axle leg is positioned separably in a first bearing housing and the arrangement of the visor body is so made that it can be shifted along the long axle leg both beyond bearing block and beyond thrust bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter, Didier Weiss, Horst Karg, Hans-Gerhard Müller
  • Publication number: 20020011738
    Abstract: This publication describes a visor with a visor body that can be folded around the long axle leg of an L-shaped visor axle, that can be shifted parallel to said long axle leg and that is swingably positioned around a roughly vertically aligned short axle leg. Here, the short axle leg sits in a bearing block and the free terminal area of the long axle leg is positioned separably in a first bearing housing and the arrangement of the visor body is so made that it can be shifted along the long axle leg both beyond bearing block and beyond thrust bearing housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter, Didier Weiss, Horst Karg, Hans-Gerhard Muller
  • Patent number: 6273489
    Abstract: A sun visor for vehicles with a flat, long body has been described. A bearing device makes it possible to fold the body from an unused position into a first use position and to swivel it into a second use position. The bearing device includes an axle journal projecting from a corner of the sun visor body, a bearing housing receiving the axle journal with a swiveling journal aligned at an angle to the axle journal, a drag-bearing housing receiving the swiveling journal which can be fasted to the vehicle body, and means to axially fasten the bearing housing to the axle journal and the drag-bearing housing to the swiveling journal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 6231105
    Abstract: A sun visor for vehicles having a visor body, a recess in a broadside of the visor body, and a mirror unit which is placed in the recess. The mirror unit features a plane mirror, a concave mirror, and a slide cover, and a covering material surrounding the visor body with an opening exposing a mirror field. The arrangement is struck in such a way, that the plane mirror, the concave mirror, or alternatively the slide cover is visible in the mirror field. The slide cover can slide over one of the two mirrors, that is rigidly connected with the mirror unit in the region of the mirror field. The other of the two mirrors can slide over the slide cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Inventor: Lothar Viertel
  • Patent number: 6059348
    Abstract: A shaft (1) for vehicle sun visors which is predominantly plastic and includes a short shaft leg (2) as well as a long shaft leg (3). The short shaft leg (2) engages a pillow block attached to the vehicle body, and the long shaft leg (3) engages a bearing housing (13), which is supported by the sun body. The bearing housing carries a detent spring (14) which exerts a clamping force on a partial axial region of the long shaft leg (3). The long shaft leg (3) includes a plastic material with self-lubricating properties along an axial partial region which is in contact with the detent spring (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Becker Group Europe, GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 6045175
    Abstract: In a sun visor for vehicles, the sun visor body has a recess in its middle region of its upper longitudinal edge. A bearing device is disposed in the recess. The bearing device has an axle body with trunnions that engage the inside of the sun visor body and a detent spring that clamps the axle body. The bearing device also has a bearing housing for receiving the detent spring, for receiving the axle body, and for receiving an adapter that can be fastened to the vehicle body. The adapter, fixed to the bearing housing via clip fastenings, carries the bearing device and the sun visor body which is joined to the bearing device in hinged fashion via the axle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter, Isabelle Becker
  • Patent number: 6024399
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a sun visor, which has a sun visor body made of a plastic material, and a tube body made of a metal, such as aluminum. The tube body extends in the upper longitudinal edge of the sun visor body essentially over the longitudinal extension of the tube body, which stabilizes the sun visor body. The tube body is used as a guide for a sliding body connected with a shaft, which is intended to be used for the axial displacement of the sun visor body. In connection with this sun visor, the sun visor body is comprised of expanded polypropylene (EPP) plastic materials, the width of the tube body is equal to or slightly less than the thickness of the sun visor body and the EPP material only adjoins the wall area of the tube body facing away from the free longitudinal edge of the sun visor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 6019415
    Abstract: What is described is a sun visor for vehicles, having a sun visor body formed of foamed plastic, in particular PU (polyurethane), and at least one bearing body, embedded in the foam material of the sun visor body by foam spray-coating for a sun visor axle, and a STIFFENER for the sun visor body. In such a sun visor, in order to create a sun visor body with high stability and torsional rigidity, the invention provides, as the STIFFENER at least one nonstretchable length of material, which on at least one broad side of the sun visor body extends over the surface and is intimately joined to the plastic material of the sun visor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 6012757
    Abstract: A sun visor for vehicles, including a hollow, blow-molded sun visor body. The sun visor body has a first wall, forming an essentially flat broad side of the sun visor body, and a second wall, forming a broad side of the sun visor body. The second wall has a tub-shaped depression, wherein the depression receives a mirror and a bordering frame holding the mirror. The depression has a bottom and walls which peripherally surround the bordering frame and are formed during blow molding of the sun visor body around an outer bead of the bordering frame, while forming a groove which receives the outer bead in an interlocked manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Becker Group Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 5984399
    Abstract: A sun visor for vehicles, which has a sun visor body made of plastic and a main element and an end element. The end element may be oriented obliquely in relation to the main element. A casing, which encloses all of the sun visor body and is made from foil blanks or the like, is provided for the connection between the main element and the end element. In addition to a circumferential weld bead, a weld bead fixes the foil blanks in place with respect to each other and defines a predetermined bending place in the area located between the main element and the end element. For reinforcement and for improvement of the appearance of this sun visor, a cover device is provided, which surrounds the additional weld bead and the predetermined bending location in the shape of a ring, but does not hamper the intended bending of the end element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Becker Group Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter, Didier Couchois
  • Patent number: 5964493
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a sun visor for vehicles, which has a sun visor body which has a recess open at the edge of the body, through which a bearing pin passes. The recess is bordered by a bottom wall extending approximately parallel with the bearing pin and two lateral walls adjoining the bottom wall to the left and right of the bottom wall. To prevent the creation of the danger of blinding light passing through the recess, the invention features a closure cap, which screens the recess area between the lateral walls, as well as the recess area between the bottom wall and the bearing pin. The closure cap is hingedly arranged to the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Becker Group Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 5895087
    Abstract: A sun visor for vehicles has a sun visor body produced as a blow-molded body, which has a seating housing for a sun visor shaft as well as a counter-seating pin and a tub-shaped depression for receiving a complementary component. This sun visor has sidewalls in the tub-shaped depression with a circumferential seating flange formed by a step-shaped shoulder. Stiffening beads are exclusively disposed at the bottom of the tub-shaped depression and are supported on the interior wall of the adjoining broad side of the sun visor body. Holes for receiving fastening elements of a complementary component are provided in the bottom of the tub-shaped depression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Becker Group Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 5893603
    Abstract: A roof liner having a flexible lining material which extends both longitudinally and transversely across the vehicle. To enable the roof liner to be a sliding, folding liner, a plurality of bows extend across the lining material at spaced intervals from the front to the rear, uniformly spaced distances. Guide elements engage alternate pairs of bows providing a tension panel between the two bows engaged by the guide element and an untensioned panel between two guide elements. A respective guide rail at the side of the roof receives each of the guide elements for sliding therealong. The respective guide element receiving rails are stacked one above the other and parallel, enabling each guide to move over the full longitudinal length of its path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Becker Group Europe, GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 5601766
    Abstract: A sun visor has a generally board shaped body of dark colored polypropylene particle foam with a depression in a main surface thereof. A shaped light colored body is inserted into the depression and is pressed against the bottom of the depression through simultaneous application of heat and pressure, for compacting and reshaping the shaped body to form a reflector. A mirror assembly is disposed over the reflector, and an illuminating device may be disposed there. Fastening pins and openings on the reflector in the mirror assembly and the illuminating device hold them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Gebr. Happich GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 5577791
    Abstract: A sun visor for a motor vehicle has a mirror housing disposed in a depression in a surface of the sun visor body. A mirror is supported in the mirror housing. A sliding cover over the mirror is slidable to cover or expose the mirror. The visor body has a covering section over the sliding cover when it has moved to expose the mirror to view. The cover is automatically operable by a spring connected between the mirror housing and the cover for moving the cover to the mirror exposed position. The cover is locked against opening by a push button operated unlocking mechanism which normally locks the cover closed and which opens it upon the push button being operated. A card or ticket holder is held in a separate depression in the covering section of the visor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Gebr. Happich GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 5510791
    Abstract: A remote control unit for controlling a plurality of automatic devices for opening and closing a plurality of garage doors, parking garage gates, private residence fences, and the like is located on the ceiling of a vehicle at the sun visor. The remote control unit has switches for activating each of the plurality of automatic opening and closing devices. The remote control unit may be accommodated in a recess formed in the vehicle ceiling or in a recess formed in the visor connected to the vehicle ceiling when the visor is in its non-use position. Alternatively, the remote control unit may be shaped so as to correspond to a shape of a portion of the visor and be attached to the vehicle ceiling so that the remote control unit surrounds a periphery of the visor portion. In addition, the remote control unit may be formed integrally with or adapted to receive a visor support bracket which is attached to the vehicle ceiling. The remote control unit may be powered by the vehicle electric system or by a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Gebr. Happich GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Karl-Heinz Pompino, Patrick Welter, Didier Cauchois
  • Patent number: 5498056
    Abstract: A sun visor has a sun visor body and an L-shaped visor body support shaft. A first arm of the shaft is received in a bearing bracket. A second arm of the shaft extends along a first longitudinal edge of the visor body. The first longitudinal edge of the body has a step shaped offset defining a free space at the end thereof toward the first support shaft arm. The support shaft second arm is perpendicular to the first arm and extending across the free space. The second arm has a free end region which extends into a mounting hole defined in the visor body and toward one longitudinal end. In the free space defined by the step shaped offset and into the first longitudinal edge of the visor body, an illuminating device is supported by a housing attached to the second shaft arm. The second shaft arm extends across the free space and into the mounting hole in the visor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Gebr. Happich GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 5477429
    Abstract: A sun visor has a generally flat board shaped body comprised of dark colored polypropylene particle foam with a depression in a main surface thereof. A shaped light colored body is inserted into the depression and is pressed against the bottom of the depression through simultaneous application of heat and pressure, for compacting and reshaping the shaped body to form a reflector. A mirror assembly is disposed over the reflector, and an illuminating device may be disposed there. Fastening pins and openings on the reflector in the mirror assembly and the illuminating device hold them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Gebr. Happich GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 5468041
    Abstract: The swivel-bearing bracket of plastic has a base body, a rear support dome on its rear side and a passage hole for a sun-visor shaft. For the attachment without screws of the swivel-bearing bracket to the ceiling of the vehicle, two fastening elements, with cross member and oppositely directed hooks, are spaced from the supporting dome and are formed on the rear side of the base body. The hooks can be inserted through openings in the ceiling and can be engaged behind the ceiling by the turning the base body. For locking in the fastening elements, pins are introduced into the openings in the ceiling and are engaged with the cross members. The pins are on respective caps over window openings in the base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Gebr. Happich GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter
  • Patent number: 5466405
    Abstract: A sun visor having a sun-visor body with a stiffening at or close to the edge of the sun-visor body. The sun visor body and stiffening being comprised of polypropylene particle foam, the stiffening being substantially harder and stiffer than the remaining regions of the sun-visor body. A method and an apparatus for the manufacture thereof are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Gerb. Happich GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Viertel, Patrick Welter, Rene Lercorvaisier, Serge Mosser, Karl-Heinz Pompino