Patents by Inventor Manfred Farber

Manfred Farber 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: 6261024
    Abstract: A rocker device for an openable motor vehicle roof, with support element (14), rocker element (12) and spring (30) has the rocker element (12) connected to pivot relative to the support element (14) via an axle (10). The spring (30) is located between the rocker element and support element such that it applies a pre-stressing force to the rocker element (12) with respect to the direction of pivoting motion. Furthermore, the spring is a helical spring arranged and formed such that it provides pre-stressing force between the rocker element and support element in an axial direction. The axle is stationary with respect to one element and is guided in the other element through a corresponding axial opening (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Färber
  • Patent number: 6224147
    Abstract: A sliding roof with at least one slidable and optionally also raisable rigid cover element for selectively closing or at least partially exposing a roof opening of a motor vehicle in which the cover element is guided along at least one roof-mounted guide for a sliding motion between an open position and a closed position and is equipped with a brake mechanism which takes effect only in case of a crash, the brake mechanism remaining inactive during normal movements of the cover element between the open and closed position, and braking the cover element over a path which has a length which is dependent on the acceleration forces which occur during a crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Färber, Wolfgang Ettl, Jadi Karami-Malamiri, Wolfgang Dittrich, Andreas Engl
  • Patent number: 5897160
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle roof with cover elements which are joined on each of their narrow sides to a pivotable attachment element which is guided along a guideway attached to the roof. Adjacent attachment elements are coupled for joint movement in the opening and closing direction so long as neither is in a fully swung-out position, and are decoupled, one by one as each of the adjacent attachment elements reaches its fully swung-out position. In the decoupled state, the adjacent attachment elements can be moved against one another as they are fully swung-out. An attachment element in the fully swung-out position is locked securely on the roof under the influence of the opening motion of an adjacent attachment element by a respective pivotable locking element, and is automatically released under the influence of the closing motion of the other adjacent attachment elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Reihl, Manfred Farber, Robert Kronseder
  • Patent number: 5709427
    Abstract: A vehicle roof with a roof panel (3) that can be pivoted to open, with a window shade (7) that is located under the roof panel (3) for alternately covering or at least partially uncovering the roof panel (3). The window shade (7) can be wound on a roller (8) and is connected to at least one rigid element (10, 24, 25) that runs crosswise to the direction of movement of the shade and is guided in longitudinally running lateral guide elements (11). To reduce the structural height of the vehicle roof or to increase the headroom for the passengers, guide elements (11) for the window shade are raised by a lifting mechanism (14) when window shade (7) is moved in a closing direction and are lowered when it is moved in an opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Farber, Thomas Wikelski, Johann Mayer
  • Patent number: 5533766
    Abstract: A tank lock system for a gasoline tank of a motor vehicle having a filler neck in a fueling area near the periphery of the motor vehicle body, a tank cap for sealingly closing the filler neck, as well as a pivotable tank cover for covering or providing access to the fueling area, and a device for the unlocking of the tank cap. The tank cap and the tank cover constitute a single unit for simultaneously opening or closing the filler neck and providing or denying access to the fueling area, thereby ensuring a safe, secure, and comfortable operation of a tank lock system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Webasto Karosseriesysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Farber