Patents by Inventor Markus Ferdinand

Markus Ferdinand 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: 8794863
    Abstract: A connector for joining a plastic, elongated component and a threaded rod insertable into a borehole of the elongated component, which in turn is guided within a stationary bush, includes a locking element for locking the threaded rod in the borehole. The elongated component has a slot between the borehole and its outer surface. The locking element includes a two-arm lever configured within the slot and has a first end which has an engagement portion that can engage in locking manner the thread of the threaded rod, and a second end projecting outward beyond the slot when the engagement portion engages the thread. The lever's first end is prestressed toward the borehole and the lever is dimensioned in a manner that the second end pivots into the slot as the component is being pushed into the bush, as a result of which the engagement portion leaves the borehole, whereas the lever pivots back when the component has been slipped so far into the bush that the second lever end is released from the bush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerd Hohmann, Markus Ferdinand, Albert Spongk
  • Patent number: 8240622
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a clip having a first shank including a distal end and a proximal end, a head attached to the distal end, a resilient flange attached to the first shank proximate to the proximal end, a second shank extending downwardly from the resilient flange, wherein the second shank includes a free end. A pair of spring members extending obliquely from the free end to the resilient flange, each of the pair of spring members being attached to the resilient flange by a snap-in shoulder, and a pair of longitudinal members extending from the free end and each having a securing element at an opposing end proximate to the resilient flange, wherein the pair of longitudinal members and the securing elements are movable inwardly and outwardly as a result of the pair of spring members flexing inwardly and outwardly, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerd Hohmann, Daniel Schneider, Markus Ferdinand
  • Publication number: 20110290969
    Abstract: A plastic, integral clip to affix door seals in automotive door frames, comprising a head, further a resilient flange connected by a first shank segment to said head, a comparatively flat second shank segment which extends from the flange on the side opposite the head and tapers toward the free end and is fitted with a rounded end, further two spring elements connected at opposite sides to the free end of the second shank segment and running obliquely in the direction of the flange, the spring elements being fitted with a snap-in shoulder near the flange, characterized in that at least one securing element each near an external surface element of the second shank segment and near the flange is connected to the second shank segment and runs in the direction of the facing spring element, the outside diameter of the securing element approximately corresponding to the outside diameter of the external surface element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: ITW AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Gerd Hohmann, Daniel Schneider, Markus Ferdinand
  • Patent number: 7178206
    Abstract: A fastener element includes a fastener body and a locking part. The body includes a shank having two outer webs interconnected by a transverse web. The outer webs have projections including upper and lower ramp surfaces. The locking part includes an aperture having first and second pairs of opposing edges, and L-shaped holding portions each having a first web portion linked to one of the first opposing edges, and a second web portion extending into the aperture. When the outer webs are introduced into slots between the second opposing edges and the holding portions, the lower ramp surfaces move the holding portions away from each other and the second web portions engage the upper ramp surfaces from above. If the shank is introduced in a fastening hole of a support part while the locking part engages the support part, the holding portions are further pivoted away from each other and the second web portions grip the edge of the fastening hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Uwe Kuhnle, Markus Ferdinand
  • Publication number: 20060278032
    Abstract: A connector for joining a plastic, elongated component and a threaded rod insertable into a borehole of the elongated component, which in turn is guided within a stationary bush, includes a locking element for locking the threaded rod in the borehole. The elongated component has a slot between the borehole and its outer surface. The locking element includes a two-arm lever configured within the slot and has a first end which has an engagement portion that can engage in locking manner the thread of the threaded rod, and a second end projecting outward beyond the slot when the engagement portion engages the thread. The lever's first end is prestressed toward the borehole and the lever is dimensioned in a manner that the second end pivots into the slot as the component is being pushed into the bush, as a result of which the engagement portion leaves the borehole, whereas the lever pivots back when the component has been slipped so far into the bush that the second lever end is released from the bush.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Applicant: ITW AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Gerd HOHMANN, Markus FERDINAND, Albert SPONGK
  • Publication number: 20050086773
    Abstract: A fastener element for connecting a structural part, in particular a lining, to a support part having a fastening hole, in particular a body sheet of an automobile, comprising a fastener body integrally formed of plastic material, the fastener body having a head for the attachment of the structural part, a shank connected to the head and a sealing flange between head and shank, and a locking part adapted to be connected to the shank through a releasable snapping connection and having snapping portions which cooperate with an edge of the fastening hole when the shank is introduced in the fastening hole in order to secure the fastener element on the support part, characterized in that the shank has two approximately parallel spaced outer webs which are interconnected by a transverse web the transverse web extending being spaced from the free end of the outer webs, with the transverse web having a tapered portion tapering to the lower end thereof, the outer webs on the surfaces facing each other having projectio
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Applicant: ITW AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Uwe Kuhnle, Markus Ferdinand