Patents by Inventor Markus Prexl

Markus Prexl 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: 10793041
    Abstract: A method for producing an adjusting device for a vehicle seat has the following steps. A flexible hollow body is molded from a thermoplastic plastic by injection molding, wherein the hollow body forms a pressure medium chamber and has an opening which is surrounded by a connecting portion. Furthermore, a first film is arranged at the opening. In particular, a pressure medium line is inserted between the connecting portion or the opening and the first film. Finally, the first film is connected to the hollow body at the connecting portion of the opening at the connecting seam in order to thereby close off the pressure medium chamber. Because the flexible hollow body is formed in one step, in particular by an injection molding process, the manufacturing complexity is minimized and the robustness of the hollow body is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Steinberger, Franz Stadler, Wolfgang Thiel, Markus Prexl
  • Publication number: 20190255977
    Abstract: A method for producing an adjusting device for a vehicle seat has the following steps. A flexible hollow body is molded from a thermoplastic plastic by injection molding, wherein the hollow body forms a pressure medium chamber and has an opening which is surrounded by a connecting portion. Furthermore, a first film is arranged at the opening. In particular, a pressure medium line is inserted between the connecting portion or the opening and the first film. Finally, the first film is connected to the hollow body at the connecting portion of the opening at the connecting seam in order to thereby close off the pressure medium chamber. Because the flexible hollow body is formed in one step, in particular by an injection molding process, the manufacturing complexity is minimized and the robustness of the hollow body is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Johann STEINBERGER, Franz STADLER, Wolfgang THIEL, Markus PREXL
  • Patent number: 9630532
    Abstract: A pneumatic element including: a first, a second, and a third air chamber which are coupled to one another, the first air chamber being coupled to the second air chamber by a weld joint and the second air chamber being coupled to the third air chamber by another weld joint; and an overflow area, which is arranged within the weld joints along a longitudinal axis of the pneumatic element, for a pneumatic communication between the air chambers. Each of the air chambers has a first state in which a pressure inside the air chambers corresponds to a pressure outside of the air chambers and a second state in which the pressure inside the air chambers is greater than the pressure outside of the air chambers. Furthermore, a flow opening is provided for a pneumatic communication between the overflow region and the second air chamber in the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Schnell, Andreas Foistner, Markus Prexl, Bernd Seggewiβ
  • Publication number: 20150251572
    Abstract: A pneumatic element including: a first, a second, and a third air chamber which are coupled to one another, the first air chamber being coupled to the second air chamber by a weld joint and the second air chamber being coupled to the third air chamber by another weld joint; and an overflow area, which is arranged within the weld joints along a longitudinal axis of the pneumatic element, for a pneumatic communication between the air chambers. Each of the air chambers has a first state in which a pressure inside the air chambers corresponds to a pressure outside of the air chambers and a second state in which the pressure inside the air chambers is greater than the pressure outside of the air chambers. Furthermore, a flow opening is provided for a pneumatic communication between the overflow region and the second air chamber in the first state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Schnell, Andreas Foistner, Markus Prexl, Bernd Seggewiß
  • Publication number: 20140167460
    Abstract: A control element for a vehicle seat includes a bladder configured to be filled with a pressure medium and which includes first and second films connected together along a connecting seam to form a bladder chamber. The connecting seam may have a shape of a polygon, e.g., a square or rectangle, with rounded corners, wherein the sides connecting the corners are curved in a concave manner toward the interior of the polygon. The shape of the connecting seam and thus the shape of the resulting bladder chamber may prevent or reduce the occurrence of constrictions and/or kinks when filling the bladders, which may ensure a reliable and durable operation of the control element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: Markus Prexl, Andreas Foistner, Alexander Selhorst