Patents by Inventor Martin Kreuzer

Martin Kreuzer 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: 20030080455
    Abstract: A method of foam-embedding cables, in particular for foam-embedding a steering wheel skeleton which is equipped with cables, comprises the following steps: the cable is positioned in a foaming mold; a portion of the cable, which is not to be embedded in foam, is positioned in a resealable cavity provided in the foaming mold, the cavity being sealed against the ingress of foam; the cavity and the foaming mold are closed; the foaming mold is filled with foam; and the foaming mold and the cavity are opened to remove a product produced. There is also proposed a foaming tool for performing such method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20030075004
    Abstract: A steering wheel unit for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, comprises a connection hub which may be non-rotatably connected with a steering shaft of a steering device, a steering wheel rim which is non-rotatably connected with the connection hub by means of spokes, and a central piece which is mounted by means of a spacer element to the connection hub so as to be rotatable relative to the steering shaft and the steering wheel rim. The steering wheel unit further comprises a coupling device which arrests the central piece with respect to a rotational movement of the steering wheel rim. The spacer element has a first end which is non-rotatably connected with the central piece, and has a second other end which is rotatably mounted to the connection hub and constructed as a crash element. The crash element fails after a predetermined failure value of a force driving the central piece towards the connection hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Kerner, Martin Kreuzer, Anke Nigrin
  • Publication number: 20030071385
    Abstract: A method of producing a vehicle steering wheel including a steering wheel rim comprises the following steps: A foaming mold with a top part and a bottom part is used; two different foam components, namely, a central carrier component as well as a soft component surrounding the latter, are injected into the bottom part which is not closed by the top part; the foaming mold is closed by closing the bottom part with the top part, and; the foaming mold is heated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Lorenz, Udo Bieber, Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20030067150
    Abstract: An airbag for a restraint system in motor vehicles comprises a wall made of fabric. One surface of the fabric is subjected to a plasma treatment in order to increase the heat resistance of the fabric. There is also proposed a method of producing such airbag and a method of inflating it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 6536549
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the steering angle of a steered wheel of a vehicle and a system to carry out this method. A control unit (9) controls an adjustment drive (5, 7) to alter the steering angle of the steered wheel, upon an alteration to a position of a steering member (13). The extent of the alteration to the steering angle is dependent on whether an obstacle for the vehicle is detected or not by means of a distance meter (17) coupled with the control unit (9). If an obstacle is detected at high speeds, then steering angle alterations are possible which would not be permitted by the control unit at normal driving operation. Thereby, in emergency situations the driver is to be given the possibility of being able to drive past the obstacle by a steering response characteristic which is more intense.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20030024798
    Abstract: A vehicle steering wheel comprises a steering wheel body and at least one electric switch attached to the steering wheel body. The switch, for adaptation to the length of the fingers of a driver, is adjustably attached to the steering wheel body in such a way that it can be adjusted by the driver to assume various positions relative to the steering wheel body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 6494287
    Abstract: A steering device for a motor vehicle includes an actuating member for the introduction of the steering movement and a steering linkage to transfer the steering movement to the vehicle wheels. The actuating member consists of a steering wheel (1) which is rotatable about a small angle and of a measured value transmitter (2) to generate an electrical or electronic position signal. The steering linkage is actuated by an adjustment drive which is controllable by an electrical regulating device as a function of the position signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Anke Nigrin, Winfried Tschöp, Martin Kreuzer, Hans-Jürgen Bossler, Ulrich Randau
  • Patent number: 6484606
    Abstract: A steering wheel has a metallic skeleton that comprises a hub, a rim and spokes interconnecting said hub and said rim, said skeleton being produced by casting in one piece with a U- or V-shaped cross-section. To achieve an optimum distribution of mechanical strength in a circumferential direction, with reference to a normal position of the steering wheel in a vehicle corresponding to a straightforward vehicle travel, the rim has upper and lower portions with a cross-section that is open towards the driver side of the steering wheel, and lateral portions with a cross-section that is open towards the rear face of the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20020153714
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly unit comprising an airbag module, a vehicle steering wheel, horn contacts and attachment devices by means of which the airbag module is attached to the steering wheel. A first detachable attachment device is provided which comprises a first holding part provided on the airbag module and a second holding part provided on the steering wheel. The holding parts engage with each other and allow a swiveling of the module in a direction towards the steering wheel in order to close a second attachment device. The second attachment device is a detachable latching connection and the airbag module, in its attached state, is able to be moved axially in order to close said horn contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20020153708
    Abstract: The invention relates to an airbag module, comprising a pot-shaped module housing that has a front wall that can be opened and a circumferential wall projecting from a rear side. The airbag module further comprises a baseplate that is attached to the circumferential wall by at least one snap-action hook that is able to latch into an opening. An unlatching protection is provided that reduces a cross-section of the opening after a latching procedure in such a way that unlatching is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20020153712
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag module comprising a covering cap which is visible from the exterior in an installed state and covers an outlet opening for a gas bag. The module further comprises at least one display integrated in the covering cap and a lighting for the display provided on a rear face of the covering cap. The covering cap has a front wall visible from the exterior with a section covering the outlet opening, the section being connected in one piece with a display section lying over the lighting. In the display section, the covering is constructed so as to be transparent or translucent. The display section is made of a first material component of the covering cap and the covering cap includes a second material component which has a carrier layer in the form of a cup. The base of the cup forms the section closing the outlet opening and the peripheral wall of which laterally delimits an accommodation space for the gas bag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Kreuzer, Udo Bieber, Ralph Neupert
  • Patent number: 6464252
    Abstract: An impact protection device for arrangement in a steering wheel of a truck vehicle is provided. The steering wheel has a rim that is located in a plane inclined at an angle of less than 45° to a horizontal plane. The device has an inflatable gas bag mounted in a folded condition and an inflator activatable as a function of vehicle deceleration. The gas bag, in an inflated condition, has the shape of a mushroom with an annular outer edge portion engaging about and behind said steering wheel rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 6454486
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the detachable fastening of a steering wheel on a steering shaft having an axis. The steering wheel has a hub provided with a through-bore arranged perpendicularly to the axis of the steering shaft and the through-bore intersects a groove arranged in the steering shaft. The device comprises a fastening member arranged in the through-bore. The fastening member has a bolt with a head and a shaft provided at least partially with an external thread and has a nut able to be screwed onto the shaft of the bolt. The nut is able to engage into the groove and the through-bore has two oppositely directed radial support surfaces arranged between the bolt head and the nut. One support surface is arranged on the bolt head side and the other support surface is arranged on the nut side. A spring element is provided which engages one of the bolt and the nut and exerts a force onto one of the bolt and the nut. The force aims for an increase of a distance between the bolt head and the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20020125084
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for damping vibrations in a steering wheel. The device comprises a damping means and an attenuation mass connected with the damping means. An electrical control unit is provided which is coupled with the damping means. The control unit is able to alter mechanical vibration characteristics of the device such that different vibration frequencies can be damped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Kreuzer, Udo Bieber, Christian Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20020124683
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shock-absorbed vehicle steering wheel which comprises a hub with a steering wheel mounting and a handling region for a driver. The handling region is, in particular, a steering wheel rim. A vibration damper is provided in a path of the flux of force between the steering wheel mounting and the handling region. The vibration damper has damping characteristics which are adjustable via one of an electrical and magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Kreuzer, Udo Bieber, Christian Lorenz
  • Patent number: 6437265
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement to be secured to a base part of a vehicle. The arrangement comprises first and second parts to be secured to the base part in sequence and adjacent and aligned to each other, and a device for aligning the first and second parts to each other. The first part is to be secured to the base part before the second part. The device has at least one protuberance on the first part extending toward the second part. The protuberance features an alignment bevel configured relative to the second part such that it is contacted by the second part during assembling of the first and second parts to the base part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20020100342
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel comprising a skeleton made of die cast material, a reinforcement being embedded in the die cast material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Drefahl, Jupp Fleckenstein, Martin Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 6365875
    Abstract: A heatable steering wheel with electric heating wires on a wheel rim is provided. The heating, wires are covered by a casing. The casing consists of a support layer that has good thermal conductivity and of an externally applied layer of veneer wood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Kreuzer, Michael Lehmann
  • Publication number: 20020027039
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the steering angle of a steered wheel of a vehicle and a system to carry out this method. A control unit (9) controls an adjustment drive (5, 7) to alter the steering angle of the steered wheel, upon an alteration to a position of a steering member (13). The extent of the alteration to the steering angle is dependent on whether an obstacle for the vehicle is detected or not by means of a distance meter (17) coupled with the control unit (9). If an obstacle is detected at high speeds, then steering angle alterations are possible which would not be permitted by the control unit at normal driving operation. Thereby, in emergency situations the driver is to be given the possibility of being able to drive past the obstacle by a steering response characteristic which is more intense.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: TRW Automative Safety Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Martin Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20020017157
    Abstract: The invention relates to a steering wheel comprising a steering wheel rim, a hub and at least one spoke connecting the steering wheel rim and the hub. At least one of the steering wheel rim and the spoke comprises a skeleton, a sheathing surrounding the skeleton as well as a shell arranged around the sheathing, and at least one decorative element. At least one latching element is provided by means of which the decorative element is directly attached to the shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Applicant: TRW Automotive Safety System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Kreuzer, Michael Lehmann