Patents by Inventor Oliver Zegula

Oliver Zegula 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: 7852071
    Abstract: A control element is provided for a motor vehicle, particularly a rotary actuator, having at least one pivoted control knob, an extension formed on the control knob, and an electrical device to detect the rotary movement of the control knob, whereby the electrical device works together with the extension of the control knob, and whereby the electrical device is formed of at feast two oppositely polarized magnets connected torsion-proof to the extension and by at least two sensors held stationary in the control element and detecting the magnetic field lines of the magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Zegula
  • Publication number: 20090015244
    Abstract: A control element is provided for a motor vehicle, particularly a rotary actuator, having at least one pivoted control knob, an extension formed on the control knob, and an electrical means to detect the rotary movement of the control knob, whereby the electrical means works together with the extension of the control knob, and whereby the electrical means is formed of at least two oppositely polarized magnets connected torsion-proof to the extension and by at least two sensors held stationary in the control element and detecting the magnetic field lines of the magnets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Oliver Zegula
  • Publication number: 20060096845
    Abstract: A control element for control devices for motor vehicles is provided. The control element includes a rotary actuator seated in bearings, and a stationary key located inside the rotary actuator, and a means for forming a click-stop arrangement, whereby by the bearing, particularly a ball bearing, the rotary actuator is rotatably positioned on an axis that houses the interior key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Applicant: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Zegula
  • Patent number: 6864442
    Abstract: An operational control is provided for setting an actuating variable, more particularly a set point for a motor vehicle air conditioner, having a rotary knob, having at least two contact tracks and one elastic wiper contact element that is in contact by means of at least one wiper contact with a contact track, wherein the contact tracks are joined to the rotary knob so as to be nonrotatable with respect thereto and in that the wiper contact elements are provided with an additional elastic wiper contact facing the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Zegula, Thomas Ofenhitzer, Gerold Eckert, Joachim Storath
  • Patent number: 6667446
    Abstract: A rotary knob device (1, 20) having a key function includes a key (5, 30) in a rotary knob (2, 23), which is operated separately from the rotary knob so that the key (5, 30) need not also be moved when the rotary knob (2, 23) is moved. In this regard, a holder (6, 24.1) is provided inside the rotary knob (2, 23), on which the rotary knob (2, 23) and the key (5, 30) are mounted to be thereby linked together structurally while functioning separately. The rotational control is transmitted by the rotary knob (2, 23), while key, linear movement, control is transmitted through the separate key (5, 30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Schuberth, Reinhold Moret, Oliver Zegula
  • Patent number: 6512189
    Abstract: A rotary switch or controller is structured to have a so-called impact criteria or characteristic by having members with predetermined yield, or breaking, points (5, 6) which are integrated into the rotary switch (1) so that when a high force acts on the rotary switch (1), a top part (2) of a rotary switch or rotary controller (1) is allowed to be collapsed into a front panel (4) of a passenger vehicle or commercial vehicle on which the rotary switch is used. These yield elements (5, 6) may be structured as ribs (6) that have intended breaking points (6.1) therebetween, or may be structured as spring elements (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Schuberth, Oliver Zegula
  • Patent number: 6244966
    Abstract: A torsionally-rigid compensating coupling between first and second shaft ends has a ball bearing element positioned on the first shaft end and a ball socket element with grooves positioned on the second shaft end, with the ball bearing element including a ball bearing and a drive pin extending through the ball bearing. Pin ends of the drive pin extend out of the ball bearing into the grooves of the ball socket element. The grooves and ball socket of the ball socket element, in a longitudinal direction of the second shaft end, open out into a cylindrical recess that has a guide chamfer. The ball bearing element includes an elastic-force creating member and stops, with the elastic-force creating member driving the drive pin against the stops to fix the drive pin in its working position by elastic force, the drive pin being moveable against the elastic force in a longitudinal direction of the second shaft end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Ofenhitzer, Oliver Zegula