Patents by Inventor Ralf Hohn

Ralf Hohn 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: 11946293
    Abstract: A door unlocking and/or door opening mechanism may have an actuating device that may have at least one actuating element, a housing, and at least one detection unit. The detection unit may have a sensor, a trigger element and an evaluation unit. The detection unit may be arranged in the housing. The actuating element may be arranged for an actuation outside the housing and in a region that is accessible from the outside. The trigger element may be arranged at a distance from the sensor in a locked state of the door unlocking and/or door opening mechanism. When the actuating element is actuated in the direction of the housing, to the actuating element deforms the trigger element. The sensor detects a change in the distance between the trigger element and the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Witte Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Hoffmann, Markus Herdering, Patrick Schlosser, Ralf Höhn
  • Publication number: 20230374844
    Abstract: A vehicle having at least one vehicle exterior structure and a movable flap unit for covering an opening in the vehicle exterior structure, particularly a loading opening or tank opening of the vehicle. At least one gesture sensor module is provided and the flap unit has at least one screen which is mounted movably on the vehicle exterior structure. The screen covers the opening in the vehicle exterior structure in the closed position and releases access to the opening in the open position. The gesture sensor module is configured to detect a predetermined first actuation process and to trigger an opening process of the screen when the screen is closed, and to detect a predetermined second actuation process and to trigger a closing operation of the screen when the screen is open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicant: Witte Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mensch, Ralf Höhn
  • Publication number: 20230212890
    Abstract: A decorative element with an actuation module for an electronic lock system where the actuation module may have at least an outer actuation element and an interior actuation sensor for triggering a switching function and an electronic evaluation unit that is connected to the actuation sensor. The decorative element may form the actuation element and the decorative element moves elastically when actuated, in particular to its actuation position. Also provided is a movable vehicle element with such a decorative element and a vehicle with at least one such movable vehicle element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: Witte Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mensch, Ralf Höhn
  • Publication number: 20230184010
    Abstract: A vehicle door may have a handle arrangement, where the door may also have a door support structure. The door may also have a shaft strip which is arranged on the upper side of the door support structure. The handle arrangement may be arranged movably, in particular pivotably, at the shaft strip. The handle arrangement may have a handle element which can be gripped on an exterior of the vehicle door. The handle element may be designed as a device which can be actuated in at least one direction for actively actuating at least two switching functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Reinaldo MENSCH, Ralf HÖHN, Patrick HANDL
  • Publication number: 20230151649
    Abstract: A handle module may have at least one actuating module for triggering a switching function. The actuating module may be designed as a capacitive actuating sensor and may have two or more capacitive auxiliary electrodes for detecting secondary signals. The actuating module may also have a capacitive main electrode for detecting an actuation path. And, the actuating module may also have an electronic evaluation unit which is connected to the auxiliary electrodes and the main electrode. The evaluation unit may be configured to trigger or block a switching signal for the switching function as a function of the detected signals of the auxiliary electrodes and the detected signal of the main electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mensch, Ralf Höhn, Karsten Steinhauer
  • Publication number: 20230151650
    Abstract: A vehicle may have an unlocking mechanism and/or locking mechanism and/or opening mechanism for an electric vehicle lock where at least one contactless, triggering device for actuating the unlocking mechanism, locking mechanism, and/or opening mechanism, and a status indicator of the unlocking mechanism, locking mechanism, and/or opening mechanism, are provided. The triggering device is non-visibly arranged on a vehicle panel and/or on a body section, and the status indicator is arranged in an outwardly visible region of the vehicle, such as in a channel strip element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Reinaldo Mensch, Ralf Höhn, Karsten Steinhauer
  • Publication number: 20200347650
    Abstract: A door unlocking and/or door opening mechanism may have an actuating device that may have at least one actuating element, a housing, and at least one detection unit. The detection unit may have a sensor, a trigger element and an evaluation unit. The detection unit may be arranged in the housing. The actuating element may be arranged for an actuation outside the housing and in a region that is accessible from the outside. The trigger element may be arranged at a distance from the sensor in a locked state of the door unlocking and/or door opening mechanism. When the actuating element is actuated in the direction of the housing, to the actuating element deforms the trigger element. The sensor detects a change in the distance between the trigger element and the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Andreas Hoffmann, Markus Herdering, Patrick Schlosser, Ralf Höhn
  • Publication number: 20050146145
    Abstract: Handle, suitable for a motor vehicle door, having a visible and a grip part (1) and a plurality of functional parts, which functional parts comprise a handle pivot bearing (9, 9?) and an electronic component (8; 18, 19), the functional parts being plugged together with the grip part (1), and wherein the electronic component is positioned in a cavity (7) of the grip part (1) and has a plug (12) disposed in a region of the pivot bearing; wherein the electronic component (8; 18, 19), which is fixedly connected to the plug (12), is plugged into the handle cavity (7) through a pivot-bearing-side opening of the grip part (1), and this opening is closed by a functional part forming the handle pivot bearing (9, 9?).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Matthias Koch, Gerrit Kirsch, Ralf Hohn, Frank Rode, Dirk Muhlhaus
  • Patent number: 6388410
    Abstract: An apparatus invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring an interior space which is closed off by a locked and/or manually non-unlockable door, flap, sliding sunroof or the like, for example a passenger compartment or luggage compartment of a motor vehicle, with respect to living entities enclosed therein and the quality of their living environment, having a control circuit and sensor evaluation arrangements connected thereto, which arrangements each interact with at least one sensor, a first sensor evaluation arrangement outputting a first signal to the control circuit if there are living entities in the interior space, and a second sensor evaluation arrangement outputting a second signal to the control circuit if the living environment changes in the direction of life- and/or health-threatening states, at least one actuator connected to the control circuit acting on a motor-actuatable closure of the door, flap, sliding sunroof or the like, which is activated by the control circuit for the pu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Witte-Velbert GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralf Höhn