Patents by Inventor Ralph Schulz

Ralph Schulz 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: 6601915
    Abstract: A programmable seat back damper assembly for a motor vehicle includes a generally horizontal seat cushion portion and a generally upright back portion operatively connected to the seat cushion portion. The programmable seat back damper assembly includes a recliner for operative connection to the seat back portion and the seat cushion portion. The programmable seat back damper assembly also includes a damper for operative connection to the seat back portion and the seat cushion portion and having a magneto-rheological (MR) fluid therein. The programmable seat back damper assembly further includes a controller electrically connected to the damper to control an apparent viscosity of the MR fluid to increase and decrease damping of the damper for adjusting an angle of the seat back portion relative to the seat cushion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John L. Sullivan, John Matthew Ginder, Kirsten Marie Carr, Paul Ralph Schulz
  • Publication number: 20020047295
    Abstract: A programmable seat back damper assembly for a motor vehicle includes a generally horizontal seat cushion portion and a generally upright back portion operatively connected to the seat cushion portion. The programmable seat back damper assembly includes a recliner for operative connection to the seat back portion and the seat cushion portion. The programmable seat back damper assembly also includes a damper for operative connection to the seat back portion and the seat cushion portion and having a magneto-rheological (MR) fluid therein. The programmable seat back damper assembly further includes a controller electrically connected to the damper to control an apparent viscosity of the MR fluid to increase and decrease damping of the damper for adjusting an angle of the seat back portion relative to the seat cushion portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: John L. Sullivan, John Matthew Ginder, Kirsten Marie Carr, Paul Ralph Schulz
  • Patent number: 6312049
    Abstract: A programmable seat back damper assembly for a motor vehicle includes a generally horizontal seat cushion portion and a generally upright back portion operatively connected to the seat cushion portion. The programmable seat back damper assembly includes a recliner for operative connection to the seat back portion and the seat cushion portion. The programmable seat back damper assembly also includes a damper for operative connection to the seat back portion and the seat cushion portion and having a magneto-rheological (MR) fluid therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Sullivan, John Matthew Ginder, Kirsten Marie Carr, Paul Ralph Schulz
  • Publication number: 20010002535
    Abstract: In a combined power station (32) having a plurality of power islands ( L1, . . . , L3), which operate in parallel and which each comprise a gas turbine installation (3), a steam turbine (5), a generator (4), a water/steam circuit with a heat recovery steam generator (13) and a condenser (K1, . . . , K3), and associated auxiliary installations (20, 21), substantial standardization is made possible because each of the power islands (L1, . . . , L3) has its own cooling tower (KT1, . . . , KT3) associated with it, and because the cooling tower (KT1, . . . , KT3) is connected to the respective condenser (K1, . . . , K3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Publication date: June 7, 2001
    Inventors: Erhard Liebig, Ralph Schulz