Patents by Inventor Rudolf Gruber
Rudolf Gruber 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).
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Patent number: 11649852Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ball joint includes arranging a ball in a bore of a housing, and enclosing an end of the bore. Plastic is injected into a space between the housing and the ball to form a bearing that has a bearing surface that engages the ball. The bearing shrinks to form a recess in the bearing surface so that the recess can be filled with a grease.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2022Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: MULTIMATIC INC.Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Thomas Alexander Sparrow, Ryan Warren Alexander
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Patent number: 11608854Abstract: A ball joint includes a stud extending from a ball. A housing has a bore that receives the ball. The housing has an interior surface facing the ball that includes a groove. A plastic bearing is arranged between the ball and the housing. The plastic bearing has first and second sides opposite one another. The first side has a spherical surface engaging the ball. The second side has a protrusion opposite the spherical surface that is received in and fills the groove and a recess in the spherical surface opposite the protrusion.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2018Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: Multimatic Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Thomas Alexander Sparrow, Ryan Warren Alexander
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Publication number: 20230066072Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ball joint includes arranging a ball in a bore of a housing, and enclosing an end of the bore. Plastic is injected into a space between the housing and the ball to form a bearing that has a bearing surface that engages the ball. The bearing shrinks to form a recess in the bearing surface so that the recess can be filled with a grease.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2022Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Thomas Alexander Sparrow, Ryan Warren Alexander
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Patent number: 11060340Abstract: A door power drive module includes a housing and a motor arranged in the housing. First and second gearboxes are arranged in the housing and are coupled in series with one another by a shaft member. The first gearbox connects the motor to the second gearbox. An output shaft is coupled to the second gearbox. A brake assembly is selectively connected to the shaft member. The brake assembly has a normally closed position in which the shaft member is grounded to the housing. The brake assembly includes an open position corresponding to one of a door closing mode and a door opening mode. The shaft member is configured to be rotatable relative to the housing in the brake open position in response to the motor driving the first gearbox. The brake assembly includes a holding torque in the normally closed position. A torque is applied to the brake assembly above the holding torque that permits the shaft member to rotate in any direction of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: Multimatic Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Andrew R. Daniels, Balathas Nagamany
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Patent number: 10982482Abstract: A method of actuating a door includes the steps of manually pivoting a door in a direction about a hinge to provide a manual input, detecting the manual input and energizing a motor to drive the door in the direction in response to the manual input. The manual door pivoting step includes exceeding a holding torque of a brake assembly that holds the door. The direction can be any direction for opening or closing the door.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Multimatic Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Andrew R. Daniels, Balathas Nagamany
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Patent number: 10968668Abstract: A door checker includes a housing which has a base from which first and second opposing flanges extend. First and second guide pins are spaced apart from one another and are interconnected to the first and second flanges. The first and second guide pins are configured to deflect in response to a load. A check arm extends through the base and is arranged between the first and second guide pins. The check arm is configured to move relative to the housing and includes a profile that corresponds to a variable door holding force. A bearing member is arranged on one side of the check arm and the bearing member coacts with the profile and is supported on the first and second guide pins and is configured to slide thereon in response to movement of the check arm relative to the bearing member. The bearing member transfers the load from the check arm to the first and second guide pins.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Multimatic Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, David Edward Carswell
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Publication number: 20200362610Abstract: An automotive hinge assembly adapted to facilitate motion of a closure panel relative to a fixed body structure comprises a door component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle closure panel, a body component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a simple formed feature and the pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle body structure, such that the pivot pin structurally assembles the two hinge components, facilitates relative rotary motion between them and structurally connects the multiple press formed angle brackets so that the resulting assembly achieves a much higher material efficiency than the prior art with an associated significant cost reduction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2020Publication date: November 19, 2020Inventors: Robert John Murray, Rudolf Gruber, Chean Wang Ng, Pasith Banjongpanith, Prad Lad, Scott Worden
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Patent number: 10836445Abstract: A deployable vehicle rear wing conforms closely to the styled surface of the vehicle body in a retracted, or stowed, position while adaptively changing its cross section in a deployed position so as to provide a highly efficient airfoil section, with an integrated Gurney flap. Additionally, the adaptive cross section changes and Gurney flap deployment is provided via a linkage that utilizes a drive mechanism of a main deployment system.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2017Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Multimatic Inc.Inventors: Richard Anthony Czapka, Joel David Causley, Rudolf Gruber
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Publication number: 20200283078Abstract: A deployable vehicle rear wing conforms closely to the styled surface of the vehicle body in a retracted, or stowed, position while adaptively changing its cross section in a deployed position so as to provide a highly efficient airfoil section, with an integrated Gurney flap. Additionally, the adaptive cross section changes and Gurney flap deployment is provided via a linkage that utilizes a drive mechanism of a main deployment system.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2017Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Richard Anthony Czapka, Joel David Causley, Rudolf Gruber
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Publication number: 20200191194Abstract: A ball joint includes a stud extending from a ball. A housing has a bore that receives the ball. The housing has an interior surface facing the ball that includes a groove. A plastic bearing is arranged between the ball and the housing. The plastic bearing has first and second sides opposite one another. The first side has a spherical surface engaging the ball. The second side has a protrusion opposite the spherical surface that is received in and fills the groove and a recess in the spherical surface opposite the protrusion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2018Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Thomas Alexander Sparrow, Ryan Warren Alexander
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Publication number: 20200123835Abstract: A door power drive module includes a housing and a motor arranged in the housing. First and second gearboxes are arranged in the housing and are coupled in series with one another by a shaft member. The first gearbox connects the motor to the second gearbox. An output shaft is coupled to the second gearbox. A brake assembly is selectively connected to the shaft member. The brake assembly has a normally closed position in which the shaft member is grounded to the housing. The brake assembly includes an open position corresponding to one of a door closing mode and a door opening mode. The shaft member is configured to be rotatable relative to the housing in the brake open position in response to the motor driving the first gearbox. The brake assembly includes a holding torque in the normally closed position. A torque is applied to the brake assembly above the holding torque that permits the shaft member to rotate in any direction of rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Andrew R. Daniels, Balathas Nagamany
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Publication number: 20200123836Abstract: A method of actuating a door includes the steps of manually pivoting a door in a direction about a hinge to provide a manual input, detecting the manual input and energizing a motor to drive the door in the direction in response to the manual input. The manual door pivoting step includes exceeding a holding torque of a brake assembly that holds the door. The direction can be any direction for opening or closing the door.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Andrew R. Daniels, Balathas Nagamany
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Patent number: 10590691Abstract: An automotive door system includes a hinge that supports a door. A switch provides a first input in response to a user request to automatically open or close the door. An output shaft of a power drive module is connected to the door and a gearbox to provide an output torque that corresponds to a desired motion of the door about the hinge. A brake assembly is connected to a shaft member and has a normally closed position in which the shaft member is grounded to the housing and an open position that corresponds to one of a door closing mode and a door opening mode. A position sensor detects rotation of the output shaft and provides a second input in response thereto, which corresponds to a manually initiated movement of the door that exceeds a slip torque of the brake assembly in the normally closed position.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2015Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Multimatic Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Andrew R. Daniels, Balathas Nagamany
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Patent number: 10570653Abstract: A door checker includes a housing which has a base from which first and second opposing flanges extend. First and second guide pins are spaced apart from one another and are interconnected to the first and second flanges. A check arm extends through the base and is arranged between the first and second guide pins. The check arm is configured to move relative to the housing and includes a profile that corresponds to a variable door holding force. A bearing member is arranged on one side of the check arm and is slidably supported by the first and second guide pins. The bearing member coacts with the profile.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2015Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Multimatic Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, David Edward Carswell
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Publication number: 20190368243Abstract: A door checker includes a housing which has a base from which first and second opposing flanges extend. First and second guide pins are spaced apart from one another and are interconnected to the first and second flanges. The first and second guide pins are configured to deflect in response to a load. A check arm extends through the base and is arranged between the first and second guide pins. The check arm is configured to move relative to the housing and includes a profile that corresponds to a variable door holding force. A bearing member is arranged on one side of the check arm and the bearing member coacts with the profile and is supported on the first and second guide pins and is configured to slide thereon in response to movement of the check arm relative to the bearing member. The bearing member transfers the load from the check arm to the first and second guide pins.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, David Edward Carswell
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Patent number: 10253535Abstract: An automotive door system includes a hinge supporting a door. A door check module interconnects to one of the vehicle and the door by a linkage assembly. An output shaft is connected to the linkage assembly and rotates relative to a door check module housing. The output shaft provides an output torque to check the door in a desired door position. A sensor detects rotation of the shaft and produces a signal in response thereto. A brake assembly includes a shaft member operatively connected to the output shaft. The brake assembly has a normally closed position in which the shaft member is grounded to the housing in a door check mode. The brake assembly includes an open position that corresponds to one of a door closing mode and a door opening mode. The brake assembly moves from the normally closed position to the open position in response to the signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: Multimatic Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Gruber, Andrew R. Daniels
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Patent number: 10226839Abstract: A method is provided which forms a closed section hollow structural element by performing the following steps which include press forming an upper sheet metal component configured with two primary parallel downstanding interface flanges; press forming a lower sheet metal component configured with two primary parallel upstanding interface flanges; complementarily trimming the downstanding interface flanges and the upstanding interface flanges using five-axis laser cutting; and butt welding the interface flanges of the upper and lower sheet metal components to one another to form a continuous hollow structural element of variable cross section.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2015Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: Multimatic Inc.Inventor: Rudolf Gruber
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Publication number: 20190048635Abstract: An automotive hinge assembly adapted to facilitate motion of a closure panel relative to a fixed body structure comprises a door component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle closure panel, a body component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a simple formed feature and the pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle body structure, such that the pivot pin structurally assembles the two hinge components, facilitates relative rotary motion between them and structurally connects the multiple press formed angle brackets so that the resulting assembly achieves a much higher material efficiency than the prior art with an associated significant cost reduction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2018Publication date: February 14, 2019Inventors: Robert John Murray, Rudolf Gruber, Chean Wang Ng, Pasith Banjongpanith, Prad Lad, Scott Worden
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Publication number: 20180297149Abstract: A method is provided which forms a closed section hollow structural element by performing the following steps which include press forming an upper sheet metal component configured with two primary parallel downstanding interface flanges; press forming a lower sheet metal component configured with two primary parallel upstanding interface flanges; complementarily trimming the downstanding interface flanges and the upstanding interface flanges using five-axis laser cutting; and butt welding the interface flanges of the upper and lower sheet metal components to one another to form a continuous hollow structural element of variable cross section.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2015Publication date: October 18, 2018Applicant: MULTIMATIC INC.Inventor: Rudolf Gruber
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Patent number: 10100563Abstract: An automotive hinge assembly adapted to facilitate motion of a closure panel relative to a fixed body structure comprises a door component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle closure panel, a body component constructed from two press formed angle brackets structurally connected via a simple formed feature and the pivot pin and adapted to be mounted to a vehicle body structure, such that the pivot pin structurally assembles the two hinge components, facilitates relative rotary motion between them and structurally connects the multiple press formed angle brackets so that the resulting assembly achieves a much higher material efficiency than the prior art with an associated significant cost reduction.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2017Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: MULTIMATIC INC.Inventors: Robert John Murray, Rudolf Gruber, Chean Wang Ng, Pasith Banjongpanith, Prad Lad, Scott Worden