Patents by Inventor Rudolf Helfrich

Rudolf Helfrich 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: 7665759
    Abstract: A cover plate for an airbag module, such as a driver side airbag module. The cover plate includes a cover part and at least one wall which extends in a generally perpendicular manner in relation to the cover part. In order to prevent indentation areas from forming on the visible surface of the cover part on the transition points towards the walls and to provide the simple deformation of the airbag cover from the production tool, the wall extends, when seen in the cross-section thereof, at distances which are short in relation to the length of the wall, alternating in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
    Inventors: Klaus Vath, Wilhelm Schnabel, Hans Martin Hauck, Rudolf Helfrich
  • Publication number: 20080150262
    Abstract: A cover plate for an airbag module, such as a driver side airbag module. The cover plate includes a cover part and at least one wall which extends in a generally perpendicular manner in relation to the cover part. In order to prevent indentation areas from forming on the visible surface of the cover part on the transition points towards the walls and to provide the simple deformation of the airbag cover from the production tool, the wall extends, when seen in the cross-section thereof, at distances which are short in relation to the length of the wall, alternating in different directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Klaus Vath, Wilhelm Schnabel, Hans Martin Hauck, Rudolf Helfrich
  • Patent number: 6505850
    Abstract: An airbag covering cap including a support layer and a covering layer of different elasticities, having at least one tear-off line along which the airbag covering cap tears open when the airbag is deployed. The covering layer is weakened by a groove in the region of the tear-off line and the support layer extends into this groove. The covering layer has a section adjacent to the section of the support layer, which extends into said support layer. The edge between the sections of the support and covering layers, each extending into the other layer is configured as a tear-off edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Helfrich, Norbert Vath, Thomas Klein, Bernhard Kress, Norbert Wolleb, Tomás Sieira, Hans Martin Hauck
  • Publication number: 20020024199
    Abstract: The invention relates to an airbag covering cap comprising a support layer and a covering layer of different elasticities, having at least one tear-off line along which the airbag covering cap tears open when the airbag is deployed. The covering layer is weakened by a groove in the region of the tear-off line and the support layer extends into this groove. In accordance with the invention, the covering layer (13) has a section (13a), adjacent to the section (11a) of the support layer (11), which extends into said support layer (11). The edge between the sections (11a, 13a) of the support and covering layers (11, 13), each extending into the other layer, is configured as a tear-off edge (14, 15).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Applicant: Rudolf Helfrich
    Inventors: RUDOLF HELFRICH, NORBERT VATH, THOMAS KLEIN, BERNHARD KRESS, NORBERT WOLLEB, TOMAS SIEIRA, HANS MARTIN HAUCK
  • Patent number: 5845929
    Abstract: A covering device for air-bag-collision-safety systems, including a cap formed of a frame and a cover. The cover is provided with predetermined tear lines forming cover sections, whereby the cover sections are connected in a hinge manner with the frame. The covering device is injection molded of a foamed thermoplastic material, especially an elastomer. Areas of various layer thicknesses lying in the gripping area of the user, such that the surface layers lying in the gripping area of the user, as well as the areas of the covering device used for attachment have a lower pore volume and correspondingly a higher density and hardness between 50 Shore A and 75 Shore D. A layer having a characteristic foamed structure is formed under the surface layers lying in the gripping area of the user, whereby the thickness ratio between the thicker surface layer and the foamed structure is 1 at the most.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Petri AG
    Inventors: Egon Schlett, Rudolf Helfrich, Norbert Vath