Patents by Inventor Stephan Mittelbach

Stephan Mittelbach 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: 12352092
    Abstract: A drive of a sliding door of a motor vehicle, comprising an electric drive unit, a drive cable, a guide for the drive cable, the sliding door being movable relative to a body by operation of the drive cable, and a cable deflection having a deflection wheel which is rotatably mounted in the cable deflection, wherein the cable deflection is adjustable to adjust a position of the deflection wheel to adjust a tensile stress in the drive cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Publication number: 20240110428
    Abstract: A drive of a sliding door of a motor vehicle, comprising an electric drive unit, a drive cable, a guide for the drive cable, the sliding door being movable relative to a body by means of the drive cable, and a cable deflection having a deflection wheel which is rotatably mounted in the cable deflection, wherein a fastening means for the cable deflection can be used as an adjustment means for the deflection wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: KIEKERT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Stephan MITTELBACH
  • Patent number: 10815706
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock which is equipped with a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting of essentially a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2), in addition to an actuating lever chain (4) and a locking unit (5, 6). Said motor vehicle door lock also comprises a security device (8, 9, 10) which can optionally set the actuating lever chain (4) and/or the locking unit (5, 6) in a non-functioning state/functioning state. According to the invention, said security device (8, 9, 10) is designed as a retrofitted module (8, 9, 10) which can be connected, according to requirements, to a base module (1-6 and 11), said module surrounding the largest part of the locking mechanism (1, 2), the actuating lever chain (4) and the locking unit (5, 6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Kiekert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Patent number: 10731386
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lock for a motor vehicle, comprising an external actuating lever (2), an inertial element (3), and a detent lever (4) which is preloaded by a spring element (6) and rotatably mounted on the inertial element (3), wherein said detent lever (4) is able to cooperate with a blocking contour arranged on a housing of the lock, wherein the external actuating lever (2) acts directly on the detent lever (4) and wherein a movement of the external actuating lever (2) can be blocked by an inertia of the inertial element (3) and the external actuating lever (2) cooperates with the detent lever (4) by way of a control contour (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Patent number: 10180020
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, having at least one housing (1) made of plastics material and having a locking mechanism (3, 4) comprising substantially a rotary latch (3) and a pawl (4), wherein the pawl (4) is mounted inside the housing (1) and the rotary latch (3) is mounted on the outside of the housing (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Kiekert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Patent number: 10094149
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, having at least one housing (3) and at least one lever (5) mounted rotatably about an axis (4) in the housing (3), wherein the lever (5) can be coupled to an actuating element (6) disposed outside the housing (3) and for this purpose passes through an opening in the housing (7), and the lever (5) has a cover (8) which substantially completely closes the housing opening (7) when viewed over the entire travel path(s) thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Kiekert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Patent number: 9982468
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, having a lock case (1), and also a locking mechanism (2, 3) which is supported in the lock case (1) and consists substantially of a rotary latch (2) and a pawl (3), and having an additional reinforcing element (7), wherein the reinforcing element (7) is formed as a reinforcing plate (7) which couples the two axes of rotation of both the rotary latch (2) and the pawl (1) at a distance from the lock case (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Kiekert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Publication number: 20170074004
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lock for a motor vehicle, comprising an external actuating lever (2), an inertial element (3), and a detent lever (4) which is preloaded by a spring element (6) and rotatably mounted on the inertial element (3), wherein said detent lever (4) is able to cooperate with a blocking contour arranged on a housing of the lock, wherein the external actuating lever (2) acts directly on the detent lever (4) and wherein a movement of the external actuating lever (2) can be blocked by an inertia of the inertial element (3) and the external actuating lever (2) cooperates with the detent lever (4) by way of a control contour (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: Kiekert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Publication number: 20160273248
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door closure, comprising a locking mechanism supported on a lock plate, which locking mechanism comprises a rotary latch supported on an axis of rotation and at least one pawl for locking the rotary latch, which pawl is also supported on an axis of rotation, the lock plate being fastened to a door or flap of the motor vehicle through openings arranged in the lock plate, characterized in that the lock plate (10) has at least three openings (A, B, C) for fastening, two openings (B, C) being arranged in the region above the axis of rotation (12) of the pawl (11) and one opening (A) being arranged in the region of the axis of rotation (14) of the rotary latch (13), and the openings (A, B, C) enclosing between themselves an acute triangle having an acute angle (?) of less than 30° at the fastening opening (A) at the axis of rotation (14) of the rotary latch (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: KIEKERT AG
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Publication number: 20150240538
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, having at least one housing (1) made of plastics material and having a locking mechanism (3, 4) comprising substantially a rotary latch (3) and a pawl (4), wherein the pawl (4) is mounted inside the housing (1) and the rotary latch (3) is mounted on the outside of the housing (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Publication number: 20150233150
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door comprising a motor vehicle door lock (2), also a manipulation element (5) which is accessible from the outer side of the door and which can be impinged upon, in addition to a security unit (8, 10, 11) in the motor vehicle door lock (2) and driven by a motor (10) by means of one or more output elements (11). Said security unit, (8, 10, 11) can be controlled by a motor or manually by means of the manipulation element (5) so that it is placed in a “locked” “unlocked ” position. Said manipulation element (5) is connected to at least one output element (11) of the motor (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2013
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Publication number: 20150233151
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, having at least one housing (3) and at least one lever (5) mounted rotatably about an axis (4) in the housing (3), wherein the lever (5) can be coupled to an actuating element (6) disposed outside the housing (3) and for this purpose passes through an opening in the housing (7), and the lever (5) has a cover (8) which substantially completely closes the housing opening (7) when viewed over the entire travel path(s) thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Publication number: 20150233155
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock which is equipped with a locking mechanism (1, 2) consisting of essentially a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2), in addition to an actuating lever chain (4) and a locking unit (5, 6). Said motor vehicle door lock also comprises a security device (8, 9, 10) which can optionally set the actuating lever chain (4) and/or the locking unit (5, 6) in a non-functioning state/functioning state. According to the invention, said security device (8, 9, 10) is designed as a retrofitted module (8, 9, 10) which can be connected, according to requirements, to a base module (1-6 and 11), said module surrounding the largest part of the locking mechanism (1, 2), the actuating lever chain (4) and the locking unit (5, 6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Patent number: 9109380
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door lock is provided with a catch with an actuating-lever mechanism which acts on the catch. There is also a locking lever which, together with the actuating lever, renders the actuating-lever mechanism inactive when accelerating forces of predetermined magnitude occur, for example in the event of a crash. The actuating lever and locking lever disable the actuating-lever mechanism mechanically, as a result of the accelerating forces occurring, by associated deflection. Following dissipation of the accelerating forces, the actuating lever and locking lever reconnect the actuating-lever mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Kiekert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Mittelbach, Rolf Siemensmeyer, Dirk Eichel, Michael Strathmann
  • Publication number: 20150204117
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock, having a lock case (1), and also a locking mechanism (2, 3) which is supported in the lock case (1) and consists substantially of a rotary latch (2) and a pawl (3), and having an additional reinforcing element (7), wherein the reinforcing element (7) is formed as a reinforcing plate (7) which couples the two axes of rotation of both the rotary latch (2) and the pawl (1) at a distance from the lock case (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventor: Stephan Mittelbach
  • Publication number: 20130056997
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a motor-vehicle door lock which is provided with a catch (2,3), with an actuating-lever mechanism (5, 6) which acts on the catch (2, 3). There is also a locking lever (7) which, together with the actuating lever (5), renders the actuating-lever mechanism (5, 6) inactive when accelerating forces of predetermined magnitude occur, for example in the event of a crash. According to the invention, the actuating lever (5) and locking lever (7) disable the actuating-lever mechanism (5, 6) mechanically, as a result of the accelerating forces occurring, by associated deflection. Following dissipation of the accelerating forces, the actuating lever (5) and locking lever (7) reconnect the actuating-lever mechanism (5, 6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Stephan Mittelbach, Rolf Siemensmeyer, Dirk Eichel, Michael Strathmann
  • Patent number: 6234548
    Abstract: A motor-vehicle door-latch handle assembly has a mounting plate, an elongated handle having a rear end pivoted in the mounting plate and a front end formed with a horizontally and transversely projecting actuation arm having a hook end. The handle is pivotal on the plate between an inner position with the front end resting against the door and an outer position with the front end pulled horizontally out of the door. A coupling element is pivoted on the door about a horizontal axis and has one radially projecting coupling arm engageable with the hook end of the handle, another radially projecting coupling arm, and a radially projecting abutment formation. A link extends vertically between the other coupling arm and the latch so that when the handle is displaced into the outer position the element is pivoted and the link is displaced vertically to actuate the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Stephan Mittelbach, Michael Strathmann, Stefan Uecker