Patents by Inventor Thilo Schultheis

Thilo Schultheis 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: 12097764
    Abstract: An operating member including a support; an actuating part mounted on the support by a mount, to be movable relative to the support, by manual actuation against a resetting force to carry out an actuating movement from a rest position into a depressed position; and a detector, having at least one force sensor, adapted to detect at least one position of the actuating part is presented. The mount includes a guidance mechanism having at least one pair of coupled levers, wherein the levers are each pivotably mounted on the support by a first pivot joint defining at least one first pivot axis and on the actuating part by a second pivot joint defining at least one second pivot axis to cause a pivoting movement of the levers by the actuating movement. The guidance mechanism further includes at least one coupling rod to couple the pivoting movement of the levers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Arthur Klossek, Thomas Ofenhitzer, Thilo Schultheis, Andreas Hofmann
  • Patent number: 12039104
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an input device including an operating part with an input surface; a carrier; a mount that is adapted to mount the operating part on the carrier in a restoring manner, which are configured to mount the operating part to deflect from a rest position in a deflection direction substantially parallel to the input surface and to elastically restore to the rest position; and an actuator for an excitation of movement of the operating part in the deflection direction to generate a haptic feedback for an operator; wherein the mount comprises two spring members, which extend substantially parallel to one another and substantially parallel to the input surface, and which respectively have one leaf spring strip having a spring steel and three fastening members in which the leaf spring strip is positively accommodated, wherein the fastening members are arranged in a uniformly spaced-apart manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Miller, Thilo Schultheis, Tobias Bodenstein, Michael Schwab
  • Patent number: 11869731
    Abstract: An operating member includes: a support; an actuating part, which defines an actuating surface is mounted on the support by a mount to be movable relative to the support, by manual actuation against a resetting force, while carrying out an actuating movement from a rest position into a depressed position; a detector having at least one force sensor, wherein the detector is adapted to detect at least one position of the actuating part; wherein the mount includes a guidance mechanism having at least one pair of coupled levers, wherein the levers are each pivotably mounted on the support by a first pivot joint and on the actuating part—by a second pivot joint to cause a pivoting movement of the at least one pair of coupled levers by the actuating movement, wherein the guidance mechanism further includes at least one coupling rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Arthur Klossek, Thomas Ofenhitzer, Thilo Schultheis, Andreas Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20240004473
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an input device including an operating part with an input surface; a carrier; a mount that is adapted to mount the operating part on the carrier in a restoring manner, which are configured to mount the operating part to deflect from a rest position in a deflection direction substantially parallel to the input surface and to elastically restore to the rest position; and an actuator for an excitation of movement of the operating part in the deflection direction to generate a haptic feedback for an operator; wherein the mount comprises two spring members, which extend substantially parallel to one another and substantially parallel to the input surface, and which respectively have one leaf spring strip having a spring steel and three fastening members in which the leaf spring strip is positively accommodated, wherein the fastening members are arranged in a uniformly spaced-apart manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Michael MILLER, Thilo SCHULTHEIS, Tobias BODENSTEIN, Michael SCHWAB
  • Publication number: 20230354519
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a component for the surface soldering installation on a circuit board, comprising: a basic body forming at least one locating surface provided for contact with a surface of the circuit board, or several locating points spanning a plane; two elastic brackets, which are formed on opposing sides of the basic body and respectively form one soldering surface for a solder connection with a positioning surface of the circuit board, wherein each of the two brackets has, in sequential arrangement over its course from the basic body to the soldering surface, a strip-shaped, flat, first portion and a strip-shaped, flat, second portion, wherein the main surfaces of the first portion are arranged at an angle to the main surfaces of the second portion; a use and an associated assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Thilo SCHULTHEIS
  • Publication number: 20230290583
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an input device, including a carrier; a contact part; a spring disposed between the carrier and the contact part, wherein the spring is adapted to mount the contact part on the carrier in an, along a deflection direction (RA), elastically self-resetting and a vibration-capable manner; wherein the spring is configured such that it is fixed by a positive fit by an insertion in a first direction into at least one carrier-side first accommodating portion of the carrier, and that it is fixed on the contact part by a positive fit by an insertion in a second direction into at least one contact part-side second accommodating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Michael JORDAN, Thilo SCHULTHEIS, Joachim WUEST
  • Publication number: 20230079883
    Abstract: An operating member including a support; an actuating part mounted on the support by a mount, to be movable relative to the support, by manual actuation against a resetting force to carry out an actuating movement from a rest position into a depressed position; and a detector, having at least one force sensor, adapted to detect at least one position of the actuating part is presented. The mount includes a guidance mechanism having at least one pair of coupled levers, wherein the levers are each pivotably mounted on the support by a first pivot joint defining at least one first pivot axis and on the actuating part by a second pivot joint defining at least one second pivot axis to cause a pivoting movement of the levers by the actuating movement. The guidance mechanism further includes at least one coupling rod to couple the pivoting movement of the levers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Arthur KLOSSEK, Thomas OFENHITZER, Thilo SCHULTHEIS, Andreas HOFMANN
  • Publication number: 20220285108
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an operating member including: a support; an actuating part, which defines an actuating surface is mounted on the support by a mount to be movable relative to the support, by manual actuation against a resetting force, while carrying out an actuating movement from a rest position into a depressed position; a detector having at least one force sensor, wherein the detector is adapted to detect at least one position of the actuating part; wherein the mount includes a guidance mechanism having at least one pair of coupled levers, wherein the levers are each pivotably mounted on the support by a first pivot joint and on the actuating part—by a second pivot joint to cause a pivoting movement of the at least one pair of coupled levers by the actuating movement, wherein the guidance mechanism further includes at least one coupling rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Arthur Klossek, Thomas Ofenhitzer, Thilo Schultheis, Andreas Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10444087
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a capacitive force sensor. The capacitive force sensor includes a planar base body, a supported membrane body, two spacers disposed spaced apart to each other, where the membrane body abuts the planar base body via the spacers, and wherein a cavity is formed between the membrane body and the planar base body to allow displacement or deflection of the membrane body under a force onto the membrane body in the area between the spacers. The membrane body forms a first electrode and, a second electrode is provided on the planar base body, wherein the first and second electrode define a first precision capacitor with changing measuring capacity depending on the force. An electrical bracket extends from each of the spacers for electrically contacting the first electrode and forms a bend between each of the associated spacer and a bottom of the base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Benedikt Schmidt, Thomas Zirkelbach, Harald Ment, Jürgen Nauth, Thilo Schultheis, Sara Hofmann, Matthias Müller
  • Publication number: 20180195912
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a capacitive force sensor. The capacitive force sensor includes a planar base body, a supported membrane body, two spacers disposed spaced apart to each other, where the membrane body abuts the planar base body via the spacers, and wherein a cavity is formed between the membrane body and the planar base body to allow displacement or deflection of the membrane body under a force onto the membrane body in the area between the spacers. The membrane body forms a first electrode and, a second electrode is provided on the planar base body, wherein the first and second electrode define a first precision capacitor with changing measuring capacity depending on the force. An electrical bracket extends from each of the spacers for electrically contacting the first electrode and forms a bend between each of the associated spacer and a bottom of the base body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Benedikt SCHMIDT, Thomas ZIRKELBACH, Harald MENT, Jürgen NAUTH, Thilo SCHULTHEIS, Sara HOFMANN, Matthias MÜLLER
  • Patent number: 9983077
    Abstract: A capacitive force sensor includes a base body, a diaphragm body, two spacers arranged between the base body and the diaphragm body, the two spacers supporting the diaphragm body on the base body, a free end formed by the diaphragm body projecting beyond one of the two spacers, a cavity formed between the diaphragm body and the base body in a region between the two spacers so that the diaphragm body bends when a force acts on the diaphragm body in the region between the two spacers, a first electrode arranged at the free end, a second electrode arranged on the base body, and an electrical contact device which makes an electrical contact with the first and second electrode. The first and second electrode define a precision capacitance meter with a measuring capacitance which changes with an action of the force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Thilo Schultheis, Johannes Duenninger
  • Publication number: 20170268946
    Abstract: A capacitive force sensor includes a base body, a diaphragm body, two spacers arranged between the base body and the diaphragm body, the two spacers supporting the diaphragm body on the base body, a free end formed by the diaphragm body projecting beyond one of the two spacers, a cavity formed between the diaphragm body and the base body in a region between the two spacers so that the diaphragm body bends when a force acts on the diaphragm body in the region between the two spacers, a first electrode arranged at the free end, a second electrode arranged on the base body, and an electrical contact device which makes an electrical contact with the first and second electrode. The first and second electrode define a precision capacitance meter with a measuring capacitance which changes with an action of the force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: THILO SCHULTHEIS, JOHANNES DUENNINGER
  • Patent number: 9298206
    Abstract: An operator control element with magnetic return for a number of switching and/or control functions: includes an abutment part; an actuating part which can be moved, for example displaced and/or pivoted, by hand from an inoperative position in at least two opposite directions with respect to the abutment part; magnetic return means for returning the actuating part into the inoperative position; and detection means for producing an electrical signal corresponding in each case at least to the maximum positions and the inoperative position of the actuating part. The magnetic return means include at least one actuating part-side ring magnets and one abutment part-side ring magnet arranged in the inoperative position such that the end faces thereof face one another and are spaced apart. They are arranged so as to pull the actuating part towards the abutment part and that they are concentric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Arthur Klossek, Thilo Schultheis, Stefan Schuberth
  • Patent number: 8854163
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating element (10) for a regulating and/or switching functionality having at least two switching or regulating stages, comprising: an actuating part (4) which can be actuated manually and thereby moved out of a rest position; at least three permanent magnets (1, 2, 3), comprising: a first movable permanent magnet (1), which is driven synchronously in its range of movement by the actuating part (4); a second movable permanent magnet (2), which, in a first partial range of the range of movement of the first permanent magnet (1), is synchronously entrained by it through magnetic force, and whose further movement is inhibited in at least one second partial range of the range of movement of the first permanent magnet (1) by at least one stop (5a); a third permanent magnet (3), which is stationary relative to the actuating part (4), for generating a magnetic return force on the at least first permanent magnet (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Gessner, Thilo Schultheis, Arthur Klossek
  • Publication number: 20140260771
    Abstract: An operator control element with magnetic return for a number of switching and/or control functions: includes an abutment part; an actuating part which can be moved, for example displaced and/or pivoted, by hand from an inoperative position in at least two opposite directions with respect to the abutment part; magnetic return means for returning the actuating part into the inoperative position; and detection means for producing an electrical signal corresponding in each case at least to the maximum positions and the inoperative position of the actuating part the magnetic return means include at least one actuating part-side ring magnets and one abutment part-side ring magnet arranged in the inoperative position such that the end faces thereof face one another and are spaced apart. They are arranged so as to pull the actuating part towards the abutment part and that they are concentric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Arthur Klossek, Thilo Schultheis, Stefan Schuberth
  • Publication number: 20130271245
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating element (10) for a regulating and/or switching functionality having at least two switching or regulating stages, comprising: an actuating part (4) which can be actuated manually and thereby moved out of a rest position; at least three permanent magnets (1, 2, 3), comprising: a first movable permanent magnet (1), which is driven synchronously in its range of movement by the actuating part (4); a second movable permanent magnet (2), which, in a first partial range of the range of movement of the first permanent magnet (1), is synchronously entrained by it through magnetic force, and whose further movement is inhibited in at least one second partial range of the range of movement of the first permanent magnet (1) by at least one stop (5a); a third permanent magnet (3), which is stationary relative to the actuating part (4), for generating a magnetic return force on the at least first permanent magnet (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Gessner, Thilo Schultheis, Arthur Klossek
  • Patent number: 8284003
    Abstract: A control element for a motor vehicle including a control button, a bearing location for the control button located in a housing of the control element, an extension firmly connected with the control button, a first permanent magnet attached to the extension, and a second permanent magnet attached in the housing, where the permanent magnets form a permanent magnet pair, and unlike poles of the magnets face each other at a distance in a mid-position of the control button, wherein a magnetically conductive material is attached at least in some areas and circumferentially to the permanent magnet pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventors: Artur Klossek, Thilo Schultheis
  • Publication number: 20100288071
    Abstract: A control element for a motor vehicle including a control button, a bearing location for the control button located in a housing of the control element, an extension firmly connected with the control button, a first permanent magnet attached to the extension, and a second permanent magnet attached in the, wherein the permanent magnets form a permanent magnet pair, and unlike poles of the magnets face each other at a distance in a mid-position of the control button, wherein a magnetically conductive material is attached at least in some areas and circumferentially to the permanent magnet pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: PREH GMBH
    Inventors: Artur Klossek, Thilo Schultheis
  • Patent number: 6860457
    Abstract: During vehicle travel, a container can be pushed, pressed downwards and lifted, but not rotated. As such, a holder is provided that enables the removal of a container, by rotating the container about a vertical axis. The holder comprises clamping lugs that have a rotatable part integrated into the clamping lugs and snapped into an axial bearing of the clamping lugs. The rotatable part is designed in the shape of a cylinder, and is pressed into a stable center position by means of a type of torsion spring. The rotatable part projects outwards, relative to the clamping lug at the tip and upper side of the clamping lug, so that even when the clamping lug is deflected, the part can contact any diameter container. Furthermore, when the part is in a center position, there is preferably a sprayed-on elastomer or other rubber-like material forming a contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gebhard Then, Thilo Schultheis
  • Patent number: 6843397
    Abstract: In order to be able to initiate in a simple way the power adjustment of retaining arms of a device for holding containers, it is proposed to trigger control of an actuating drive initially by displacement of at least a bottom part of the holder, and subsequently by rotation of a container inside the holder. This permits unambiguous and intentional switch-on of the actuating drive inside the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gebhard Then, Thilo Schultheis