Patents by Inventor Thomas Wohllebe
Thomas Wohllebe 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: 11173874Abstract: An occupant restraint system in a self-driving vehicle, in particular a robot taxi, for customer transport, wherein the occupant restraint system provides to the customer a restraint system that can be activated by the customer to be transported, and the occupant restraint system has an analysis unit via which a check is made in a safety check as to whether or not the restraint function is activated by the customer to be transported. The analysis unit prevents the vehicle from driving if an activated restraint function is absent. A diagnostic module, with which a functional diagnostic of the functionality of the occupant restraint system can be carried out independently of the safety check, is associated with the analysis unit. In the event that a fault is present, the diagnostic module initiates a suitable service action to remedy the fault.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2020Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Volkswagen AktiengesellschaftInventors: Thomas Wohllebe, Florin Baiduc
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Publication number: 20200384947Abstract: An occupant restraint system in a self-driving vehicle, in particular a robot taxi, for customer transport, wherein the occupant restraint system provides to the customer a restraint system that can be activated by the customer to be transported, and the occupant restraint system has an analysis unit via which a check is made in a safety check as to whether or not the restraint function is activated by the customer to be transported. The analysis unit prevents the vehicle from driving if an activated restraint function is absent. A diagnostic module, with which a functional diagnostic of the functionality of the occupant restraint system can be carried out independently of the safety check, is associated with the analysis unit. In the event that a fault is present, the diagnostic module initiates a suitable service action to remedy the fault.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Applicant: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Thomas WOHLLEBE, Florin BAIDUC
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Publication number: 20200238855Abstract: A vehicle with a vehicle seat arranged in the vehicle interior, which is paired with an occupant protection system, which has at least one crash detection sensor system that detects at least one acceleration value in the event of a crash, which influences the vehicle in the event of a crash so that inertial forces act on the vehicle seat connected to the vehicle and on the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat on the basis of an acceleration value, wherein the acceleration value is used for the crash-adaptive specification, over time, of said displacement travel of the occupant secured with a belt system on the vehicle seat. A total displacement travel of the vehicle seat in the travel direction comprises an additional, exclusively crash-active displacement travel adjoining a displacement travel of the vehicle seat for seat length adjustment in the travel direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2020Publication date: July 30, 2020Applicant: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Eduard SEIB, Thorsten OKUPNIK, Juergen CORDES, Jens MESCHKE, Martin SCHMUECKER, Thomas WOHLLEBE, Manuel KURZ, Thomas DRESCHER
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Patent number: 8157291Abstract: A safety arrangement for a motor vehicle includes an airbag and a crash sensor system. The airbag is normally folded together in a non-activated basic state and is able to be inflated with different volumes. The crash sensor system detects a vehicle impact and emits an activation signal. The crash sensor system includes both a pre-crash sensor system and also an in-crash sensor system, and emits a pre-crash activation signal as activation signal upon detection of an impending collision. The in-crash sensor system detects an actual impact and emits an in-crash activation signal (backup) if the pre-crash sensor system has previously not detected the impending collision and has not emitted a pre-crash activation signal. The airbag may be inflated to a larger airbag volume and to a relatively smaller airbag volume in an in-crash mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2009Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Johann Mayer, Thomas Schmidbauer, Thomas Wohllebe, Mark Gonter
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Publication number: 20110042926Abstract: The invention relates to a safety arrangement for a vehicle, in particular for a motor vehicle with an airbag (2), folded together in the non-activated basic state, which on a triggering of the safety arrangement (1) by an activation signal is able to be inflated with different volumes in the direction of the interior of the vehicle by means of a gas generator (3), and with a crash sensor system which detects a vehicle impact and emits the activation signal for this. According to the invention, the crash sensor system comprises both a pre-crash sensor system and also an in-crash sensor system, wherein the pre-crash sensor system generally already detects an impending collision before an actual impact, and for this circumstance emits a pre-crash activation signal as activation signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2009Publication date: February 24, 2011Applicant: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: Johann Mayer, Thomas Schmidbauer, Thomas Wohllebe, Mark Gonter
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Patent number: 6557887Abstract: A rear seat airbag device is arranged with an airbag housing mounted to a rear portion of a front seat of a vehicle. The housing has an airbag deployment opening which deploys the airbag upwardly and toward the head and chest portion of a rear seat occupant.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventor: Thomas Wohllebe
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Patent number: 6536799Abstract: A safety device for a motor vehicle includes an airbag configuration with a sensing airbag and a protective airbag. The sensing air bag is finger-shaped and has a small volume. A gas generator inflates the sensing airbag with a low power in the event of a vehicle impact. The inflated sensing airbag extends into an inflation zone of the protective airbag in order to sense any obstacle disposed therein. A touch-sensing device is connected to the front of the sensing airbag and provides a control signal when the sensing airbag encounters an obstacle. When the control device receives the control signal, the control device prevents or at least reduces the inflation of the protective airbag. When the control device does not receive the control signal, the protective airbag is inflated with full power.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2001Date of Patent: March 25, 2003Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Ruprecht Sinnhuber, Thomas Wohllebe
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Patent number: 6443486Abstract: An occupant protection device for a motor vehicle includes an airbag configuration disposed in a hub of a steering wheel. A cover formed of two airbag flaps covers an airbag outlet opening. At least two connecting straps and/or pivoting levers hold each of the two airbag flaps when the steering wheel airbag deploys. At least one of the two airbag flaps radially pivots into a release position when the steering wheel airbag deploys and guides the steering wheel airbag into a given deployment direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2001Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Ruprecht Sinnhuber, Thomas Wohllebe
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Patent number: 6428041Abstract: An airbag system includes a contact sensing element acted on by a gas generator to extend in the direction of airbag deployment. The contact sensing element carries a sleeve which initially covers gas openings on the generator and when the contact element is fully extended uncovers the openings to enable rapid airbag deployment. Deployment is slowed in the event the contact element encounters an obstacle, such as an out-of-position passenger.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2001Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Thomas Wohllebe, Ruprecht Sinnhuber
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Publication number: 20020041090Abstract: An airbag system includes a contact sensing element acted on by a gas generator to extend in the direction of airbag deployment. The contact sensing element carries a sleeve which initially covers gas openings on the generator and when the contact element is fully extended uncovers the openings to enable rapid airbag deployment. Deployment is slowed in the event the contact element encounters an obstacle, such as an out-of-position passenger.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2001Publication date: April 11, 2002Inventors: Thomas Wohllebe, Ruprecht Sinnhuber
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Publication number: 20020036398Abstract: A rear seat airbag device is arranged with an airbag housing mounted to a rear portion of a front seat of a vehicle. The housing has an airbag deployment opening which deploys the airbag upwardly and toward the head and chest portion of a rear seat occupant.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2001Publication date: March 28, 2002Inventor: Thomas Wohllebe
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Publication number: 20020020993Abstract: An occupant protection device for a motor vehicle includes an airbag configuration disposed in a hub of a steering wheel. A cover formed of two airbag flaps covers an airbag outlet opening. At least two connecting straps and/or pivoting levers hold each of the two airbag flaps when the steering wheel airbag deploys. At least one of the two airbag flaps radially pivots into a release position when the steering wheel airbag deploys and guides the steering wheel airbag into a given deployment direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2001Publication date: February 21, 2002Inventors: Ruprecht Sinnhuber, Thomas Wohllebe
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Publication number: 20020020990Abstract: A safety device for a motor vehicle includes an airbag configuration with a sensing airbag and a protective airbag. The sensing air bag is finger-shaped and has a small volume. A gas generator inflates the sensing airbag with a low power in the event of a vehicle impact. The inflated sensing airbag extends into an inflation zone of the protective airbag in order to sense any obstacle disposed therein. A touch-sensing device is connected to the front of the sensing airbag and provides a control signal when the sensing airbag encounters an obstacle. When the control device receives the control signal, the control device prevents or at least reduces the inflation of the protective airbag. When the control device does not receive the control signal, the protective airbag is inflated with full power.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2001Publication date: February 21, 2002Inventors: Ruprecht Sinnhuber, Thomas Wohllebe
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Patent number: 6189919Abstract: A steering column for a vehicle is an integral constituent of a safety steering arrangement or an occupant protection arrangement. To minimize the risk of injury to vehicle occupants, the steering column includes deformation members and a geometrically stable intermediate segment. Such a steering column is combined with a steering wheel to which an airbag cover, movable into an open position by the airbag, is articulated so that it will not protrude from the contour of the steering wheel during opening motion of the airbag.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1998Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Ruprecht Sinnhuber, Thomas Wohllebe
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Patent number: 6062642Abstract: In the embodiment described in the specification, a vehicle seat has a framework arrangement with both backrests and seat parts on which a cushion is mounted. The framework arrangement includes a first framework and a second framework which can be displaced relative to the first framework. To reduce the risk of injury to a vehicle seat occupant in the event of rear-impact accidents and/or accidents involving a vehicle turning over, the second framework is supported from the first framework by an energy-absorption structure.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 1998Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Ruprecht Sinnhuber, Tim-Bosse Vogel, Thomas Wohllebe
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Patent number: 5971431Abstract: A motor vehicle airbag arrangement has an airbag stored behind a cover disposed in the region of the dashboard panel. When the airbag, which can be inflated by a gas generator, is triggered, the cover moves to form an opening so that the airbag can unfold into a position which protects a seat occupant's upper body. Unfolding of the airbag is controlled as a function of the position in which the occupant is sitting by using the cover as a shield for the unfolding airbag which can deflect part of the airbag into a position which provides additional protection for a further body region of the occupant. The size of the opening formed by moving the cover depends on the position in which the occupant is sitting at the time.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 1999Date of Patent: October 26, 1999Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Thomas Wohllebe, Ruprecht Sinnhuber
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Patent number: 5842717Abstract: An occupant protection arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a folded-together inflatable airbag, a member having an exit opening for the unfolding airbag, and a cover which is releasably held by a cover-retaining arrangement in a position closing the exit opening. In the event of a collision, the cover is moved into a position clearing the exit opening in a controlled manner and without being projected toward a vehicle occupant. To assure a reproducible opening behavior of the cover without the risk of injury to vehicle occupants by a simple arrangement, the cover retainer is released by the action of at least one accelerated inertial mass which is mounted on the cover and/or on the cover retainer.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1997Date of Patent: December 1, 1998Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Thomas Wohllebe, Ruprecht Sinnhuber