Patents by Inventor Thorsten Bendel
Thorsten Bendel 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: 11939805Abstract: A door drive for a motor vehicle door or motor vehicle flap, which is provided with an electromotive drive, a transmission downstream of the drive, and a force-transmission element. The force-transmission element is operatively connected to a leaf of the motor vehicle door or motor vehicle flap. An output element of the transmission and the force-transmission element are coupled by a toothing with compensation for play. According to the invention, the output element and/or the force-transmission element are not only designed to be moveable for play compensation, but can also be permanently fixed after the compensation for play.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2020Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Kiekert AGInventors: Thorsten Bendel, Michael Berres, Bernhard Drost, Christian Sturm
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Publication number: 20240084624Abstract: A motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, which is equipped with a locking mechanism essentially consisting of a rotary latch and a pawl. Furthermore, an actuating lever chain for the locking mechanism is provided. The actuating lever chain has at least one actuating lever, a coupling element, and a trigger lever on the locking mechanism side. Furthermore, an inertia element is also provided for acting on the coupling element at least in the event of a crash. According to the invention, the coupling element is disengaged during normal operation and is only engaged in the event of a crash by means of the inertia element.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2022Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicant: KIEKERT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Ömer INAN, Peter SZEGENY, Thorsten BENDEL, Michael SCHOLZ, Holger SCHIFFER
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Publication number: 20240035315Abstract: A motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, which is equipped with a locking mechanism arranged in a lock housing and made up substantially of a rotary latch and a pawl. Furthermore, an electromotive drive is provided, in particular for the locking mechanism and an emergency power source for emergency electrical power supply of the drive. According to the invention, the emergency power source is arranged in the lock housing in such a way that it can be replaced.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2021Publication date: February 1, 2024Applicant: Kiekert AGInventor: Thorsten BENDEL
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Publication number: 20230383579Abstract: A method for controlling at least one motor-vehicle closure element, more particularly a motor-vehicle door. A personal transmitting unit is sensed by at least one closure-element receiving unit. According to the invention, the personal transmitting unit is located by means of at least two spatially distanced closure element-side receiving units and is evaluated in accordance with its relative position and/or velocity in comparison with the motor-vehicle closure element.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventor: Thorsten BENDEL
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Patent number: 11781350Abstract: An emergency actuating device for a closing system of a movable part of a vehicle, in particular of a door, sliding door, flap or tailgate, having at least one energy store, a communication unit for wireless communication with an ID transponder, and an electronics unit for activating a lock of the movable part, whereby the lock of the movable part can be transferred from a locking position into an unlocking position or vice versa.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2018Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Kiekert AGInventors: Thorsten Bendel, Marco Eggert, Tobias Klocke, Daniel Koch, Martin Lindmayer
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Patent number: 11767690Abstract: A door handle module for a movable part of a vehicle, in particular for a side door, tailgate, bonnet or luggage compartment hatch, comprising a handle support that can be mounted on the outer skin of the movable part, a handle mounted movably on the handle support and having an operating mechanism that can be hidden at least in part by the outer skin, the operating mechanism being operatively connectable to a latch or a latch drive so that an, in particular mechanical, operation of the latch of the movable part can be performed, and further comprising a sensor unit having at least one sensor element in order to detect a user intention in an operating region of a door handle depression of the movable part so that the lock or the latch drive is electrically actuatable in the operating region in the event that a user intention is identified.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2019Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Kiekert AGInventors: Thorsten Bendel, Marco Eggert
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Publication number: 20230228131Abstract: A method for detecting a closed position of a movable part of a vehicle, in particular an automatically operable vehicle, said method comprising the following steps: a control unit receives a first position signal from a first signal source as a first closure criterion which comprises at least one locking position of a vehicle lock for the movable part; the control unit adds a conditional test instruction to the received first position signal, wherein the conditional test instruction comprises checking for at least one second position signal as a second closure criterion after detecting the first position signal, wherein the first closure criterion is also satisfied; the control unit receives the second position signal from a second signal source as a second closure criterion, wherein the second signal source is different from the first signal source and the second position signal can be assigned to the movable part; the control unit outputs a confirmation signal when both closure criteria are satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2021Publication date: July 20, 2023Inventors: Holger SCHIFFER, Andreas ZIGANKI, Thorsten BENDEL, Ömer INAN, Manuel REUSCH, Stefan EBERSOHN
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Publication number: 20230211724Abstract: A motor vehicle panel, in particular motor vehicle door which comprises a lighting unit and an energy accumulator unit arranged in the door leaf for supplying energy to at least the lighting unit. According to the invention, the energy accumulator unit is coupled to the lighting unit via at least one detachable electric connection.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2021Publication date: July 6, 2023Inventor: Thorsten BENDEL
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Publication number: 20230211725Abstract: A motor vehicle, which is equipped with at least one motor vehicle panel that can be moved with respect to the motor vehicle body. An adjusting unit which comprises an adjusting element with an associated drive is also provided. The adjusting element can be moved relative to the motor vehicle body and/or the motor vehicle panel into at least one retracted and extended position with the aid of the drive. According to the invention, the adjusting element comprises a lighting unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2021Publication date: July 6, 2023Inventor: Thorsten BENDEL
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Publication number: 20230013256Abstract: A door drive for a motor vehicle door or motor vehicle flap, which is provided with an electromotive drive, a transmission downstream of the drive, and a force-transmission element. The force-transmission element is operatively connected to a leaf of the motor vehicle door or motor vehicle flap. An output element of the transmission and the force-transmission element are coupled by a toothing with compensation for play. According to the invention, the output element and/or the force-transmission element are not only designed to be moveable for play compensation, but can also be permanently fixed after the compensation for play.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2020Publication date: January 19, 2023Inventors: Thorsten BENDEL, Michael BERRES, Bernhard DROST, Christian STURM
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Publication number: 20220364396Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle door lock which is equipped with a locking mechanism (1, 2) that consists essentially of a rotary latch (1) and a pawl (2). Furthermore, an electrical drive (3, 4) for the locking mechanism (1, 2) is provided. Moreover, an actuating lever chain (5, 6, 7) is implemented between the electrical drive (3, 4) and the locking mechanism (1, 2), wherein a coupling element (7) of the actuating lever chain (5, 6, 7) can at least be decoupled with the aid of an emergency actuating element (9, 10) that can be acted on manually. According to the invention, the emergency actuating element (9, 10) acts on the coupling element (7) predominantly in a linear manner in relation to a link (8).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2020Publication date: November 17, 2022Inventors: Ömer INAN, Holger SCHIFFER, Thomas SCHÖNENBERG, Michael SCHOLZ, Thorsten BENDEL
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Patent number: 11486170Abstract: A device for opening a door or flap on a motor vehicle, comprising a handle that a user can grip from outside the motor vehicle, a motor vehicle locking mechanism, and a means for actuating the locking mechanism using the handle, said actuating means being a cable that is placed between the handle and the motor vehicle locking mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2017Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Kiekert AGInventor: Thorsten Bendel
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Patent number: 11479996Abstract: A method for actuating a motor vehicle lock and a locking device for a motor vehicle includes an actuating lever, a lock and a Bowden cable arranged between the actuating lever and the lock, the lock can be actuated by means of the actuating lever and with the aid of the Bowden cable, and a functional unit arranged on the Bowden cable and comprising an electric drive.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2017Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Kiekert AGInventors: Klaus Götzen, Christian Sturm, Claus Töpfer, Thorsten Bendel, Winfried Schlabs, Tim Sonnenschein
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Publication number: 20220290469Abstract: A motor vehicle lock, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, which is equipped with an electromotive drive for an actuation lever chain and in particular locking lever chain. An emergency energy store for providing electrical power to the drive in the event of emergency activation and in particular emergency unlocking is also provided. In accordance with the invention, the drive, for emergency actuation and in particular emergency unlocking, acts on the actuation lever chain or locking lever chain against the force of a restoring spring.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2020Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Thorsten BENDEL, Christian STURM, Martin LINDMAYER, Tobias KONRAD
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Publication number: 20220205286Abstract: A door presenting device for a motor vehicle door element, having an electric drive unit and an actuating means, wherein the actuating means can be adjusted by means of the drive unit and a gear mechanism arranged between the actuating means and the drive unit, with the result that a movement of the door element can be enabled, and further having a locking means. The door element can be maintained in position by means of the locking means and the locking means can be electrically actuated, namely indirectly, preferably manually, actuated.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2020Publication date: June 30, 2022Inventors: Thorsten BENDEL, Uwe REDDMANN
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Patent number: 11199032Abstract: The invention relates to a securing device (1), which has a front hood (2) and a hood lock (3) with a lock holder (10), for a motor vehicle. The hood lock (3) has a rotary latch (4) with a pre-latching position and a main latching position in which the front hood (2) is closed and locked, an electric drive (5) which switches the rotary latch (4) from the main latching position into the pre-latching position, and a bayonet-type closure system (13) with a closed position, a release position, and an intermediate position. In the closed position, the rotary latch (4) is located in the main latching position; in the intermediate position, the rotary latch (4) is located in the pre-latching position and the lock holder (10) is engaged with the rotary latch (4); and in the release position, the lock holder (10) is released by the rotary latch (4) and the front hood (2) is unlocked.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2016Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: Kiekert AGInventors: Johannes Theodor Menke, Thorsten Nottebaum, Thorsten Bendel, Karl Krause
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Patent number: 11156018Abstract: A motor vehicle lock comprising a lock housing, an electric power supply and at least one illuminant which can be connected to the electric power supply, emits light into a light-guiding element and can be placed directly on a circuit board located inside the lock housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2017Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: Kiekert AGInventors: Thorsten Bendel, Werner Pohle, Thorsten Nottebaum
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Patent number: 11035158Abstract: A lock holder for a motor vehicle lock includes a locking bolt and a mounting plate, wherein the locking bolt can be fastened together with the mounting plate to a motor vehicle body, a cover cap, wherein at least the mounting plate can be covered at least in areas by the covering cap, and wherein the covering cap can be connected in such a way to the mounting plate that the cover cap forms at least in regions a surface area with the mounting plate.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2016Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: Kiekert AGInventor: Thorsten Bendel
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Patent number: 10988961Abstract: A safety device for a motor vehicle includes a bonnet with an open and closed position, a bonnet lock with a lock retainer and a rotary latch, and an electric drive which shifts the rotary latch from a main locking position into a preliminary locking position. The lock retainer has an actuator, wherein in a first position of the actuator and in the preliminary locking position of the rotary latch, the lock retainer engages with the rotary latch and the bonnet is locked, and in a second position of the actuator, the lock retainer is released by the rotary latch and the bonnet is unlocked. The bonnet is coupled to the actuator such that in the preliminary locking position of the rotary latch a displacement of the bonnet towards the closed position of the bonnet causes a displacement of the actuator from the first position into the second position.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Kiekert AGInventors: Karl Krause, Thorsten Nottebaum, Johannes Theodor Menke, Thorsten Bendel
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Patent number: 10975600Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock comprising a locking mechanism provided with a rotary latch and at least one pawl, a rotary movement of the rotary latch can be blocked by means of the pawl, a drive device by means of which the pawl can be transferred from the locked position into a release position for the locking mechanism, and an adjusting device (9). A motor vehicle part (4) accommodating the vehicle lock can be moved from the closed position into an open position by means of the adjusting device (9). Said adjusting device (9) maintains the motor vehicle part (4) in the open position such that the motor vehicle part (4) can be prevented from opening automatically from the open position.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: Kiekert AGInventor: Thorsten Bendel