Patents by Inventor Winfried Bunsmann
Winfried Bunsmann 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: 8020916Abstract: The invention relates to a convertible vehicle with at least two roof sections; that, when the roof is closed, are situated one behind the other with regard to the direction of travel (F), of which, when roof section that is situated behind the other section when the roof is closed, at least one separately openable part of the or a roof section, which is situated in front of roof section, can be displaced with a component pointing toward the rear, and the convertible vehicle is ready to be driven when the roof sections are in this position.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2005Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Klaus Russke
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Patent number: 7784850Abstract: A convertible with a roof, which can be displaced longitudinally in an approximately horizontal position towards the rear of the vehicle, between a closed position, in which the roof is held directly or indirectly against the windshield frame and an intermediate position, in which the fixture between the roof and the windshield frame is released, is provided. The roof, for at least part of the lowering motion, is held in a receiving space of the car body in the rear intermediate position and in the lowered condition it can be displaced longitudinally towards the front of the vehicle. At least one displaceable locking element for the roof can be actuated during the longitudinal displacement of the stowed-away roof.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2005Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Heino Feussahrens, Winfried Bunsmann
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Patent number: 7770958Abstract: Disclosed is a soft top for a motor vehicle, comprising longitudinal struts that span a roof opening and a flexible roof skin which spans the width of the vehicle and is fastened to a windshield frame in the front and a bow spanning the width of the vehicle in the rear in the mounted state. One respective longitudinal strut that delimits the roof skin in the transversal direction of the vehicle is embodied as a lateral rail which can be connected at least to one lateral vehicle element. In order to put the soft top down, it can be folded in the transversal direction of the vehicle, the roof skin and the longitudinal struts being joined so as to form a pre-assembled unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2004Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventor: Winfried Bunsmann
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Patent number: 7735900Abstract: A convertible includes an automobile body and a movable roof having at least a rear roof part and an upper roof part, wherein the rear roof part extends at least between a belt line and the upper roof part. The upper roof part is located above a passenger compartment and in front of the rear roof part. The rear roof part has a middle section that encloses a rear window and is located between lateral main posts of the automobile body when the roof is closed. The main posts and the middle section are each rotationally connected with the automobile body and with the upper roof part by joints which form a multijoint linkage whose axis of rotation lie in a common plane in at least one movement position of the roof, so that at least one additional support of the upper roof part located in front of the rear roof part is provided for supporting the upper roof part with respect to the automobile body, wherein the additional support is active in the at least one movement position of the roof.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2003Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Klaus Russke, Winfried Bunsmann, Matthias Aydt
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Patent number: 7722106Abstract: In a tailgate for a motor vehicle, which comprises a lower tailgate body (18), on which a rear window (22) is mounted, on whose upper area a supplemental brake light (24) is provided, the rear window (22) is lowerable into the tailgate body (18), wherein the rear window, at least when the vehicle is driven, is lowerable only so far that its upper area provided with the supplemental brake light (24) upwardly projects from the tailgate body.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2005Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventor: Winfried Bunsmann
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Patent number: 7712825Abstract: The invention relates to a folding top for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one first and at least one second structural element (6, 7), which are covered by a flexible roof panel (8). Said structural elements (6, 7) are designed to be mounted and detached transversally to the direction of the vehicle by means of a roof opening (2) and once attached, are fixed at the front to the windscreen frame (3) and at the rear to a bow (4) that spans the width of the vehicle. The flat structural elements (6, 7) are interconnected by means of guide devices (14, 15) and can be displaced in relation to one another transversally to the direction of the vehicle by means of said devices (14, 15).Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2004Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Juergen Theuerkauf
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Patent number: 7703827Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1) having a hatchback (h1) that is movable in at least one position of a rear window (H4), wherein the rear window (H4) can be separately moved from its closed position in the areas (H2, H3) surrounding the hatchback (H1) and opposite thereto into a release position, wherein the rear window (H4) can be stored in an area in the vehicle body (6) that is spaced from the hatchback (H1).Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2004Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Olaf Weissmüller, Udo Heselhaus
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Patent number: 7677633Abstract: In a convertible vehicle having a folding convertible top (16), whose rear side is affixed to a tensioning bow (20) laterally supported relative to the vehicle, and a rear trunk lid (14) laterally supported relative to the vehicle, wherein its front side is arranged in the vicinity of the tensioning bow in its closed state, the tensioning bow (20) can be brought into an upwardly pivoted position during the opening of the rear trunk lid (14) or when the rear trunk lid is opened, so that an opening for loading of a luggage compartment, which is arranged underneath the rear trunk lid and underneath the tensioning bow at least when the folding convertible top is closed, is enlarged.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2004Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Franz-Ulrich Brockhoff, Winfried Bunsmann, Siegfried Licher
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Patent number: 7673927Abstract: In a motor vehicle having a tail gate (10) affixed to a lateral, rear pillar of the vehicle structure by means of at least one hinge so as to be pivotable about a substantially vertical axis (A-A), a hinge part that swings out together with the tail gate is located in an area of a lateral tail light (18) of the vehicle when the tail gate (10) is closed.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2006Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Franz-Ulrich Brockhoff, Winfried Bunsmann, Jochen Klein, Wolfgang Nentwig, Markus Grave
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Publication number: 20090273210Abstract: The invention relates to a convertible vehicle with at least two roof sections that, when the roof is closed, are situated one behind the other with regard to the direction of travel (F), of which, when roof section that is situated behind the other section when the roof is closed, at least one separately openable part of the or a roof section, which is situated in front of roof section, can be displaced with a component pointing toward the rear, and the convertible vehicle is ready to be driven when the roof sections are in this position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2005Publication date: November 5, 2009Applicant: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Klaus Russke
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Patent number: 7591500Abstract: A motor vehicle with an automobile body having two rigid body regions located on both sides above side window regions. At least two panel-shaped roof sections lay behind one another between the two body regions, which roof sections can move relative to the lateral body sections, and can move out of the closed position into an open position further below in the automobile body. From the closed position of the roof sections, a front roof section can be moved over a rear roof section by guiding it laterally like a sliding sunroof. The front end regions of the roof sections can be raised from this position so that the roof sections can be lowered into the automobile body. In the closed position of the roof sections, a rear window, which can be separately moved between an open position and a closed position, borders directly on the rear roof section.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2004Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Olaf Weissmüller, Udo Heselhaus
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Patent number: 7575268Abstract: A component of an adjustment mechanism for a vehicle roof of a convertible, designed to be adjustable between a first position and a second position, which is exposed to alternating loads as a function of its position and is topologically and/or topographically adjusted to the loads acting on component for a predefined design space, so that a uniform stress distribution is at least approximately present in component, at least in critical load situations, and the component is designed in the areas with limited load with less use of material than in the areas with higher load, or with a recess.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2004Date of Patent: August 18, 2009Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Heino Feussahrens, Hans-Joachim Emmelmann, Winfried Bunsmann
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Patent number: 7559595Abstract: A convertible device of a vehicle comprises a convertible top (10) movable between a closed position and a folded-together, lowered open position and a separating wall (22, 24) separating the convertible top at least in its folded-together open position at least partially from the interior of a luggage space (19) of the vehicle when the convertible device is mounted thereon. At least a portion of the separating wall is formed by a rear shelf part (24) that separates the passenger compartment from the luggage space in the closed position of the convertible top and during movement of the folding top into its open position moves downwardly together with the lower, rear edge portion of the convertible top, so that the folded-together convertible top is disposed above the rear shelf part. A sensor apparatus detects an object located in the luggage space and hindering a lowering of the rear shelf part.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Joachim Maass, Heiko Schonhorst
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Patent number: 7506915Abstract: A motor vehicle (1) with a hatchback (H1) comprising lateral frame parts (H3) rising in the direction of travel, between which in a rear window (H4) is received in at least one position and which rest on a rear section (8) of lateral members of the bodywork of the vehicle (6) when the hatchback (H1) is in a closed position, forming part of the outer surface of the vehicle. According to the invention, when the hatchback (H1) is opened, it can be moved with the most forward-lying area (HF) thereof counter to the direction of travel (F) and a passageway (D1) enabling the roof parts (P1;P2;H4) to move inside the bodywork of the vehicle (6) is opened up in the overlapping area when the hatchback (H1) is closed.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2004Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann, GmbHInventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Olaf Weissmüller, Udo Heselhaus
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Patent number: 7497510Abstract: A motor vehicle with a vehicle body, which comprises at least a pair of struts, at least one vibration-selective detection unit for detecting longitudinal stresses on the struts during operation of the vehicle, and at least one actuator for producing a force that counteracts the longitudinal stress, wherein the at least two struts are connected by a holding device, which is movably supported relative to the body, wherein a common actuator is configured for simultaneously adjusting the struts connected by the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2004Date of Patent: March 3, 2009Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Peter Kalinke
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Patent number: 7481458Abstract: The present invention relates to a roll-over protection device for a motor vehicle, particularly for a convertible, comprising a roll bar (2). This roll bar is provided with an at least nearly U-shaped design having a transverse yoke (3) and lateral limbs (4A, 4B) while leaving a loading opening (11) unobstructed, and extending such that it essentially spans the width of the vehicle. The lateral limbs (4A, 4B) can be displaced along fixed guiding devices (6, 7) in order to transfer the roll bar (2) out of a lowered non-operational position and into a raised supporting position. To this end, a central retaining and activating device (12) for the roll bar (2), said device being controlled by an actuator (18), is provided and/or a device (17) that synchronizes the displacement of the limbs (4A, 4B) of the roll bar (2) along the guiding devices (6, 7) is provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2004Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Franz Ulrich Brockhoff, Stefan Hoge
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Patent number: 7455347Abstract: A vehicle roof structure (10), which has at least one rear-side convertible top compartment lid (16) and a rigid roof part (12) movable between an opened- and a closed position, which roof part (12) extends in the closed position between a windshield frame (14) of the vehicle and the convertible top compartment lid (16) and in the opened position is stored in a space underneath the convertible top compartment lid (16), is movable between the closed position and the opened position by a linkage mechanism (30, 36) and is additionally provided with at least one guide device (40, 42, 44), with which the roof part (12) is in contact during at least one portion of its movement path between the opened- and closed position and which effects a directional change of the movement path of the roof part (12) when it arrives in contact with the roof part.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2004Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignee: Wilhelm Karmann GmbHInventors: Udo Heselhaus, Winfried Bunsmann, Franz Ulrich Brockhoff
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Publication number: 20080203769Abstract: The invention relates to a folding top for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one first and at least one second structural element (6, 7), which are covered by a flexible roof panel (8). Said structural elements (6, 7) are designed to be mounted and detached transversally to the direction of the vehicle by means of a roof opening (2) and once attached, are fixed at the front to the windscreen frame (3) and at the rear to a bow (4) that spans the width of the vehicle. The flat structural elements (6, 7) are interconnected by means of guide devices (14, 15) and can be displaced in relation to one another transversally to the direction of the vehicle by means of said devices (14, 15).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2004Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: Winfried Bunsmann, Juergen Theuerkauf
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Publication number: 20080174137Abstract: In a tailgate for a motor vehicle, which comprises a lower tailgate body (18), on which a rear window (22) is mounted, on whose upper area a supplemental brake light (24) is provided, the rear window (22) is lowerable into the tailgate body (18), wherein the rear window, at least when the vehicle is driven, is lowerable only so far that its upper area provided with the supplemental brake light (24) upwardly projects from the tailgate body.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2005Publication date: July 24, 2008Inventor: Winfried Bunsmann
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Publication number: 20080073940Abstract: A roof structure for a sun roof system includes a roof frame extending at least between an A-pillar and a rear structural pillar of a vehicle. At least one roof element of the roof system is movably guided in or on the roof frame substantially in the vehicle longitudinal direction between a closed roof position and an opened roof position. The roof element is rotatable relative to the roof frame and is lowerable along the structural pillar. The structural pillar is inwardly offset relative to an outer shell of the vehicle, so that the outer shell is completely formed without contacting the structural pillar.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2005Publication date: March 27, 2008Applicant: WILHELM KARMANN GMBHInventor: Winfried Bunsmann