Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Davis and Bujold
  • Patent number: 8348350
    Abstract: A brake system (1) having a number of sub-assemblies including a foot brake pedal (14) whose two stages correspond to service and emergency modes. Pneumatic brake modules (6) are assigned to each axle and have a proportional solenoid valve EVP (9). At least one deceleration controlling UCD unit (12) receives information from the pedal related to the pedal's position and electrically controls the brake motor (31) and/or the EVP in the service and emergency modes. A pneumatic control circuit, which is actuated in the emergency mode, controls the EVP directly from the pneumatic box (19) of the pedal. The brake system (1) is suitable for articulated multi-axle road vehicles and used, in particular, for passenger transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Lohr Industrie
    Inventors: Arnaud Audrezet, Jean-Luc Andre
  • Patent number: 8352140
    Abstract: A method of determining and reducing vibrations caused by a clutch (3) in a drivetrain (1) of a motor vehicle, in which the disturbing vibrations are detected by a control and regulating unit aided by suitable sensors and, if predetermined limit values are exceeded, at least one device is actuated by the control and regulating unit in such manner that the disturbing vibrations are completely eliminated or at least reduced in amplitude. At least one torque sensor (8, 9, 10) is used to detect the occurrence of vibrations in the drivetrain (1) and the torque sensor (8, 9, 10) is used to determine vibration amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Peter Herter, Joachim Staudinger, Rainer Petzold, Franz Bitzer
  • Patent number: 8348637
    Abstract: A gear pump capable of alternately distributing a fluid in two distinct utilization circuits without the need for a switch. The gear pump (1) comprises two fluid outlet ports (5, 6) connected to two fluid utilization circuits and linked to the discharge chamber (C) of the pump via an integrated commutation (7). These commutation (7) comprise two distribution circuits (50, 60), located in a fixed support plate (70), and two buffer channels (30, 40), located in the rotary toothed wheels (3), arranged so as to alternately open and close the distribution circuits according to a commutation cycle that approximately corresponds to the rotation of the toothed wheels over half a revolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Cooltech Applications S.A.S.
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Heitzler, Christian Muller
  • Patent number: 8347752
    Abstract: An actuating device for transmitting shift commands to an automatic gearbox of a motor vehicle. The actuating device comprises a selector lever which is movable in a selector lane between an automatic shift lane and a sequential shift lane, a shift carriage for transmitting the shift commands to a gearbox transmission element, a separating device for separating the force transmission between the selector lever and the shift carriage, and a locking device for blocking the selector lever in at least one selector lever position. The locking device is set up to block the shift carriage. The shift carriage can be blocked not only in the shift-lock positions but also in the position of the shift carriage which corresponds to the selector lane position of the selector lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Carsten Weifels
  • Patent number: 8349166
    Abstract: A single anode system used in multiple electrochemical treatments to control steel corrosion in concrete. The anode system comprises a sacrificial metal that is capable of supporting high impressed anode current densities with an impressed current anode connection detail and a porous embedding material containing an electrolyte. Initially current is driven from the sacrificial metal (1) to the steel (10) using a power source (5) for converting oxygen and water (14) into hydroxyl ions (15) on the steel and drawing chloride ions (16) into the porous material (2) around the anode such that corroding sites are moved from the steel to the anode restoring steel passivity and activating the anode. Cathodic prevention is then applied. This is preferably a sacrificial cathodic prevention which is applied by disconnecting the power source and connecting the activated sacrificial node directly to the steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Inventors: Gareth Glass, Adrian Roberts, Nigel Davison
  • Patent number: 8348334
    Abstract: A suspension system for the spring or damped suspension of a massive body relative to a substructure. The suspension system comprises a spring/damper arrangement disposed between the massive body and the substructure, which comprises at least one damper element and/or at least one spring element for damping shock and/or vibration, and includes a Watt linkage arrangement with at least one Watt linkage. At least one spring element and/or at least one damper element is arranged in the area of a Watt link between the Watt link and the bearing seat associated with the Watt link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Karl Lorenz, Friedhelm Langhorst, Jens Eismann
  • Patent number: 8342050
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches connected to a drive shaft and to one of two transmission input shafts. Fixed gears are coupled to the input shafts and engage idler gears. Several coupling devices connect the idler gears to a countershaft which have an output gear that couple with gears of an output shaft such that forward and reverse gears can be shifted. Two dual gear planes each comprise two idler gears, each supported by a respective countershaft, and one fixed gear. In each dual gear plane, at least one idler gear is used for two gears. Two single gear planes each comprise an idler gear and a fixed gear such that at least one winding-path gear is shifted via a shifting device on the second countershaft, and at least one winding-path gear is shifted via a non-engaged coupling device, assigned to an output gear wheel on the first countershaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Juergen Wafzig, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Ralf Dreibholz
  • Patent number: 8346450
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling the slip of a tractor vehicle or the like, in which the drive wheel slip is determined and, if the actual slip is different from a specified nominal slip, the gear ratio of a controllable transmission in the drivetrain is adjusted in the direction of slip optimization. The transmission is a geared-neutral transmission whose output speed, at full drive power, can be adjusted to an extremely small value close to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Pohlenz, Gerhard Bailly
  • Patent number: 8344285
    Abstract: The invention firstly comprises a method of ablation processing including a step of ablating a region of a substrate (1) by way of a laser beam (3) characterized by a further step of removing debris ablated from the region (1) by way of a flow of a fluid (7), namely a gas or vapour, a liquid or a combination of these, wherein the flow of fluid (7) is directed to flow over the region so as to entrap debris and thereafter to remove the entrapped debris from the region by directing the flow of fluid with any entrapped debris away from region along a predetermined path (6) avoiding subsequent deposition of entrapped debris on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignees: Exitech Limited, Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Sykes, Yoshinari Sasaki, Hidehisa Murase, Naoki Yamada, Kousei Aso
  • Patent number: 8343001
    Abstract: An electric drive comprises an electric motor (2) which drives a differential transmission (14) via a spur gear stage (4) and a parking lock gear (5) is arranged on the driveshaft (1) of the electric motor (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan Anspann, Robert Pauli
  • Patent number: 8342233
    Abstract: A device for an air handling system in which the cooling beam has a pressure chamber (2), from which the volume flow of the supply air (L1) out to the room is regulated with a regulating strip (6) that is mounted on the surfaces (9) in the pressure chamber and where the flow of the supply air (L1), in the mixing chamber (4), provides an optimal flow pattern of the recirculating air (L2) from the room and where the combined flow of supply air (L1) and recirculating air (L2) acquire well defined flow profiles independent from the volume flow (L1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Flakt Woods AB
    Inventors: Jonas Kjellerstedt, Hardy Johansson, Robert Holgersson
  • Patent number: 8342048
    Abstract: A dual-clutch transmission comprising clutches with input sides coupled to an input shaft and output sides respectively coupled to first and second transmission input shafts, countershafts on which toothed idler gearwheels are mounted to rotate, toothed fixed gearwheels are coupled to the first and the second transmission input shafts and engage the idler gearwheels, coupling devices connect the idler gearwheel to one of the countershafts, drive output gearwheels are fixed to countershafts and drive an output shaft, and a shifting element couples the input shafts, such that eight forward gears and at least one reverse gear can be engaged. Five wheel planes are arranged in the transmission such that at least one winding gear can be engaged by the shifting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Rieger
  • Patent number: 8342049
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches connected to a drive shaft and to one of two transmission input shafts. Fixed gears are coupled to the input shafts and engage idler gears. Several coupling devices connect the idler gears to a countershaft which have an output gear that couple gears of an output shaft such that at least seven power shift forward gears and at least one reverse gear can be shifted, and four gear wheel planes are positioned in a way that at least one power shift winding-path gear can be shifted via the shifting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Rieger
  • Patent number: 8342560
    Abstract: A coupling lock for a trailer coupling. The coupling lock comprises a receptacle (9) in which a coupling element (6) is inserted, an angle measuring device (13, 19) is connected to the receptacle (9), and the angle measuring device (13, 19) is provided for detecting rotation of the receptacle (9), about a rotational axis (18), relative to the coupling element (6). A magnetically adhering body (24) is elastically connected to the receptacle (9) and magnetically connectable to the coupling element (6) for actuating the angle measuring device (13, 19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ingo Albers, Christoph Elbers, Joachim Spratte, Katharina Matzold
  • Patent number: 8337677
    Abstract: The installation and use of embedded sacrificial anodes to protect reinforced concrete may be improved. In one example a cavity [2] is formed in the concrete [3] and a puttylike backfill [4] is placed in the cavity and a compact discrete anode comprising a sacrificial metal element [1] is inserted into the backfill and a space is provided into which the backfill may move when subjected to a pressure arising from the formation of voluminous sacrificial meal corrosion products and a high current is passed from the anode to the steel in the concrete to arrest steel corrosion and activate the anode in the backfill. The space may be provided by venting the backfill to space outside the cavity through an opening [5] or by including a void space within the backfill [6] or a void space within the cavity [7].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventors: Gareth Glass, Nigel Davison, Adrian Roberts
  • Patent number: 8336901
    Abstract: An intercommunicating gangway in that two successive road modules (5, 6) are connected by a detachable coupling with a minimum inter-module distance at least in the in-line configuration such that the opposite facing surfaces (3, 4) are each provided with a communicating door (8, 9) which can only be opened in when the two road modules are arranged in an in-line configuration and the vehicle is stopped. The intercommunicating gangway is suitable for use in the urban passenger transport field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Lohr Industrie
    Inventor: Jean-Luc Andre
  • Patent number: 8336251
    Abstract: A trapping system includes an enclosure with a one way entry which allows the pest to enter the enclosure, but prevents the pest from exiting through the entry. An attractant is positioned at the entry. The attractant is a video screen arranged relative to the trap door, such that a pest jumping at the video screen is deflected at a downward angle onto the trap door, and is specific to the pest which is to be trapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Stanley A. Orchard
  • Patent number: 8336418
    Abstract: An actuating device for selecting shift positions of a shift-by-wire gearshift transmission. The actuating device comprises a selector lever that is movable between stable lever positions from at least one drive mode position to a parking lock position, a detent device with a spring-loaded detent element, a detent guide-plate and a separating device with an actuator-operated thrust wedge. The detent element and the detent guide-plate can be moved by the thrust wedge from a first position, in which the detent element engages in a shift track of the detent guide-plate, to another second position in which the detent element is disengaged from the shift track of the guide-plate. The actuating device enables automatic return of the selector lever to the parking lock position and thus provides the driver with correct visual and tactile feedback about the actual shift status of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Giefer, Jorg Meyer, Ludger Rake
  • Patent number: 8333131
    Abstract: A device (2) for a vehicle drivetrain (1) with a transmission unit (3) for changing various transmission ratios. The device (2) comprising a reversing gear system (4) arranged on an input side of the transmission for reversing the rotational direction. A hydrodynamic torque converter device (5) located upstream of the reversing gear system (4). A hydraulic device (6) which, in the power flow direction is located between the reversing gear system (4) and the transmission unit (3) and can be brought into active connection with them for producing a torque that can be applied in the area between the reversing gear system (4) and the transmission unit (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Jurgen Legner
  • Patent number: 8333128
    Abstract: An electronic selector lever module for generating gear shifting signals for an automatic transmission of a vehicle. The swivel motion of the gear selector lever, within a main shifting path, is transformed into rotational motion for an angle sensor. The sensor is positioned on a printed circuit board and is actuated by a rotor. To guide the rotor relative to the angle sensor, the rotor either surrounds a rounded part of the printed circuit board or surrounds a rotor guidance which is mounted on the printed circuit board. The mechanical linking point is a short sleeve at a slider, which both belong to the rotor, needed for the shifting path motion, and which also drive the tilting lever for the transverse motion. The slider can be moved, relative to the rotor, along rails, either radially and directly at the rotor, or tangentially to the pivot point of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Schober, Thomas Deichler, Hans-Ludwig Gotz