Patents Assigned to ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
  • Patent number: 5911425
    Abstract: A steering knuckle assembly for the drive wheels of automotive vehicles including a carrier component adapted to be secured to the wheel suspension and carrying a floating-caliper brake and a wheel axle bearing, and a rotatably mounted wheel axle having a constant-velocity joint for the drive and a flange for the attachment of a brake disc. According to the present invention, the carrier component with the disc brake and the wheel axle bearing together with the wheel axle, the flange, the brake disc and a bowl shaped part of the constant-velocity joint are coupled to form a module which can be secured to the wheel suspension as a preassembled unit in the final assembly of the automotive vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich Hofmann, Rolf-Dieter Betzer, Rolf Weiler
  • Patent number: 5902020
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydraulic brake system with slip control, including a brake line which connects a braking pressure generator to several wheel brakes, at least one pressure modulation valve associated with each wheel brake to control the hydraulic connection to the wheel brake, a pump which supplies stored pressure fluid to the wheel brakes by way of a pressure fluid collecting means connected to a suction line, and sensors to determine the rotational speed of the wheels and an evaluating circuit to control the wheel slip. The pressure fluid connection between the braking pressure generator and the wheel brakes is established by a brake line, to which the pump is connected, wherein a multi-way valve and a monitoring device including a pressure sensor is inserted into the brake line to sense the pressure prevailing at the pressure modulation valve of the wheel brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Drott
  • Patent number: 5899540
    Abstract: A brake system including electronic anti-lock control (ABS) and electronically controlled brake force distribution (EBV). This brake system has electrically operable hydraulic valves, of which the inlet valves are open in their inactive position. An electronic error monitoring device is provided which responds upon the occurrence of defects or malfunctions and disconnects the control at least in part. The brake system also has control electronics including secondary circuits which remain in function after the error monitoring device has responded, and by which the inlet valves leading to the rear-wheel brakes are actuated and which are provided such that the pressure in the rear-wheel brakes is maintained constant when a limit value of the braking pressure in the master cylinder is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Burgdorf, Helmut Fennel, Michael Latarnik
  • Patent number: 5894626
    Abstract: A wiper arm, especially for motor vehicles, with a wiper rod and a unit having a jacket and a hose to supply a washing nozzle with washing solution to wiper rod. The single piece, flexible material unit securely holds the hose to the wiper rod therein reducing installation cost. A wall of the unit is made divided, and opposing portions of wall are designed as a closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Edele, Oldrich Krizek
  • Patent number: 5894628
    Abstract: A wiper arm mounting system for mounting a wiper arm rigidly and removably to a drive shaft includes a mounting part and a threaded fastening element that is realized in the form of a fastening nut or fastening screw with the fastening element acting upon the drive shaft in the axial direction. The fastening element is held on the mounting part in captive fashion at least approximately in the mounting position, such that the wiper arm can be pulled off the drive shaft (8) by means of rotating the fastening element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Bruno Egner-Walter, Eckhardt Schmid, Wolfgang Scholl
  • Patent number: 5895207
    Abstract: An assembly, consisting of a motor and a pump, the motor being arranged in a motor housing and the pump in a pump housing. Both housings can be coupled to each other. The motor housing is provided with a second main bearing. The pump housing is equipped with a pump bearing. During normal operation, the forces acting on the pump eccentric are essentially supported by the main bearing and the pump bearing. The bearing forces are introduced into the pump housing. If the motor housing is not fastened to the pump housing, the rotor shaft is supported by the main bearing and, if necessary, an accessory bearing. Thus the motor can be tested without being connected to the pump housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe, GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Burgdorf, Peter Volz, Hans-Dieter Reinartz, Dieter Dinkel
  • Patent number: 5890257
    Abstract: A windshield-washing system with a wiper rod manufactured from flat strip steel of defined width and thickness that supports, at its free end, a bearing device with a bearing bushing for an articulation pin and oriented perpendicular to the width. For an economical production of such wiper arms with flawless functionality, the bearing device, consisting of a bearing bushing with laterally projecting fastening sleeve, is produced as a plastic part, pushed onto the free end of the wiper rod and locked in place thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Edele, Oldrich Krizek, Eckhardt Schmid
  • Patent number: 5887957
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for a brake system with electronic brake force distribution control includes circuits which determine the deceleration of the rear wheels and the deceleration of a vehicle or a corresponding reference quantity. The discrepancy of the filtered rear-wheel deceleration from the vehicle deceleration is evaluated for brake force distribution control. To this end, an output signal is produced by way of a differentiator and integrator comparing the rear-wheel deceleration and the vehicle deceleration, and the output signal is evaluated for the control of the braking pressure in the rear-wheel brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Buttner, Dieter Burkhard, Norbert Ehmer
  • Patent number: 5887956
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a slip-controlled brake system including digitally controlled electromagnetic inlet valves and outlet valves, and the inlet valve has a restrictor valve control responsive to differential pressures in order to minimize valve noises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Jurgen Rausch
  • Patent number: 5865376
    Abstract: A nozzle element covering open channels through the use of a removable cover forming thus nozzles for a windshield washer system. A preferably flat seal elastically covers several apertures. Advantageous embodiments concern the division of the nozzle unit and the allocation of the seal to the channels ending at the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Oldrich Krizek, Frank Langenfelder, Gerhard Oehler, Eckhardt Schmid
  • Patent number: 5865511
    Abstract: An electrohydraulic control mechanism having a simplified coil arrangement which provides a compact, functionally optimized configuration of coils relative to their support element, with added ease of manufacture and maintenance. The differing thermal expansions of assembly components and their respective tolerances are compensated for in stress-free fashion. These desirable features are obtained by placing bushes on the underside of an essentially flat panel support element. These bushes respond to spring elements arrayed alongside valve domes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Hinz, Edwin Czarnetzki
  • Patent number: 5860495
    Abstract: A floating caliper-type disk brake for automotive vehicles, for supporting the circumferential forces and for guiding the brake pads including a brake carrier integrated into the steering knuckle of the vehicle. To insure a simple final assembly on the vehicle and to facilitate an automatic assembly, the floating caliper with brake pads attached thereto is supplied as a pre-assembled unit. The brake pads by means of leaf springs secured to their back plates are detachably fixed to the floating caliper. In the practice of the invention, the leaf spring of the outer brake pad, additionally serves to radially prestress the floating caliper vis-a-vis the carrier arms of the brake carrier, thereby eliminating another spring provided for this purpose. The assembly of the floating caliper on the vehicle is simplified because there is no need to assemble the said additional spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Weiler, Dieter Bieraugel, Karl Storzel, Wolfgang Schiel
  • Patent number: 5862503
    Abstract: Apparatus for improving the driving behavior of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has front and rear axles, each having a plurality of wheels. Each wheel-has a brake. Sensor are provided for measuring the rotational speed of each wheel, the vehicle yaw rate and the vehicle lateral acceleration. An anti-lock braking system provides first preset pressure values for controlling each brake, to prevent the wheels from locking during braking. A traction slip control system provides second preset pressure values for controlling each brake, to prevent the wheels from slipping during acceleration. A brake effort proportioning system provides third preset pressure values for distributing braking pressure between the wheels of the front axle and the wheels of the rear axle. A yawing moment controller provides fourth preset pressure values used to control each brake during cornering, to avoid application to the vehicle of an unbalanced moment which would cause the vehicle to understeer or oversteer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Eckert, Benno Lammen, Peter Wanke, Karl-Friedrick Worsdorfer, Thomas Geiger, Johannes Graber, Stefan Drumm, Thomas Kranz, C. Jan Neederkorn
  • Patent number: 5861592
    Abstract: A reset device for a blinker switch includes a pivoting reset element which is used which has two lateral arms on which opposing springs extending through the switch housing act. These springs both tension the reset element with respect to the steering spindle and produce a torque tending to restore the reset element to its middle setting. The problem of the invention is to do without the conventional draw springs. The invention solves this problem by means of a single compression spring acting on the reset element and providing both a force in the longitudinal direction of the reset element and the desired restoring torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Engelhardt, Martin Laich
  • Patent number: 5860631
    Abstract: A two-stage pilot valve for suspension control systems. The valve includes an annular pilot member so that fluid discharges in a radial direction, and it is preferable that the valve member is comprised of a resiliently suspended plate.Both the dynamic characteristics of the valve and its function in some respects (minimum opening pressure for the main stage) are improved due to these provisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Jorg Feigel
  • Patent number: 5862502
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for safety-critical control systems, for example, for the control of anti-lock brake systems, is based on an at least partly redundant processing of input data which are taken into account for generating control signals. The control system is disconnected upon non-correlation of the signals. A microprocessor system is provided for data processing and includes two or more central processor units permitting parallel processing of the input data. The output data of the CPUs are checked for correlation. Each write/read memory of the microprocessor system has a generator to generate a test information. The write/read memories and the read-only memories are extended by memory spaces for the test information. In every writing or reading access to the memories, the contents of the memory space is tested with the associated test information for correlation, and an error identification signal is generated in the absence of correlation or plausibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Giers
  • Patent number: 5848616
    Abstract: A closing device for closing pressure fluid conveying channels in a housing by a closing member press fitted into a channel. The outside periphery of the closing member including at least one indentation into which, during press fitting the closing member into the channel, basic material of the housing is deformed to provide a form lock, and the channel is configured as a stepped bore having an outside bore portion of large diameter that is remote from the pressure fluid side which, through a step, is followed by an inside bore portion of smaller diameter that is close to the pressure fluid side. The closing member has two piston portions of differently large diameters which correspond to the two bore portions, and the indentation provided between the piston portions is undercut relative to the small diameter portion, and the basic material is press fitted by plastic deformation into the indentation to provide the form lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Gunther Vogel, Peter Volz
  • Patent number: 5849382
    Abstract: Tubing for a brake system, fuel system or hydraulic system in automotive vehicles which includes an inside steel tube having an outer surface, a zinc coating layer on the outer surface, chromated layer overlying the zinc coating layer and a plastic jacket layer overlying the chromated layer wherein the plastic jacket layer is composed of a polyamide on the chromated layer, the polyamide preferably being laurinlactam and the chromated layer preferably being olive-colored. The method of tubing manufacture including the steps of heating a steel tube having an outer surface with the zinc coating and chromate present thereon to an elevated temperature; the elevated temperature being within about .+-.30.degree. C. of the extrusion temperature of polyamide material to be applied to the tube; extruding polyamide material onto the surface of the heated tube; and quenching the tube in a liquid bath after the polyamide has been applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Schneck
  • Patent number: 5839349
    Abstract: A reduced noise radial piston pump with a driving motor for a controlled brake system. The noise reduction is primarily accomplished by locating and orienting the motor/pump bearings with respect to the pump pistons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Volz
  • Patent number: 5835041
    Abstract: A circuit for conditioning and digitizing an analog input signal that includes a control circuit taking the form of a delta modulator that has a comparator, a clock-controlled flip-flop, a digital accumulator and a digital-to-analog converter. The comparator compares the analog input signal with an adapted signal. The comparator output is conducted to the flip-flop which produces a binary data stream representative of the difference between the comparator inputs. The digital output signal is generated by the accumulator which if fed with an integration constant that is a function of the output signal of the flip-flop. The digital output signal of the accumulator is converted into a square wave signal, which corresponds to the analog input signal, by way of a digital low-pass filter and a threshold value comparator to which the mean value of the digital output signal is supplied as a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Zydek, Wolfgang Fey, Adrian Traskov