Patents Assigned to Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
  • Patent number: 7870939
    Abstract: A magnetorheologic clutch includes a stationary part, a rotatable primary part having primary discs, a secondary part having secondary discs, and a chamber containing magnetorheologic fluid formed between the primary and secondary parts that is exposed to an adjustable magnetic field. To make a magnetorheologic clutch as small as possible which is capable of transmitting a peak torque at a minimum power consumption and which is easily controlled, at least one magnet coil is axially arranged before or after the discs and encompasses a first U-shaped cylinder head whose two surfaces are arranged on the side of the discs in a parallel thereto. A second cylinder head is disposed on the side of the discs opposite with respect to the first cylinder head. Areas of the secondary part are radially disposed inside and outside the discs which are made of a low-permeability magnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: MAGNA Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Herbert Steinwender
  • Patent number: 7828129
    Abstract: A magnetorheological clutch comprises a stationary part, a rotating primary part with primary laminated strips and a secondary part with secondary laminated strips, whereby a controllable magnetic field acts upon the magnetorheological fluid. The aim of the invention is to allow transmission of a highest possible torque in a smallest possible space and with minimal power consumption. Said aim is achieved, whereby a number of solenoid coils, each having a first yoke with a substantially radial winding axis, are alternately oppositely polarized; the first yokes have cylindrical front faces, whereby the magnetic field lines radially enter and exit said yokes, the primary laminated strips and secondary laminated strips form closed cylindrical envelopes and second outer and inner yokes are provided radially outside of and radially inside the first yokes, whereby the magnetic field lines radially enter the second yokes and radially exit said yokes in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: MAGNA Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Herbert Steinwender
  • Patent number: 7753173
    Abstract: A power divider for motor vehicles includes a housing, a primary shaft and a secondary shaft, wherein a friction clutch having an outer part that is rigidly connected to the primary shaft, and an inner part, derives torque from the primary shaft and delivers the torque to the secondary shaft by means of the inner part and a displacement drive. To ensure a sufficient supply of lubrication oil under all conditions, an oil reservoir, which at least partially surrounds the ramp ring, is fixed in the housing between the coupling and the displacement drive. The base of the oil reservoir comprises at least one opening, which is adjacent to the upper part of the periphery of the ramp ring, and the oil reservoir has at least one guiding device that extends into the centrifugal area of the displacement drive, through which the centrifuged lubrication oil is received in the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Franz Gratzer, Markus Kraxner, Mario Vockenhuber
  • Patent number: 7694790
    Abstract: A motor vehicle brake and clutch actuator system includes a pressurized fluid source and a plurality of fluid actuated brakes. Each brake is adapted to individually decelerate a vehicle wheel. A fluid actuated clutch is adapted to drivingly interconnect members of a vehicle driveline. A plurality of valves selectively communicate the pressurized fluid source with one of the plurality of fluid actuated brakes and the fluid actuated clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Franz Gratzer
  • Patent number: 7588131
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetorheological clutch comprising a stationary part (1), a rotating primary part (2) with primary lamellae (7), and a coaxially rotating secondary part (3) with secondary lamellae (20). An adjustable magnetic field acts upon the magnetorheological fluid. In order to be able to transmit the greatest possible torque in a minimum of space and at minimal power consumption, at least one magnet coil (25) encompassing a first yoke (24a, 24b) is disposed such that primary lamellae (7, 7?) and secondary lamellae (20, 20?) are located on both sides thereof. The lamellae are made of a material which is provided with moderate magnetic permeability and allows limited short-circuit flux. A second yoke (27, 27?) having a face (32, 32?) that extends parallel to the lamellae adjoins the outermost lamella on both sides, “outermost” being in relation to the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Herbert Steinwender
  • Publication number: 20090205917
    Abstract: The inventive magnetorheological clutch comprises a fixed part (1), a primary rotatable part provided with primary discs (4) and a secondary part (6) provided with secondary discs (14), wherein a magnetorheological fluid-containing space (19) is formed and a magnetic field acts on said magnetorheological fluid. The aim of said invention is to minimise the assembly space and the current consumption and, for this purpose is characterised in that at least one solenoid coil (10) comprising a yoke (9) is arranged upstream or downstream of a space (19) surface opposite to the first yoke (9), a second yoke (8) whose front surface (17) is arranged in a parallel position to the discs (4, 14) and the discs (4, 14) are embodied in the form of plates made of a moderate magnetic permeability material in such a way that fluxes are distributed through the discs by magnetic short circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: MAGNA DRIVETRAIN AG & CO KG
    Inventor: Herbert Steinwender
  • Patent number: 7571703
    Abstract: The invention relates to a balancing shaft, whose balancing weight is located between two cylindrical bearing surfaces and which is configured as one piece with said weight. The end cross-sections of the balancing weight are circular segments that are delimited by an arc and a secant. The aim of the invention is to configure the balancing shaft in such a way that the mass effect and rigidity are optimal. To achieve this, the contours of the balancing weight on the plane that is fixed by the secants of the two end cross-sections taper from the two end cross-sections towards the longitudinal centre and the contours on the normal plane form a straight line in relation to said plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Andreas Reichweger, Roland Marzy, Ewald Sieberer
  • Patent number: 7553250
    Abstract: The drive train of an all-wheel drive vehicle comprises a transfer case that is connected to the motor block, a driven front axle, a driven rear axle, drive shafts and a control device. To vary the torque distribution between the axles from 0 to 100% the transfer case has a drive-through shaft that has a drive connection both with the motor block and the drive shaft that leads to the rear axle. The drive-through shaft includes a drive connection with the drive shaft that leads to the front axle by a first friction clutch that determines the torque applied to the front axle. The rear axle is equipped with an additional adjustable drive unit comprising a second friction clutch, which is used to control the torque applied to the rear axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Helmuth Sachsenmaier
  • Patent number: 7506628
    Abstract: The invention relates to a balancing shaft unit for piston machines, in particular internal combustion engines, for installation in a housing with non-divided bearing seats. Said shaft unit consists of at least one balancing shaft, which is configured as one piece with its balancing weight or weights. To allow the shaft unit to be installed in a non-divided housing without any restrictions being placed on its bearing, at least one bearing of the balancing shaft is formed by a narrowing of the balancing shaft that acts as a bearing journal and by a sub-divided bearing ring that is fixed to the housing, whose external diameter is greater than the external diameter of the balancing weight or weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Roland Marzy, Michael Messing, Ewald Sieberer
  • Patent number: 7490585
    Abstract: In a compensating shaft for reciprocating piston engines with at least one compensating weight (22) connected torsionally elastically to the compensating shaft (21), effective noise reduction is achieved by using an elastic element, preferably one (25) made of plastic of elasticity which is graduated in the circumferential direction, the hard central part (26) having a connection (15) to the compensating shaft (11) which is firm in the circumferential direction, and the soft part (31) bearing against the compensating weight (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Christian Friedrich
  • Publication number: 20080308354
    Abstract: A power divider for motor vehicles includes a housing, a primary shaft and a secondary shaft, wherein a friction clutch having an outer part that is rigidly connected to the primary shaft, and an inner part, derives torque from the primary shaft and delivers the torque to the secondary shaft by means of the inner part and a displacement drive. To ensure a sufficient supply of lubrication oil under all conditions, an oil reservoir, which at least partially surrounds the ramp ring, is fixed in the housing between the coupling and the displacement drive. The base of the oil reservoir comprises at least one opening, which is adjacent to the upper part of the periphery of the ramp ring, and the oil reservoir has at least one guiding device that extends into the centrifugal area of the displacement drive, through which the centrifuged lubrication oil is received in the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Franz Gratzer, Markus Kraxner, Mario Vockenhuber
  • Patent number: 7461731
    Abstract: A magnetorheological clutch comprises a stationary part (1), of a rotatable primary part (2) with primary lamellae (3) and of a secondary part (8) with secondary lamellae (17) which surrounds the primary part (2), there being formed between the primary part (2) and the secondary part (8) a space (28) which contains a magnetorheological fluid, a regulatable magnetic field acting on the magnetorheological fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Herbert Steinwender
  • Publication number: 20080255740
    Abstract: A method of controlling a hydraulic actuator of a friction coupling that includes a pump, which is driven by an electric motor, a pressure line, which contains a non-return valve and which runs from the pump to an actuator cylinder with an actuator piston that acts on the friction coupling. A rapid drain valve has a flow connection to the actuator cylinder and contains a slide that responds to the pressure prevailing on the side of the pump that faces the slide. To optimize the dynamic and static control behavior of the actuator, a control variable is determined for the electric motor from the target pressure and the actual pressure in the actuator cylinder. At least two different control algorithms are executed, depending on whether the difference between the target pressure and the actual pressure is positive or negative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Albert Kusej, Johannes Quehenberger, Anton Hofer
  • Publication number: 20080236976
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetorheological clutch comprising a stationary part (1), a rotating primary part (2) with primary lamellae (7), and a coaxially rotating secondary part (3) with secondary lamellae (20). An adjustable magnetic field acts upon the magnetorheological fluid. In order to be able to transmit the greatest possible torque in a minimum of space and at minimal power consumption, at least one magnet coil (25) encompassing a first yoke (24a, 24b) is disposed such that primary lamellae (7, 7?) and secondary lamellae (20, 20?) are located on both sides thereof. The lamellae are made of a material which is provided with moderate magnetic permeability and allows limited short-circuit flux. A second yoke (27, 27?) having a face (32, 32?) that extends parallel to the lamellae adjoins the outermost lamella on both sides, “outermost” being in relation to the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: MAGNA DRIVETRAIN AG & CO KG
    Inventor: Herbert Steinwender
  • Publication number: 20080142328
    Abstract: A magnetorheological clutch comprises a stationary part (1), of a rotatable primary part (2) with primary lamellae (3) and of a secondary part (8) with secondary lamellae (17) which surrounds the primary part (2), there being formed between the primary part (2) and the secondary part (8) a space (28) which contains a magnetorheological fluid, a regulatable magnetic field acting on the magnetorheological fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Herbert Steinwender
  • Publication number: 20080121203
    Abstract: The invention relates to a balancing shaft, whose balancing weight is located between two cylindrical bearing surfaces and which is configured as one piece with said weight. The end cross-sections of the balancing weight are circular segments that are delimited by an arc and a secant. The aim of the invention is to configure the balancing shaft in such a way that the mass effect and rigidity are optimal. To achieve this, the contours of the balancing weight on the plane that is fixed by the secants of the two end cross-sections taper from the two end cross-sections towards the longitudinal centre and the contours on the normal plane form a straight line in relation to said plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Andreas Reichweger, Roland Marzy, Ewald Sieberer
  • Patent number: 7325663
    Abstract: A magnetorheological clutch comprises a stationary part (1), of a rotatable primary part (2) with primary lamellae (3) and of a secondary part (8) with secondary lamellae (17) which surrounds the primary part (2), there being formed between the primary part (2) and the secondary part (8) a space (28) which contains a magnetorheological fluid, a regulatable magnetic field acting on the magnetorheological fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG &Co KG
    Inventor: Herbert Steinwender
  • Patent number: 7296669
    Abstract: An actuator with a simple function for the control of a friction clutch in the drive train of a motor vehicle having a cylinder/piston unit for generating the contact pressure of the clutch should be fast, inherently safe and nevertheless simple and inexpensive. For this purpose, a controllable pump (3) generates a pressure medium and makes it available to the cylinder/piston unit (1) via a self-regulating valve unit (2). A dump valve (8) consists of a sleeve (10) and a spring-assisted slide (12) therein. The sleeve has a first opening (11), through which the pressure medium can flow from the cylinder/piston unit (1). The slide (12) exposes the opening (11) in a first position and conceals the opening of a second position. The clutch is controlled in this way by actuating the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Johannes Quehenberger, Franz Gratzer, Dieter Schmidl
  • Publication number: 20070261657
    Abstract: The invention relates to a balancing shaft unit for piston machines, in particular internal combustion engines, for installation in a housing with non-divided bearing seats. Said shaft unit consists of at least one balancing shaft, which is configured as one piece with its balancing weight or weights. To allow the shaft unit to be installed in a non-divided housing without any restrictions being placed on its bearing, at least one bearing of the balancing shaft is formed by a narrowing of the balancing shaft that acts as a bearing journal and by a sub-divided bearing ring that is fixed to the housing, whose external diameter is greater than the external diameter of the balancing weight or weights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Applicant: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Roland Marzy, Michael Messing, Ewald Sieberer
  • Publication number: 20070213165
    Abstract: The drive train of an all-wheel drive vehicle comprises a transfer case (2) that is connected to the motor block (1), a driven front axle (6), a driven rear axle (4), the drive shafts (3, 5) and a control device (15). To vary the torque distribution between the axles (4, 6) from 0 to 100%: a) the transfer case (2) has a drive-through shaft (22) that has a drive connection both with the motor block (1) and the drive shaft (3) that leads to the rear axle (4), said drive-through shaft (22) having a drive connection with the drive shaft (5) that leads to the front axle (6) by means of a first friction clutch (23) that determines the torque applied to the front axle (6) and a displacement drive (26, 27, 28); and b) the rear axle (4) is equipped with an additional adjustable drive unit (7) comprising a second friction clutch (43), which is used to control the torque applied to the rear axle (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: Magna Drivetrain AG & Co KG
    Inventor: Helmuth Sachsenmaier