Patents Assigned to ZF CV Systems Europe BV
  • Patent number: 11719561
    Abstract: A sensor module includes: a sensor carrier for accommodating a sensor; and a housing having two coaxial cylindrical holders in which cylindrical ends of the sensor carrier are mounted to rotate around an axis. The sensor module fixes the sensor carrier in an adjustable angular position relative to the housing by producing a force-fitting or form-fitting connection between the housing and an outer surface region of the sensor carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Tobias Kortlang
  • Patent number: 11708875
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle brake, in particular a utility vehicle disc brake, having a brake carrier with at least one brake pad holder, at least one brake pad which is guided so as to be axially displaceable and supported in the brake pad holder, and a brake caliper which is axially movable relative to the brake carrier. According to the invention, it is proposed that the brake carrier is structurally reinforced on the run-out side relative to the run-in side, and at least one running direction indicator for indicating the first rotational direction is arranged on the brake carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
    Inventors: Bernward Redemann, Vitalij Scherer
  • Patent number: 11702053
    Abstract: An electropneumatic brake control module (1) has a supply connection (2) for connecting a compressed air supply (3); a first wheel brake connection (4) and a second wheel brake connection (6); a pneumatically controlled inlet-outlet valve unit (8) for controlling a first brake pressure (PB1) at the first wheel brake connection (4) and a second brake pressure (PB2) at the second wheel brake connection (6), which is independent of the first brake pressure (PB1); and an electropneumatic pilot control unit (10) for controlling at least one main control pressure (PH) at a main valve (12) of the inlet-outlet valve unit (10). The main valve (12) of the inlet-outlet valve unit (10) is a pneumatically controllable 3/2-way valve (13) with a main valve control connection (12.4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
    Inventors: Julian Van Thiel, Jan Gensink
  • Patent number: 11701939
    Abstract: In a method for determining an axle load on a mechanically and/or pneumatically/hydraulically suspended vehicle, the axle load is determined with the aid of control and sensor means that are installed in the vehicle and/or functionally enhanced. Functions for axle load determination at mechanically suspended vehicle axles (4) and for axle load determination at pneumatically/hydraulically suspended vehicle axles (2) are available. In a mechanically suspended vehicle axle (4) a distance measuring unit (9), and in a pneumatically/hydraulically suspended vehicle axle (2) a pressure measuring unit (7) are used to determine the axle load. An initial plausibility check is implemented in an electronic control unit (10) of the level control system (1), on the basis of which the level control system (1) identifies the particular suspension type, mechanical or pneumatic/hydraulic, of a vehicle axle (2, 4) and, thereafter, the appropriate function for axle load determination is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
    Inventors: Ingo Jovers, Johann Lucas
  • Patent number: 11697403
    Abstract: A device designed for controlling and regulating an electro-pneumatic parking brake circuit includes a manual controller configured to actuate a parking brake via the electro-pneumatic parking brake circuit, the manual controller having a first circuit arrangement and a second circuit arrangement, the first circuit arrangement being a digital, bidirectional circuit arrangement and the second circuit arrangement being an analog circuit arrangement. The device further includes control electronics electrically connected to the manual controller. The first circuit arrangement is connected to the control electronics via a first connection cable and the second circuit arrangement is connected to the control electronics via a second connection cable. The first connection cable is a digital data transmission channel configured to enable a digital data transmission between the digital circuit arrangement and the control electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventors: Alexander Wendlandt, Andreas Malaske, Axel Peuser, Hartmut Schappler
  • Patent number: 11697318
    Abstract: A throttle assembly for a pressure control system in a vehicle includes at least one throttle valve. The at least one throttle valve defines an assembly cross-section of the throttle assembly, the assembly cross-section specifies a flow resistance acting on a pressure medium entering the throttle assembly, and the at least one throttle valve includes at least one controllable throttle valve configured to be controlled in accordance with an upstream pressure. The assembly cross-section of the throttle assembly is configured to be set, by control of the at least one controllable throttle valve, in such a way that an inlet volume flow of the pressure medium entering the throttle assembly can be limited to a limit volume flow in accordance with the upstream pressure, in order to set, in accordance with the upstream pressure, a power consumption of a pneumatic load in the pressure control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventors: Uwe Stabenow, Joerg Scharpenberg
  • Patent number: 11691607
    Abstract: An electropneumatic control module for an electronically controllable pneumatic brake system for a vehicle combination with a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle includes a pneumatic reservoir input, which is connectable to a compressed-air reservoir, and a trailer control unit, which has a trailer control valve unit with one or more electropneumatic valves, a trailer brake pressure port and a trailer supply pressure port. The electropneumatic control module further includes an immobilizing brake unit, which has a spring-type actuator port for at least one spring-type actuator for a tractor vehicle and an immobilizing brake valve unit with one or more electropneumatic valves, and an electronic control unit, wherein the electronic control unit is designed to, based on an electronic immobilizing signal, trigger the immobilizing brake valve unit to switch at least one valve of the immobilizing brake valve unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Julian Van Thiel
  • Patent number: 11691520
    Abstract: A system for an electrically driven vehicle includes at least one motor controller configured to control at least one electric motor, with which at least one drive wheel of the vehicle can be driven. The system further includes at least one brake controller configured to control friction brakes, with each of which one of multiple drive wheels and/or non-driven wheels can be braked. The brake controller and the electric motor controller each have a data interface that is a bus interface. The brake controller and the electric motor controller are set up to send and/or receive data with a predefined maximum data transmission rate via the first data interface. The brake controller and the electric motor each have a second data interface, each second data interface being designed to send and/or receive data with a higher data transmission rate than the maximum data transmission rate of the first data interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventors: Gerd Schuenemann, Johannes Heseding
  • Patent number: 11691610
    Abstract: An electropneumatic trailer control-valve unit for a vehicle, including a storage port for coupling a store of compressed air for a trailer, a brake-pressure port, a brake-pressure pilot-control unit configured to output at least one first control pressure, a brake-pressure main-valve unit configured to receive the at least one first control pressure and to output a brake pressure at a brake-pressure port, a trailer operating-pressure port configured to receive a trailer operating pressure, and a pneumatically switched trailer protection valve with a protection-valve control port which is connected to the trailer operating-pressure port for receiving the trailer operating pressure, wherein the trailer protection valve switches from a first switching position into a second switching position if the trailer operating pressure exceeds a predetermined first threshold value, and wherein the trailer operating pressure is a supply control pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Julian Van Thiel
  • Patent number: 11679748
    Abstract: An electronically controlled pneumatic brake system (2) for a vehicle 100, with a supply coupling head (24), a control coupling head (26), and an electronically controlled trailer control module (28) includes a first supply port (28.1), a trailer supply connection (28.2) for providing a trailer supply pressure (pT) to the supply coupling head (24), a trailer control connection (28.3) for providing a trailer control pressure (pB) to the control coupling head (26), an electro-pneumatic trailer control valve arrangement (40) for providing the trailer control pressure (pB), and a tractor protection valve electronic control unit (42). The electro-pneumatic trailer control valve arrangement (40) is configured to only supply a trailer control pressure (pB) to the trailer control connection (28.3) when compressed air is supplied to the trailer supply connection (28.2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
    Inventors: Joachim Amtsfeld, Henning Förster, Thilo Klostermann, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Patent number: 11661984
    Abstract: A brake caliper (1, 1?) for a vehicle brake, in particular a disc brake of a commercial vehicle, includes a pressure piece (110, 110?), a thrust piece (120, 120?) configured to move axially relative to the pressure piece (110, 110?) in a thrust direction (A) to transmit a braking force and a guiding member (130a,b, 130?a,b) configured to limit the movement of the thrust piece (120, 120?) relative to the pressure piece (110, 110?) in at least one direction orthogonal to the thrust direction (A). The brake caliper (1, 1?) may further include a lever (140) pivotally supported between the thrust piece (120, 120?) and the pressure piece (110, 110?), wherein the guiding member (130a,b, 130?a,b) is configured to limit the movement of the lever (140) relative to the pressure piece (110, 110?) and/or the thrust piece (120, 120?) in at least one direction orthogonal to the thrust direction (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventors: Paul Henning, Przemyslaw Kowalski
  • Patent number: 11649863
    Abstract: A disc brake (1) for motor vehicles includes at least two brake pads (25, 26), an application unit (4) with a setting spindle (5) arranged axially in the direction of the brake pads (25, 26), and a resetting device (7) for central adjustment of the setting spindle (5) after reaching a degree of wear of the brake pads (25, 26). The resetting device (7) has a housing (8), a sensor (9), a resetting shaft (10), and an adapter (11) with a decentral output (12). In one example, the adapter (11) has a cover (13) and a chain drive (14) for to transmitting an actuating movement from the decentral output (12) to the resetting shaft (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
    Inventors: Hans-Christian Jungmann, Martin Stumpf
  • Patent number: 11634110
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures at pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of a vehicle includes receiving an external braking demand. The method further includes, in response to the received external braking demand, performing, during each of a plurality of computation cycles: (i) ascertaining control signals for pressure control valves of the pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of the vehicle, (ii) continuously ascertaining a differential slip value, wherein the differential slip value is a difference between a slip of two axles of the vehicle and is determined by measuring signals supplied by speed sensors of wheels of the vehicle, (iii) evaluating the differential slip value with respect to a predefined or adjustable setpoint differential slip value, (iv) based on the evaluation of the differential slip value, adapting the ascertained control signals, and (v) releasing the adapted control signals to the pressure control valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 11634109
    Abstract: A method is provided for decelerating a vehicle. The vehicle has an electro-pneumatic brake system, at least one front axle, at least one rear axle, and a brake value transmitter. The vehicle further includes at least one axle modulator for the front axle of the vehicle, for performing control of at least one front axle brake pressure at the at least one front axle, and/or at least one axle modulator for the rear axle of the vehicle, for performing control of a rear axle brake pressure at the at least one rear axle of the vehicle. The method includes generating a redundancy signal at a first axle, the front axle or rear axle, or at a trailer control valve, and performing open-loop and/or closed-loop control of an auxiliary brake pressure at another axle, the front axle or the rear axle, via the redundancy signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventors: Andreas Goers, Christoph Brockmann, Julian Van Thiel
  • Patent number: 11618448
    Abstract: A control arrangement for adjusting a desired distance between two vehicles includes a distance regulation system having a distance control device configured to adjust a first desired distance between a subject vehicle and a vehicle ahead depending on sensor signals received from a sensor system by requesting a first subject vehicle desired acceleration. The control arrangement further includes a communication system configured to wirelessly send and receive a surroundings data signal. The surroundings data signal contains surroundings information. The control arrangement additionally includes an assistance control device configured to determine a second desired distance between the subject vehicle and the vehicle ahead and a second subject vehicle desired acceleration for adjusting the second desired distance depending on the surroundings information received from the communication system. The distance control system comprises an ACC interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventors: Daniel Hanslik, Soeren Huebner, Thomas Wolf
  • Patent number: 11590951
    Abstract: An electropneumatic control module for an electronically controllable pneumatic brake system for a vehicle combination with a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle includes a pneumatic reservoir input, which is connectable to a compressed-air reservoir, a trailer control unit, which has a trailer control valve unit with one or more electropneumatic valves, a trailer brake pressure port and a trailer supply pressure port, an immobilizing brake unit, which has a spring-type actuator port for a spring-type actuator for a tractor vehicle and an immobilizing brake valve unit with one or more electropneumatic valves, and an electronic control unit for controlling the trailer control valve unit and the immobilizing brake valve unit. The trailer control unit has a first relay valve, which has a relay valve working input connected to the reservoir input, a relay valve output connected to the trailer brake pressure port, and a relay valve ventilation output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Julian Van Thiel
  • Patent number: 11595228
    Abstract: A data system of a towing vehicle and/or trailer vehicle includes a control device, a sensor system configured to record and process sensor data, and a BUS system configured to transfer the sensor data between the control device and the sensor system. The BUS system has a first BUS device in the form of a CAN BUS and a second BUS device in the form of an ETHERNET BUS, and the BUS system further has a first interface configured to transfer the sensor data to a second interface of a second BUS system of a second data system of a second towing vehicle and/or trailer vehicle. The data system additionally includes an intelligent switch, coupled to the control device and/or to the first interface, the intelligent switch being configured to couple the first towing vehicle and/or trailer vehicle to the second towing vehicle and/or trailer vehicle in a coordinated manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventors: Thomas Dieckmann, Andreas Goers, Sebastian Kuehne, Ralph-Carsten Luelfing, Marco Michel, Thomas Wolf, Oliver Wulf
  • Patent number: 11584349
    Abstract: A relay valve (10) for a pneumatic valve unit (14), for example for a braking system of a utility vehicle, has a first assembly component (18) and a second assembly component (20). A hollow cylindrical guide portion (28) of a piston (24) of the relay valve (10) is received, in an axially guided manner, in the first assembly component (18). The second assembly component (20) includes additional valve components and the venting region of the relay valve (10). At least the first assembly component (18) and the second assembly component (20), when assembled, form a preassembly unit (26) first assembly component (18) and are joined by a bayonet connection (30). The preassembly unit (26) is inserted into a housing (12) of the valve unit (14), The interior of the housing is delimited by a cup-shaped inner wall (32), and the preassembled unit is fastened therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
    Inventors: Peter Beier, Hartmut Schappler, Christian Oeser
  • Patent number: 11572047
    Abstract: An electropneumatic trailer supply module, for an electropneumatic parking brake system for a tractor vehicle/trailer combination, includes a supply connection configured to connect a compressed air supply, a trailer supply connection configured to deliver a supply pressure for a trailer vehicle, a pneumatically controlled main valve unit configured to provide the supply pressure to the trailer supply connection, and an electropneumatic pilot control unit configured to select at least a first control pressure at the pneumatically controlled main valve unit. When the first control pressure exceeds a predefined first threshold value of the pneumatically controlled main valve unit, the supply pressure provided to the trailer supply connection can be selected. When the first control pressure falls below the predefined first threshold value of the pneumatically controlled main valve unit, the trailer supply connection is configured to be vented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Julian Van Thiel
  • Patent number: 11565675
    Abstract: A control valve (12) for applying a spring-loaded brake pressure (p3b) to spring-loaded parts of a rear-axle wheel brake is provided. The control valve (12) is activatable pneumatically via a second control input (12b) with a parking-brake control pressure (p5). The parking-brake control pressure (p5) can act in such a manner on a control mechanism (14b, 15b, 17c, 22, 23, 24) arranged in a valve housing (12f) of the control valve (12) that a spring-loaded brake pressure (p3b) arises at a control output (12c) of the control valve (12) as a function of the parking-brake control pressure (p5) for bringing about a parking-brake braking specification with the spring-loaded parts of the rear-axle wheel brakes. The control valve (12) has a first control connection (12a) connectable to an adjustable first control chamber (14a), which is operatively connected to the control mechanism (14b, 15b, 17c, 22, 23, 24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
    Inventors: Peter Beier, Robert Otremba, Julian Van Thiel