Patents by Inventor Christian Berning

Christian Berning 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).

  • Publication number: 20240076840
    Abstract: A self-propelled earth working machine includes a machine frame, a working apparatus, at least one function apparatus, a drive system including first and second motors, a function transmission and a working transmission. The working transmission is configured to transmit torque between the drive system and the working apparatus. The working transmission connects the first motor and the second motor to the working apparatus for the transmission of torque such that the working apparatus may be driven to perform the earth working movement solely by the first motor or solely by the second motor or jointly by the first and second motors, wherein the working transmission connects the first motor to the working apparatus at a first transmission ratio and connects the second motor to the working apparatus at a second transmission ratio different from the first transmission ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Olaf Gaertner, Christopher Mittelstädt
  • Publication number: 20240026787
    Abstract: The invention relates to a milling machine having a replaceable milling drum, different types of milling drums being capable of being associated with the milling machine; and having a control unit for controlling the milling machine, machine parameters of the milling machine being settable by way of the control unit. Provision is made that the milling machine has associated with it at least one means that is designed to detect at least one characteristic feature of the milling drum; that the at least one means is connected to the control unit; and that the control unit is designed to specify for at least one machine parameter, indirectly or directly from the characteristic feature, a value to be set, and/or a setting range. The invention further relates to a corresponding milling drum and to a corresponding method. The milling machine, milling drum, and method allow the selection of machine parameters for operation of the milling machine to be simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Thomas Lehnert, Philip Verhaelen
  • Patent number: 11866893
    Abstract: The invention relates to a self-propelled construction machine, comprising a machine frame supported by a chassis having wheels or crawler tracks. The basic principle of the invention involves determining a variable ? which is characteristic of the milling profile on the basis of a functional relationship between the variable which is characteristic of the milling profile and the advance speed v and/or milling drum rotational speed n. The variable ? which is characteristic of the milling profile is a correction variable for adjusting the height of the milling drum with respect to the surface of the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Rene′ Müller, Sebastian Hofrath, Cyrus Barimani
  • Patent number: 11859717
    Abstract: An earth working machine (10), encompassing a drive motor (42) and a working apparatus (22) drivable by the drive motor (42) so as to move rotationally, the drive motor (42) being connected to the working apparatus (22), for transfer of a torque, with interposition of a shiftable transmission (50; 150) comprising at least two gearing stages having different torque transfer ratios, is characterized in that by means of a first gearing stage of the shiftable transmission (50), an input shaft (48), coupled on the input side to the drive motor (42), of the shiftable transmission (50) is connectable in torque-transferring fashion directly to an output shaft (52), coupled on the output side to the working apparatus (22), of the shiftable transmission (50) so as to rotate together at the same rotation speed; and by means of a second gearing stage of the shiftable transmission (50), the input shaft (48) is connectable in torque-transferring fashion, with interposition of a transmission assemblage (64), to the output s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Tobias Stinner, Cyrus Barimani, Hardy Wilhelmi
  • Patent number: 11851829
    Abstract: A self-propelled earth working machine (10), for example a road milling machine, recycler, or surface miner, includes: a working apparatus (12) for material-removing working of a region of a substrate (U); and an extraction device (40) that is embodied to extract dust-laden air from at least one machine region at least one extraction location (46), and to exhaust extracted air at a discharge location (50) different from the extraction location (46), the extraction device (40) comprising a filter apparatus (42) arranged along an operational flow path from the at least one extraction location (46) to the discharge location (50), the filter apparatus (42) encompassing: a filter housing (54); and a filter element (52) received in the filter housing (54), the filter element (52) being embodied to remove dust particles from the air flowing through the filter apparatus (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Stephan Drumm
  • Publication number: 20230407580
    Abstract: An earth working machine encompasses a machine body having a machine frame and a drive configuration rotationally drivable relative to the machine frame around a drive axis (A). It further encompasses a working apparatus (32) for earth working to which the drive configuration is releasably connected in drive torque-transferring fashion for rotation together, the drive configuration projecting from an axial end axially into the working apparatus (32) and the working apparatus (32) being retained on the drive configuration, against axial displacement relative to the drive configuration, by an accessible central bolt arrangement having a bolt axis collinear with the drive axis (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Karsten Buhr, Markus Frankemölle, Thomas Lehnert, Andreas Salz, Hardy Wilhelmi
  • Publication number: 20230313471
    Abstract: A method is provided for measuring the milling depth of a road milling machine, the machine being operative to mill a ground surface with a milling roller lowered to a milling depth to create a milling track, the machine including at least one side plate located to at least one side of the milling roller to engage an untreated ground surface, and the machine including a stripping plate operative to be lowered onto the milling track generated by the milling roller. The method includes measuring the milling depth of the milling track, the measuring including detecting a measurement value of a ground engaging sensor engaging the milling track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Dieter Simons
  • Publication number: 20230304235
    Abstract: A self-propelled substrate milling machine includes a machine frame supported by front and rear left-hand and right-hand running gear units, wherein a milling drum is arranged on the machine frame. The substrate milling machine is characterized by a transverse inclination sensor system, which is designed to control the substrate milling machine in such a way that the position of the front left-hand and right-hand running gear units which stand on the unmachined substrate, is detected with respect to the machine frame, and transverse inclination values describing the transverse inclination of the substrate surface transverse to the working direction of the substrate milling machine with respect to the machine frame is determined from the position of these running gear units, said transverse inclination values being the basis for the control of the substrate milling machine. The transverse inclination sensor system detects the transverse inclination of the course of the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Mariusz Gasiorek, Hanjo Held, René Müller
  • Patent number: 11767645
    Abstract: A self-propelled construction machine, having a milling drum housing having a sealing device which has a sealing element arranged in the working direction of the construction machine behind the milling drum, an adjustment device for adjusting the height position of the sealing element, and a controller for controlling the adjustment device of the sealing element. The sealing device has a scraper element, which is pivotably arranged on the sealing element such that the scraper element rests on the milled material and is pivoted in relation to the milling drum on the basis of the height of the milled material. The height position of the sealing element is adjusted on the basis of the pivot position of the scraper element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Andreas Salz, Martin Quadt
  • Patent number: 11761157
    Abstract: A road milling machine includes a machine frame, at least three travelling devices, a milling drum, and at least one hydraulic drive system. The hydraulic drive system includes at least one hydraulic pump, at least one hydraulic fixed displacement motor for driving at least one driven travelling device, and one each hydraulic variable displacement motor for driving the remaining travelling devices. A first gearbox is arranged between the fixed displacement hydraulic motor and its associated travelling device. One each second gearbox is arranged between each of the hydraulic variable displacement motors and their associated travelling devices. The transmission ratio of the first gearbox is lower than the transmission ratios of the second gearboxes and/or the displacement volume of the fixed displacement motor is smaller than the maximum displacement volume of the variable displacement motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Sebastian Drumm
  • Patent number: 11761156
    Abstract: In a self-propelled construction machine (1), in particular road milling machine, stabilizer, recycler or surface miner, comprising a machine frame (2), and at least one working device (6), in particular milling drum, which is arranged in a housing (4) open towards the bottom that is at least partially closed on at least one side by at least one edge protector (8) height-adjustable relative to the machine frame (2), wherein, for the purpose of height adjustment, at least one first lifting device (10) is provided, the first end (15) of which is connected to the machine frame (2), and the second end (16) of which is connected to the height-adjustable edge protector (8), it is provided for the following features to be achieved: a second lifting device (12) is provided, the first end (18) of which is connected to the machine frame (2), and the second end (20) of which is connected to a first end (22) of a transmission device (14), which is in turn connected, with a second end (24), to the height-adjustable edge p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventors: Tobias Stinner, Christian Berning, Andreas Salz
  • Patent number: 11761155
    Abstract: A self-propelled construction machine for milling a ground surface is provided with a machine frame, a working drum, and a transport conveyor with a discharge end from which worked-off milling material is dischargeable onto a point of impingement on a loading surface of a transport vehicle, wherein the transport conveyor is laterally slewable to a slewing angle about at least a first slewing axis. A controller is configured, during an initialization process, to specify a command variable within a coordinate system, the coordinate system being stored during the initialization process with its origin at a starting point associated with the machine. The controller is further configured during a working process, wherein the coordinate system is stationary, to automatically control the slewing angle corresponding to detected changes in position and/or orientation of the machine and relative to the command variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Andreas Vogt, Cyrus Barimani
  • Patent number: 11761763
    Abstract: A civil engineering machine has a machine control unit configured to determine data which defines the position and/or orientation of a reference point on the civil engineering machine in relation to a reference system independent of the position and orientation of the civil engineering machine. A geometrical shape to be produced on the ground is preset in either a machine control unit or a field rover control unit. The field rover is used to determine a position of at least one identifiable point of the preset geometrical shape in the independent reference system. Curve data defining a desired curve in the independent reference system, corresponding to the preset shape, is determined at least partially on the basis of the position of the at least one identifiable point of the preset geometrical shape in the independent reference system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Inventors: Matthias Fritz, Cyrus Barimani, Christian Berning
  • Patent number: 11725351
    Abstract: A bearing component for mounting a replaceable milling drum on an earth working machine includes an annular connecting flange having a central axis. A bearing stem protrudes from the connecting flange axially in a first direction to a first axial end, the bearing stem having an outer surface including at least first and second cylindrical bearing surfaces axially spaced from each other. The bearing stem further includes a centering recess open at a second axial end opposite the first axial end, the centering recess including an opening angle decreasing in steps so that the centering recess tapers in the first direction, the centering recess forming a portion of the central opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Karsten Buhr, Markus Frankemölle, Thomas Lehnert, Andreas Salz, Hardy Wilhelmi
  • Patent number: 11719099
    Abstract: The invention relates to a milling machine having a replaceable milling drum, different types of milling drums being capable of being associated with the milling machine; and having a control unit for controlling the milling machine, machine parameters of the milling machine being settable by way of the control unit. Provision is made that the milling machine has associated with it at least one means that is designed to detect at least one characteristic feature of the milling drum; that the at least one means is connected to the control unit; and that the control unit is designed to specify for at least one machine parameter, indirectly or directly from the characteristic feature, a value to be set, and/or a setting range. The invention further relates to a corresponding milling drum and to a corresponding method. The milling machine, milling drum, and method allow the selection of machine parameters for operation of the milling machine to be simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Thomas Lehnert, Philip Verhaelen
  • Publication number: 20230160156
    Abstract: A self-propelled construction machine for milling a ground surface is provided with a machine frame, a working drum, and a transport conveyor with a discharge end from which worked-off milling material is dischargeable onto a point of impingement on a loading surface of a transport vehicle, wherein the transport conveyor is laterally slewable to a slewing angle about at least a first slewing axis. A controller is configured, during an initialization process, to specify a command variable within a coordinate system independent of a position and/or orientation of the machine, the coordinate system being stored during the initialization process with its origin at a starting point associated with the machine. The controller is further configured during a working process, wherein the coordinate system is stationary, to automatically control the slewing angle corresponding to detected changes in position and/or orientation of the machine and relative to the command variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Andreas Vogt, Cyrus Barimani
  • Publication number: 20230160158
    Abstract: In a self-propelled construction machine (1), in particular road milling machine, comprising a machine frame (8), at least three travelling devices (12, 16), at least one working device, in particular a milling drum (6), for working the ground pavement (3), at least one hydraulic drive system (70) for driving at least two travelling devices (12, 16), wherein the hydraulic drive system (70) comprises at least one hydraulic pump (78), wherein the hydraulic drive system (70) comprises at least one hydraulic fixed displacement motor (74) for driving at least one driven travelling device, and one each hydraulic variable displacement motor (72) for driving the remaining driven travelling devices that are not driven by a fixed displacement motor (74), wherein a first gearbox (90) is arranged between the fixed displacement motor (74) and the associated travelling device, and wherein one each second gearbox (92) is arranged between the remaining driven travelling devices and the respective hydraulic variable displa
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Sebastian Drumm
  • Patent number: 11655599
    Abstract: A method for measuring the milling depth of a road milling machine, the machine being operative to mill a ground surface with a milling roller lowered to a milling depth to create a milling track, the machine including at least one side plate located to at least one side of the milling roller to engage an untreated ground surface, and the machine including a stripping plate operative to be lowered onto the milling track generated by the milling roller. The method includes measuring the milling depth of the milling track, the measuring including detecting a measurement value of a ground engaging sensor engaging the milling track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Wirtgen America, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Dieter Simons
  • Publication number: 20230151562
    Abstract: A self-propelled earth working machine includes a machine frame and a traveling gear, the traveling gear including drive units rollable on a contact subsurface of the earth working machine, the machine frame supporting a working apparatus, the earth working machine having as a main functional unit a work drive in order to drive the working apparatus to perform a work movement for earth working, and the earth working machine having at least one further functional unit, the earth working machine having a common power source, which provides both the energy for the work drive as well as the energy for the further functional unit. The common power source includes a common electrical supply switching device, to which every functional unit is connected in electrically conductive fashion, wherein the main functional unit includes an electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Markus Bach, Christian Berning
  • Publication number: 20230125857
    Abstract: In a self-propelled construction machine (1), in particular road milling machine, stabilizer, recycler or surface miner, comprising a machine frame (2), and at least one working device (6), in particular milling drum, which is arranged in a housing (4) open towards the bottom that is at least partially closed on at least one side by at least one edge protector (8) height-adjustable relative to the machine frame (2), wherein, for the purpose of height adjustment, at least one first lifting device (10) is provided, the first end (15) of which is connected to the machine frame (2), and the second end (16) of which is connected to the height-adjustable edge protector (8), it is provided for the following features to be achieved: a second lifting device (12) is provided, the first end (18) of which is connected to the machine frame (2), and the second end (20) of which is connected to a first end (22) of a transmission device (14), which is in turn connected, with a second end (24), to the height-adjustable edge p
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Tobias Stinner, Christian Berning, Andreas Salz