Patents by Inventor Erwin Rotter

Erwin Rotter 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).

  • Patent number: 6134496
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the control of the shifting process of a vehicle with electro-hydraulically actuatable friction elements for the shifting-over between different transmission stages in a vehicle with at least in addition a drive engine in which a current actual value is determined for at least one magnitude characterizing the shift process in each shifting process; the actual value is compared with an establishable and/or storable desired value; on deviation of the actual value from the desired value, the control pressure for the at least indirect influencing of the magnitude characterizing the switching process is adaptively changed by a determinable, calculatable or prescribable first correction value for the achieving of an optimal shifting behavior and the course of the altered magnitude is storable in each case as new characteristic curve of the desired values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Turbo GmbH & Co. K.G.
    Inventors: Erwin Rotter, Thomas Schonhaar, Wilfried Maier, Friedrich Haberle, Herbert Depping
  • Patent number: 6095948
    Abstract: A process is provided for operating a vehicle transmission with preferably electrohydraulically actuatable friction elements for shifting between different transmission steps, in a vehicle with at least one drive engine in which an actual value of at least one of the quantities characterizing the shift process is determined for each shift process, which actual value is compared with a theoretical value that can be established and stored. When the actual value deviates from the theoretical value, a regulated quantity for at least direct influencing is changed by a correction value that can be established. For each shift process, the time duration for the output of a gear shift signal up to the beginning of the synchronization process and/or the change of the drive rpm during this time period is determined as a first and/or second actual value of the quantity characterizing the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Playtex Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert Depping, Wilfried Maier, Erwin Rotter, Friedrich Haberle, Thomas Schonhaar
  • Patent number: 5995896
    Abstract: A method for the control of shifting processes in a vehicle transmission from an initial gear to the next higher target gear includes the steps of continuously determining the vehicle acceleration (a) and the driven rpm (n.sub.2) behind the vehicle transmission. A shifting process is triggered when the acceleration value (a) and the essentially simultaneously recorded driven rpm value (n.sub.2) fall on a shifting point which lies on a shifting characteristic (n.sub.2 (a)) in an acceleration-driven rpm diagram, where the shifting characteristic (n.sub.2 (a)) has a stepped course with at least two break points (a.sub.-- max; a.sub.-- min) and the slope of the shifting characteristic for acceleration values a.sub.-- min<a<a.sub.-- max is always smaller than or equal to the slope of the shifting characteristic for acceleration values a.ltoreq.a.sub.-- min or a.gtoreq.a.sub.-- max. In other words, the following applies:.linevert split.n.sub.2 (a.sub.1).linevert split..ltoreq..linevert split.n.sub.2 (a.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Voith Turbo GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Herbert Depping, Friedrich Haberle, Erwin Rotter, Voker Schempp, Wilfried Maier
  • Patent number: 5730682
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for operation of a drive unit of a vehicle, including a drive machine and a transmission with at least two gears. A quantity that characterizes acceleration of the vehicle and a quantity that characterizes the power of the drive engine are continuously determined. A gear shift speed range and a second speed range bounded by a lowest and highest attainable speed in the target gear can be established for a gear shift process in the initial gear. The gear shift speed range is bounded at least by a lower gear shift speed and an upper gear shift speed and the second speed range is bounded by a lower target speed, as well as an additional speed. The gear shift process is initiated as a function of the determined acceleration. The lower target speed is achieved in a gear shift process in a first limiting stage (high acceleration at low input speeds or limited deceleration at low input speeds) during initiation of a gear shift at a number of gear shift speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Voith Turbo GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Depping, Friedrich Haberle, Wilfried Maier, Erwin Rotter, Volker Schempp