Patents by Inventor Franz Winkler
Franz Winkler 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).
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Patent number: 11891930Abstract: A method of operating an exhaust valve of a two-stroke internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine has a cylinder and a piston movably disposed within the cylinder. The cylinder defines at least one exhaust port for discharging exhaust fluid from the cylinder. The exhaust valve is configured to cyclically obstruct the exhaust port. The method includes: rotating the exhaust valve in a first direction for clearing the exhaust port before the piston uncovers the exhaust port during a downstroke of the piston, the first direction being opposite a direction of rotation of a crankshaft of the engine; and rotating the exhaust valve in the first direction for at least partially closing the exhaust port before the piston fully covers the exhaust port during an upstroke of the piston, said rotating of the exhaust valve relative to the rotation of the crankshaft at least partially counterbalancing the crankshaft.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2021Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: BRP-ROTAX GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Nigel Foxhall, Markus Doppelbauer, Heinz Kusel, Matthias Zarhuber, Roland Kirchberger, Franz Winkler, Andrea Abis
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Patent number: 11667286Abstract: A device for determining a tachometer characteristic curve of a motor vehicle includes a detection apparatus and a determining apparatus. The determining apparatus is configured to form a tachometer characteristic curve on the basis of one or more mean value pairs, which are formed by means of one locomotion signal mean value and one speed mean value, by means of which tachometer characteristic curve locomotion signals and speed values are converted into one another, and/or to change a tachometer characteristic curve which is already present.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2020Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Oliver Fritsch, Christian Rathgeber, Franz Winkler
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Publication number: 20220178282Abstract: A method of operating an exhaust valve of a two-stroke internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine has a cylinder and a piston movably disposed within the cylinder. The cylinder defines at least one exhaust port for discharging exhaust fluid from the cylinder. The exhaust valve is configured to cyclically obstruct the exhaust port. The method includes: rotating the exhaust valve in a first direction for clearing the exhaust port before the piston uncovers the exhaust port during a downstroke of the piston, the first direction being opposite a direction of rotation of a crankshaft of the engine; and rotating the exhaust valve in the first direction for at least partially closing the exhaust port before the piston fully covers the exhaust port during an upstroke of the piston, said rotating of the exhaust valve relative to the rotation of the crankshaft at least partially counterbalancing the crankshaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2021Publication date: June 9, 2022Inventors: Nigel FOXHALL, Markus DOPPELBAUER, Heinz KUSEL, Matthias ZARHUBER, Roland KIRCHBERGER, Franz WINKLER, Andrea ABIS
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Patent number: 11236651Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine has a crankshaft disposed at least in part in a crankcase, and a cylinder block connected to the crankcase and defining a cylinder. The cylinder defines at least one exhaust port for discharging exhaust fluid. A piston is movably disposed within the cylinder and is operatively connected to the crankshaft. The piston is movable along a cylinder axis in a reciprocating motion including an upstroke and a downstroke. An exhaust valve assembly is operatively connected to and rotates with the crankshaft. The exhaust valve assembly has a shaft rotatably supported by the cylinder block and a valve configured to cyclically obstruct the exhaust port. The valve is operable to move clear of the exhaust port before the piston uncovers the exhaust port during its downstroke, and at least partially close the exhaust port before the piston fully covers the exhaust port during its upstroke.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2018Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: BRP-ROTAX GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Nigel Foxhall, Markus Doppelbauer, Heinz Kusel, Matthias Zarhuber, Roland Kirchberger, Franz Winkler, Andrea Abis
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Publication number: 20210003052Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine has a crankshaft disposed at least in part in a crankcase, and a cylinder block connected to the crankcase and defining a cylinder. The cylinder defines at least one exhaust port for discharging exhaust fluid. A piston is movably disposed within the cylinder and is operatively connected to the crankshaft. The piston is movable along a cylinder axis in a reciprocating motion including an upstroke and a downstroke. An exhaust valve assembly is operatively connected to and rotates with the crankshaft. The exhaust valve assembly has a shaft rotatably supported by the cylinder block and a valve configured to cyclically obstruct the exhaust port. The valve is operable to move clear of the exhaust port before the piston uncovers the exhaust port during its downstroke, and at least partially close the exhaust port before the piston fully covers the exhaust port during its upstroke.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2018Publication date: January 7, 2021Inventors: Nigel FOXHALL, Markus DOPPELBAUER, Heinz KUSEL, Matthias ZARHUBER, Roland KIRCHBERGER, Franz WINKLER, Andrea ABIS
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Patent number: 10800490Abstract: An exhaust assembly for a vehicle is disclosed, which includes a resonator including an inlet adapted for fluidly connecting to an exhaust manifold, and a closed end at an end of the resonator opposite the inlet; and a turbocharger passage extending from the resonator between the exhaust manifold and the closed end, the turbocharger passage defining an outlet. An exhaust system, a power pack, and the vehicle including the exhaust assembly are further disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2018Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: BRP-ROTAX GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Nigel Foxhall, Roland Kirchberger, Stefan Krimplstatter, Roland Oswald, Franz Winkler
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Patent number: 10739778Abstract: A method for controlling a trajectory planning process of an ego-vehicle includes the following steps: determining a longitudinal movement of the ego-vehicle, the longitudinal movement including a speed of the ego-vehicle; determining a longitudinal movement of an object, the longitudinal movement including a speed of the object; calculating a target trajectory of the object on the basis of a predicted trajectory of the object; calculating an end time of a maneuvering process of the ego-vehicle, the end time of the maneuvering process being a point in time at which a differential speed between the ego-vehicle and the object is dissipated; calculating a distance between a position of the ego-vehicle and the position of a third-party vehicle with respect to the calculated target trajectory at the calculated end time of the maneuvering process of the ego vehicle; and if the calculated distance of the ego-vehicle at the calculated end time of the maneuvering process equals a specified threshold or falls below a sType: GrantFiled: May 8, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Franz Winkler, Christoph Hellfritsch, Christian Rathgeber, Cristina Menendez
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Publication number: 20200180621Abstract: A device for determining a tachometer characteristic curve of a motor vehicle includes a detection apparatus and a determining apparatus. The determining apparatus is configured to form a tachometer characteristic curve on the basis of one or more mean value pairs, which are formed by means of one locomotion signal mean value and one speed mean value, by means of which tachometer characteristic curve locomotion signals and speed values are converted into one another, and/or to change a tachometer characteristic curve which is already present.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2020Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Oliver FRITSCH, Christian RATHGEBER, Franz WINKLER
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Publication number: 20180253103Abstract: A method for controlling a trajectory planning process of an ego-vehicle includes the following steps: determining a longitudinal movement of the ego-vehicle, the longitudinal movement including a speed of the ego-vehicle; determining a longitudinal movement of an object, the longitudinal movement including a speed of the object; calculating a target trajectory of the object on the basis of a predicted trajectory of the object; calculating an end time of a maneuvering process of the ego-vehicle, the end time of the maneuvering process being a point in time at which a differential speed between the ego-vehicle and the object is dissipated; calculating a distance between a position of the ego-vehicle and the position of a third-party vehicle with respect to the calculated target trajectory at the calculated end time of the maneuvering process of the ego vehicle; and if the calculated distance of the ego-vehicle at the calculated end time of the maneuvering process equals a specified threshold or falls below a sType: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2018Publication date: September 6, 2018Inventors: Franz WINKLER, Christoph HELLFRITSCH, Christian RATHGEBER, Cristina MENENDEZ
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Publication number: 20180215446Abstract: An exhaust assembly for a vehicle is disclosed, which includes a resonator including an inlet adapted for fluidly connecting to an exhaust manifold, and a closed end at an end of the resonator opposite the inlet; and a turbocharger passage extending from the resonator between the exhaust manifold and the closed end, the turbocharger passage defining an outlet. An exhaust system, a power pack, and the vehicle including the exhaust assembly are further disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Nigel FOXHALL, Roland KIRCHBERGER, Stefan KRIMPLSTATTER, Roland OSWALD, Franz WINKLER
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Patent number: 6040747Abstract: An overcurrent circuit breaker arranged inside an approximately cube-shaped, two-part insulating housing, having a chassis section and a locking section. Located between the parallel side walls of the housing sections is a switchgear with a contact bridge, the movement of which is guided parallel to the side walls and which extends in essentially longitudinal direction at a right angle to the side walls and while in the on position between two fixed contacts that are fastened inside the housing and are positioned on both sides of the movement plane for the switchgear. The fixed contacts are flat pieces akin to a knife blade and fit against the side walls and, respectively, form a contact point with their narrow, knifeblade type edges facing the contact bridge. With their rear sides opposite the contact points, the fixed contacts fit against a flank wall of housing. As a result of this, the fixed contacts are positioned in an especially space-saving manner in the corners of housing.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1997Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: Ellenberger & Poensgen GmbHInventors: Fritz Krasser, Franz Winkler
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Patent number: 5959449Abstract: A method for determining electrical measurement variables (e.g. DC or AC voltages or currents, powers or resistances) without physically contacting a conductor (1) includes at least two coil systems (6) arranged at a distance from one another. The coil systems (6) are positioned in the electromagnetic field of the conductor (1). The coils (6) and/or an electrically conductive component (3) in the vicinity of the coils (6) are set into periodic mechanical oscillation for the determination of DC voltages and/or direct currents. Consequently, determination of electrical measurement variables is achieved without physically contacting an electrical conductor which cannot be completely surrounded.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 1997Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Inventor: Franz Winkler
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Patent number: 4046626Abstract: An emergency core cooling system for a pressurized-water reactor provides one supply of emergency water under pressure for injecting into the reactor's pressure vessel's lower plenum through a check valve, and a separate supply of emergency water under pressure for injecting into the vessel's upper plenum through a second check valve, the pressure on both supplies of emergency water being lower than the pressure of the reactor's coolant under normal reactor operating conditions. Because each plenum is separately supplied with emergency water when required, the pressures and flow rates can be designed for core cooling efficiency in the event of an accident.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 1974Date of Patent: September 6, 1977Assignee: Kraftwerk Union AktiengesellschaftInventors: Franz Winkler, Harald Helf