Patents by Inventor Horst Breier

Horst Breier 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: 7743900
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a bridging clutch of a hydrodynamic clutch arrangement is provided with a drive-side transmission element and a takeoff-side transmission element, which can be deflected around a certain angle of rotation relative to the drive-side element against the action of energy storage devices, where at least one driver element with an actuating function is assigned to each energy storage device. To realize a multi-stage action of the energy storage device, at least some of these driver elements arrive in working connection with an assigned final turn of the corresponding energy storage device only after using up a predetermined clearance gap in the circumferential direction. For this purpose, at least one transmission element has openings to accommodate energy storage devices, and at least one circumferential boundary of each opening is provided as a driver element for the assigned energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Horst Breier
  • Patent number: 7267212
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a lockup clutch of a hydrodynamic clutch arrangement is provided with a drive-side transmission element and a driven-side transmission element which can deflect around a rotational angle relative to each other against the action of energy accumulators. The transmission elements have recesses for receiving an energy accumulator, respectively, which can be supported by its respective end coils at respective circumferential ends of the recess. The circumferential ends of every recess are oriented, respectively, substantially along a first connection line to a first center of curvature. However, the circumferential end coils of every energy accumulator are oriented substantially along a second connection line to a second center of curvature in the absence of a relative rotational deflection of the transmission elements. The second connection line is oriented at an initial set angle relative to the first connection line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Erwin Wack, Horst Breier
  • Patent number: 7235904
    Abstract: A device for coupling a housing arrangement of a clutch device, particularly a hydrodynamic clutch device, to a rotor arrangement of an electric machine, wherein the rotor arrangement can be connected to a drive shaft so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it, this drive shaft being rotatable around an axis of rotation. The electric machine further has a stator arrangement which can be brought into electromagnetic interaction with the rotor arrangement and the drive shaft can be driven in rotation by the electric machine and/or electrical energy can be generated by rotation of the drive shaft. First teeth provided at the rotor arrangement and second teeth provided at the housing arrangement are in a rotational driving engagement with one another or can be brought into a rotational driving engagement with one another, and an axial securing arrangement holds the rotor arrangement in axial direction with respect to the housing arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Horst Breier, Christoph Sasse, Jörg Sudau
  • Publication number: 20070017767
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a bridging clutch of a hydrodynamic clutch arrangement is provided with a drive-side transmission element and a takeoff-side transmission element, which can be deflected around a certain angle of rotation relative to the drive-side element against the action of energy storage devices, where at least one driver element with an actuating function is assigned to each energy storage device. To realize a multi-stage action of the energy storage device, at least some of these driver elements arrive in working connection with an assigned final turn of the corresponding energy storage device only after using up a predetermined clearance gap in the circumferential direction. For this purpose, at least one transmission element has openings to accommodate energy storage devices, and at least one circumferential boundary of each opening is provided as a driver element for the assigned energy storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Horst Breier
  • Publication number: 20050239557
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a lockup clutch of a hydrodynamic clutch arrangement is provided with a drive-side transmission element and a driven-side transmission element which can deflect around a rotational angle relative to each other against the action of energy accumulators. The transmission elements have recesses for receiving an energy accumulator, respectively, which can be supported by its respective end coils at respective circumferential ends of the recess. The circumferential ends of every recess are oriented, respectively, substantially along a first connection line to a first center of curvature. However, the circumferential end coils of every energy accumulator are oriented substantially along a second connection line to a second center of curvature in the absence of a relative rotational deflection of the transmission elements. The second connection line is oriented at an initial set angle relative to the first connection line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Inventors: Erwin Wack, Horst Breier
  • Publication number: 20050150734
    Abstract: A device for coupling a housing arrangement (38) of a clutch device, particularly a hydrodynamic clutch device (14), to a rotor arrangement (24) of an electric machine (12), wherein the rotor arrangement (24) of the electric machine (12) is coupled, or is to be coupled, to a drive shaft (30) so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it, this drive shaft (30) being rotatable around an axis of rotation A), wherein the electric machine (12) further has a stator arrangement (16) which can be brought into electromagnetic interaction with the rotor arrangement (24) and the drive shaft (30) can be driven in rotation by the electric machine (12) and/or electrical energy can be generated by rotation of the drive shaft (30), wherein the device comprises toothing configurations (80, 76) at the rotor arrangement (24) and at the housing arrangement (38) which are in a rotational driving engagement with one another or can be brought into a rotational driving engagement with one another, further comprising an a
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Horst Breier, Christoph Sasse, Jorg Sudau
  • Patent number: 6915886
    Abstract: A bridging clutch is installed in a fluid medium-filled housing of a hydrodynamic coupling device located between a drive shaft and a transmission input shaft, the coupling device also containing a pump wheel and a turbine wheel. The bridging clutch is provided with a piston, which, when moved into a first axial position, brings at least one friction element into working connection with at least one friction surface, and when moved into a second axial position, at least partially releases this working connection, and with a torsional vibration damper, which is designed with at least one drive element and with at least one takeoff element, at least one of which has openings for circumferential springs and actuating areas for these springs. At least one of the takeoff elements acts a carrier element for the turbine wheel, which is held otherwise without radial support in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Dacho, Peter Frey, Ralf Rönnebeck, Georg Mencher, Bernd Schöder, Horst Breier, Hermann Schleicher
  • Patent number: 6837348
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch device for a hydrodynamic torque converter includes a turbine wheel for rotation about an axis of rotation. The turbine wheel is connected by a lockup clutch arrangement for transmitting torque to a housing arrangement. The turbine wheel includes a turbine wheel shell for housing turbine wheel blades. The turbine wheel shell is operably connected by a torsional vibration damper arrangement for transmitting torque. The torsional vibration damper arrangement includes a first transmission element coupled with the lockup clutch arrangement and the turbine wheel shell and includes a second transmission element coupled with the first transmission element for transmitting torque by means of a damper element arrangement; and wherein the first transmission element is supported at the housing arrangement in a first direction by a bearing arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Horst Breier, Georg Mencher, Thomas Bauer, Ralf Rönnebeck, Jürgen Dacho, Peter Frey, Bernd Schöder
  • Publication number: 20040060793
    Abstract: A bridging clutch is installed in a fluid medium-filled housing of a hydrodynamic coupling device located between a drive shaft and a transmission input shaft, the coupling device also containing a pump wheel and a turbine wheel. The bridging clutch is provided with a piston, which, when moved into a first axial position, brings at least one friction element into working connection with at least one friction surface, and, when moved into a second axial position, at least partially releases this working connection, and with a torsional vibration damper, which is designed with at least one drive element and with at least one takeoff element, at least one of which has openings for circumferential springs and actuating areas for these springs. At least one of the takeoff elements acts a carrier element for the turbine wheel, which is held otherwise without radial support in the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Dacho, Peter Frey, Ralf Ronnebeck, Georg Mencher, Bernd Schoder, Horst Breier, Hermann Schleicher
  • Patent number: 6695109
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a hydrodynamic torque converter is provided with at least one input part and an output part, which is given the ability to move relative to the input part by stored-energy elements, where the output part is designed as a hub disk, which is connected nonrotatably to a hub centered on a transmission input shaft. The hub disk extends radially inward to the area of the outside circumference of the hub, where it is connected directly to the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Erwin Wack, Christoph Sasse, Horst Breier
  • Publication number: 20030178275
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch device for a hydrodynamic torque converter includes a turbine wheel for rotation about an axis of rotation. The turbine wheel is connected by a lockup clutch arrangement for transmitting torque to a housing arrangement. The turbine wheel includes a turbine wheel shell for housing turbine wheel blades. The turbine wheel shell is operably connected by a torsional vibration damper arrangement for transmitting torque. The torsional vibration damper arrangement includes a first transmission element coupled with the lockup clutch arrangement and the turbine wheel shell and includes a second transmission element coupled with the first transmission element for transmitting torque by means of a damper element arrangement; and wherein the first transmission element is supported at the housing arrangement in a first direction by a bearing arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Horst Breier, Georg Mencher, Thomas Bauer, Ralf Ronnebeck, Jurgen Dacho, Peter Frey, Bernd Schoder
  • Publication number: 20020175037
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a hydrodynamic torque converter is provided with at least one input part and an output part, which is given the ability to move relative to the input part by stored-energy elements, where the output part is designed as a hub disk, which is connected nonrotatably to a hub centered on a transmission input shaft. The hub disk extends radially inward to the area of the outside circumference of the hub, where it is connected directly to the hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Erwin Wack, Christoph Sasse, Horst Breier
  • Patent number: 6290042
    Abstract: A lockup clutch for a torque converter has an axially displaceable piston for transmitting a torque from the drive side to the driven side of the torque converter. The piston is connected with a turbine wheel via a torsional vibration damper. The torsional vibration damper has an input part connected with the piston so that the input part is fixed with respect to rotation relative to the piston and an output part connected with the turbine wheel so that the output part is fixed with respect to rotation relative to the turbine wheel. The torsional vibration damper also has a plurality of torsional damper springs arranged between the input part and the output part and distributed along a circumference of the torque converter so that the input part is rotatable relative to the output part along a determined angular area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Horst Breier
  • Patent number: 5934426
    Abstract: A lockout clutch on a torque converter includes an axially deflectable piston through which torque can be transmitted from the drive side of the torque converter to its output side. The lockout clutch also has a torsional vibration damper having an input part connected to the piston and an output part connected to the turbine wheel of the torque converter. One of the input part and the output part includes a cover element with control elements for energy storage devices acting on the torsional vibration damper on at least one radial support of the cover element. The control elements are designed to project into the cover element with a depth at which the associated energy storage devices rests on a control element along substantially the extension width in the contact area of the control element. The control elements are also designed to avoid penetration to the axial support at least at the point where the other of the input and output elements engages the energy storage elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Rudiger Hinkel, Uwe Dehrmann, Roland Illig, Horst Breier