Patents by Inventor Joachim Prölb

Joachim Prölb 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).

  • Driveshaft adapted to a preferred torque transmitting direction
    Patent number: 6390928
    Abstract: A driveshaft (11) having two ball type constant velocity fixed joints (12, 13), a shaft part (14) connecting said two joints, and an axial plunging part (15) arranged in said shaft part (14). The ball type constant velocity fixed joints (12, 13) each comprise: a bell-shaped outer joint part (16, 26) provided with internally positioned first ball tracks (18, 28); a hub-shaped inner joint part (19, 29) provided with externally positioned second ball tracks (21, 31) and arranged inside said outer joint part (16, 26); balls (24, 34) engaging pairs of first ball tracks (18, 28) and second ball tracks (21, 31); and an annular ball cage (22, 32) with circumferentially distributed cage windows in which the balls are held in a common plane. The pairs of first ball tracks (18, 28) and second ball tracks (21, 31), when viewed in a longitudinal section, form opening angles (&agr;12, &agr;13) relative to one another for controlling the balls (24, 34) in the ball tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: GKN Lobro GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Heinrich Welschof, Thomas Schäffner, Joachim Prölb, Peter Schwärzler