Patents by Inventor Lorenz Maack

Lorenz Maack 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: 7401872
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a system for controlling a braking equipment of a motor vehicle in order to activate the braking equipment at a standstill of the motor vehicle such that braking forces are built up which are necessary to keep the motor vehicle in a state of standstill. To this end it is established on the basis of vehicle movements whether the vehicle is at a standstill. If vehicle movements are detected that cannot occur during driving modes of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle is in a state of standstill. Subsequently, the braking equipment, and in particular a holding brake mechanism included in the braking equipment, are activated. In order to provide braking forces keeping the motor vehicle at a standstill also when it is on a slope, the braking equipment, and in particular the holding brake mechanism, are controlled in response of the vehicle inclination present in the state of standstill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Söns
  • Patent number: 7338137
    Abstract: The present invention provides driveaway assistance for a motor vehicle having braking equipment which, in the standstill condition of the motor vehicle, automatically or under the control of a vehicle driver summons up braking forces needed for the standstill condition. To assist start-up (driveaway) of the motor vehicle through a reduction of the braking forces generated in the standstill condition, a driveaway request or a vehicle driver is determined when defined conditions, which are to be met for driveaway of the motor vehicle, exist in the standstill condition. Once a driveaway request has been recognized, the operating state of the motor vehicle is checked until an operating condition required for driveaway exists. Once such an operating condition is reached, the braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled in such a way that its braking forces generated in the standstill condition are reduced to allow driveaway of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Söns, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Publication number: 20060131957
    Abstract: The present invention provides driveaway assistance for a motor vehicle having braking equipment which, in the standstill condition of the motor vehicle, automatically or under the control of a vehicle driver summons up braking forces needed for the standstill condition. To assist start-up (driveaway) of the motor vehicle through a reduction of the braking forces generated in the standstill condition, a driveaway request or a vehicle driver is determined when defined conditions, which are to be met for driveaway of the motor vehicle, exist in the standstill condition. Once a driveaway request has been recognized, the operating state of the motor vehicle is checked until an operating condition required for driveaway exists. Once such an operating condition is reached, the braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled in such a way that its braking forces generated in the standstill condition are reduced to allow driveaway of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Sons, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Patent number: 6994407
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling braking equipment of a motor vehicle. Here, an operating state of a motor vehicle is determined, in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state, in which its speed is not zero, into a state, in which the vehicle no longer moves. If such a transition from a traveling state into a state of standstill is determined, braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled such that braking forces are produced, which are capable of bringing the motor vehicle into the state of standstill and/or assisting a vehicle driver in doing this. It is also possible to produce braking forces in the state of standstill, which are capable of holding the motor vehicle in the state of standstill. The present invention additionally enables to assist a vehicle driver when starting a motor vehicle. In this case, an operating state of the motor vehicle is detected in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state of standstill into a traveling state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Söns
  • Publication number: 20030227215
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling braking equipment of a motor vehicle. Here, an operating state of a motor vehicle is determined, in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state, in which its speed is not zero, into a state, in which the vehicle no longer moves. If such a transition from a traveling state into a state of standstill is determined, braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled such that braking forces are produced, which are capable of bringing the motor vehicle into the state of standstill and/or assisting a vehicle driver in doing this. It is also possible to produce braking forces in the state of standstill, which are capable of holding the motor vehicle in the state of standstill. The present invention additionally enables to assist a vehicle driver when starting a motor vehicle. In this case, an operating state of the motor vehicle is detected in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state of standstill into a traveling state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Sons
  • Publication number: 20030214185
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a system for controlling a braking equipment of a motor vehicle in order to activate the braking equipment at a standstill of the motor vehicle such that braking forces are built up which are necessary to keep the motor vehicle in a state of standstill. To this end it is established on the basis of vehicle movements whether the vehicle is at a standstill. If vehicle movements are detected that cannot occur during driving modes of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle is in a state of standstill. Subsequently, the braking equipment, and in particular a holding brake mechanism included in the braking equipment, are activated. In order to provide braking forces keeping the motor vehicle at a standstill also when it is on a slope, the braking equipment, and in particular the holding brake mechanism, are controlled in response of the vehicle inclination present in the state of standstill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Sons
  • Publication number: 20030214186
    Abstract: The present invention provides start-up assistance for a motor vehicle having braking equipment which, in the stationary state of the mo-or vehicle, automatically or under the control of a vehicle driver summons up braking forces needed for the stationary state. To assist start-up of the motor vehicle through a reduction of the braking forces generated in the stationary state, a start-up request of a vehicle driver is determined when defined conditions, which are to be met for start-up of the motor vehicle, exist in the stationary state. Once a start-up request has been recognized, the operating state of the motor vehicle is checked until an operating state required for start-up exists. Once such an operating state is reached, the braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled in such a way that its braking forces generated in the stationary state are reduced to allow start-up of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Sons
  • Patent number: 6637839
    Abstract: In a method for carrying out an automatic braking operation in a vehicle, a stte variable for describing driver's reactions and/or events outside the vehicle is sensed by means of a sensor, compared with a reference value and, when the reference value is exceeded, a higher braking pressure than the braking pressure corresponding to the brake pedal position is generated. In order to increase reliability, the automatic generation of braking pressure is suspended for a specific holding time if the state variable which is sensed by sensor means lies outside an acceptable tolerance range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Alexander Fuchs, Wolfgang Kiesewetter, Bernd Knoff, Carsten Lauer, Lorenz Maack, Eberhard Pfeifle, Manfred Steiner
  • Patent number: 6568182
    Abstract: Electronically controllable brake booster with a vacuum chamber and a pressure chamber, which are separated from one another by a moveable wall, a control valve arrangement, which can be actuated by means of an electromagnetic actuating device and via which a pressure difference between the pressure and the vacuum chamber can be set, wherein the control valve arrangement takes up a holding position, a pressure build-up position, a pressure reduction position in accordance with a current generated as correcting variable by an electronic control unit and flowing through the electromagnetic actuating device, a cylinder-piston arrangement, which is connected to the brake booster and comprises a piston, coupled to a brake pedal, of a hydraulic cylinder which has a hydraulic connection leading to a wheel brake, a sensor arrangement for detecting a signal which is correlated with the pressure of the hydraulic cylinder and which reproduces the controlled variable, wherein the electronic control unit establishes a com
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignees: Lucas Industries plc, Daimler-Chrysler AG
    Inventors: Christoph Linden, Lorenz Maack
  • Patent number: 6470986
    Abstract: A method for determining an initiation threshold value for an automatic braking process, in which an automatic braking process is used and a brake pressure is produced which is greater than the brake pressure which corresponds to the operation of the brake pedal by the driver. Short distances between vehicles increase the risk of accidents. If a driver operates the brakes when there is a short distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, in the vast majority of cases, the driver of the following vehicle is often required to perform an emergency braking due to the short distance between the vehicles. To improve the safety of vehicles, an emergency braking is performed, as quickly as possible, when the distance between vehicles is short. This emergency braking, within what is physically possible, ensures rapid deceleration of the vehicle and thus helps to avoid rear-impact accidents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Alexander Fuchs, Carsten Lauer, Manfred Steiner, Lorenz Maack, Eberhard Pfeifle, Bernd Knoff, Wolfgang Kiesewetter
  • Patent number: 6357837
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronically controllable brake booster with a vacuum chamber and a pressure chamber, which are separated from each other by a movable wall, a control valve arrangement which can be actuated by means of an electromagnetic actuation means, and by means of which a pressure difference between the pressure chamber and the vacuum chamber can be adjusted, with the control valve arrangement, as a function of a current flowing through the electromagnetic actuation means, assuming a holding position in which the current ranges between a higher value and a lower value without the control valve arrangement leaving the holding position, a first pressure changing position in which the current is higher than the higher value, and a second pressure changing position in which the current is lower than the low value, characterized in that upon a changeover of the control valve arrangement from the holding position into the first or the second pressure changing position, or upon a changeover from
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventors: Christoph Linden, Gregor Godlewsky, Lorenz Maack
  • Publication number: 20020011366
    Abstract: A method for determining an initiation threshold value for an automatic braking process, in which an automatic braking process is used and a brake pressure is produced which is greater than the brake pressure which corresponds to the operation of the brake pedal by the driver. Short distances between vehicles increase the risk of accidents. If a driver operates the brakes when there is a short distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, in the vast majority of cases, the driver of the following vehicle is often required to perform an emergency braking due to the short distance between the vehicles. To improve the safety of vehicles, an emergency braking is performed, as quickly as possible, when the distance between vehicles is short. This emergency braking, within what is physically possible, ensures rapid deceleration of the vehicle and thus helps to avoid rear-impact accidents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Applicant: Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alexander Fuchs, Carsten Lauer, Manfred Steiner, Lorenz Maack, Eberhard Pfeifle, Bernd Knoff, Wolfgang Kiesewetter
  • Patent number: 6342832
    Abstract: A process and device are disclosed for preventing a vehicle from colliding with an obstacle during parking. The object of the invention is therefore to ensure that a collision can be reliably avoided without any additional intervention of the drive. In a device with at least one sensor for generating signals which represent the distance between the vehicle and an obstacle, the signals are processed in an evaluation unit. When at least one distance-representing signal falls below a limit value, a warning signal is generated. This warning signal drives a control valve which generates a pressure difference between the working chamber and the vacuum chamber in a brake booster when the warning signal is generated. This pressure difference causes the braking pressure to rise in the wheel brake cylinder and therefore slows the vehicle down to a standstill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Alexander Fuchs, Wolfgang Kiesewetter, Bernd Knoff, Carsten Lauer, Lorenz Maack, Eberhard Pfeifle, Manfred Steiner
  • Publication number: 20020006341
    Abstract: Electronically controllable brake booster with a vacuum chamber and a pressure chamber, which are separated from one another by a moveable wall, a control valve arrangement, which can be actuated by means of an electromagnetic actuating device and via which a pressure difference between the pressure and the vacuum chamber can be set, wherein the control valve arrangement takes up a holding position, a pressure build-up position, a pressure reduction position in accordance with a current generated as correcting variable by an electronic control unit and flowing through the electromagnetic actuating device, a cylinder-piston arrangement, which is connected to the brake booster and comprises a piston, coupled to a brake pedal, of a hydraulic cylinder which has a hydraulic connection leading to a wheel brake, a sensor arrangement for detecting a signal which is correlated with the pressure of the hydraulic cylinder and which reproduces the controlled variable, wherein the electronic control unit establishes a com
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Inventors: Christoph Linden, Lorenz Maack
  • Patent number: 6308796
    Abstract: A method for determining an initiation threshold value for an automatic braking process, in which an automatic braking process is used and a brake pressure is produced which is greater than the brake pressure which corresponds to the operation of the brake pedal by the driver. Short distances between vehicles increase the risk of accidents. If a driver operates the brakes when there is a short distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, in the vast majority of cases, the driver of the following vehicle is often required to perform an emergency braking due to the short distance between the vehicles. To improve the safety of vehicles, an emergency braking is performed, as quickly as possible, when the distance between vehicles is short. This emergency braking, within what is physically possible, ensures rapid deceleration of the vehicle and thus helps to avoid rear-impact accidents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Alexander Fuchs, Carsten Lauer, Manfred Steiner, Lorenz Maack, Eberhard Pfeifle, Bernd Knoff, Wolfgang Kiesewetter
  • Patent number: 6185498
    Abstract: An electronically controllable brake booster with a vacuum chamber and a pressure chamber, which are separated from each other by a movable wall, a control valve arrangement which can be actuated by an electromagnetic actuation device, through which a pressure difference between the pressure chamber and the vacuum chamber can be adjusted, with the control valve arrangement, as a function of a current flowing through the electromagnetic actuation device, assuming a holding position in which the current ranges between a higher value and a lower value without the control valve arrangement leaving the holding position, a first pressure changing position in which the current is higher than the higher value, and a second pressure changing position in which the current is lower than the low value, characterised in that upon a changeover of the control valve arrangement from the holding position into the first or the second pressure changing position, or upon a changeover from the first or the second pressure changin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventors: Christoph Linden, Gregor Godlewsky, Lorenz Maack