Patents by Inventor Michael Letzer

Michael Letzer 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).

  • Dual-mass flywheel having radially arranged wire cushion bodies
    Patent number: 8062135
    Abstract: A dual-mass flywheel has a first mass body and a second mass body which can rotate relative to one another by way of a damping device disposed between the first mass body and the second mass body. The damping device includes, running in the shape of an arc, at least one helical compression spring, which introduces spring force into the mass bodies via contact surfaces formed on the first mass body and the second mass body. The helical compression spring is guided in the radial direction by a wall formed by a mass body. At least one friction-reducing sliding component in the form of a wire cushion body is provided between the wall and the helical compression spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Letzer, Ekkehard Gorski, Werner Kroeger
  • Dual-Mass Flywheel Having Radially Arranged Wire Cushion Bodies
    Publication number: 20110028223
    Abstract: A dual-mass flywheel has a first mass body and a second mass body which can rotate relative to one another by way of a damping device disposed between the first mass body and the second mass body. The damping device includes, running in the shape of an arc, at least one helical compression spring, which introduces spring force into the mass bodies via contact surfaces formed on the first mass body and the second mass body. The helical compression spring is guided in the radial direction by a wall formed by a mass body. At least one friction-reducing sliding component in the form of a wire cushion body is provided between the wall and the helical compression spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael LETZER, Ekkehard Gorski, Werner Kroeger
  • Torsional vibration dampers
    Patent number: 6402621
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper, for example a twin mass flywheel (10), has an input element (11) and an output element (12) which are relatively rotatable against the action of a damping means which includes a plurality of linkages (40). Each linkage includes a plurality of interconnected links (41, 42), at least one of which is flexible in an axial sense relative to the remainder of the damper to accommodate forces applied to the flexible link as a result of relative tilting of the damper elements (11, 12) during use of the damper. Various designs of generally radially extending flexible bob weight links (41) and additional connecting links (42) are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: AP ATM Limited
    Inventors: Richard David Maitland Cooke, Anthony John Curtis, Omar Moirano, Gerhard Ronner, Franz Sedlmeier, Wolfgang Dieminger, Adam Johnson Lambert, Stuart John Sleath, Alastair John Young, Heinz Mergarten, Winfried Keller, Werner Kroger, Michael Letzer, Werner Wastl