Patents by Inventor Reinhold Weidinger
Reinhold Weidinger 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: 6186302Abstract: An adjustment ring of a motor-vehicle clutch is supported on bearing surfaces of supporting protrusions of a pressure plate by one of first and second supporting surfaces on the adjustment ring. The second supporting surface is axially closer to the pressure plate than the first supporting surface. The bearing surfaces and the first and second supporting surfaces are aligned parallel to the plane of rotation of the pressure plate. The first and second supporting surfaces are each connected via an oblique surface so that the adjustment ring is manually rotatable relative to the pressure plate between a first position where the first supporting surface bears on the bearing surface and a second position where the second supporting surface bears on the bearing surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 1999Date of Patent: February 13, 2001Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventors: Hans-Jürgen Drexl, Reinhold Weidinger, Winfried Stürmer
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Patent number: 6123180Abstract: A thrust plate assembly for a motor vehicle friction clutch includes a wear adjustment device arranged between the diaphragm spring and a component such as the housing or the pressure plate, and has at least one adjustment element which is displaceable and is pretensioned. At least one play sensor arrangement for detecting wear of the friction linings is clamped between the pressure plate and the flywheel. The play sensor arrangement includes a locking/detection element which is arranged on one component such as the housing or the pressure plate and which is pretensioned against the wear adjustment device with a locking portion and acts upon this wear adjustment device to prevent a movement of the at least one wear adjustment element and which interacts with another component for detection of wear. The latter component is displaceable with respect to the first component when wear occurs.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 1999Date of Patent: September 26, 2000Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventor: Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 6029788Abstract: A friction clutch having a housing which is connectable with a flywheel of an internal combustion engine so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the flywheel. A pressure plate is arranged in the housing and is acted upon by a spring for pressing a clutch disk provided with friction facings against the flywheel. A compensation device, that includes at least one element which is changeable along its axial dimension, serves to compensate for the change in position of the pressure plate brought about by wear of the friction facings. A feeler is arranged so that it cannot change position relative to the pressure plate. The contact pressing force of the spring acts on the pressure plate via the compensation device. The feeler is arranged in the housing and a spring, which is fastened to the pressure plate and exerts an axial force on the compensation device, contacts the feeler at its free end.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 1998Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventors: Reinhold Weidinger, Michael Weiss
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Patent number: 6021877Abstract: A thrust plate assembly having a housing which can be fastened to a flywheel for common rotation about an axis of rotation. A pressure plate is axially displaceable in the housing and is fixed with respect to rotation relative to the housing and is pressed in the direction of the flywheel by an energy accumulator. A wear adjustment device, with at least one adjustment element which is pretensioned in a wear adjustment direction, is arranged in the support path of the energy accumulator. Further, at least one play sensor arrangement is provided for detecting wear occurring during operation. The at least one play sensor arrangement has a locking element with a counter-engagement formation engaging with the engagement formation at the at least one adjustment element. Further, the locking element has a locking engagement formation which engages or is engageable in a detachable manner with a counter-locking engagement formation, the latter preferably being stationary with respect to the pressure plate.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1998Date of Patent: February 8, 2000Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventors: Reinhold Weidinger, Michael Weiss
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Patent number: 5984067Abstract: A friction clutch, especially for motor vehicles, includes a housing connectable with respect to rotation to a flywheel of an internal combustion engine. A pressure plate is arranged in the housing and is urged by a spring toward the flywheel. A clutch disk with friction facings is arranged between the pressure plate and the flywheel such that the spring presses the friction facings ot the clutch disk against the flywheel. A compensation device with at least one element which is changeable along its axial dimension compensates for the change in position of the pressure plate caused by wear of the friction facings, wherein the contact pressure force of the spring acts on the pressure plate via the compensation device. A play transmitter includes two levers, one arranged on each side of the compensation device. One of the levers penetrates the other lever. The penetrated lever includes a stop element which limits the axial movement of the penetrated lever.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 1998Date of Patent: November 16, 1999Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventors: Reinhold Weidinger, Michael Weiss
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Patent number: 5979628Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle friction clutch with automatic wear compensation, in which a wear indicator is provided that, due to its elasticity, exerts a clamping force on the wear adjustment device without any additional spring elements.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1998Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventors: Jorg Lampe, Thomas Stretz, Michael Weiss, Georg Kraus, Reinhold Weidinger, Klaus Gorzitzke
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Patent number: 5975268Abstract: In a pressure plate component group for a motor vehicle friction clutch with automatic wear compensation, at least one clearance indicator arrangement is provided, which has a clearance indicator element supported on a carrier component of the pressure plate component group so as to be rotatable around an element rotational axis. The clearance indicator element has a wear readjustment area for interaction with a wear readjustment device. Further, the clearance indicator element has, on a circumferential surface, at least regionally, a thread-type surface formation, which engages, at least regionally, with a counter-surface formation on the pressure plate component group.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 1998Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventors: Reinhold Weidinger, Michael Weiss
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Patent number: 5941356Abstract: A pressure plate subassembly for a motor vehicle friction clutch, which subassembly comprises an application plate or pressure plate which, when assembled in a motor vehicle friction clutch, is connected to a flywheel to rotate jointly around an axis and can be axially displaced with respect to the flywheel. The pressure plate has a friction surface which faces the flywheel, and at least one clearance sensor is provided on the pressure plate. The clearance sensor has an operation lever segment that cooperates with a wear adjustment device, and an axial stop segment which cooperates with the flywheel. The pressure plate subassembly comprises the displacement contrivances, which displacement contrivances prevent a displacement of the clearance sensor, of which there is at least one, with respect to the pressure plate prior to the assembly of the pressure plate subassembly to the flywheel.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 1997Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventors: Michael Weiss, Reinhold Weidinger, Achim Link, Andreas Orlamunder, Uwe Sahlmuller
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Patent number: 5927458Abstract: A pressure plate arrangement 10 including a housing 12 that is fixedly connected to a flywheel 14 and rotatable therewith about an axle. A pressure plate 16 is arranged in the housing 12 so as to be adjustable in the axial direction. The pressure plate 16 may be prestressed in the direction of the flywheel 14 by an energy storage device 18. Interposed between the energy storage device 18 and the pressure plate 16 is a wear compensation device 26. The pressure plate arrangement 10 also includes at least one clearance indicator 31 which is supported on the pressure plate 16 by a friction clamping seat. The clearance indicator 31 detects wear that has occurred during operation by means of relative movement between the pressure plate 16 and a further component of the pressure plate arrangement 10 and brings about an axial repositioning corresponding to the wear using the wear compensation device 26.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1997Date of Patent: July 27, 1999Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AGInventors: Michael Weiss, Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 5911293Abstract: A motor vehicle friction clutch with automatic wear adjustment comprises a flywheel which rotates about a rotational axis, a clutch housing positioned with contact on the flywheel to turn with the flywheel, a pressure plate that is non-rotationally connected to the clutch housing and can be axially displaced with respect to the flywheel and a clutch disc that is rotationally arranged between the pressure plate and the flywheel with interposition of friction linings around the rotational axis in relation to the flywheel. A membrane spring element is installed to pre-stress the pressure plate in the direction of the flywheel. At least one clearance sensor is provided at the pressure plate and the clearance sensor has a control lever segment which acts with the wear adjustment device and an axial stop segment which acts with the flywheel. Through a friction ratcheting of the control lever segment, the clearance sensor is fixated on the pressure plate by pre-stressing in the axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 1997Date of Patent: June 15, 1999Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AgInventors: Michael Weiss, Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 5884741Abstract: A friction clutch with a mechanism to automatically adjust for the wear of the friction linings by an adjustable-width device. The adjustable-width device includes at least one adjustment element. The adjustment element is centered with respect to the axis of rotation opposite the pressure plate by several guide pins distributed about the circumference of the pressure plate. The guide pins extend axially and support the width of the adjustable element.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 1997Date of Patent: March 23, 1999Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventors: Winfried Bokisch, Achim Link, Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 5862901Abstract: A friction clutch, wherein the pressure force is obtained from the interaction of two different types of spring. A plate spring, which is unable by itself to apply the pressure force for transmitting the torque, is used, and at least one additional spring, which produces a force effect in the same direction and the force of which is added to the force of the diaphragm spring, is also used.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 1997Date of Patent: January 26, 1999Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventors: Michael Weiss, Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 5810143Abstract: A motor vehicle friction clutch with a pressure plate which is fastened with the interposition of a clutch disc with friction linings to a flywheel, and which has a common axis of rotation with the flywheel, comprising an application plate located non-rotationally--but so that it can move axially--in a clutch housing, and an application means to apply the application force, is designed so that the amount of work which must be performed by an application means for the engagement and release of the clutch becomes minimal.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1996Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventor: Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 5799766Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the attachment of a centrifugal mass or a modular clutch to the output end of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. For this purpose, axially-oriented gear teeth can be introduced in both parts, e.g. a serration, and there can be a central screw element which can extend into a threaded portion in the crankshaft. The present invention teaches that an axially-oriented spring bias can be applied to both parts to create a reliable connection between the parts of the gear teeth.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 1996Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventors: Achim Link, Heiko Schulz-Andres, Reinhold Weidinger, Klaus Gorzitzke, Gunther Esly, Andreas Krause, Thomas Stretz, Markus Wirbel, Reinhard Deppert
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Patent number: 5758756Abstract: A diaphragm-spring friction clutch in which an additional spring is arranged which exerts little or no releasing force in the engaged state and high releasing force in the disengaged state. The spring characteristic of the additional spring can be adapted via adjustable stop elements in order to achieve the desired spring characteristics even with unfavorable tolerances.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1996Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventors: Michael Weiss, Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 5715920Abstract: This invention relates to a friction clutch with a membrane spring in a pulled or pushed clutch design, in which there is a second membrane spring/plate spring which provides assistance to the release force and which, when the friction clutch is engaged, generates little or no release force, and generates an increasing release force as the release travel increases.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1995Date of Patent: February 10, 1998Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventors: Joachim Lindner, Gunther Esly, Michael Weiss, Heiko Schulz-Andres, Achim Link, Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 5715921Abstract: This invention relates to a friction clutch with a membrane spring in a pulled or pushed clutch, in which there is a second membrane spring/plate spring which assists the release force, and which, when the friction clutch is engaged, exerts little or no release force, and generates a release force which increases with increasing release travel.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1995Date of Patent: February 10, 1998Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventors: Achim Link, Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 5690203Abstract: A motor vehicle friction clutch which makes an automatic wear adjustment, whereby there is at least one clearance sensor which acts by means of an actuator lever which points radially inward on an adjustment device, is located opposite the application plate, and consists of a ring element which is realized in the form of a sheet metal ring which encircles the axis of rotation concentrically. As a result of the combination of these two elements, it is possible to make do with only one clearance sensor, which means that the overall system can be manufactured economically.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 1996Date of Patent: November 25, 1997Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventors: Achim Link, Reinhold Weidinger
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Patent number: 5667049Abstract: A pulled membrane spring clutch, whereby the membrane spring is supported with its outside diameter on a plate spring, which membrane spring has a rather large load pressure. The resulting load pressure acts on a mechanism which makes an automatic adjustment to compensate for wear to the friction linings, whereby the membrane spring retains its position relative to the clutch housing.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 1995Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventors: Reinhold Weidinger, Jorg Sudau
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Patent number: 5645153Abstract: A membrane spring clutch with an automatic wear compensation mechanism. This mechanism provides a ring element between the outside circumference of the membrane spring and the application plate, which ring element is in contact with the application plate and an encircling ring surface, and is provided with oblique surfaces facing the membrane spring. The corresponding opposite surfaces in the membrane spring are produced by plastic deformation of areas of the membrane spring.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 1995Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AGInventor: Reinhold Weidinger