Patents by Inventor Tobias Gruhler

Tobias Gruhler 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).

  • Publication number: 20150000462
    Abstract: In a machine or vehicle component comprising a first housing part, a second housing part covering the first housing part, an opening which is provided in the second housing part, a functional attachment unit incorporating a mounting element consisting of a structurally rigid material which extends through the opening, it is proposed that the problem that the functional attachment unit can only be mounted on the second housing part if the structural rigidity thereof is sufficient to hold the functional attachment unit permanently in a stable position be solved in that the second housing part is formed from a thermoplastic material of low structural rigidity and in that there is provided a carrier which incorporates a carrying element consisting of a structurally rigid material and is fixed relative to the first housing part and upon which the attachment unit is held by means of the mounting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Matthias Herzel, Michael Tobias Gruhler, Peter Laichinger
  • Patent number: 8252079
    Abstract: Separating device for separating liquid or solid particles from an aerosol stream, comprising an impactor with a perforated plate against which the stream flows, and an impact plate arranged at a short distance behind the perforated plate, the side of the impact plate against which the stream flows having a separating layer with an open structure; in order that the separating device will have a consistently good separating effect during operation, the perforated plate is provided on its rear side with a plurality of spacer elements bearing against the region of the separating layer against which the stream flows, the height of the spacer elements, the support surfaces formed by the spacer elements for the separating layer, and the number and arrangement of the spacer elements being selected in dependence upon the material of the separating layer such that it is ensured that the holes of the perforated plate remain free from material of the separating layer also during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Tobias Gruhler, Gabriele Gorbach, Klaus Bendl, Thomas Haas
  • Publication number: 20110179755
    Abstract: Separating device for separating liquid or solid particles from an aerosol stream, comprising an impactor with a perforated plate against which the stream flows, and an impact plate arranged at a short distance behind the perforated plate, the side of the impact plate against which the stream flows having a separating layer with an open structure; in order that the separating device will have a consistently good separating effect during operation, the perforated plate is provided on its rear side with a plurality of spacer elements bearing against the region of the separating layer against which the stream flows, the height of the spacer elements, the support surfaces formed by the spacer elements for the separating layer, and the number and arrangement of the spacer elements being selected in dependence upon the material of the separating layer such that it is ensured that the holes of the perforated plate remain free from material of the separating layer also during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Tobias Gruhler, Gabriele Gorbach, Klaus Bendl, Thomas Haas
  • Patent number: 7913386
    Abstract: Flat gasket comprising a first sheet metal layer consisting of a spring steel and a second sheet metal layer consisting of a ductile steel, the first layer being provided with a sealing bead, and the second layer being provided in an edge area bordering on an edge of the layer with a thickened zone as supporting element for receiving pressing forces; to increase the design possibilities for such a supporting element, the latter is formed by at least one elongate arch of the second layer, which is stamped into the edge area of the second layer and extends approximately parallel to the free edge of the edge area, the arch being compressed in such a way that the metal volume of the supporting element is at least three times the total hollow space volume which the supporting element and two tangential planes abutting on the latter and extending parallel to the plane of the second layer include between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Werz, Tobias Gruhler, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz, Willi Brodbeck, Matthias Baur
  • Publication number: 20090200754
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flat gasket with a gasket sheet having a plurality of passages. The gasket sheet comprises at least one first sheet metal layer which has at least on one side at least one elongate elevation with an elongate base formed out of the sheet metal layer. The base, under maximum stress occurring during installation of the gasket and in machine operation, is stable with respect to the height thereof in at least first longitudinal sections. The flat gasket is particularly useful for cases where machine part sealing surfaces between which the flat gasket is to be inserted do not have the component elasticity required for a reliable seal. The gasket sheet has at least one second sheet metal layer which has a height-elastic bead in the area of the base which, together with the base, forms a thickness-elastic area of the flat gasket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Peter Schenk, Ulrich Werz, Tobias Gruhler
  • Patent number: 7490835
    Abstract: Cylinder head gasket with a metallic gasket plate comprising a combustion chamber opening enclosed by a bead, and a stopper surrounding the opening and delimiting deformation of the bead, the stopper formed by elevations of a gasket sheet metal layer which are obtained by deformation thereof, the stopper is designed such that in sections through the sheet metal layer along circular cylindrical surfaces coaxial with the opening the stopper comprises a row of discrete elevations following one another in a circumferential direction of the opening and corresponding depressions located directly opposite these elevations, and in a plan view of the sheet metal layer in the area of the stopper, the total area occupied by the elevations is at least half of the total area of the stopper, and the shape of the elevations differs from the shape of circular arcs at least partially enclosing the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Armin Diez, Tobias Gruhler, Wolfgang Fritz
  • Patent number: 7311310
    Abstract: In order to achieve good sealing in both a cold and a warm engine by sealing features which are as simple as possible, an at least substantially metallic cylinder head gasket comprises a gasket plate with only one layer of sheet steel extending over the entire gasket plate, and around each combustion chamber opening of the gasket plate, a combustion chamber sealing element forming on at least one side of the gasket an elevation with a gasket sealing surface surrounding the combustion chamber opening in a closed manner for being pressed against an engine component sealing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Elring Klinger AG
    Inventors: Armin Diez, Tobias Gruhler, Ulrich Werz, Peter Schenk
  • Publication number: 20070262536
    Abstract: Flat gasket comprising a first sheet metal layer consisting of a spring steel and a second sheet metal layer consisting of a ductile steel, the first layer being provided with a sealing bead, and the second layer being provided in an edge area bordering on an edge of the layer with a thickened zone as supporting element for receiving pressing forces; to increase the design possibilities for such a supporting element, the latter is formed by at least one elongate arch of the second layer, which is stamped into the edge area of the second layer and extends approximately parallel to the free edge of the edge area, the arch being compressed in such a way that the metal volume of the supporting element is at least three times the total hollow space volume which the supporting element and two tangential planes abutting on the latter and extending parallel to the plane of the second layer include between them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventors: Ulrich Werz, Tobias Gruhler, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz, Willi Brodbeck, Matthias Baur
  • Publication number: 20070157999
    Abstract: Flat gasket with a gasket plate which has at least one sheet metal layer which consists of a spring steel sheet, has elastic properties and is provided with at least one bead, which can be deformed elastically in its height and is subject to a dynamic pressure load under conditions of use of the flat gasket, and in order to achieve a greater operative range of the bead without reducing its durability consists of an austenitic steel according to the European standard EN 10088-2-1.4372.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Werner, Tobias Gruhler, Peter Schenk, Wolfgang Fritz, Ulrich Werz, Matthias Baur, Thomas Tiefenbach
  • Publication number: 20070013145
    Abstract: Cylinder head gasket with a gasket plate formed by at least one layer of sheet metal and at least one combustion chamber aperture which is enclosed by a sealing device serving the purpose of sealing the combustion chamber, wherein in order to reduce any warpages of an engine block and/or of a cylinder head a supporting device is provided radially outside the sealing device on the gasket plate; so that the supporting device can be produced in a material-saving and procedurally reliable manner, the supporting device has an area of the sheet-metal layer which is thickened by way of embossing and does not enclose any of the apertures of the gasket to be sealed completely or almost completely and has at least one embossed supporting bead with a meandering shape or a two-dimensional pattern of cup-like recesses and associated elevations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Klaus Detmann, Stefan Opitz, Tobias Gruhler, Frank Schaible
  • Publication number: 20050269790
    Abstract: In order to achieve good sealing in both a cold and a warm engine by means which are as simple as possible, an at least substantially metallic cylinder head gasket comprises a gasket plate with only one layer of sheet steel extending over the entire gasket plate, around each combustion chamber opening of the gasket plate a combustion chamber sealing element forming on at least one side of the gasket an elevation with a gasket sealing surface surrounding the combustion chamber opening in a closed manner for being pressed against an engine component sealing surface, the height profile of the gasket sealing surface corresponding prior to installation of the gasket to the topography of the sealing gap to be sealed off by the gasket when the gasket is installed, and the elevation having a metallic main body whose material is selected and whose cross section is designed such that the main body will not be deformable in its height under the maximum load occurring when the cylinder head gasket is installed and the en
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventors: Armin Diez, Tobias Gruhler, Ulrich Werz, Peter Schenk
  • Publication number: 20050206091
    Abstract: Cylinder head gasket with a gasket plate formed by at least one layer of sheet metal and at least one combustion chamber aperture which is enclosed by a sealing device serving the purpose of sealing the combustion chamber, wherein in order to reduce any warpages of an engine block and/or of a cylinder head a supporting device is provided radially outside the sealing device on the gasket plate; so that the supporting device can be produced in a material-saving and procedurally reliable manner, the supporting device has an area of the sheet-metal layer which is thickened by way of embossing and does not enclose any of the apertures of the gasket to be sealed completely or almost completely and has at least one embossed supporting bead with a meandering shape or a two-dimensional pattern of cup-like recesses and associated elevations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Klaus Detmann, Stefan Opitz, Tobias Gruhler, Frank Schaible
  • Patent number: 6814357
    Abstract: Cylinder head gasket with a gasket plate having at least one combustion chamber opening and comprising at least two sheet metal layers, a first one of which is provided with at least one bead which is elastically deformable in its height and encloses the combustion chamber opening, and a second one of which is provided with at least one deformation delimiting device delimiting deformation of the bead and surrounding the combustion chamber opening; in order to achieve as rigid a delimitation of the deformation as possible, the original second sheet metal layer is formed by a steel sheet which is plastically deformable by cold flow pressing, and in a plan view of the second sheet metal layer the deformation delimiting device forms a two-dimensional pattern of discrete, cup-like depressions, with the total volume of the depressions stamped by flow pressing being approximately equal to the total volume of the elevations formed by the material of the second sheet metal layer that is displaced during the stamping o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Armin Diez, Tobias Gruhler, Wolfgang Fritz, Karl Schmauder
  • Publication number: 20040160017
    Abstract: In a cylinder head gasket with a metallic gasket plate comprising a combustion chamber opening enclosed by a bead which is elastically deformable in its height, and a stopper surrounding the combustion chamber opening and delimiting the deformation of the bead, the stopper being formed by elevations of a sheet metal layer of the gasket plate which are obtained by deformation * of this sheet metal layer, in order to obtain such a stopper which is resistant to deformation, the stopper is designed such that in sections through the sheet metal layer along circular cylindrical surfaces coaxial with the combustion chamber opening the stopper respectively comprises a row of discrete elevations following one another in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber opening and corresponding depressions located directly opposite these elevations in the sheet metal layer, and in a plan view of the sheet metal layer in the area of the stopper, the total area occupied by the elevations is at least half of the tota
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: Elringkilnger AG.
    Inventors: Armin Diez, Tobias Gruhler, Wolfgang Fritz
  • Patent number: 6769696
    Abstract: In a cylinder head gasket with a metallic gasket plate comprising a combustion chamber opening enclosed by a bead which is elastically deformable in its height, and a stopper surrounding the combustion chamber opening and delimiting the deformation of the bead, the stopper being formed by elevations of a sheet metal layer of the gasket plate which are obtained by deformation of this sheet metal layer, in order to obtain such a stopper which is resistant to deformation, the stopper is designed such that in sections through the sheet metal layer along circular cylindrical surfaces coaxial with the combustion chamber opening the stopper respectively comprises a row of discrete elevations following one another in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber opening and corresponding depressions located directly opposite these elevations in the sheet metal layer, and in a plan view of the sheet metal layer in the area of the stopper, the total area occupied by the elevations is at least half of the total
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Armin Diez, Tobias Gruhler, Wolfgang Fritz
  • Publication number: 20030062691
    Abstract: In a cylinder head gasket with a metallic gasket plate comprising a combustion chamber opening enclosed by a bead which is elastically deformable in its height, and a stopper surrounding the combustion chamber opening and delimiting the deformation of the bead, the stopper being formed by elevations of a sheet metal layer of the gasket plate which are obtained by deformation of this sheet metal layer, in order to obtain such a stopper which is resistant to deformation, the stopper is designed such that in sections through the sheet metal layer along circular cylindrical surfaces coaxial with the combustion chamber opening the stopper respectively comprises a row of discrete elevations following one another in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber opening and corresponding depressions located directly opposite these elevations in the sheet metal layer, and in a plan view of the sheet metal layer in the area of the stopper, the total area occupied by the elevations is at least half of the total
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: Armin Diez, Tobias Gruhler, Wolfgang Fritz
  • Publication number: 20030062692
    Abstract: Cylinder head gasket with a gasket plate having at least one combustion chamber opening and comprising at least two sheet metal layers, a first one of which is provided with at least one bead which is elastically deformable in its height and encloses the combustion chamber opening, and a second one of which is provided with at least one deformation delimiting device delimiting deformation of the bead and surrounding the combustion chamber opening; in order to achieve as rigid a delimitation of the deformation as possible, the original second sheet metal layer is formed by a steel sheet which is plastically deformable by cold flow pressing, and in a plan view of the second sheet metal layer the deformation delimiting device forms a two-dimensional pattern of discrete, cup-like depressions, with the total volume of the depressions stamped by flow pressing being approximately equal to the total volume of the elevations formed by the material of the second sheet metal layer that is displaced during the stamping o
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: Armin Diez, Tobias Gruhler, Wolfgang Fritz, Karl Schmauder