Patents by Inventor Ulrich Mette
Ulrich Mette 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: 9068591Abstract: A sealing assembly of a ball joint, in particular for a vehicle, comprises a retaining ring which includes a ring axis and a radial ring flange having a flange upper side and an opposed flange lower side, and a sealing element which rests against the flange upper side and against the flange lower side and is exclusively connected to the retaining ring with an interlocking fit, the interlocking fit being configured such that the retaining ring and the sealing element are fixed to each other free of play in the axial and in the radial direction, and the flange upper side having an exposed contact surface for a sealing bellows.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2014Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbHInventors: Peter Bernhardt, Andreas Maier, Ulrich Mette, Cengiz Erdogan
-
Publication number: 20140312573Abstract: A sealing assembly of a ball joint, in particular for a vehicle, comprises a retaining ring which includes a ring axis and a radial ring flange having a flange upper side and an opposed flange lower side, and a sealing element which rests against the flange upper side and against the flange lower side and is exclusively connected to the retaining ring with an interlocking fit, the interlocking fit being configured such that the retaining ring and the sealing element are fixed to each other free of play in the axial and in the radial direction, and the flange upper side having an exposed contact surface for a sealing bellows.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2014Publication date: October 23, 2014Applicant: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Peter Bernhardt, Andreas Maier, Ulrich Mette, Cengiz Erdogan
-
Patent number: 8714861Abstract: A sealing assembly of a ball joint, in particular for a vehicle, comprises a retaining ring which includes a ring axis and a radial ring flange having a flange upper side and an opposed flange lower side, and a sealing element which rests against the flange upper side and against the flange lower side and is exclusively connected to the retaining ring with an interlocking fit, the interlocking fit being configured such that the retaining ring and the sealing element are fixed to each other free of play in the axial and in the radial direction, and the flange upper side having an exposed contact surface for a sealing bellows.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2009Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbHInventors: Peter Bernhardt, Andreas Maier, Ulrich Mette, Cengiz Erdogan
-
Patent number: 8684621Abstract: A ball joint includes a joint housing having a recess, a ball stud having a ball head, a sealing bellows having a sealing seat on the housing side and a sealing seat on the stud side in the form of a bellows mouth which is adapted to be brought into contact with the ball stud, a bellows body of the sealing bellows extending between the sealing seat on the housing side and the bellows mouth, and further includes a joint socket, the ball head being accommodated for swiveling motion within the joint socket, and the joint socket being inserted in the recess of the joint housing.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbHInventors: Uwe Forthaus, Alexander Paul, Ulrich Mette, Harald Walter
-
Publication number: 20120170969Abstract: The invention relates to a ball joint, including a joint housing having a recess, a ball stud having a ball head, a sealing bellows having a sealing seat on the housing side and a sealing seat on the stud side in the form of a bellows mouth which is adapted to be brought into contact with the ball stud, a bellows body of the sealing bellows extending between the sealing seat on the housing side and the bellows mouth, and further including a joint socket, the ball head being accommodated for swiveling motion within the joint socket, and the joint socket being inserted in the recess of the joint housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2010Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: TRW AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Uwe Forthaus, Alexander Paul, Ulrich Mette, Harald Walter
-
Publication number: 20110020056Abstract: A sealing assembly of a ball joint, in particular for a vehicle, comprises a retaining ring which includes a ring axis and a radial ring flange having a flange upper side and an opposed flange lower side, and a sealing element which rests against the flange upper side and against the flange lower side and is exclusively connected to the retaining ring with an interlocking fit, the interlocking fit being configured such that the retaining ring and the sealing element are fixed to each other free of play in the axial and in the radial direction, and the flange upper side having an exposed contact surface for a sealing bellows.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2009Publication date: January 27, 2011Inventors: Peter Bernhardt, Andreas Maier, Ulrich Mette, Cengiz Erdogan
-
Publication number: 20100086347Abstract: A ball joint includes a housing, a ball stud, a ball head, and a sealing collar which rests against the housing and the ball stud, in order to seal between the same, the sealing collar having an additional sealing section that is integrally formed therewith and additionally seals between the housing and the ball head.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2006Publication date: April 8, 2010Inventors: Peter Bernhardt, Ulrich Mette
-
Patent number: 7367743Abstract: A ball joint with a housing wherein the housing has a weld section, which allows it to be welded to a chassis component.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2006Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbHInventors: Peter Bernhardt, Theo Heep, Ulrich Mette
-
Publication number: 20060182491Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint includes a joint housing and a pivot pin, the pivot pin having a ball section and a pin section, the ball section being pivotally mounted in the joint housing. A sealing bellows is provided for protecting a region between the joint housing and the pivot pin, and a fastening ring is provided in the interior of the sealing bellows, the fastening ring being locked with one of the joint housing and the pivot pin.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2006Publication date: August 17, 2006Inventors: Peter Bernhardt, Ulrich Mette
-
Publication number: 20060153632Abstract: A ball joint with a housing wherein the housing has a weld section, which allows it to be welded to a chassis component.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2006Publication date: July 13, 2006Inventors: Peter Bernhardt, Theo Heep, Ulrich Mette
-
Patent number: 6334620Abstract: The invention relates to a bellows seal for pivot joints, wherein a first end of the bellows is tightly and rigidly connected to the joint housing. The second end of the bellow tightly and annularly surrounds a tappet and has a radial and sealing surface. Said surface is a front face divided into an inner concave ring surface and an outer concave ring surface. In relation to the axis of the bellow, the angle of inclination of the ring surfaces is approximately &agr;=70° for the external ring surface and approximately &bgr;=80° for the inner ring surface. The radial extension of the outer ring surface is approximately 12% in relation to the radius of the outer ring surface of the ring flange of the second end of the bellow.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2001Date of Patent: January 1, 2002Assignee: TRW Fahrwerksysteme GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Reinhard Reetz, Helmut Reichelt, Josef Reutter, Herbert Schwarz, Walter Ulke, Bernd Hermans, Ulrich Mette, Karl-Rainer Raukamp
-
Patent number: 4921368Abstract: To seal a ball joint, a sealing bellows (3) with a bead (6) is fastened to the joint housing (1). The bead (6) is located in an L-shaped recess (4) of the joint housing (1) and is partially enclosed by an outer annular portion (8) of a retaining ring (5) deformed radially inward while an inner circular portion (7) of the retaining ring (5) engages an end surface (8) of the recess (4). To fix the sealing bellows (3) to the housing (1) in a single work step, there is machined in a cylindrical surface (12) of the L-shaped recess (4), a ring groove (11) which is engaged by an inner edge portion (10) of the inner circular portion (7) of the retaining ring (5). A tool (14) with a conical surface (15) is used for deforming of the retaining ring (5) which is advanced axially against the retaining ring (5), and the latter encloses the bead (6).Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 1988Date of Patent: May 1, 1990Assignee: TRW Ehrenreich GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Fritz Busse, Hans Hafeneger, Ulrich Mette
-
Patent number: 4812073Abstract: Method and apparatus for fastening of a sealing bellows (3) to a ball joint housing (1) in motor vehicles wherein the sealing bellows (3) has a housing end rim (16) that engages an approximately cylindrical bellows seat (11) formed on the outer rim of the joint housing defining an opening (10) through which a shank extends, and a retaining ring (5) made of sheet metal and surrounding the housing end bellows rim (16) for sealingly connecting the bellows to the housing, has an outer circumferential recess (17), is slipped onto the housing end bellows rim (16), and is then axially compressed so that its inner diameter is reduced, whereby the housing end bellows rim (16) sealingly engages the bellows seat (11) on the joint housing (1).Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 1987Date of Patent: March 14, 1989Assignee: TRW Ehrenreich GmbH & Co KGInventors: Willy Blumberg, Hans J. Schutt, Ulrich Mette, Karl H. Barbet, Fritz Busse, Benno Klier
-
Patent number: 4755078Abstract: A sealing bellows for closing an opening in a ball joint housing said sealing bellows having axially extending hose sections continuously folded on each other, at least partially overlapping each other, and connected with each other by circumferential, contiguous, inner and outer folds; said hose sections beginning from the hose section attached to said housing having a progressively smaller diameter, and each outward fold having an axial thickening of material that exceeds that of an inner fold and the wall thickness of a hose section; said axial thickening shielding at least partially a hose section connected to the respective outward fold and having a smaller diameter.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1987Date of Patent: July 5, 1988Assignee: TRW Ehrenreich GmbH & Co KGInventors: Willy Blumberg, Hans J. Schutt, Ulrich Mette, Karl-Heinz Barbet, Fritz Busse, Benno Klier
-
Patent number: 4549830Abstract: The subject of the invention is the fastening of a sealing bellows to the joint housing of a ball joint, in which the housing-side rim of the sealing bellows is laid firmly into a ring groove circumscribing the joint housing, designed substantially U-shaped in cross section, the bellows rim having a profiling adapted to the U-shape of the ring above and being pressed into the ring groove by a clamp ring. To increase the sealing effect, it is proposed that the profiled zone of the bellows rim lying opposite the bottom of the ring groove forms, when drawn on by the tension ring, a fold lifting off from the bottom of the groove, arched upward, which stretches under the pressure of the clamp ring to force the bellows rim against the side walls of the groove.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 1984Date of Patent: October 29, 1985Assignee: TRW Ehrenreich GmbH & Co. KGInventor: Ulrich Mette