Patents by Inventor Wilfrid Eberhard
Wilfrid Eberhard 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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Publication number: 20230175582Abstract: A coupling device for a motor vehicle includes a first coupling element associated with a first rotatable part of the motor vehicle, and a second coupling element associated with a second rotatable part of the motor vehicle. The coupling device moves one or both of the first coupling element and the second coupling element into an intermediate position before a target rotational speed differential between the first and the second coupling elements is reached. Specifically, the target rotational speed differential is reached before the coupling device moves the first coupling element and the second coupling element into form-lockingly coupling to couple the first and second rotatable parts.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2022Publication date: June 8, 2023Inventors: Elena Wendel, Florian Schneider, Andreas Schmidt, Wilfrid Eberhard
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Patent number: 8762019Abstract: A method of operating a transmission device comprising at least one input shaft and at least two output shafts. Torque that is present at the input shaft can be distributed between the two output shafts with a variable degree of distribution which can be changed according to the operating state depending on a transmission capability of at least one shift element. When a request to set a predefined degree of distribution is received, a mechanical self-locking torque of the transmission device—which influences the degree of distribution between the output shafts and is dependent upon the torque present at the input shaft—is determined, and a difference between the mechanical self-locking torque and a target overall locking torque of the transmission device that is equivalent to the required degree of distribution is determined. The transmission capability of the at least one shift element is set depending on this difference.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2011Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Gerhard Hermann Martin, Wilfrid Eberhard
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Patent number: 8726751Abstract: A method of the rapid filling of a hydraulically actuated multiple-disk shifting element (4) of a motor vehicle transmission (2), in particular a disk clutch (4) of an all-wheel transfer transmission (3). The disk shifting element (4) is filled using a target value (p_soll) for the filling pressure which depends on the motor speed (n_mot). In the event that the motor speed (n_mot) changes during a filling process, the target value (p_soll) for the filling pressure is adapted as a function of the new motor speed (n_mot).Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2010Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Gerhard Hermann Martin, Wilfrid Eberhard
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Patent number: 8583334Abstract: A method of determining an applied actuation touch point pressure value of a frictionally engaged shift element of a transmission at which transmission, via the shift element, is approximately zero, and an increase in pressure relates to an increase of the power transmission via the shift element. The method includes supplying a predefined pressure to the shift element at which power transmission is zero. Increasing the target pressure by an offset pressure to transfer the shift element into a predefined operating state which initiates time monitoring. Determining a characteristic of the actual pressure. After a testing time, a monitoring period is compared with a reference period. When the monitoring period is less than or equal to the reference period, the applied pressure is set to be equivalent with the target pressure.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2011Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Gerhard Hermann Martin, Wilfrid Eberhard, Bernd Ummer
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Patent number: 8311717Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle drive train, whereby the drive train comprises a drive unit, a transmission, and an all-wheel splitter having an automatically operating clutch, positioned between the transmission and the output. The clutch is operated in a continuous slip mode and in such a way that the all-wheel splitter splits the transmission output torque for variable torque distribution to driven axles. The splitting of the output torque to the driven axles is performed by a control unit, implemented into the all-wheel drive strategy, so that the output torque, less a predetermined nominal torque, is transferred to a first axle, and the nominal torque is transferred to a second axle. When defined operating conditions are met, a limiting of the torque, set by the drive unit, and/or the nominal torque, set by the all-wheel strategy, occurs to avoid a thermal overloading of the clutch of the all-wheel splitter.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2009Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Wilfrid Eberhard, Gerhard Hermann Martin
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Publication number: 20120247611Abstract: A method of the rapid filling of a hydraulically actuated multiple-disk shifting element (4) of a motor vehicle transmission (2), in particular a disk clutch (4) of an all-wheel transfer transmission (3). The disk shifting element (4) is filled using a target value (p_soll) for the filling pressure which depends on the motor speed (n_mot). In the event that the motor speed (n_mot) changes during a filling process, the target value (p_soll) for the filling pressure is adapted as a function of the new motor speed (n_mot).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2010Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Gerhard Hermann Martin, Wilfrid Eberhard
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Patent number: 8239108Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle drive train comprising a drive unit, a transmission, and an all-wheel splitter having a clutch. The all-wheel splitter is positioned between the transmission and the output and splits a transmission output torque to vary the torque distribution to driven axles of the output. The split of the output torque to the driven axles is performed by a control unit in such a way that the transmission output torque, less a predetermined nominal torque set by the all-wheel drive strategy, is transferred to a first axle while the nominal torque is transferred to a second axle. When defined operating conditions are met, a clutch monitoring function is activated and the nominal torque is replaced by a torque definition of the clutch monitoring function so that the torque which is transferred by clutch to the second driven axle, is increased, then kept constant, and thereafter reduced.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2009Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Wilfrid Eberhard, Gerhard Hermann Martin
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Publication number: 20120041656Abstract: A method of operating a transmission device comprising at least one input shaft and at least two output shafts. Torque that is present at the input shaft can be distributed between the two output shafts with a variable degree of distribution which can be changed according to the operating state depending on a transmission capability of at least one shift element. When a request to set a predefined degree of distribution is received, a mechanical self-locking torque of the transmission device—which influences the degree of distribution between the output shafts and is dependent upon the torque present at the input shaft—is determined, and a difference between the mechanical self-locking torque and a target overall locking torque of the transmission device that is equivalent to the required degree of distribution is determined. The transmission capability of the at least one shift element is set depending on this difference.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2011Publication date: February 16, 2012Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Gerhard Hermann MARTIN, Wilfrid EBERHARD
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Publication number: 20120041652Abstract: A method of determining an applied actuation touch point pressure value of a frictionally engaged shift element of a transmission at which transmission, via the shift element, is approximately zero, and an increase in pressure relates to an increase of the power transmission via the shift element. The method includes supplying a predefined pressure to the shift element at which power transmission is zero. Increasing the target pressure by an offset pressure to transfer the shift element into a predefined operating state which initiates time monitoring. Determining a characteristic of the actual pressure. After a testing time, a monitoring period is compared with a reference period. When the monitoring period is less than or equal to the reference period, the applied pressure is set to be equivalent with the target pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2011Publication date: February 16, 2012Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Gerhard Hermann MARTIN, Wilfrid EBERHARD, Bemd UMMER
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Publication number: 20100130328Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle drive train, whereby the drive train comprises a drive unit, a transmission, and an all-wheel splitter having an automatically operating clutch, positioned between the transmission and the output. The clutch is operated in a continuous slip mode and in such a way that the all-wheel splitter splits the transmission output torque for variable torque distribution to driven axles. The splitting of the output torque to the driven axles is performed by a control unit, implemented into the all-wheel drive strategy, so that the output torque, less a predetermined nominal torque, is transferred to a first axle, and the nominal torque is transferred to a second axle. When defined operating conditions are met, a limiting of the torque, set by the drive unit, and/or the nominal torque, set by the all-wheel strategy, occurs to avoid a thermal overloading of the clutch of the all-wheel splitter.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Wilfrid EBERHARD, Gerhard Hermann MARTIN
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Publication number: 20100125397Abstract: The invention concerns a method for operating a vehicle drive train, whereby the drive train comprises a drive unit, a transmission, and an all-wheel splitter having an automatically operating clutch, positioned between the transmission and the output, whereby the clutch of the all-wheel splitter is operated in a continuous slip mode and in a way that it is splits a transmission output torque in the sense of a variable torque distribution to driven axles of the output, whereby the split of the transmission output torque to the driven axles, is performed by a control unit, being implemented into the all-wheel drive strategy in a way that the transmission output torque, less a predetermined nominal torque being set by the all-wheel drive strategy, is transferred to a first axle, and the nominal torque is transferred to a second axle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2009Publication date: May 20, 2010Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Wilfrid EBERHARD, Gerhard Hermann MARTIN