Patents by Inventor Wilfried Michel
Wilfried Michel 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: 20120322607Abstract: Planetary gearing, in particular multistage planetary gearing, is disclosed. The planetary gearing includes at least one drive shaft, an output shaft, a sun wheel, a ring gear, planet wheels assigned to the planetary gear train, a gear casing, in particular a multipart gear casing, a planetary gear train, in particular the second planetary gear train, comprising a planet wheel arm immovably arranged in a casing. The construction of such a planetary gearing is simplified compared to the prior art, thereby saving costs. This is achieved in that the planet wheel arm is integrally formed with a casing.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2012Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Klaus Noller, Gerhard Bauer, Thomas Matern, Wilfried Michel, Marco Lehmann
-
Publication number: 20120306173Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the camber and/or toe of a motor vehicle wheel includes a wheel carrier, on which the wheel is rotatably mounted. The wheel carrier is divided into a carrier member receiving the wheel via a wheel bearing, an axle-side guide member, and a bearing assembly arranged therebetween. The bearing assembly includes rotary parts which can be rotated relative to each other and relative to both the carrier member and the guide member and which interact with confronting inclined faces. The wheel bearing includes a radially outer bearing housing, which is clamped by the bearing assembly formed from the rotary parts into a plug-and-socket connection with the carrier member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2010Publication date: December 6, 2012Applicant: Audi AGInventors: Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Wilfried Michel, Christoph Kossira, Hugo Müller, Wolfgang Schmid
-
Publication number: 20120306174Abstract: A wheel suspension for a motor vehicle includes a support element on the wheel-side rotatably mounting a vehicle wheel and a carrier element on the axle-side, wherein the carrier element on the wheel-side can be adjusted for setting a toe and/or camber angle relative to the support element on the axle-side, wherein the carrier elements on the axle-side and on the wheel-side are coupled to a universal joint in which webs of the carrier elements on the wheel-side and on the axle-side are articulated on a gimbal ring element by means of bearing points. The webs of the support elements are articulated on the gimbal ring element at the bearing points by means of ball joints.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2011Publication date: December 6, 2012Applicant: Audi AGInventors: Wolfgang Schmid, Heinrich Beringer, Hugo Müller, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Wilfried Michel, Christoph Kossira
-
Patent number: 8322241Abstract: An actuator for a wheel guiding element of motor vehicle wheel suspensions, with a first, preferably electrically driven actuating drive which selectively changes the length of the wheel guiding element, in the actuator there being a compensation spring which counteracts the compressive forces acting on the wheel guiding element. According to the invention, the pretensioning force of the compensation spring can be changed by means of a second, preferably electrically driven actuating drive.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2009Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Audi AGInventors: Christoph Kossira, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Wilfried Michel
-
Patent number: 8322729Abstract: The invention relates to a device for adjusting the camber and/or toe of the wheels (20) of wheel suspensions (10), especially for motor vehicles, including a wheel carrier (12) on which the respective wheel (20) is rotatably mounted and which is subdivided into a carrier part (24) receiving the wheel, a guide part (22) connected to the wheel suspension (10), and two rotary parts, especially control cylinders (26, 28), arranged between the carrier part and the guide part and rotatable in relation to each other, to the carrier part (24) and to the guide part (22) about a common rotation axis (32). Each of the rotary parts can be moved by a drive (40) and a servo drive (42) in both directions of rotation. According to the invention, the servo drive (42) is designed for at least one of the rotary parts (26, 28) as a planetary gear train (42), and the planetary gear train (42) is especially radially externally arranged around the rotary part (26, 28).Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2010Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Audi AGInventors: Wilfried Michel, Hugo Müller, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Christoph Kossira, Wolfgang Schmid
-
Patent number: 8317003Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel suspension for motor vehicles, with a suspension strut which is formed from a shock absorber and a bearing spring, the bearing spring being supported by way of spring plates on the body of the motor vehicle and on the tube of the shock absorber, and a spring plate being movably guided relative to the body and able to be moved axially by means of an actuator relative to the shock absorber tube, and the suspension strut having a preloaded spring with a spring force which is opposite the bearing spring, which is supported on the body of the motor vehicle and also on the movable spring plate of the bearing spring. According to the invention, the actuator is located outside, in particular radially outside the suspension strut.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2008Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Audi AGInventor: Wilfried Michel
-
Patent number: 8313110Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel suspension system for motor vehicles having a wheel carrier, which has a wheel-side support element, which mounts in a rotatable manner a vehicle wheel, and an axle-side support element, between which is connected an actuating member, on actuation of which the wheel-side support element can be pivoted through a pivot angle (?) relative to the axle-side support element for the purpose of adjusting a track and/or camber angle (?, ?). According to the invention, the actuating member has a wheel-side rotational part and an axle-side rotational part, both of which can be rotated about their axes of rotation relative to each other, and the wheel-side rotational part can be deflected through the pivot angle (?) relative to the axle-side rotational part when the two rotational parts are rotated.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2008Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Audi AGInventors: Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Peter Kunsch, Wilfried Michel, Hugo Mueller, Wolfgang Schmid, Christoph Kossira
-
Publication number: 20120256387Abstract: A suspension arrangement for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle includes an output lever hinged directly or indirectly to a wheel control element and configured as a flexible spring of defined spring rate. A transverse torsion-bar spring acts on the output lever, with an actuator adjusting a pretension of the torsion-bar spring.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2012Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: AUDI AGInventor: Wilfried Michel
-
Publication number: 20120242053Abstract: A device for adjusting the camber and/or the toe of a vehicle wheel of a motor vehicle includes a wheel carrier, which has a wheel-side carrier part and an axle-side guide part, between which rotary parts that can be rotated relative to each other are arranged, wherein at least one of the rotary parts can be adjusted in both rotational directions by means of a drive and a gear stage in order to adjust the toe and/or the camber. The gear stage for the rotary part is configured as harmonic drive gear train having a driving, elliptical drive disk, and a stationary, internally toothed ring gear.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2010Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: AUDI AGInventors: Wilfried Michel, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Christoph Kossira, Hugo Müller, Wolfgang Schmid
-
Publication number: 20120193882Abstract: The invention relates to a device for adjusting the camber and/or toe of the wheels of a wheel suspension, particularly for motor vehicles, having a wheel carrier on which each wheel is rotatably supported and comprising a carrier part receiving the wheel and a guide part connected to the wheel suspension, between which rotating parts (26, 28) rotating about a rotation axis and preferably driven by an electric motor are disposed, bringing about a defined displacement of the carrier part and/or the guide part by the rotational actuation thereof for changing the camber and/or toe. According to the invention, a single adjusting drive (54) is provided for actuating the rotary parts (26, 28), by means of which the two rotary parts (26, 28) can be adjusted in different, particularly in opposite, directions.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2010Publication date: August 2, 2012Applicant: Audi AGInventors: Wilfried Michel, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Christoph Kossira, Hugo Müller
-
Patent number: 8205864Abstract: The invention relates to a strut for a wheel suspension of motor vehicles, comprising a telescoping shock absorber and a support spring which surrounds it, as well as with a vertical adjustment means with a driven driving spindle which is pivoted by way of a body-mounted bearing on the engine housing side, which interacts with a vertically adjustable lifting element which is arranged to be non-rotatable and which bears the spring plate of the support spring. According to the invention, the driving spindle, in addition to the body-mounted bearing, is supported directly or indirectly on the cylinder tube of the shock absorber to be able to pivot and move axially relative to it.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Audi, AGInventor: Wilfried Michel
-
Publication number: 20120126498Abstract: The invention relates to a device for adjusting the camber and/or toe of the wheels (20) of wheel suspensions (10), especially for motor vehicles, including a wheel carrier (12) on which the respective wheel (20) is rotatably mounted and which is subdivided into a carrier part (24) receiving the wheel, a guide part (22) connected to the wheel suspension (10), and two rotary parts, especially control cylinders (26, 28), arranged between the carrier part and the guide part and rotatable in relation to each other, to the carrier part (24) and to the guide part (22) about a common rotation axis (32). Each of the rotary parts can be moved by a drive (40) and a servo drive (42) in both directions of rotation. According to the invention, the servo drive (42) is designed for at least one of the rotary parts (26, 28) as a planetary gear train (42), and the planetary gear train (42) is especially radially externally arranged around the rotary part (26, 28).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2010Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: AUDI AGInventors: Wilfried Michel, Hugo Müller, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Christoph Kossira, Wolfgang Schmid
-
Publication number: 20120098221Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel suspension for motor vehicles, comprising a wheel carrier (14), which has a wheel-side carrier part (16) that rotatably supports a vehicle wheel (12) and an axle-side guide part (18), between which a control element is connected, wherein the wheel-side carrier part (16) can be pivoted about a pivot angle relative to the axle-side guide part (18) to set a toe angle and/or camber angle when the control element is actuated. According to the invention, the wheel carrier (14), in particular the guide part (18) thereof, is guided directly or indirectly on a linear guide (26) affixed to the body in form of a slotted guide, allowing movement in the vertical direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2010Publication date: April 26, 2012Applicant: Audi AGInventors: Wilfried Michel, Hugo Müller, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Christoph Kossira, Wolfgang Schmid
-
Patent number: 8162332Abstract: The invention relates to a device for adjusting the camber and/or toe of a driven wheel of a wheel suspension, in particular for motor vehicles, with a wheel carrier on which the wheel is pivoted, the wheel carrier being divided into a carrier part which holds the wheel a guide part which is connected to the wheel suspension and into two pivotal parts which are arranged in between, which can be rotated to one another as well as to the carrier part and to the guide part around axes of rotation, and which interact with control surfaces which face one another and which are inclined by a defined angle to the axis of rotation, and a wheel drive shaft which is guided by the carrier part and guide part and by the pivotal parts.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2010Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Audi AGInventors: Wilfried Michel, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Christoph Kossira, Hugo Mueller, Wolfgang Schmid
-
Patent number: 8136821Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing different vehicle models in which in a comfort-oriented version a vehicle wheel is pivoted in a wheel guiding element of a wheel suspension. According to the invention, in a model with enhanced dynamics of vehicle motion, between the wheel guiding element and the vehicle wheel in the axial direction, an actuator is interposed for adjusting the camber and/or track of the vehicle wheel.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2009Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Audi AGInventors: Christoph Kossira, Hugo Mueller, Wilfried Michel, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Wolfgang Schmid
-
Publication number: 20120049469Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel suspension for a motor vehicle, comprising a wheel-side carrier part (12) holding a vehicle wheel (1) in a rotatable manner, and an axle-side guiding part (14) between which mutually rotating rotary parts (16, 18) are arranged. The guiding part (14), the rotary parts (16, 18) and/or the carrier part (12) interact with first and second effective areas (18a, 36a; 18b, 16b; 16a, 54a) facing each other. According to the invention, the first effective area radially defines a conical or spherical hollow profile into which the corresponding second effective area protrudes in an essentially form-fitting manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2010Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: Audi AGInventors: Wilfried Michel, Karl-Heinz Meitinger, Christoph Kossira, Hugo Muller, Wolfgang Schmid
-
Publication number: 20110210525Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel suspension for motor vehicles with level adjustment of the body, having a vertical adjusting device (22; 80) which is disposed between a wheel guide element and the superstructure of the motor vehicle and which is particularly designed as a ball screw mechanism driven by an electric motor and acts on an adjusting plate spring (34) of at least one support spring (14), wherein the vertical adjusting device (22; 80) is outwardly sealed by at least one enclosing rubber-elastic bellows (50, 52; 100). In order to prevent deformation of the at least one bellows and ingress of dirt or moisture into the vertical adjusting device, the invention proposes that the interior space (54, 56; 102) enclosed by the bellows (50, 52; 100) is connected directly or indirectly to an auxiliary volume (66; 108) positioned outside of the bellows (50, 52; 100).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2009Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: Audi AGInventor: Wilfried Michel
-
Patent number: 7976030Abstract: The invention relates to a device for adjusting the height of the body of a motor vehicle having a bearing spring which is connected between the wheel guiding element of the wheel suspension and the body and which is supported on a spring disk which is vertically adjustable by way of an actuating device, and having an overload spring which limits a defined spring path in the deflection direction. According to the invention, the overload spring is assigned an actuating device with which the overload spring is vertically adjustable, preferably following the vertical adjustment of the spring disk.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2009Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Audi AGInventor: Wilfried Michel
-
Patent number: 7926822Abstract: An adjustment device for suspension means in wheel suspensions of motor vehicles, with the suspension means having a first spring, for example a bearing spring that is arranged between the assembly of the motor vehicle and wheel guide elements, and/or a second spring, for example a preloaded spring that is connected in parallel or in series, as well as an electrically-actuated actuator, by means of which a force adjustment between the motor vehicle assembly and the wheel guide elements is made possible. According to the invention, the electric actuator is provided with an integrated brake or lock that acts in a bistable manner in such a way that in the unpowered state, it can occupy an open or closed position, and can be switched by means of electric actuation from the open to the closed position and vice versa.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2008Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Audi, AGInventors: Armin Ohletz, Wilfried Michel
-
Patent number: 7874561Abstract: The invention relates to a height adjustment device for motor vehicles that is arranged between a height-adjustable spring plate of a support spring of a wheel suspension assembly and the vehicle body and in which a drive motor cooperates via a shifted gear with a control sleeve that is mounted in a rotational fashion to adjust the height of the spring plate. According to the invention, the shifted gear connected between the drive motor and the control sleeve is arranged inside the control sleeve.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2008Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: Audi AGInventor: Wilfried Michel