Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Davis and Bujold
  • Patent number: 8272490
    Abstract: An arrangement of a disk spring (2) at a piston (1) of a shifting element (3) in which the fingers of the disk spring (2) protrude through crests in the housing (4) and abut against a sheet metal sleeve (5) which is held in the housing (4) of the shifting element (3). The disk spring (2) is configured as a closed ring and the outer diameter (7) of the disk spring (2) abuts against the piston (1) of the shifting element (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Michael Obergasser
  • Patent number: 8272992
    Abstract: A process of operating a motor vehicle drive train that comprises at least one hybrid drive having a combustion engine and an electric motor with a clutch connected between the combustion engine and the electric motor, and an automatic transmission is arranged between the hybrid drive and an output. The process including the step of disengaging the clutch to carry out a shift, after a reduction of load at the internal combustion engine and after a reduction of the torque that is transmitted between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. Subsequently carrying out a gear shift by the automatic transmission and, thereafter, increasing the torque that is transmitted by the clutch. Increasing the load from the combustion engine, and optionally engaging the clutch. A load transfer by the electric motor occurs before and/or after the gear shift in the transmission is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Christian Mittelberger, Mesut Er, Johannes Kaltenbach
  • Patent number: 8272287
    Abstract: A device for latching and locking of shift rockers (1, 1?) of a shift device of a transmission. The device has a lock part (3, 3?), for each shift rocker (1, 1?), which resides in a receptacle (2) of the shift rocker (1, 1?), which interacts with a lock contour (5, 5?), positioned in a non-moving area of the transmission, for the latching purpose, whereby the lock part (3, 3?) also serves, in addition to the latching, as an interlock for the shift rocker (1, 1?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Drabek, Matthias Retsch
  • Patent number: 8272993
    Abstract: A method of carrying out a shift under load in either an electric vehicle which has a change-under-load transmission or a hybrid vehicle which has a hybrid transmission while the vehicle is operating in a purely electrical mode. The speed adaptation of the electric machine, which is required for synchronization to a new gear, is carried out in a speed regulation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Johannes Kaltenbach, Stefan Wallner
  • Patent number: 8273239
    Abstract: An electric field modifier for boosting a current output of a sacrificial anode to enhance its protective effect and direct the current output to improve current distribution in galvanic protection of steel in a concrete element exposed to air is disclosed. A cavity is formed in a concrete element and a combination comprising a sacrificial anode, an electric field modifier and an ionically conductive filler are embedded therein. The sacrificial anode is connected to the steel. The modifier comprises an element with an anode side, supporting an oxidation reaction, in electrical contact with a cathode side, supporting a reduction reaction. The cathode of the modifier faces the sacrificial anode and is separated therefrom by a filler which contains an electrolyte that connects the sacrificial anode to the cathode of the modifier. The anode of the modifier faces away from the sacrificial anode. Preferably, the reduction reaction, on the cathode of the modifier, comprises reduction of oxygen from the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Inventors: Gareth Kevin Glass, Adrian Charles Roberts, Nigel Davison
  • Patent number: 8272989
    Abstract: A variable-ratio transmission for distributing a drive torque to at least two drive output shafts (8, 9), comprising a conventional differential (1) is proposed, which comprises an electric motor (5) for distributing the drive torque directly between the drive output shafts (8, 9) and a plus planetary gearset (2) that serves as a variable-ratio unit, such that the plus planetary gearset (2) is arranged coaxially with a drive input shaft (8), the outer sun gear (3) of the plus planetary gearset (2) is connected to the output (8), on the side of the differential (1) facing toward the planetary gearset (2), and the web (4) of the planetary gearset (2) is connected to the electric motor (5), and such that the inner sun gear (6) of the planetary gearset (2) is connected by a countershaft (7) to the other drive output shaft (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Detlef Baasch, Christoph Pelchen, Thomas Rosemeier
  • Patent number: 8266985
    Abstract: A device for reducing the drop in tractive force during the gear shifting phase of an automatic transmission comprising an automatically actuated drive clutch. The device comprises a rotary storage device that can be coupled, if necessary via two transmission ratio steps (4, 5) that are each assigned a friction clutch (6, 7), to the output shaft of the transmission or, if the transmission has a downstream range group, to the output shaft of the main friction transmission. Only one of the two friction clutches (6, 7) can be activated at any time, and a step up ratio can be achieved and the rotary storage device can be loaded with one of the transmission ratio steps (5). A step down ratio can be achieved and energy can be released from the rotary storage device to the output shaft using the other transmission ratio step (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Bernd Dobele, Norbert Wiencek
  • Patent number: 8271166
    Abstract: A device and a method for control of an automatic transmission (1) in a vehicle having one control unit (2), which can receive signals produced by a transmission gearshift lever (7), and/or a first transmission control (8). The signals of the first transmission control are bridgeable so that the automatic transmission can be manually operated. In order to make it possible to efficiently operate the vehicle with low fuel consumption and great flexibility of the driver at the moment, manual operation of the automatic transmission is possible only when the vehicle is at speed (v) lower than a predetermined speed limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wolf, Lutz Muller, Rupert Kramer, Jerome Lochard, Michael Buckhart
  • Patent number: 8269152
    Abstract: A consumer unit (7) for converting inductively transmitted electric power. The device comprises at least one secondary coil (5) for accepting power from a alternating electromagnetic field. The secondary coil (5) is electrically connected to at least one consumer in which the electric power is converted. The consumer unit (7) is designed as a replaceable module for an induction furnace (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: MGS Modular Galley Systems AG
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Haas, Roland Jans, Turgay Nergiz
  • Patent number: 8271171
    Abstract: A method for clutch characteristic curve adaptation of an automatic dual-clutch transmission which comprises two sub-gearboxes each with an input shaft connected, via a friction clutch, to the drive shaft of a motor and several gears that are shifted via a friction-synchronized gear clutch. A value of the current touch point of the friction clutch can be determined with the motor running and the gears disengaged in a load-free sub-gearbox. The method includes the steps of starting synchronization of a gear clutch with a defined force of a regulator. Waiting until the gear clutch is synchronized. Engaging the friction clutch of the until the gear clutch is synchronizes. Determination the current touch point from the current synchronous torque of the gear clutch and the current regulating parameter of the associated clutch regulator. Then, adapting the clutch characteristic curve of the friction clutch in view of the current touch point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Markus Terwart, Mario Bühner, Karl Locher, Martin-Joachim Bader, Dietmar Zuber, Olaf Moseler
  • Patent number: 8262530
    Abstract: A power-branched transmission for an agricultural vehicle is configured as a power-branched transmission having a secondary coupling. The transmission comprises a summation planetary gear set (5), the planetary gear of which are configured as a double planetary gear (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Bailly, Thomas Ratzmann, Walter Fischer, Jurgen Pohlenz
  • Patent number: 8262534
    Abstract: A transmission device (1) having at least one planetary gearset (2) and at least one frictional shift element (3) by which a ring gear (4), of the planetary gearset (2), can be connected to a component (5) that is fixed to a transmission housing. The ring gear (4) of the planetary gearset (2) is at least partially radially arranged within an inner disk carrier (6) of the shift element (3). The ring gear (4) and the inner disk carrier (6) are supported on a main transmission shaft (7) by a common carrier element (8). The ring gear (4) and the inner disk carrier (6) are radially separated from one another at least over a certain area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Josef Haupt, Martin Brehmer
  • Patent number: 8263901
    Abstract: A method of laser micro-machining, by means of a laser, a work piece (31) of the type described comprising the steps of: locating the workpiece on a carrier forming a part of a transport system whereby the carrier can be displaced along a path (P) parallel to an X-axis of the workpiece, a Y-axis lying transverse the path, and a Z-axis lying transverse the path; focusing an image generated by means of an output beam from the laser at a working datum position (A) defined relative to the path which path is established by means of the transport system to traverse the first datum position; a plane defined by the X- and Y-Axis lying substantially perpendicular to the output beam; and displacing the workpiece along the path by way of the transport system so as to enable the work-piece to be subject to micro-machining by way of the laser characterized by the steps of: maintaining distance between the datum position and a current first surface position of the work-piece in the vicinity of the datum position; and varyi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Oerlikon Solar AG, Truebbach
    Inventors: Robert Bann, Neil Sykes
  • Patent number: 8264367
    Abstract: An in-vehicle image display apparatus comprising a state detecting device that detects a state of vehicle surroundings; a display device provided in at least in a window section of the vehicle and capable of displaying information; an image generating device that generates image data representing an image of the vehicle surroundings based on detection results; a display control device that makes the display device display the image represented by the image data generated by the image generating device; and a storage device that previously stores data representing an object to be detected which is detected by the state detecting device in the vehicle surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: ADC Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kaoru Kido
  • Patent number: 8262538
    Abstract: A transmission device with at least two multi-gear transmission groups. Torque is introduced via a input shaft into the transmission groups and into the other transmission group via a main shaft. The input shaft is directly connected with the main shaft via a shifting element during a gearshift to achieve an intermediate gear. When the intermediate gear is engaged, torque passes to the shafts connected to each other via the shifting element. A method for operating transmission, during the gearshift, includes introducing torque from the electric machine to the shafts connected via the shifting element and adjusting the rotational speed of the input shaft to the rotational speed of the target gear. A further shifting element is engaged in the first transmission group, the shifting element is disengaged, and torque of the electric machine is reduced, once the rotational speeds of the input shaft and the target gear match one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Kai Borntraeger
  • Patent number: 8262525
    Abstract: A hydrostatic-mechanical power split transmission with at least two continuous operating ranges for use in agricultural and construction machines. The transmission has a summation planetary gear and a clutch for forward drive (7) and a clutch for reverse drive (6) that are arranged upstream of the summation gear. The transmission has a first sun gear (13) and a second sun gear (14) and a ring gear such that the ring gear (15) can be connected to an output drive shaft (22), via a clutch for the first driving range (23), and the second sun gear (14) can be connected to the output drive gear (22), via a clutch for the second operating range (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Legner, Roland Fischer, Michael Siber
  • Patent number: 8257218
    Abstract: A multi-speed automatic transmission of a planetary design for a motor vehicle, the transmission comprises an input shaft and an output shaft; first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets; and at least third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth rotatable shafts and first and second brakes and first, second and third clutches whose selective engagement defines different gear ratios between the input shaft and the output shaft such that at least eight forward gears and at least one reverse gear can be implemented. When shifting from one forward gear into one of a successive higher and a successive lower forward gear, only a single one of the first and second brakes and the first, second and third clutches is disengaged and only a single one of the first and second brakes and the first, second and third clutches is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Kamm, Gabor Diosi, Josef Haupt, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Peter Ziemer, Martin Brehmer
  • Patent number: 8258658
    Abstract: The electric motor (10) of the rotary type comprises a circular peripheral frame (11) inside of which a stator (12) is mounted, and the stator (12) comprises electrical coils (13) having each an armature (13a) and a winding of conductive wires (13b). The electric motor (10) comprises equipment (14) which is movable in relation to the stator, this mobile equipment is in this case a rotor (15) arranged coaxially in relation to the stator (12). The rotor (15) comprises a set of electric coils (16) which are electromagnets. The armatures (13a) of the electric coils (13) and those of the electric coils (16) comprise advantageously at least one element out of reverse magnetocaloric material arranged so as to contribute to cooling of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Cooltech Applications
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Heitzler, Christian Muller
  • Patent number: 8257223
    Abstract: A method of carrying out a shift with traction force interruption during hybrid operation in a parallel hybrid vehicle having an automated transmission. The method comprises the steps of maintaining the coupling between the internal combustion engine (1) and the electric machine (2), eliminating the load before disengaging the old gear, and synchronizing to the new gear by the operation of the electric machine (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Johannes Kaltenbach, Stefan Wallner
  • Patent number: 8257215
    Abstract: A multi-speed planetary coupling transmission (3) which includes a plurality of planetary gear sets (4, 5, 6) and a plurality of shifting elements (A, B, D, E). Depending on actuation of the shifting elements (A, B, D, E), various gear ratios can be achieved by the transmission. At least one provided electric machine (EM1) is functionally connected with one of the planetary gear sets (6). From the electric machine (EM1), a torque can be introduced, via a shaft (6B) of the planetary gear set (6) associated with the electric machine (EM1), in order to support torque acting on the associated planetary gear set (6) and achieve a gear ratio in the transmission (3) via the electric machine (EM1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Kai Borntraeger