Patents Represented by Attorney Davis & Bujold, P.L.L.C.
  • Patent number: 8324887
    Abstract: A device for determining the rotational speed of a transmission shaft (12). The device includes a rotational speed indicator (3) connected, in a rotationally fixed manner, to the transmission shaft (12) and at least one rotation speed sensor (2) including at least one sensor element (10). By way of the sensor element (10), the speed of the transmission shaft (12) is detected via the speed indicator (3). The speed sensor (2) is attached to a shifting element (5) for actuating a sliding sleeve (4) of a clutch device (1) that is connected to the transmission shaft (12) in such a manner that the sliding sleeve (4) axially movable on but fixed so as not to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Kim Fuhrer
  • Patent number: 8307936
    Abstract: A transmission device (1) for a vehicle with a variator (3), a planetary gear unit (4) and a gearshift transmission unit (9). The variator (3) has a length which is greater than a width and a depth of the variator (3). When the variator (3) is installed in position in the vehicle, the length of the variator (3) is orientated at least approximately diagonally to the length of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Bailly, Thomas Ratzmann, Karl Grad, Jurgen Pohlenz
  • Patent number: 8311715
    Abstract: A method for monitoring frictional engagement in an automatic or automated motor vehicle transmission having a hydrodynamic starter element when the transmission is in a preset neutral or parking position and the automatic or automated motor vehicle transmission controlled by this method. When the motor vehicle is at or close to a standstill in a preset neutral or parking position, the current transmission rotational input speed and a current engine rotational speed of the drive motor are determined and based on the speed ratio between the current transmission rotational input speed and the current engine rotational speed an error is found to be present if the speed ratio is less than a predefined threshold value, which is less than/equal to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Georg Gierer, Christian Popp, Thilo Schmidt, Klaus Steinhauser
  • Patent number: 8287988
    Abstract: A powder-coated glass panel in which print (5) on the back (4) of a transparent polyester coating (2) carried by a glass sheet (1), is covered by an epoxy coating (6), and the longitudinal margin (9) of metal foil (7) covering the edges of the panel overlaps onto the back of the coating (6) to relieve thermal stress in the sheet (1). Heat to melt and cure the powders forming the coatings (2, 6) and to cure the printing ink (5) is applied through the sheet (1) from infra-red lamps (22) mounted within an internally-reflective trough (23). The frequency of the radiation is varied from high to low during heating. A double-glazed spandrel unit includes the panel (31) mounted with spacing behind a facing-sheet (32), and with metal foil (34) covering the edges of the unit and overlapping marginally (37) onto the back (38) of the panel (31) for thermal-stress relief.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Thorstone Business Management Limited
    Inventor: Roger John Leach
  • Patent number: 8286532
    Abstract: A transmission control having an electronic control unit (17), at least one mechatronic component (19, 20, 21), and a housing (2) comprising an upper housing part (3), a lower housing part (5), and a central housing part (4). These housing parts together form at least one receiving space (8, 10, 11, 12) for the control unit (17) and/or the mechatronic component (19, 20, 21) which is arranged between the upper housing part (3) and the lower housing part (5). The control unit (17) and/or the at least one mechatronic component (19, 20, 21) are fastened on the upper housing part (3). A process for installation of a transmission control (1) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Hubert Konig, Kim Fuhrer, Markus Ulbricht, Thomas Puth
  • Patent number: 8286952
    Abstract: A vapor distributor for use in atmospheric or vacuum columns includes a new design of vapor inlet device, or vapor horn, to provide superior mixing and distribution of a tangential first feed and a vertical second feed. New vapor inlet device has an inlet dividing the first feed into two portions, each flowing in respective housings in opposed circulation directions, and a plurality of vanes for redirection of vapor. Mixing and distribution of feeds by the vapor distributor is further enhanced by inclusion in vapor distributor of a mixer and vapor directing plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignees: AMT International, Inc., Petroliam Nasional Berhad
    Inventors: Adam T. Lee, Farzad G. Tahmassi, Lindsey Vuong, Zainab Kayat, Mohd Rizal Bin Abdul Rahman, Arman Bin Anuar
  • Patent number: 8287414
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission device comprising a variator and a secondary power splitting. For power splitting, a planetary gear set has a first shaft coupled to the transmission input, a second shaft of the gear set coupled a first shaft of the variator, and a third shaft of the gear set couples a second shaft of the variator. First and second shift elements are provided to switch between first and second gear ratio ranges. Via the variator, the gear ratio is continuously variable within the gear ratio range and the two gear ratio ranges overlap. To implement the first gear ratio range, the second shaft of the gear set is connected, via the first shift element, to the transmission output, and to implement the second gear ratio range, the third shaft of the planetary gear set is connected, via the second shift element, to the transmission output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Tobias Weber, Gerhard Bailly, Thomas Ratzmann, Walter Fischer, Jurgen Pohlenz
  • Patent number: 8282524
    Abstract: A transmission device is proposed for distributing a drive torque to at least two output shafts (Ab1, Ab2), comprising a differential (2) that is permanently connected to the output shafts (Ab1, Ab2), wherein a double planetary gearset (4) is provided co-axially to the output (Ab2) between the differential cage (3) of the differential (2) and the output (Ab2) of one side, said planetary gearset comprising a first sun gear (5) and a second sun gear (6), a first planetary range (7), an intermediate planetary range (8), and an internal gear (9), herein the internal gear (9) is connected to the differential cage (3) and the planet carrier (10) of the planetary gearset (4) is connected to the output (Ab2), wherein the first sun gear (5) meshes with the first planetary range (7) and can be coupled to the housing (G) by means of a brake (11) in order to shift the torque in one direction, and wherein the second sun gear (6) meshes with the intermediate planetary range (8) and can be coupled to the housing (G) by mean
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Alois Böck, Detlef Baasch, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Thomas Rosemeier
  • Patent number: 8282528
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle drive train (1) comprising a combustion engine (2), a turbo charger (22) assigned to the combustion engine, a mechanism for the injection of additional compressed air into an air intake system (8) of the combustion engine (2), a start and shift clutch (60), and a transmission (62). To optimally prepare and execute a start procedure of such an equipped vehicle, additional compressed air is only injected into the air intake system (8) of the combustion engine (2) if, depending upon the actual operating situation of the vehicle, the injection of additional compressed air benefits the safety of the driver, fuel consumption, drive comfort and/or the clutch wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Jager, Christoph Ruchardt, Roland Mair
  • 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: 8272340
    Abstract: A method of enhancing the soil structure of land having a topsoil layer and a subsoil layer beneath the topsoil layer includes providing at least one subsoil tiller blade having a tilling surface and a bottom end, and a channel positioned behind the tilling surface of the subsoil tiller blade for injecting nutrients toward the bottom end of the subsoil tiller blade. The subsoil tiller blade is inserted into the land such that the bottom end extends into the subsoil layer. The subsoil tiller blade is driven through the land such that the tilling surface loosens the subsoil layer while the channel deposits nutrients into the subsoil layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Inventor: Leonard Leskiw
  • 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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