Patents Assigned to CONTINENTAL
  • Patent number: 10234322
    Abstract: The specification discloses a device for introducing a freezable liquid into the exhaust gas system of a motor vehicle. The device may include a tank for accommodating the freezable liquid, a sensor for determining the concentration and/or the filling level of the freezable liquid in the tank, and a dome-shaped ice protector. The sensor may be arranged at least partially in the tank, on the floor thereof. The dome-shaped ice protector may have rounded side faces which run together in the upward direction and have the purpose of protecting the part of the sensor which is located in the tank. The ice protector may be embodied in one piece with a floor plate of the sensor or with the tank floor and the dome of the ice protector has a completely open upper side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Ronny Stangl, Stephan Heinrich, Denny Schaedlich
  • Patent number: 10236806
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electric motors. The teachings thereof may be embodied in a power module, e.g., a power module for the delivery of a phase current for a current phase of an electric motor. For example, a power module may include: a circuit carrier having a surface; at least two first contact surfaces, a second contact surface, at least two third contact surfaces defined on the surface; a first power transistor connected to each of the at least two first contact surfaces; at least two second power transistors connected to the second contact surface; wherein the at least two second power transistors are connected via a further contact surface to one of the at least two third contact surfaces; and the at least two first and the at least two third contact surfaces are arranged one after the other, in one direction, and the second contact surface is disposed next to both the at least two first and the at least two third contact surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Harald Holzer, Frank Meyer, Thomas Schmid, Matthias Hammerl, Gerald Hauer
  • Patent number: 10233883
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a fuel valve including a valve needle and a valve seat for controlling a flow of fuel through the injector. The fuel injector also includes an electromagnetic actuator with a solenoid and an armature that lifts the valve needle from the valve seat in an opening direction while the solenoid is electrically energized. The fuel injector also includes a housing in which the valve needle and the armature are received such that they are displaceable in reciprocating fashion with respect to the housing and with respect to one another. A spring is arranged between the armature and the housing, for pushing the armature against the valve needle in the opening direction, wherein the spring provides a hysteretic relationship between force and displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Francesco Lenzi, Stefano Filippi, Mauro Grandi, Valerio Polidori
  • Patent number: 10226973
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for communicating measurement messages between a plurality of electronic measurement modules and an electronic control unit of a motor vehicle. The method includes the steps of measurement (E1), by a primary emitter module, of parameter values associated with the wheel in which the module is mounted, of sending (E2), by the primary emitter module, of measurement messages to a relay module, of reception (E3) by the relay module, of the measurement messages sent, of measurement (E5), by the relay module, of parameter values associated with the wheel in which the relay module is mounted and of sending (E6), by the relay module, of the measurement messages received and of its own measurements to the electronic control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Nicolas Guinart, Jean-Philippe Boisset, Olivier Fudulea, Jean-Charles Huard
  • Patent number: 10224047
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of processing a periodic voltage signal, called the input signal, relating to the pressure existing in a combustion chamber of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The method includes a step (E6) of determining a second instant of unlocking of the base signal during a second peak phase, a step (E7) of determining a second instant of locking, which is subsequent to the second instant of unlocking and for which the input signal is in the plateau phase consecutive to the second peak phase, and a step (E8) of generating a base signal between the second instant of unlocking and the second instant of locking on the basis of a slope value of a straight line determined during a first peak phase between a first instant of unlocking and a first instant of locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Christophe Duchemin
  • Patent number: 10215143
    Abstract: A pressure-limiting valve for a fuel injection system includes a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a sealing seat, and a sealing body configured to move between a closed position in which the sealing body is in contact with the sealing seat, which blocks fluid flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, and additional positions that permit such fluid flow, and a holding device for keeping the sealing body in one of the additional positions if the sealing body is moved at least a specified distance away from the sealing seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Christoph Klesse, Tobias Ritsch, Robert Wiench, Michael Wirkowski
  • Patent number: 10215142
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes an injector for an internal combustion engine which includes an injector housing, a piezo-actuator control unit having a first set of terminals, a connecting plug on a head of the injector housing, the connecting plug having a second set of terminals, and an electrical connection between the control unit and the connecting plug within the injector housing. The electrical connection comprises a contact element with conductor tracks integrated into an insulating body. The conductor tracks are connected to the terminals of the control unit and of the connecting plug. A first end of the insulating body abuts the control unit or the connecting plug and a second end is spaced from the connecting plug or the control unit. The contact element includes an elastic device by means of which the insulating body is braced against the component it abuts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Emanuel Sanftleben, Martin Ploetz, Martin Simmet, Steffen Kernbach
  • Patent number: 10214189
    Abstract: An electronic control unit for controlling and/or regulating at least one motor vehicle includes at least one integrated microcontroller system for executing software and at least two microcontroller units that each executes at least one independent operating system. The at least one interface is provided for the purpose of interchanging information between the microcontroller units. The electronic control unit includes a first microcontroller unit configured to control and/or regulate of a first motor vehicle system, and a second microcontroller unit configured to use the interface of the first microcontroller unit to provide defaults for the control and/or regulation of the first motor vehicle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL TEVES AG & CO. OHG
    Inventors: Andreas Heise, Kai Schade, Marco Sänger, Reinhard Herr, Michael Zydek, Ralf Hartman, Houman Amjadi
  • Patent number: 10215591
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for adapting a detection threshold (S1) of a magnetic field sensor for a crankshaft of a motor vehicle equipped with the “stop & go” function, the sensor delivering a signal (B) of variations of magnetic field having two states, such as: State 1: when the crankshaft is rotating: the signal includes rising fronts and falling fronts, State 2: when the crankshaft is stopped: the signal has an aperiodic progressive drift (?TAR). The method includes for state 2 steps making it possible to estimate the variation (?1, ?2, ?3, ?4 . . . ?i) of the value (V1, V2 . . . Vi) of the signal (B) during the stopped phase of the crankshaft in order to adapt the detection threshold (S1) to a new value (S4) applicable for the detection of the first tooth upon restart of the engine (R).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: David Mirassou, Marie-Nathalie Larue
  • Patent number: 10217925
    Abstract: A method of forming an electronic structural element having a stack including first and second electrode layers arranged alternatively with material layers is disclosed. A stack is formed with the first electrode layers projecting beyond a first lateral side of the stack and the second electrode layers spaced radially inward from the first lateral side. A first contacting structure that contacts each first electrode layer is applied directly to the first side of the stack, which contacting structure embeds such the projecting first electrode layers in an electrically conductive manner. A second contacting structure is formed by exposing the first and second electrode layers at a second side of the stack, forming, by an additive method, a solvent-free insulating structure that electrically insulates the first electrode layers, and applying an electrically conductive material over the solvent-free insulating structure to form the second contacting structure that contacts each second electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Richter, Claus Zumstrull
  • Patent number: 10215790
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing a ground fault of a start/stop unit of a motor vehicle and a start/stop system implementing the method. The method comprises, in a preliminary phase, providing a driver device with a ground that can be switched between two positions and connecting a ground output of a start/stop device to the switchable ground. When the vehicle is in operation, at the time of a start/stop instruction: reading a first value of the signal at the input of the reading circuit, then temporarily switching the switchable ground from a first position connected to a ground of the vehicle to a second position connected to a ground resistor; reading a second value of the signal received by the reading circuit when the ground is switched to the ground resistor, and comparing the two read values in order to diagnose a short-circuit to ground fault of the start/stop unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Tornare, Christophe Pradelles
  • Patent number: 10209073
    Abstract: The invention relates to a location-determining device in a motor vehicle which comprises at least one receiver device for receiving position signals and time signals for a multiplicity of satellites assigned to a global navigation system and a location-calculating module for calculating location information on the basis of received position data and time data. The location-Determining device is distinguished by the fact that the at least one receiver device is structurally integrated into the housing of an optical sensor unit, wherein the housing is arranged in a passenger compartment in a region of an upper edge of a windscreen, and wherein the housing does not have more than a single connection to a vehicle data bus and not more than a single connection to a vehicle energy supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL TEVES AG & CO. OHG
    Inventor: Ulrich Stahlin
  • Patent number: 10207551
    Abstract: Method of determining the footprint of a tire on the ground, using devices already installed in standard production tires. Since the frequency of the transmitter clock present in a wheel unit is perturbed by mechanical vibrations when the tire contacts the ground, the frequency variations of the reference clock are representative of the value of the footprint. The method therefore includes determining the footprint on the ground of a tire of a wheel by measuring continuously, as a function of time, a signal representative of the variations in frequency of the reference clock supplied at the output of the time control device; determining a time interval during which the frequency variations of the reference clock occur; and, on the basis of the rotation speed of the tire, deducing therefrom an angular range of contact (?) corresponding to the footprint between the ends representing the ground contact length of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Rachid Benbouhout, Jean-Christophe Bouthinon
  • Patent number: 10209179
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to agriculture. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods to determine a percentage of weeds and/or control device. For example, a method for determining a weed percentage in an observation section of a field may include: acquiring actual spectral information using an optical observation section sensor aimed at the observation section; acquiring reference spectral information using an optical reference sensor aimed at a reference section of the same ground area; determining a difference between the actual spectral information and the reference spectral information; and mapping the difference to the weed percentage using predefined mapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Armin Hollstein
  • Patent number: 10207662
    Abstract: A voltage regulation system, particularly for a motor vehicle, adapted to be connected to a voltage source in order to provide a regulated voltage Vdd to at least one functional component F, the regulation system including a pre-regulator adapted to be connected to a voltage source and a regulator REG including at least one pre-regulation port PPR adapted to be connected to the pre-regulator and one functional port Pdd adapted to be connected to a functional component, the regulator including an adaptation device Q directly connecting the pre-regulation port to the functional port of the regulator, the adaptation device consisting of a single MOS power transistor including a drain D, a source S and a gate G. The MOS transistor includes an intrinsic diode DIODE between its drain and its source which is oriented to block the flow of a current between the functional port and the pre-regulation port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Delcol, Aurore Desgeorge
  • Patent number: 10212565
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of locating a plurality of electronic measuring modules mounted in the wheels of a motor vehicle. The method includes the steps of determination (E1) by each electronic measuring module of a set of proximity scores with respect to the other modules, sending (E2) by each module of the set of proximity scores to the electronic control unit, reception (E3) by an electronic control unit of the sets of proximity scores sent, and location (E4) of each module from the sets of proximity scores received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Nicolas Guinart, Jean-Philippe Boisset, Olivier Fudulea, Jean-Charles Huard
  • Patent number: 10208725
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to internal combustion engines in general. Some embodiments may include a drive device for a high-pressure fuel pump of an internal combustion engine. It may include an eccentric ring in frictional connection with a drive shaft for converting a rotational movement of the drive shaft about a drive shaft rotational axis into a translational movement; a tappet spaced apart from the eccentric ring for passing on the translational movement from the eccentric ring; and at least two pivoting bodies disposed between the eccentric ring surface and the tappet surface and in contact with the eccentric ring surface and with the tappet surface. The eccentric ring may include at least one flat eccentric ring surface. The tappet may include at least one flat tappet surface. The pivoting bodies may each include a respective extension axis running parallel to the drive shaft rotational axis and pivot about the extension axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Schmidbauer
  • Patent number: 10202953
    Abstract: An injector for a combustion engine may include a valve housing, a valve needle, an electromagnetic actuator, and a damping element. The valve needle may be axially movable within a valve cavity of the housing. The electromagnetic actuator may comprise a pole piece coupled with the valve housing and an armature axially movable within the valve cavity. The pole piece may have a central recess extending axially there through. The central recess may include a step defining a first portion and a second portion, the first having a larger cross-sectional area than the second, and a stop surface defined by a radially extending surface of the step. The valve needle may include an armature retainer in the first portion of the central recess. The armature may be axially displaceable with respect to the valve needle and interact with the valve needle by means of the retainer for actuating the valve needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Stefano Filippi, Valerio Polidori, Francesco Lenzi
  • Patent number: 10205219
    Abstract: A radio transmitter system includes: a transmitter for deriving a carrier frequency modulated by an input; an electrically short antenna system, and a matching network between the transmitter and antenna system. The matching network includes: a primary circuit responsive to the transmitter, a secondary circuit including the antenna system, and magnetic or capacitive coupling between the primary and secondary circuits. The magnetic coupling is an air core transformer having first and second windings respectively included in the primary and secondary circuits. The matching network has a voltage versus frequency response including at least two horns spaced from each other such that the matching network has a pass band approximately equal to the modulation bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: David Lee Hershberger
  • Patent number: 10197031
    Abstract: A fuel rail assembly for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. It comprises a plurality of fuel delivery lines branching off from a fuel rail, each fuel delivery line hydraulically coupling one fuel injector to an outlet port of the fuel rail. Each fuel delivery line has a one-piece pipe which extends from an outlet port of the fuel rail to the respective fuel injector. The pipe has a cylindrical connection section adjoining the respective outlet port and a cylindrical injector cup section in which a fuel inlet portion of the respective fuel injector is received. The connection section and the injector cup section have different hydraulic diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Giandomenico Serra, Gisella Di Domizio, Marco Pasquali