Patents Assigned to Mannesmann Sachs
  • Patent number: 6095299
    Abstract: A friction clutch for a motor vehicle is embodied with a centrifugal mass device, which has at least one mass-bearing compensating system. At least one component of the centrifugal mass device is equipped, to form the compensating system, with at least one chamber that holds, to a predetermined degree of fullness, a fluid medium, whose position in the chamber changes when a torsional vibration occurs. The effect resulting from this position change depends on the density and viscosity of the medium, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, on the arrangement of the chamber, which determines the vibrational behavior of the medium, the shape of the chamber, which determines the movement resistance, and its degree of fullness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Bernd Peinemann, Reinhard Feldhaus, Matthias Fischer
  • Patent number: 6095308
    Abstract: A clutch plate with a hub plate fitted onto a hub includes friction linings on a radially outer portion and covering metal plates arranged coaxially on both sides of the hub plate. The covering metal plates are connected in a rotationally fixed manner to one another via rivets. Each of the rivets includes a locking head on both sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Richard Knoblach, Alfred Schraut, Helmuth Weissenberger
  • Patent number: 6095943
    Abstract: An arrangement for operating an automated friction clutch in a mechanical drive train of a motor vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine. A clutch operator actuator, by means of which a clutch operator of the clutch can be adjusted between at least one engaged position, in which the clutch is engaged at least partly for transmitting a torque, and a de-clutched position in which the clutch is completely de-clutched. An electronic control device controlling the clutch operator actuator. The electronic control device responds to a clutching requirement signaling device, which can be operated by an operator, and is designed for the purpose of supplying an engaging control signal which changes the position of the clutch operator from the de-clutched position to the engaged position to the clutch operator actuator in response to a clutching requirement signaled with the engine switched off and the clutch de-clutched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Rainer Reuthal
  • Patent number: 6089121
    Abstract: A rotational vibration damper, especially for arrangement in a drive train of a motor vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, comprises first and second damping components that are rotatable together as well as relative to each other around a common rotational axis. The first and second damping components are connected to each other for rotational force transmission by a coupling mass arrangement. The coupling mass arrangement is connected to the first damping component so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis that is offset substantially axis-parallel to the center of gravity of the coupling mass arrangement and to the rotational axis. The coupling mass arrangement has two contact surface regions arranged at a distance from each other in the circumferential direction relative to the pivot axis and face away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Norbert Lohaus
  • Patent number: 6085884
    Abstract: An actuating element for a clutch includes a stop which is adjustable by an automatic adjusting device for ensuring that the actuating stroke of a piston increases in the releasing direction of the clutch and that the actuating stroke is displaced away from the clutch in response to wear of the clutch linings when the clutch is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Robert Seufert, Thomas John
  • Patent number: 6083107
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper includes a hub element, and a hub-disk assembly which is mounted on the hub element by means of a bearing assembly. The bearing assembly is prestressed by a first prestressing arrangement in the bearing seat against the hub element. The hub-disk assembly has a first transmission and a second transmission, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation in relation to the first transmission arrangement, and a first damping arrangement, preferably a damping spring, which acts between the first and the second transmission arrangements. A friction device generates a friction damping force at a relative rotation between the first and second transmissions. The friction device includes at least one friction element which is acted upon by a second prestressing arrangement and is displaceable on at least one transmission arrangement of the first and second transmission arrangements at a relative rotation with generation of the friction damping force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Rudiger Herbst
  • Patent number: 6082507
    Abstract: A rotary vibration damper having a housing, a stator having stator vanes and a rotor having vanes. The stator and the rotor are arranged in the housing so as to form at least two work chambers fillable with damping medium, which work chambers alternately change their volumes during the vibrational movement. At least one damping device is connected to at least one of the work chambers. At least one radial flow connection is arranged to connect the work chamber to the damping device. The at least one radial flow connection is arranged outside of the rotor vane and the stator vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Andreas Forster
  • Patent number: 6079529
    Abstract: A torque converter comprises a converter housing having a converter cover and an impeller wheel. The converter housing is connectable to a driving unit. A turbine wheel arranged in the converter housing is rotatably mounted for rotating about an axis of rotation with respect to the converter housing. The turbine wheel has a turbine wheel shell and a turbine wheel hub. The turbine wheel hub is connectable to a converter driven shaft. The turbine wheel shell is selectively connectable to the turbine wheel hub for connection with respect to rotation via a first coupling arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Rudiger Hinkel, Christoph Sasse
  • Patent number: 6076794
    Abstract: An arrangment for securing against rotation for a structural component part of a vibration damper or of a shock absorber leg for motor vehicles, which structural component part is provided with a pin type pivot bearing. A piston rod and/or a receptacle is connected, in each instance via a flexible pin type pivot bearing, with the vehicle body or with a wheel guide part. The arrangement for securing against rotation acts between the piston rod and/or the receptacle and the part which is fixed with respect to the vehicle and connected therewith. The arrangement for securing against rotation is formed by a flexible structural component part which participates in the articulated movements and is arranged so as to be positioned between the piston rod and/or the receptacle or cylinder and the part which is fixed with respect to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Robert Pradel
  • Patent number: 6076814
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a spring strut for motor vehicles comprising a hydropneumatic vibration damper and a supporting spring. The vibration damper has a piston rod connected with a piston and is axially guided in a piston rod guide at the end of a container. The piston rod is outwardly sealed by a piston rod seal. The piston rod guide comprises a damping valve acted upon by external forces, such as the force of the supporting spring arranged between a structural component part connected with the vehicle and a spring carrier surrounding the container of the spring strut. The spring carrier acts on the damping valve with a contact surface. The supporting spring and/or the spring carrier cooperates with at least one auxiliary device exerting a force. The auxiliary device is supported at the container by a structural component part that is fixed with respect to the container or at a vehicle part which is connected with the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Manfred Grundei
  • Patent number: 6076642
    Abstract: A bridge coupling on a hydrodynamic torque converter is embodied with an axially movable piston arranged on a radial bearing. In one operating position, the piston can be brought into active connection with a support surface of a radial flange of the converter housing via at least one friction lining. The piston executes its axial movement under the influence of an axially elastic element integrated in the radial bearing and having an elastomer substantially deformable in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Roland Illig, Frank Thorn, Robert Besendorf, Maximilian Henze, Bernd Schoder, Klaus Seemann
  • Patent number: 6070704
    Abstract: A torque converter having a converter housing which is coupled to a driving unit, a turbine wheel which is arranged in the converter housing and is rotatable with respect to the converter housing about an axis of rotation and has a turbine wheel shell and a turbine wheel hub which is connected with the turbine wheel shell and which can be coupled with or is coupled with a converter driven shaft. A lockup clutch provides selectable rotational coupling of the converter housing with the turbine wheel, and a torsional vibration damper arrangement is provided in the power transmission path between the converter housing and the turbine wheel hub and/or between the turbine wheel shell and the turbine wheel hub. A friction device is connected parallel to the torsional vibration damper arrangement in the power transmission path for generating a frictional force which may be changed in a selected manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Christoph Sasse
  • Patent number: 6067876
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper has a plurality of transmission elements which are rotatable relative to one another about a common axis of rotation. The relative movement of the transmission elements is carried out by the deflection of coupling bodies which are displaceable between the transmission elements along guide paths. A first guide path is provided on at least one of the transmission elements enabling a movement of the respective coupling body in the circumferential direction. The first guide path has a curvature which is formed with a curvature location having the maximum distance from the axis of rotation. A second guide path substantially free of curvature is provided on at least another transmission element allowing a movement of the coupling body in the radial direction. The coupling body is substantially free of curvature at least along a predeterminable portion of a contact zone facing the second guide path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Norbert Lohaus
  • Patent number: 6066047
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper has a drive-side transmission element and an output-side transmission element rotatable relative thereto. The output-side transmission element is centered relative to the drive-side transmission element via a radial slide bearing and can be held at a predeterminable axial distance from the drive-side transmission element by means of an axial slide bearing. The axial slide bearing has an inner circumference larger than the outer circumference of the radial slide bearing and rests, on the one hand, on at least one component of the first transmission element acting on the outer circumference of the radial slide bearing and, on the other, on at least one component of the other transmission element arranged on the inner circumference of the radial slide bearing, so as to form, together with these components, a covering for the radial slide bearing, by which the latter can be protected against an unwanted afflux of solid particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Andreas Orlamunder, Bernd Peinemann
  • Patent number: 6058801
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper has a first flywheel mass on the drive side and a second flywheel mass which is rotatable relative to the first flywheel mass and is connected therewith via a torsional damping device. At least one of the flywheel masses is provided with a grease chamber containing a viscous medium for at least partial accommodation of the torsional damping device. There is at least one opening which is provided with a closure and axially penetrates at least one wall of the flywheel mass for filling the grease chamber with the viscous medium. The closure is formed by a cover which is accommodated at the respective flywheel mass and movable in the axial direction relative to the opening. In a sealing position the cover covers the opening, and a filling position is removable from the opening by a connection piece which can be guided through the opening for filling the grease chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Schierling, Rudolf Bauerlein, Hilmar Gobel, Matthias Fischer
  • Patent number: 6059059
    Abstract: A hybrid drive arrangement for a motor vehicle including an internal combustion engine (1), which is connected or can be connected in a wheel-driving manner, via a first torque transmission path (11, 13), to a driving wheel (15) of the motor vehicle. An electric machine (19), which is operable at least as a motor, is fed from an electrical energy source (7, 29) of the motor vehicle and is connected or can be connected in a wheel-driving manner, via a second torque transmission path (21, 23, 13), to the driving wheel (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Hans-Joachim Schmidt-Brucken
  • Patent number: 6058795
    Abstract: An adjustment device for automatically operating a vehicle transmission, includes an actuator to operate a gear input part that, depending upon a desired gear, assumes a position corresponding to that gear. An emergency operating device is connected to the actuator for activating a tension element to establish an active connection to the gear input part for the purpose of setting a position of the gear input part corresponding to a selected gear during a failure of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Peter Ottenbruch, Lutz Leimbach, Bernd Gaubitz, Hans-Jurgen Schneider, Thomas Wirth
  • Patent number: 6058802
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper has a drive-side transmission element and an output-side transmission element rotatable relative thereto that is connected to the drive-side transmission element via a damping device. The damping device includes a first gear element and a second gear element that are in a meshed engagement with each other via a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth, respectively. The sets of teeth for each gear element is provided on the axial sides of the gear elements. A positioning device axially positions the gear elements relative to each other for adjusting the penetration depth of the meshed engagement of the first and second sets of teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Jorg Sudau, Bernhard Schierling
  • Patent number: 6056093
    Abstract: A torque converter includes a converter housing and a turbine wheel arranged in the converter housing and rotatable relative thereto around a rotational axis. The turbine wheel has a turbine wheel shell which has a plurality of turbine blades and a turbine wheel hub connected to the turbine wheel shell. An optional bridge coupling selectively connects the converter housing to the turbine wheel. A torsional vibration damper is connected between the turbine shell and the turbine wheel hub and a coupling mechanism of the bridge coupling is connected to the turbine wheel for torque transmission via the torsional vibration damper. The turbine shell forms a component of the torsional vibration damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Rudiger Hinkel
  • Patent number: 6056092
    Abstract: A torque converter includes a converter housing and a turbine wheel arranged in the converter housing. The turbine wheel is rotatable relative to the housing around a rotational axis (A) and has a turbine wheel shell which carries a plurality of turbine blades as well as a turbine wheel hub connected to the turbine wheel shell. An optional bridge coupling selectively connects the converter housing to the turbine wheel. A torsional vibration damper via which torque can be conveyed to the turbine wheel hub from the turbine wheel shell and/or the bridge coupling includes a hub element with control regions, a first covering element section and a second covering element section having control regions on either circumferential side of the hub element, and spring elements circumferentially arranged and supported between control regions. The first and second covering element sections are provided on the turbine wheel hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Rudiger Hinkel