Patents Assigned to Sauer-Danfoss, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7377354
    Abstract: A hydrostatic propulsion system includes a hydrostatic circuit fluidly connecting left front and right front motors in parallel with an outlet of a pump, left rear and right rear motors in parallel with an inlet of the pump, left front motor and right rear motor in series, and the right front motor and left rear motor in series. A valve system has a first relief valve line providing flow from a right rear motor inlet side to a left rear motor inlet side, and a second relief valve line providing flow from a left rear motor inlet side to a right rear motor inlet side. A first check valve line provides flow from a right rear motor outlet side to the right rear motor inlet side, and a second check valve line provides flow from a left rear motor outlet side to the left rear motor inlet side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan D. Smalley
  • Patent number: 7377353
    Abstract: A hydrostatic propulsion system includes a hydrostatic circuit fluidly connecting left front and right front motors in parallel with an outlet of a pump, left rear and right rear motors in parallel with an inlet of the pump, left front motor and right rear motor in series, and the right front motor and left rear motor in series. A valve system has a first relief valve line providing flow from a right rear motor inlet side to a left rear motor inlet side, and a second relief valve line providing flow from a left rear motor inlet side to a right rear motor inlet side. A first check valve line provides flow from a right rear motor outlet side to the right rear motor inlet side, and a second check valve line provides flow from a left rear motor outlet side to the left rear motor inlet side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan D. Smalley
  • Publication number: 20080105484
    Abstract: A steering system for a vehicle that uses primary and secondary steering actuation devices in combination with primary and secondary valve elements to provide fluid flow within a valve body. The primary and secondary valve elements are both electrically actuated by a control unit such that if the primary steering actuation device or valve element fails the secondary steering actuation device and valve element can supply pilot oil to the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: SAUER-DANFOSS INC.
    Inventors: Shawn A. KENNY, John T. NEIDERT, Matthew S. SCHULTZ, James D. KOCH
  • Publication number: 20080103006
    Abstract: A hydromechanical transmission that has first and second planetaries each having first, second and third elements. The first element of the first planetary is connected to a first hydrostatic unit while the second element of the first planetary is connected to a second hydrostatic unit with the third element of the first planetary connected to an input. A primary clutch is connected between first and third elements of the second planetary while at least one secondary clutch is connected to the second planetary. When the primary and secondary clutches are selectively engaged at least two operating modes having continuous ratios are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: SAUER-DANFOSS INC.
    Inventors: Frederic W. Pollman, Wilhelm Gollner
  • Patent number: 7353745
    Abstract: A hydrostatic adjustment unit with a swash plate for adjusting the stroke of displacer pistons which are arranged in a rotating cylinder block is described. The displacer pistons each have a slider block which bears against a support face of the swash plate and is held in abutment by means of a slider block holder. The slider block-holder has a number of bores for receiving the slider blocks corresponding to the number of displacers. The slider block holder at the same time forms the rotor of a rotational speed signal transmitter for determining the rotational speed of the cylinder block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventors: Carsten Fiebing, Bernd Hames
  • Patent number: 7354368
    Abstract: A method for achieving high quality shifts with one hydraulic unit near zero displacement when using dog clutches. This method includes selecting the proper displacement and vocation (whether the hydrostatic unit works as a pump or motor) of a low displacement hydraulic unit during the shift, selecting the appropriate speed differential between the clutch elements, selecting the proper vehicle speed at which to make the shift, and sequencing the displacement changes of the hydraulic units with a controller in order to achieve the desired shift conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventor: Frederic W Pollman
  • Publication number: 20080078456
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrostatic variable unit with a servo system bringing about the control of the hydrostatic unit and with a valve unit controlling the servo system, the valve unit comprising two magnetically actuated proportional pressure-reducing valves which respectively act upon one of the sides of a servo system, which sides operate counter to each other, and having a safety function which, in the event of an incident, transfers the servo system into a safety position. The safety function is realized by at least one of the proportional pressure-reducing valves being designed at the same time as a pilot valve for activating and deactivating the second proportional pressure-reducing valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: SAUER-DANFOSS INC.
    Inventor: Reinhardt THOMS
  • Publication number: 20080079224
    Abstract: Elastically deformable seal of an electrical control unit of a hydraulic machine. The seal has a pot-like shape with a diaphragm, which is in the form of a pot base, and also pot inner faces, pot edge faces and pot outer faces. In this case, the pot inner faces have first sealing faces, the pot edge faces have abutment faces and the pot outer faces have second sealing faces. The first sealing faces and the abutment faces are formed in such a way that they deform under pressure loading such that the second sealing faces arch out from the pot outer faces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: SAUER-DANFOSS INC.
    Inventors: REINHARDT THOMS, ANDERS BJURHAGEN
  • Patent number: 7317290
    Abstract: AC inverters that are electrically connected to a direct current source to convert the direct current source such that the transistor power module of an inverter can power a plurality of AC motors wherein the motors can be located remote from the inverters or within the inverter housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D Gandrud, Torben Frederiksen, Jeff Herrin
  • Patent number: 7316115
    Abstract: A system for operating a hydromechanical transmission having a movable input member that transmits a signal to a control unit that uses predefined logic to determine if a hydrostatic transmission should be in a first low speed mode that uses displacement control or if it should be in a second high speed mode that uses a power, torque, or speed control scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventors: Lynn T Jansen, Michael D. Gandrud
  • Patent number: 7316112
    Abstract: An improved rotary spool control system for a closed hydrostatic circuit and method to use the same. The control spool utilizes metering of the spool notches and specifically the metering of the servo drain notch wherein the drain notch is of irregular cross sectional shape. Because of the metering and irregular cross sectional shape, this spool is able to provide an aggressive response while still having smooth linear control. The method of creating the feedback control includes displacing pressurized fluid through the hydrostatic circuit rotating the control spool to create an error signal removing the error signal with a control sleeve and metering the servo piston drain with the irregularly shaped metering porting notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron T. Becker
  • Publication number: 20080000301
    Abstract: A method of measuring vibration on an operational device. The method includes providing an operational device with a control unit and a vibration sensor comprised of a three axis accelerometer, a digital signal processor, and a communications transceiver. The digital signal processor takes the raw vibration data for each axis of the three axis accelerometer and applies a weighting function to the vibration data for each individual axis. Then stress level data associated with the vehicle operator is used to calculate the instantaneous contributions of the filtered data to the stress level data of the operator to determine instantaneous stress level data that has accumulated over a fixed time interval. After the fixed time interval, the digital signal processor calculates an increase of the stress level of the operator during the time interval to create stress data that is transmitted through a communications transceiver for display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Applicant: SAUER-DANFOSS INC.
    Inventor: Lincoln Davidson
  • Publication number: 20070295147
    Abstract: A joystick (1) having a yoke pivotally secured to an upper support (28) and a lever (16) pivotally secured to a lower support. The yoke has a latching portion that engages a cam roller (14) on the lever to push the lever downward. Supported on the lever is an armature (24) positioned in spaced relation to a solenoid (26). The solenoid is energized based on the movement of the yoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicants: Sauer-Danfoss Inc., Penny & Giles Control Ltd.
    Inventors: Stanley Didier, Wayne Edmunds, Terence Pontin
  • Publication number: 20070299564
    Abstract: An engine management system and a method of operating the same within a vehicle. The system uses a plurality of software modules one of which communicates with the vehicle engine to communicate information and additionally communicates with at least one other software module that provides information regarding auxiliary device operations and parameters such that the first software module produces an input torque curve signal for the vehicle engine. Additionally, secondary software modules are able to provide reduced power requirements signals to a plurality of auxiliary devices in order to ensure optimum fuel economy and noise reduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: SAUER-DANFOSS INC.
    Inventors: Donald P. NELSON, Jeremy E. NACK
  • Publication number: 20070281815
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrostatic mechanical traction gearbox having a continuously variable hydrostatic drive in which the hydrostatic drive has a hydrostatic pump driven by an internal combustion engine and a hydraulic motor driven by the pump, the pump and the hydraulic motor are positively coupled in an adjustable fashion by means of a single common pivoting part in such a way that the pump can be pivoted between a minimum angle and a maximum angle while at the same time the motor pivots synchronously from a maximum pivot angle to a minimum angle. The pump is configured for a single delivery direction of the volume flow. A mechanical range change gearbox is connected downstream, said gearbox having a plurality of gear shifting stages which can be shifted by means of a clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventor: Wilhelm Gollner
  • Publication number: 20070277520
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydraulic module for hydrostatic mechanical gearboxes having two swashplates or oblique axis drive units which are integrated in the hydraulic module. The swashplate drive units are mounted in a common housing with parallel drive shafts and each have a rotating cylinder block with expellers which can move therein and which are supported in a sliding fashion on a double swashplate whose pivot angle is adjustable by means of a servo system. The double swashplate is designed to carry out positively coupled common adjustment of the volume flow of the two drive units and is equipped with bearing faces for the expellers of the respective drive units, said bearing faces having different angles of inclination relative to the respective drive shaft. The oblique axis drive units each have a cylinder block with expellers which can move therein and which are each pivotably mounted on the coaxial shafts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: SAUER-DANFOSS INC
    Inventor: Wilhelm Gollner
  • Patent number: 7300260
    Abstract: A positive displacement piston unit is provided that utilizes a magnetorheological (MR) or electrorheological (ER) fluid as the transmission fluid. Each cylinder of the invention has an intake port connected to the suction port of the hydrostatic pump and an output port connected to the pressure port. Flow of the transmission fluid through the cylinder is controlled by an electromagnet or electrode located in close proximity to the intake and output ports of the cylinder. By energizing the electromagnet or electrode, the viscosity of the transmission fluid can be increased such that the portion of the fluid immediately near the electromagnet or electrode substantially solidifies. The solidified portion of the transmission fluid disables fluid through the particular passage, thereby restricting flow of the transmission fluid to the cylinder. As such, the present invention does not require the use of mechanical cylinder valves to control the flow of the transmission fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventor: Michael D Gandrud
  • Patent number: 7299738
    Abstract: An axial piston machine having a swashplate or an oblique axis which can be adjusted by means of servopistons and has a valve segment and an adjustment unit for the electrically proportional adjustment of the volumetric displacement. The adjustment unit comprises proportional magnets which can be activated electrically, and a control piston for controlling the oil pressure which moves the servopistons. The proportional magnets act on the control piston along a common tappet axis, a feedback device for feeding back the current swashplate or oblique-axis valve-segment position to the control piston being provided. The feedback device comprises spring levers 6, 6? which can pivot about an axis, the spring levers 6, 6? each being mounted on the pivot axis 5 with a bearing shell 15, which are each composed of two component shells which support the spring lever 6, 6? at separate locations on the pivot axis 5, and which each essentially enclose a half-space about the pivot axis 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventors: Reinhardt Thoms, Carsten Fiebing, Bernd Hames, Martin Wüstefeld
  • Patent number: 7299629
    Abstract: A charge pump is provided with two independent outlets that can satisfy the pressure requirements of both a charge circuit and an auxiliary circuit. Preferably, the charge pump is a multiple roller vane pump that has at least one inlet and two outlets independent of each other. The first outlet is in fluid communication with a charge circuit, and the second outlet is in fluid communication with an auxiliary circuit. Because the two outlets are independent of each other, the roller vane pump is able to satisfy the pressure requirements of both the charge and auxiliary circuits. Preferably, the two outlets are diametrically opposed to each other, thereby reducing the load on the driveshaft. Additionally, the roller vane pump may include a second inlet independent of the first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A Betz, Jeff L Herrin, Alan W Johnson
  • Publication number: 20070267987
    Abstract: AC inverters that are electrically connected to a direct current source to convert the direct current source such that the transistor power module of an inverter can power a plurality of AC motors wherein the motors can be located remote from the inverters or within the inverter housings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: SAUER-DANFOSS INC.
    Inventors: Michael Gandrud, Torben Frederiken, Jeff Herrin