Patents Assigned to Stabilus GmbH
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Patent number: 8016231Abstract: A force supporting device for assisting a force required to move a flap of an overhead baggage compartment from an open position to a closed position includes a blockable piston cylinder unit attached to the flap for assisting the force required to move the flap, and a triggering device for blocking and releasing the blockable piston cylinder unit as a function of loading of the flap.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2008Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Jörg Hillen, Peter Kohns, Thorsten Müller, Michael Rüdesheim, Dieter Wendling
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Patent number: 7993070Abstract: A coupling member for pivotally coupling an end of a device to a mounting ball includes a body connectable to an end of the device and defines a socket for receiving a mounting ball. The body further includes slots communicating with the socket. A sliding element arranged in a longitudinal groove of the body is movable from a first position to a second position. A C-shaped spring has two ends and a center section, the ends being received through the slots and projecting into the socket for holding the mounting ball in the socket. The sliding element interacts with the center section of the spring when the sliding element is moved to the second position so that the ends of the spring are drawn out from the socket to release the mounting ball from the socket, whereby the mounting ball is releasable from the socket without external tools.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2008Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: James T. Kull, Brian M. Waypa, Joshua S. McNair, Rodney A. Armstrong
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Patent number: 7992460Abstract: A drive device for a hatch of a motor vehicle, wherein a spindle drive is provided with a threaded spindle and a spindle nut mounted on the threaded spindle, by which drive the first fastening element and the housing tube can be driven axially relative to each other. The spindle drive can be rotatably driven by an electric motor. The threaded spindle has a thread with a lead that changes over the length of the threaded spindle.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2007Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Marian Bochen, Rolf Mintgen, Andreas Ritter
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Publication number: 20110186394Abstract: Piston-cylinder unit with a work cylinder filled with a fluid, a hollow piston rod displaceably arranged in the work cylinder along a longitudinal axis and a connection element at an end located outside the work cylinder and in the work cylinder, a piston that divides the work cylinder into first and second work spaces. A valve needle in the piston rod has a channel extending in axial direction arranged in the piston rod. The valve needle has a recess at one end. The valve needle is rotatable such that a flow of fluid is controllable. A lever extends in radial direction and is swivelably acted upon by an adjusting unit at the end of the valve needle outside the work cylinder. The adjusting unit is arranged at the connection element entirely outside the flux of force of the piston-cylinder unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2011Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: Stabilus GmbHInventor: Frank BORN
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Patent number: 7980624Abstract: The device for actuating a pivoting movement of a vehicle flap about a pivot axis includes a gas spring having a cylinder and a piston rod protruding from the cylinder. Either the cylinder or the piston rod is coupled to a fixed component of the vehicle body, and the other one of cylinder and piston rod is coupled to the flap at a distance from the pivot axis. A flexurally rigid guide extends parallel adjacent to the gas spring and is fixedly connected to the cylinder of the gas spring. One region of a flexible tension and compression element is guided in the guide and operatively connected to the flap, and a second region is guided in a flexible casing and operatively connected to a reversible drive, so that the flexible tension and compression element can be motor-driven.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2010Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Jörg Hillen, Michael Kleinmann, Andreas Ritter
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Patent number: 7975994Abstract: A displacement element includes a first piston, a second piston, a cylindrical housing filled with a fluid under pressure, a piston rod, and a spring. Each of the pistons is adapted to the respective internal diameter of its section and divides the respective section into two pressure chambers. The first piston is arranged at one end of the piston rod, and both pistons each include means for damping the movement of the piston rod respectively in one direction. The second piston is arranged on the side of the first piston facing away from the piston rod and is capable of displacement by means of the first piston in a direction facing away from the open end. The spring is arranged on the side of the second piston facing away from the first piston, and supported by the second piston and the housing.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2006Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Frank Born, Rainer Massmann, Rolf Mintgen, Dirk Rennecke, Wilhelm Schwab
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Publication number: 20110139957Abstract: An object support column with a vertical tube, a base part arranged at a first end of the vertical tube, a guide bush fastened to a second end of the vertical tube, a telescope tube arranged coaxially in the vertical tube and movable along a center longitudinal axis in the guide bush. A guide tube arranged in a pressure tube. A piston is guided in the guide tube. A piston rod is fastened to the piston, and extends through a second work chamber guided outward by a sealing and guiding device at a first end of the pressure tube and is arranged with its other end at the base part of the vertical tube. A flow connection between the first work chamber and the second work chamber can be shut off by a valve which can be actuated by an actuating device. The pressure tube is arranged to be movable along the center longitudinal axis relative to the telescope tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Applicant: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Vladimir FRIESEN, Stefan Probst
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Publication number: 20110068721Abstract: A driving device for a hatch in a vehicle, with a housing tube connected to a base part or to a movable structural component part, a protective tube connected to the movable structural component part or to the base part, a spindle drive having a threaded spindle and a spindle nut arranged on the threaded spindle by which the housing tube and the protective tube are movable axially relative to one another. A rotary drive drives the spindle drive in rotation includes at least one electric motor. The driving device has a safety circuit that causes a braking effect on the rotary drive when the rotary drive is deactivated and when extraneous forces are introduced into the driving device from the outside.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2010Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: Stabilus GmbHInventor: Marian BOCHEN
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Patent number: 7900530Abstract: A drive device for a hatch of a motor vehicle, wherein a spindle drive is provided with a threaded spindle and a spindle nut mounted on the threaded spindle, by which drive the first fastening element and the housing tube can be driven axially relative to each other. The spindle drive can be rotatably driven by an electric motor, where the output shaft of the motor can rotate the threaded spindle or a connecting component of a clutch. The spindle drive can be rotatably driven by two or more series-connected electric motors.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2007Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Marian Bochen, Rolf Mintgen, Christian Schindlatz, Oliver Schüttler
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Patent number: 7900531Abstract: In a drive device for opening and or closing the hatch of a motor vehicle, the drive including a spindle drive with a threaded spindle and a nut, with a clutch arranged between the rotary drive and the spindle drive, the clutch includes a shifting element, a clutch element, and a clutch disk non-rotatably connected to the threaded spindle. The shifting element is rotatably drivably connected to the rotary drive. The shifting element has an axially oriented helical first ramp and the clutch element has an axially oriented helical second ramp in opposed contact with said first ramp. Relative rotation of the shifting element and the clutch element causes relative axial displacement of the shifting element and the clutch element against a spring force. The clutch element has a clutch area movable into non-rotatable engagement with the clutch disk in response to the relative axial displacement of the shifting element and the clutch element such that the rotary drive for the spindle drive also operates the clutch.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2008Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Bernd Arenz, Oleg Batosky, Jörg Hillen
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Patent number: 7900756Abstract: A push-type gas spring has a pressure tube having a pressure tube connector element for the external attachment of the push-type gas spring. The gas spring also has a piston, which is operable to slide back and forth axially in the pressure tube and has a piston rod, where the piston rod extends out of the pressure tube from a first end surface of the pressure tube and has a piston rod connector element for the external attachment of the push-type gas spring. So that tensile forces can be applied to the pressure tube connector element and the piston rod connector element, the pressure tube and the pressure tube connector element are connected to each other by a pressure tube tension element extending axially alongside the piston rod and/or the piston rod and the piston rod connector element are connected to each other by a piston rod tension element extending axially alongside the pressure tube.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2006Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventor: Rolf Mintgen
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Publication number: 20110005387Abstract: A piston-cylinder unit with a center longitudinal axis, a first end, a cylinder filled with a fluid, a piston arranged so as to be displaceable in the cylinder and which divides the cylinder into a first work space remote of the first end and a second work space close to the first end. A piston rod is arranged at the piston and projects through the first work space and is guided out of the cylinder concentric to the center longitudinal axis at a second end opposite the first end so as to be sealed by a guiding and sealing device, and a sensor device for direct or indirect detection of the internal pressure of the piston-cylinder unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2010Publication date: January 13, 2011Applicant: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Thomas EHRE, Michael Hewel, Nadja Kaiser, Axel Knopp, Ralf Rissel, Arnold Schilz
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Patent number: 7806244Abstract: A piston/cylinder unit includes a closed cylinder filled with a fluid under pressure, a piston dividing the cylinder into a first working chamber and a second working chamber, and a piston rod extending through the second working chamber. A passage through the piston connects the first working chamber to the second working chamber, and a valve closing member is movable between an open position and a closed position wherein the member closes the passage. A solenoid includes a coil, a coil core, and an armature in the piston, the armature driving the valve closing member between the closed position and the open position in response to a magnetic field produced by a current applied to the coil, the cylinder forming a magnetic field guide tube. The coil is supplied with current by a power line in the piston rod, and may be grounded to the piston rod or the cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2008Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Marian Bochen, Thomas Ehre, Rainer Massmann, Rolf Mintgen
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Patent number: 7798556Abstract: An opening device for a flap of a vehicle, in particular for a rear flap, pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis on the upper edge of an opening in the vehicle body from a closed position into an open position having a gas-filled spring coupled to the body by the free end of its piston rod at a distance from the pivot axis and coupled to the flap by its pressure tube at a distance from the pivot axis. The gas-filled spring in the exload direction applies a force to the flap in the opening direction. Furthermore, an actuator can act on the flap in the opening direction. The actuator is an energy accumulator which, applies a force to the flap during its opening stroke from the closed position until a relaxed position of the energy accumulator is reached.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2006Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Bernd Arenz, Michael Kleinmann, Rainer Massmann, Rolf Mintgen, Andreas Ritter, Heiko Schilken
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Patent number: 7784772Abstract: A spring system has a first pulling part with a first fastening element connected by a tension spring to a second pulling part with a second fastening element. The pulling parts are moveable relative to one another so as to increase or relieve stressing on the tension spring. A damping device damps the movement of the pulling parts in relation to one another. A cylinder is fastened on the first pulling part and a piston 3 is axially displacesably arranged therein, subdividing the interior of the cylinder into a first cylinder chamber and a second cylinder chamber. A piston rod connected to the piston is arranged on the second pulling part. The interior of the cylinder is connected to the surroundings via one or more restrictor openings.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2006Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Axel Knopp, Karl-Heinz Darscheid, Stefan Bonnekessel, Rainer Massmann, Rolf Mintgen, Torsten Rickenberg, Jörg-Erwin Scheuer, Dirk Schweinberger, Daniel Herbst, Joachim Völlinger
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Publication number: 20100186528Abstract: A drive device includes a first fastening device (5), for connection to a stationary base part, especially a vehicle body, or to a movable part, especially a vehicle (hinged) lid or door; a second fastening device (24), for connection to the movable part or to the stationary base part; a spindle drive (17), which includes a threaded spindle (16) and a spindle nut (19) mounted on the threaded spindle (16) and capable of moving the first and the second fastening devices (5, 24) axially relative to each other; and a rotary drive (9), which rotates the spindle drive (17) by way of an overload safety device, wherein the nonrotatable connection between the two components can be released when a certain torque is exceeded, and wherein the overload safety device is formed by a clutch device (15), which comprises an inner part (32) connected to the rotary drive (9), which inner part rotates an intermediate part (34) by way of a damping element (33) and, by way of the intermediate part (34), rotates an outer part (36) cType: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2009Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Jörg Hillen, Andreas Ritter
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Publication number: 20100162839Abstract: A driving device with a first and second fastening device which can be connected to a stationary base part, particularly a vehicle body, or can be connected to a movable structural component part, particularly a hatch or door of a vehicle, a spindle drive which has a threaded spindle and a spindle nut arranged on the threaded spindle and by which the first fastening device and the second fastening device are movable axially relative to one another, and a rotary drive which drives the spindle drive in rotation by an overload protection device, and the rotationally rigid connection thereof can be canceled when a determined torque is exceeded. The overload protection device is a ring element arranged on a driveshaft of the rotary drive.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2009Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicant: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Thomas Reif, Klaus Schmidt
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Patent number: 7703377Abstract: A piston/cylinder unit is disclosed. The piston/cylinder unit includes a pressure tube having one end; a piston rod axially movable in the pressure tube, the piston rod extending through the one end of the pressure tube so that a portion of the piston rod is disposed outside the pressure tube; a casing tube attached to the portion of the piston rod, the casing tube at least partially enveloping the pressure tube; and a bush attached to the pressure tube, wherein the bush is disposed between the casing tube and the pressure tube so that the casing tube is axially movable relative to the pressure tube via the bush.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2007Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Rolf Mintgen, Jörg Hillen, Peter Kohns
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Patent number: 7686530Abstract: Socket housing has a hemispherical ball socket and a plurality of circumferentially spaced retaining tongues which extend toward an insertion opening, the tongues being radially pivotable to engage over the equator of a ball head. An outer part has an insertion region and a receiving opening into which the socket housing can be inserted in an insertion direction via the insertion region, the insertion region having an inside surface defining an opening with a cross-sectional area which is larger than a cross-sectional area defined by an inside surface of the receiving opening. The retaining tongues are in contact with the inside surface of the receiving opening when the socket housing is in the installed position. A locking device prevents movement of the socket housing counter to the insertion direction when the socket housing is in the installed position.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2007Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventors: Arnold Schilz, Richard Strupp, Reiner Weber
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Patent number: 7681469Abstract: A drive device for moving a flap of a vehicle includes a first fastening element which can be connected to one of a moveable component and a fixed component, and a housing tube which is axially movable relative to the first fastening element. The housing tube has an end opposite the first fastening element which carries a second fastening element which can be connected to the other of the moveable component and the fixed component. A spindle drive includes a threaded spindle having end mounted for rotation in the housing tube and fixed against axial movement with respect to the housing tube, and a spindle nut arranged on the threaded spindle. The spindle nut is connected to the first fastening element and secured against rotation with respect to the housing tube, and a rotary drive is arranged to drive the spindle in rotation.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Stabilus GmbHInventor: Andreas Ritter